Springtime Sports: How to Handle Kids’ Teeth Injuries
Last updated on September 2nd, 2019 at 07:53 pm
With the beginning of the spring sports season, we see an increased amount of trauma to children’s teeth. Many parents wonder what they need to do, who they need to see. Your family dentist is usually the best place to start. Most emergency rooms do not have a dentist on staff and may not have the expertise that your dentist does. The most common sports injuries are (1) fractured or chipped teeth, (2) teeth tran materially moved out of their normal position or forced out of place and (3) lacerations or cuts that may require stitches.
Fractures
When a tooth is fractured or chipped, the dentist will take an x-ray to make sure the nerve or root of the tooth has not been affected. When a tooth is moved out of position the blood supply to the tooth can be interrupted leading to a darkening of the tooth and eventual death of the nerve. A root canal is then required.
A fractured tooth that is not bleeding or extremely painful would not require an emergency office visit. If the nerve is not affected, the dentist will proceed to repair the tooth with a tooth colored filling material. If too much tooth has been damaged, the tooth may require a crown. If the x-ray shows an injured root along with the fractured tooth, the tooth may require a root canal or even an extraction.
After the root canal or extraction, the tooth will be restored to as natural a shape and color as possible. Your dentist will determine the necessary treatment. Of course, custom sports mouth guards can help eliminate almost all these types of dental injuries.
Tooth Knocked Out
Teeth that are pushed so far out of their normal position that the bite is affected need to be treated immediately by being put back into their correct position. This is true for all adult teeth but is not so for baby teeth. Baby teeth will not reattach after being severely displaced so they will need to be removed in most cases.
If an adult tooth is forced out or avulsed, rinse the tooth off with water, holding the tooth by the crown and try to replace it in the socket. Do not scrub, dry or wrap the tooth; and avoid touching the root of the tooth. Ligaments attached to the root need to stay moist so the tooth may be successfully re-implanted. Placing the tooth in normal saline solution will also keep the root moist. There is a product one can purchase for just such an emergency called Save-A-Tooth. However, eye contact solution is not a good to use. If the tooth is successfully re-implanted within thirty minutes, the tooth will have a good chance of survival after a root canal is completed.
Cuts & Lacerations
Lacerations or cuts to the lip or tongue may require stitches if they are deep enough. Placing gentle pressure with a clean towel or gauze will help control the bleeding until you get to the dentist office. Your pediatric or family dentist is the best place to start with any dental emergency.
Most offices have emergency contact numbers for nights and weekends and are happy to help their patients in any dental emergency.
Is My Child’s “Barky Cough” CROUP and How Can I Help?
Last updated on September 2nd, 2019 at 07:53 pm
Croup, or laryngotracheobronchitis, is caused by many viral infections and falls into the category of upper respiratory infection along with the common cold. Croup tends to occur in the autumn and early winter months. In croup, the major areas affected are the ones referred to in the long name of this illness (above); the larynx, trachea and bronchi, which are all structures that convey air from the mouth and nose down toward the lungs. As with all colds or upper respiratory infections there is inflammation of the mucosa (most superficial covering) of the inside of the nose, mouth, throat and upper respiratory tract, leading to mucous production and irritation of those sites.
In croup, the area of the upper respiratory tract most prominently affected is the larynx, or the voice box area located very close to the firm lump in the front of your neck, the “adam’s apple”. When vocal cords are irritated and swollen, adults merely get hoarse or raspy talking and a “normal” sounding cough. Children have a much narrower windpipe and therefore with even the slightest swelling of their vocal cords, there is less room for air to get by and they also get hoarseness along with a cough and raspy breathing. There is also a characteristic barky (yes sounds like a animal barking) kind of cough and occasional difficulty breathing. All symptoms tend to be worse at night, a time when all illnesses seem to worsen.
For the most part this illness remains mild and the only treatment needed is a cool mist humidifier, fluid intake, elevated head at night and reassurance for the child and parents.
Rarely a child may progress to real difficulty breathing, with a characteristic whooping noise when taking a breath in versus a wheezing sound when breathing out found more commonly in those with asthma. So if your child exhibits difficulty breathing along with the above symptoms, call your doctor for further instructions.
Once a child has had croup, parents seldom forget what the barky cough sounds like and can make the diagnosis themselves. Usually, as with other upper respiratory viral infections there is a mild amount of fever and the child is not real sick.
If there is sudden high fever with the onset of “croup” and your child is drooling, cannot swallow or speak, and is very anxious, you must call your doctor immediately or call 911.
This symptom complex describes a rare but life threatening illness called epiglotitis which can be very dangerous. I stress that this is a rare illness which used to be far more common before we were able to vaccinate against the bacteria which causes this illness.
Child Has a Severe Allergic Reaction: Can Your School Help Them?
Last updated on September 2nd, 2019 at 07:54 pm
The sad story of a seven year-old girl who was unwittingly given a peanut by a classmate in Virginia and later died from an allergic reaction has brought attention to the issues surrounding food allergies and medical treatment at schools. The school legally couldn’t give any medication that wasn’t supplied by the parent.
What are the regulations at your child’s school around food allergies? Do they have an EpiPen on hand, and can they use it without written permission?
How does your child’s school handle birthdays? Bake sales?
My children know the strict “no sharing food” policy at school. I drill it into them.
But is there any real way to know that every child is following that rule? How do you deal with this??
Editor’s Note:
Even though the story of the 7 year old mentioned above happened a number of year’s ago, parents please note – the questions asked are just as relevant today… the laws governing the use of medication by schools are NOT consistent nation-wide. Please take the time and find out what your school’s policies are even if – especially if your child doesn’t have any “known” food allergies. It could just save their life.
To Our Wonderful Readers…An Important Update
Last updated on September 2nd, 2019 at 07:54 pm
We wanted to update you about some changes happening this year at Pediatric Safety…
As many of you are probably aware, we have spent the last 9+ years publishing content that has allowed us to make a difference in the lives of families across the globe. We’ve done our best to be there for you when you needed us.
In the coming months we intend to implement a new “look” for Pediatric Safety and focus a bit more on areas where we believe we can provide a greater impact. This is a fairly intensive effort, and truthfully, we don’t have the resources to do everything and do it well. Which means we need to cut back on our publishing of new content and publish less frequently.
We are telling you this because as someone we value, we didn’t want you to be surprised when we show up a little less often in your mailbox or in your social media.
We’re not closing-up shop!
We’re just doing what we need to, to make sure we continue to provide you with the best possible content and experience that we can, now and for the foreseeable future. We hope you’ll continue to take this journey with us…and please…suggestions are welcome!
We wish you and your families a Happy and Healthy 2019!
~ Stefanie, Clara, Jim and Audra ~
5 Tantrum Parenting Mistakes and the Tamers That Keep You Sane
Last updated on September 2nd, 2019 at 07:54 pm
No one wants to be the parent with the red-faced toddler screaming and crying at the grocery checkout because he can’t have Gummi Bears. But when parents attempt to calm kids down, they often get it wrong, according to experts.
Here are the most common mistakes parents make — and what works instead.
Tantrum Mistake No. 1: You try reasoning with him.
Parents tend to keep talking and explaining to their overwrought child why he can’t have the thing he wants. “He’s emotionally wound up and incapable at that moment of being logical,” says Susan Stiffelman, a family therapist and author of Parenting Without Power Struggles: Raising Joyful, Resilient Kids While Staying Cool, Calm and Connected. “Trying to make him think rationally will actually make him feel more alone.”
Tantrum Tamer: Stop talking. After your initial explanation, don’t say another word to him, suggests Stiffelman. Once he realizes his tantrum isn’t getting him anywhere, he’ll calm down.
Tantrum Mistake No. 2: You’re unclear about the rule.
If you tell your child “No” but then start hedging as his tantrum escalates, he’ll sense your hesitation and keep at it until you give in, says Thomas W. Phelan, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and author of 1-2-3 Magic: Effective Discipline for Children 2-12.
Tantrum Tamer: Spell it out and stick to it. “If you’re clear and consistent, pretty soon the kid will understand that when you say “No,” you mean no, and if he pushes, nothing good will come of it.”
Tantrum Mistake No. 3: You’re not empathetic.
It’s hard to have sympathy in the middle of a meltdown, but not acknowledging that your child is upset makes him feel that his frustrations are going unheard, according to Stiffelman.
Tantrum Tamer: Show you understand. If your child goes ballistic when the baby sitter arrives, say something like: “It doesn’t seem fair that you can’t go out to dinner with Mommy and Daddy tonight.” But don’t add an explanation; that will make things worse. Expecting a young child to understand is unrealistic because … he won’t.
Tantrum Mistake No. 4: You lose your temper.
One out-of-control person is enough. What’s more, “you’re modeling bad temper to your child,” says Phelan. “Although sometimes you can intimidate him into quieting down, this will only give you a false sense of control.”
Tantrum Tamer: Keep quiet. Remain calm and say nothing. And if you’re in a public place, leave as quickly as possible.
Tantrum Mistake No. 5: You ignore his needs.
You’re asking for trouble if you’re not tuned in to what sets him off, according to Stiffelman. You can avoid many meltdowns by taking his needs into account.
Tantrum Tamer: Think ahead. If your child frequently has a meltdown when you two spend the entire morning running from store to store doing errands, adjust your schedule accordingly. Not playing to your child’s tantrums helps restore calm — for both of you.
And while you can’t always avoid meltdowns, having smart strategies lets you keep them from escalating and stop them sooner.
Child Health & Safety News 12/24: Teething Jewelry Safety Risks
Last updated on August 5th, 2022 at 10:26 pm
In this week’s Child Health News: How much difference can a later school start make for teens? As Seattle’s school district found out, it can help a lot! n.pr/2STRXo6
Welcome to Pediatric Safety’s weekly “Child Health & Safety News Roundup”- a recap of the past week’s child health and safety news headlines from around the world. Each day we use social media to communicate relevant and timely health and safety information to the parents, medical professionals and caregivers who follow us. Occasionally we overlook something, but overall we think we’re doing a pretty good job of keeping you informed. Still, quite a bit happens every day – so to make sure you don’t miss anything, we offer you a recap of this week’s top 15 events & stories.
- How Does Sensory Play Help With a Child’s Development? bit.ly/2QPcEFs 2018-12-23
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Institute of Child Health doctors perform life-saving open-heart surgery on infant bit.ly/2EHf6ql 2018-12-23
- Celebrity nutrition expert Rujuta Diwekar tells parents How to care for their child’s health and gives tips on child health and the ideal diet for today’s children. bit.ly/2T4F9eJ 2018-12-21
- Pets Help Prevent Allergies In Infants, Study Says cbsloc.al/2CuE5vl 2018-12-21
PedSafe Child Health & Safety News Headline of the Week
FDA says teething jewelry poses safety risks after child injuries http://bit.ly/2T7DPry
- Saturday Morning at AMC, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is Sensory Friendly bit.ly/2Luiki1 2018-12-21
- Can pyruvate improve cardiac function among children with LCOS following surgery? American Heart Association is funding a study http://bit.ly/2V7zQx8 2018-12-20
- Kids in hot cars: 8 safety tips (even in winter!) https://yhoo.it/2T7Kpyj 2018-12-20
- Bringing joy to pediatric patients can start with an in-residence dog… a highly trained service dog that works in a healthcare setting to provide specialized tasks and create an emotional connection with peds patients http://bit.ly/2V9FjDC 2018-12-19
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New child passenger safety law update to go into effect in Nebraska on January 1st http://bit.ly/2CwYMqm 2018-12-19
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding and the common cold: What new and expectant moms need to know: http://spr.ly/6014E8Zdu 2018-12-18
- Social Media Companies, Reporting, and Secondary Victimization – Cyberbullying Research Center bit.ly/2Ci7HMe 2018-12-18
- Teen vaping continues to rise, survey finds cnn.it/2Erz08q 2018-12-17
- Will Spanking Kids Really Scar Them for Life? bit.ly/2Bqlij0 2018-12-17
- Sweets for Kids at the Holidays? What Dentist Approved That? bit.ly/2EqLMUB 2018-12-17
