{"product_id":"your-childs-health-isbn-9780553383690","title":"Your Child's Health","description":"Emergencies:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e--when to call your child's physician immediately\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e-what to do in case of burns, bites, stings, poisoning, choking, and injuries\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCommon Illnesses:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e-when it's safe to treat your child at home\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e-step-by-step instructions on dealing with fever, infections, allergies, rashes, earaches, croup and other common ailments\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBehavior Problems:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e-proven strategies for colic, sleep disturbances, toilet training problems, thumbsucking, and the video game craze\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e-no-nonsense discipline techniques for biting, temper tantrums, sibling fighting, and school refusal\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHealth Promotion: From Birth Through Adolescence:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e-essential advice on newborn baby care, nutrition, cholesterol testing, immunizations, and sex education\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e-ways of preventing spoiled children, picky eaters, overeating, tooth decay, accidents, and homework problemsBarton D. Schmitt, MD, FAAP, is Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and Director of the Sleep Disorder Clinic and Encopresis-Enuresis clinic at The Children's Hospital of Denver. He has written more than one-hundred articles for fellow pediatricians, as well as the book \u003ci\u003ePediatric Telephone Protocols\u003c\/i\u003e and the computer software program The Pediatric Advisor, used by over four-hundred-and-fifty hospitals nationwide.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDr. Schmitt has received numerous awards for his work, including the American Academy of Pediatrics Education Award in 2004. He and his wife spend as much time as possible with their children and 6 grandchildren.EMERGENCY TELEPHONE CALLS\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLife-Threatening Emergencies\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDial 911 (Emergency Medical Services). In larger cities, this call will  dispatch an emergency vehicle staffed by a rescue squad and based at the  nearest fire department. In smaller towns and counties, the operator will  connect you with an emergency ambulance service. The direct number for  this service is usually found on the first page of your telephone  directory. In areas that use 911, children should be taught to dial this  number for crises. Increasingly, 911 is being linked to a computer system  (“enhanced 911”) that can determine the address of the incoming call even  if the caller can’t speak.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNon-Life-Threatening Emergencies\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCall Your Child’s Physician. If you don’t have a physician, call the near-  est emergency room. Always call in first, rather than simply going to an  emergency room. Your physician may provide you with critical first aid  instructions by phone (e.g., for burns, animal bites, or fractures). Your  physician also can help you decide whether a rescue squad should be sent  out or if it is safe for you to drive in. In addition, your physician can  also tell you if it’s safe to be seen in the office or where to take your  child for the best emergency care.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePoisoning\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf you know the phone number of the nearest Poison Center, call them now.  If not, call the National Poison Center hotline at 1-800-222-1222. They  will automatically connect you with your local Poison Center.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHow to Cut Through Red Tape\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen you call in, always state assertively, “This is an emergency.”   Do not let the answering service or receptionist put you on hold   before talking with you. If you are put on hold, hang up and call back   immediately.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEMERGENCY TRANSPORTATION\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLife-Threatening or Major Emergencies\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCall your rescue squad (911) or ambulance service.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDefinition of a Life-Threatening Emergency—Children who may need  resuscitation en route (for instance, those with severe breathing  difficulty, severe choking, or not breathing) require a 911 call. Other  potentially life-threatening emergencies are persistent loss of  consciousness (coma), continuing seizure, or bleeding that can’t be  stopped by direct pressure. Children with major trauma or possible neck  injury need splinting before transportation.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Staff of Emergency Vehicles—Emergency vehicles are staffed by EMTs  (Emergency Medical Technicians) or Paramedics. EMTs are trained in Basic  Life Support: cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), splinting, bandaging,  and so on. Paramedics are EMTs with additional training in Advanced Life  Support: drawing blood, starting IVs, intubation, recording EKGs, and so  on. EMTs receive 160 hours of training and Paramedics receive 1,200 hours.  These pre-hospital care specialists are certified by their national  associations. While providing emergency care, they are linked by two-way  radio to an emergency room physician at their base hospital.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRescue Squads Versus Ambulance Services—In larger cities, rescue squads  are often available through local fire departments. Usually rescue squads  can respond more rapidly than ambulances, and their service is free. After  the patient’s condition has been stabilized, they will often call an  ambulance company for transport to the hospital if it is warranted. In  general the police do not transport sick people, so don’t call them for  medical emergencies.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNon-Life-Threatening Emergencies\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGo to the nearest hospital offering emergency services. Try to call your  child’s physician first.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDefinition of Less Severe Emergencies—These concern children who need to  be seen as quickly as possible but whose condition is currently stable or  at least does not pose a danger of suddenly needing resuscitation.  Examples are poisonings, slow bleeding controlled by pressure, severe  pain, and seizures that have stopped.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAdvantage of Car over an Ambulance—A private car is quicker and less  expensive than an ambulance. Another option is to call a taxi.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDriving in to Seek Emergency Care—If you are going by private car, don’t  leave until you know the exact location of the emergency room you will be  going to. It is a good idea to rehearse the drive by the fast-  est route before an emergency occurs. Keep your sick child in a car safety  seat. Try to have a friend or neighbor accompany you and do the driving.  Some parents are too shaken by their child’s injury to drive safely.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhat to Bring with You to the Emergency Room\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •Your health insurance card\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •Your child’s immunization record\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •Your pharmacy’s telephone number\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •Any medicines your child is taking (or a list of drugs and dosages)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •If your child has been poisoned, bring the container.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •If your child has passed blood in the urine, stool, or vomited material,  bring a sample for testing.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •Your child’s security object or favorite toy\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLIFE-THREATENING 911 SYMPTOMS\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEvery parent should learn how to identify life-threatening symptoms. You  need to know in advance when to call 911 rather than trying to   reach your doctor, and when it’s not safe to try to drive to the hospital.  Then you will not make the tragic mistake of attempting to drive your  seriously ill child to an emergency room only to have him\/her stop  breathing or go into shock on the way. If your child ever has any of the  following symptoms, call Emergency Medical Services (911) immediately.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSevere Breathing Problems\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •Breathing has stopped.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •Your child is choking and unable to breathe or is turning blue.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •Difficulty breathing follows a medicine, food, or bee sting (the concern  is for severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    Severe Bleeding\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •Blood is pumping or spurting from the wound.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •Blood is pouring out and can’t be stopped with direct pressure.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSevere Neck Injury\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTry not to move your child until EMS arrives.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSeizure or Convulsion Now (hasn’t stopped)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCan’t Wake Up\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYour child is unconscious (in a coma).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEMERGENCY SYMPTOMS\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAll the conditions discussed in this chapter are emergencies. The  following emergency symptoms, however, are highlighted because they are  either difficult to recognize or not considered serious by some parents.  If your child has any of the following symptoms, contact your child’s  physician immediately.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSick Newborn\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf your baby is less than one month old and looks or acts sick in any way,  the problem could be serious (e.g., vomiting, cough, poor color).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSevere Lethargy\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTo be tired during an illness is normal, but if your child stares off into  space, won’t smile, has no interest in playing, is too weak to cry, is  floppy, or is hard to awaken, these are serious symptoms.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSevere Pain\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf your child cries when you touch him or move him, this can be a symptom  of meningitis. Such children also don’t want to be held. Constant  screaming or the inability to sleep also points to severe pain.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCan’t Walk\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf your child has learned to walk and then loses the ability to stand or  walk, the most likely reason is that he or she has a serious injury to the  legs or an acute problem with balance. If your child walks bent over,  holding his abdomen, he probably has a serious abdominal problem such as  appendicitis.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTender Abdomen\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePress on your child’s belly while he or she is sitting up in your lap and  looking at a book. Normally you should be able to press an inch or so in  with your fingers in all parts of the belly without resistance. If he  pushes your hand away or screams, this is an important finding. If the  belly is also bloated and hard, the condition is even more worrisome. (See  Abdominal Pain, page 596.)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTender Testicle or Scrotum\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe sudden onset of pain in the groin area can be due to twisting  (torsion) of the testicle. This requires surgery within 8 hours to save  the testicle.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLabored Breathing\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYou should assess your child’s breathing after cleaning out the nose and  when he is not coughing. If your child is working hard at breathing, has  tight croup, or has obvious wheezing, he or she needs to be seen  immediately. Other signs of respiratory distress are a rapid breathing  rate, bluish lips, or retractions (pulling in between the ribs). (See  Breathing Difficulty, Severe, page 36.)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBluish Lips\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBluish lips, gums, or tongue (cyanosis) can indicate a reduced amount of  oxygen in the bloodstream. (See Bluish Lips, page 490.)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDrooling\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe sudden onset of drooling or spitting, especially associated with  difficulty in swallowing, can mean that your child has a serious infection  of the tonsils, throat, or epiglottis (top part of the windpipe).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDehydration\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDehydration means that your child’s body fluids are at a low level.  Dehydration usually follows severe vomiting and\/or diarrhea. Suspect  dehydration if your child has not urinated in 8 hours (12 hours if over 1  year old), crying produces no tears, the inside of the mouth is dry rather  than moist, or the soft spot in the skull is sunken. Dehydrated children  are also tired and weak. If your child is alert and active but not making  much urine, he isn’t dehydrated. Dehydration requires immediate fluid  replacement by mouth or intravenously.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBulging Soft Spot\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf the anterior fontanel is tense and bulging, the brain is under  pressure. (See Soft Spot, Bulging, page 520.) Since the fontanel normally  bulges slightly with crying, assess it when your child is quiet and in an  upright position.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eStiff Neck\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTo test for a stiff neck: With your child lying down, lift his head until  the chin touches the middle of the chest. If he is resistant to this,  place a toy or other object of interest on his belly so he will have to  look down in order to see it. Older children can simply be asked to look  at their belly button. A stiff neck can be an early sign of meningitis.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eInjured Neck\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAny injury to the neck, regardless of symptoms, should be discussed with  your physician because of the risk of damage to the spinal cord.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePurple Spots or Dots\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePurple or blood-red spots or dots on the skin can be a sign of a serious  bloodstream infection. Explained bruises don’t count. (See Purple Spots,  page 460.)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFever Over 105°F\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAll the preceding symptoms are stronger indicators of serious illness than  is the level of fever. All of them can occur with low fevers as well as  high ones. Serious infections become a special concern only when the  temperature rises above 105ºF (40.6ºC). In infants a rectal temperature  less than 96.8ºF (36.0ºC) can also be serious.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSuicide Concerns\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBecause of the marked increase in suicide attempts in adolescence, parents  should be alert to any of the following warning signs: preoccupation with  thoughts of death or suicide, themes of death in writing or conversation,  abrupt withdrawal from friends and family, abrupt loss of interest in  favorite pastimes, abrupt decline in schoolwork, reckless risk-taking  behavior, depressed mood. Call either the suicide hotline or your child’s  physician.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChild Abuse Concerns\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCall your child’s physician or the child abuse hotline if you are afraid  you might hurt your child, if someone has injured your child, or if  someone has shaken your child. Child abuse has a tendency to escalate, so  protect your child by seeking help early. Infants are at the greatest risk  for a serious reinjury.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRelated Topics\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSick Newborn: Subtle Symptoms (see page 130)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSick Infant: Judging the Severity of Illness (see page 131)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRESUSCITATION (Mouth-to-Mouth Breathing)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf your child has stopped breathing or is gasping for breath (e.g., from  choking, croup, carbon monoxide poisoning, drowning, or head trauma), you  won’t have time to read these guidelines. So read them now. And take an  approved CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) or first aid course. You  can’t learn external cardiac massage purely from reading. Fortunately,  more than 90 percent of children who stop breathing still have a pulse and  heartbeat (unlike heart attack victims) and they need only artificial  respiration to revive them. The steps in mouth-to-mouth breathing are as  follows.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePreparation\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRescue Squad—Have someone call a rescue squad (911) immediately. You’re  going to need help.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eClear the Mouth—Look for any gum, food, foreign object, or loose  orthodontic retainer. If present, remove them with your fingers or a  Heimlich maneuver (see Choking, page 11). If any liquid is in the mouth,  remove it by turning your child on one side and using gravity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePosition the Head—With your child lying faceup, put a folded blanket   or towel (1?2 inch to 2 inches thick) directly under the back of your   child’s head. Do not put anything under the shoulders or neck. This  “sniffing,” head-forward position opens the airway and closes the  esophagus (thereby keeping air out of the stomach). The jaw and chin can   also be pulled forward to open the airway more. (Note: Some adolescents  and adults may require slight extension of the neck for optimal breathing.)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMouth-to-Mouth Breathing\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePinch your child’s nostrils closed with one hand and seal the mouth with  yours. (In small children, an adult can often seal both the child’s  nostrils and mouth with his mouth.) Blow air with a steady pressure into  your child’s lungs until you see the chest rise (the smaller the child,  the smaller the volume of your puff). Then remove your mouth and your  child will automatically blow the air out without any help (normal recoil  of the lungs). During this time, take a breath and refill your lungs.  Repeat this at the following rates:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •Under 2 years old: 20 times per minute (once every 3 seconds)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •2 to 12 years old: 15 times per minute (once every 4 seconds)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    •Over 12 years old: 12 times per minute (once every 5 seconds)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOccasionally, take several quite deep breaths to bring plenty of oxy-  gen into your lungs. (Note: If it is impossible to open the victim’s   mouth, cover the mouth and give mouth-to-nose breathing.) If 4 or   5 breaths don’t move the chest, assume the airway is blocked and perform a  Heimlich maneuver 10 times in rapid succession (see Choking, p. 11).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf the heartbeat and carotid pulse are absent, also perform external  cardiac massage if you know how to do it. In general, give 5 heart  compressions for every 1 breath (i.e., 1-2-3-4-5-breathe, then repeat).Revised Edition","brand":"Bantam","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46301612736741,"sku":"NP9780553383690","price":22.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780553383690.jpg?v=1767744793","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/your-childs-health-isbn-9780553383690","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}