Posts for category: Child Safety

- Apply pressure to the cut for five minutes. If it’s still bleeding after five minutes, it probably needs stitches
- The cut is more than ½-inch deep or longer
- The cut is around their eye
- The cut is on their face or neck and is longer than ¼ inch
- The cut is gaping open
- There is an object sticking out of it, including debris or glass
- The cut is spurting blood
When should I call the pediatrician?
If in doubt about whether or not your child may need stitches, call your pediatrician. With the introduction of telehealth visits, many pediatricians can now look at images of the injury or wound through a simple online appointment and determine whether the child or teen needs to come in for stitches. While the warning signs above are telltale indicators that your child may need stitches, even if the cut doesn’t need stitches, you should still see the doctor if:
- The cut was made by a rusty or metal object
- There is redness, swelling, pus, or other signs of infection
- The child has been bitten by an animal
- The cut hasn’t healed within 10 days
- There is still severe pain after a few hours
If you still aren’t sure whether or not your child should get stitches, it doesn’t hurt to give your pediatrician a call. Let us know the symptoms your child is experiencing, and we can determine if their injury requires a closer look from our team. Call us today; we can deal with your child’s urgent medical matters.

While tetanus can cause some serious symptoms including “lockjaw," it is completely preventable with a vaccination. The DTaP vaccine is used to prevent tetanus (along with diphtheria and pertussis) and your child will get their first series of shots at 2, 4, and 6 months. Your child will also need another tetanus shot between the ages of 15 to 18 months old and between 4-6 years old.
Most children will develop symptoms within two weeks of exposure to the bacteria. Symptoms of tetanus include,
- Painful and severe muscle spasms
- Shoulder, jaw, and neck stiffness
- Difficulty breathing and swallowing
- Rapid heart rate
- Fever

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.

Types of Car Seats
Before your child can just start buckling up like a big kid, they need to use car seats. Children from birth until 3 years old will use a rear-facing car seat. From 3-7 years old children will upgrade to the forward-facing car seat. Then the booster seat is typically used anywhere from 5-12 years, depending on their height and manufacturer’s guidelines. Children should be at least five years old, weigh at least 40 pounds and be over the height and weight requirements for their forward-facing car seat to be ready to upgrade to a booster seat.
Choosing the Right Car Seat
When it comes to choosing a car seat, we know that it can be difficult to narrow it down. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides useful information to help you find the right car seat by comparing different ones on the market. You can also talk to your pediatrician, who can provide you with a wellspring of information and advice on choosing the right car seat for your little one.
Installing Your Child’s Car Seat
Before starting, it’s important to read the manufacturer’s installation guide so that you can better understand the car seat and how it should be installed. Along with following the installation guide that comes with the car seat, the NHTSA also provides some helpful safety tips for a successful installation.
Did you know that once you have your car seat in-place that you can have it inspected to make sure that it’s properly installed? This can provide families with the peace of mind that they need to know that their child is safe every time they buckle up.
From booster seats to booster shots, you must be doing everything possible to keep your child healthy and safe. This also means finding quality pediatricians that you trust to provide you with the tips, advice, and care to support your child’s health.