Whether you’re simply taking a weekend trip to visit the grandparents, or you and the family are flying internationally, you must know how to keep everyone healthy and safe while on vacation. After all, the last thing you want to worry about is looking up local hospitals near your hotel in the middle of the night. Here are some tips for how to keep your little ones safe while traveling.
Accidents happen. Perhaps your child hurt themselves falling off their bike or taking a rough tumble down the stairs. In these instances, the first thing you’ll probably do is check your child over for bumps, bruises, and possibly broken bones. It’s important to recognize whether your child could be dealing with a broken bone so that you can bring them in to see their pediatrician right away.- Pain
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Tenderness
- A popping or snapping sound at the moment of impact or injury
- Trouble straightening out the limb or affected area
- Unable to put weight on the area
- Limited range of motion or unable to move normally
First, your pediatrician will run X-rays to determine the location and severity of the break. Your doctor will place a splint or cast around the broken bone to provide support and stabilization and to restrict certain movements that could impede healing.
A urinary tract infection isn’t just something that happens to adults. Children can also develop UTIs. Since children are more likely to suffer from kidney damage as a result of a UTI you must see your pediatric doctor right away if you suspect that your child may be dealing with a urinary tract infection. Signs and symptoms include,- Increased urgency to urinate, even if there is no output
- Cloudy or strong-smelling urine
- A decreased output of urine
- Children may complain of a burning sensation when urinating
- Older children may complain of lower stomach or back pain
- Younger children may cry when urinating
- Wetting the bed
If your child is showing symptoms of a UTI you must see your pediatrician right away. A simple urine sample is all that’s needed to be able to detect the presence of bacteria. We can examine the urine sample under the microscope and provide results in a matter of minutes. The kind of bacteria that’s present will help us determine the type of antibiotics we will prescribe.
It’s important to seek treatment right away, as untreated UTIs can lead to more serious problems including kidney infections, abscesses, and sepsis. Your pediatrician can prescribe antibiotics. Your child should also be getting plenty of fluids during the course of their treatment to help flush out bacteria.
Splints and casts are basically hard, solid wraps used for supporting and protecting injured tendons, ligaments, bones, as well as other tissues. Essentially, they aid in healing broken bones by keeping the bones’ fractured ends straight and together as possible while healing. They likewise help with swelling and pain and prevent further damage to the injured area.
Here at Southwest Children’s Clinic in West Jordan, UT, our pediatricians also offer to splint and casting services, aside from our various child healthcare services.
What’s The Difference Between a Splint and a Cast?
Casts are used for wrapping around the entire injury and are always customized for the patient. They can be fabricated from plaster or fiberglass. Splints, on the other hand, are half casts, which means that the hard portion doesn’t wrap around the entire injured area. Elastic bandages usually hold them in place.
They are also made from plaster or fiberglass. Likewise, splints can be easily adjusted or removed, unlike casts, which require the help of your pediatrician in West Jordan, UT, to be adjusted or removed.
How Long Should My Child Wear a Splint or Cast?
A splint typically needs to stay on for a couple of days or weeks. In the event of significant swelling, it can be used first before a cast to help alleviate the swelling. A cast that’s maintained properly can be used for a couple of weeks and it will be up to your doctor how long your child will need to wear it.
Casts and splints usually require some adjustments in the first couple of days following an injury because of unpredictable swelling. Once the swelling eases, the cast might feel too loose. But if it increases, the cast or splint might become overly tight.
When Should I Contact My Pediatrician?
Contact your pediatrician immediately if your child is experiencing:
- Numbness, or a stinging, burning, or tingling feeling near or on the injured area
- Increased pain
- A foul odor, blood, drainage, or pus coming from the splint or cast
- Circulation issues, if your child’s skin, toes, fingers, or nails become bluish, grayish, pale, or otherwise discolored, and cold to touch
- A damaged, broken, or wet splint or cast
Depending on the specific issue, your pediatrician may have to change, remove, or adjust your cast or splint.
Need Casting or Splinting Services? We Can Help
Call (801) 563-1975 to arrange a consultation with your pediatrician in West Jordan, UT, here at Southwest Children's Clinic.
In a nutshell, immunizations are designed to provide immunity from a disease without the risk of contracting it. The role of vaccination is to activate the memory of the immune system by adding to the body a weakened version or something resembling a certain microbe, allowing the immune system to protect your body from disease. Here at Southwest Children's Clinic in West Jordan, UT, you can consult with one of our pediatricians about the right immunization schedule for your family.
Immunization is Crucial
The World Health Organization (WHO), medical researchers, professional medical organizations, and health professionals recommend immunization. Why? For the simple reason that they recognize the two crucial reasons why people should get immunizations, to protect yourself and to protect the people around you.
At the moment, it is the best prevention against infectious diseases. Without immunization, the consequences can be deadly. This is especially true for people who have impaired immune systems. Further, vaccines could mean the difference between saving people from diseases and having an epidemic breakout in a community.
Recommended Immunizations
According to the WHO, there are a couple of recommended immunizations that must be given to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Again, you should consult with your pediatrician here in Wes Jordan, UT, for a specific immunization schedule fit for your children. These immunizations are:
- Haemophilus Influenzae Type B (Hib): For pneumonia and meningitis.
- Hepatitis B: This is for a liver viral infection.
- Human Papillomavirus (HPV): Considered as the most common viral infection that affects the reproductive tract, which results in cervical and other types of cancer in women. It can also produce genital warts in men and women.
- Meningitis A: About 20% of affected persons suffer from long-term and devastating sequelae.
- Measles: One of the more highly contagious diseases attributed to a virus, it comes with rashes and high fever.
- Mumps: Another highly contagious disease that results in painful swelling under the ears at the side of the face. It is accompanied by headache, fever, and muscle pains. Without immunization, it can lead to meningitis.
- Pneumococcal: The vaccine covers meningitis, pneumonia, febrile bacteremia, sinusitis, bronchitis, and otitis media.
- Polio: This vaccine can prevent a highly infectious virus from causing irreversible paralysis. Currently, polio has been completely eradicated except in Pakistan and Afghanistan. This means there is still the threat of an outbreak in countries where public health and immunization programs are weak.
- Rotaviruses: The vaccine prevents young children from experiencing the severe diarrheal disease.
- Tetanus: It prevents the bacterium that grows due to the absence of oxygen commonly found in dirty wounds.
For Any Questions or Advice About Immunization, Speak to Us
Call (801) 563-1975 to arrange a consultation with your pediatrician here at Southwest Children's Clinic in West Jordan, UT, today.
This website includes materials that are protected by copyright, or other proprietary rights. Transmission or reproduction of protected items beyond that allowed by fair use, as defined in the copyright laws, requires the written permission of the copyright owners.