I"ve had to remove all of a toddler"s teeth. It"s time for a war on sugar

It is the end of an afternoon in theatre and I have extracted more than 100 teeth from my operating list of eight patients, the youngest a two-year-old who needed all 20 baby teeth removing because they were so decayed. I watch in silence as a child younger than my own is transferred from the operating table and I wonder how we reached this point as a society where I don’t believe we truly value oral health, nor realise the implications of failing to do so.

Nearly 20 years after observing my first general anaesthetic as a student it doesn’t get any easier. I regularly see parents overcome by guilt and emotion as they watch their child being put to sleep, or recovering dazed and confused in the recovery suite. Sometimes after a busy afternoon I sit in the theatre and wonder if there is more I can do, sometimes I have nothing left to give.

Responsibility for oral health promotion has been devolved to cash-strapped local authorities

As an NHS consultant in paediatric dentistry, it sadly comes as no surprise to me that removal of decayed teeth remains the most common reason for a child aged five to nine years to be admitted to a hospital in England. In these straitened times, it seems so wrong that every year we spend around £35m on operations to treat a disease that is almost always preventable.

The frustration is that the solutions are already out there. Ten years ago, the Scottish government agreed to invest in a programme of oral health prevention called Childsmile. Now every child in Scotland has access to free daily supervised toothbrushing in nursery and free dental packs to support toothbrushing at home. Dental registration is encouraged and those communities and individuals who are higher risk have more support. The result? Scotland is reducing the millions of pounds it spends on general anaesthetics and turning around the oral health of its children, for the princely sum of £17 per child per year.

Wales has a similar Designed to Smile programme but in England, responsibility for oral health promotion has been devolved to cash-strapped local authorities. This means that it is a postcode lottery with some excellent programmes, such as Teeth Team in Hull, while in other areas existing services are being decommissioned.

England needs urgent investment in oral health prevention. It is actually more cost effective to prevent, rather than treat, dental disease but more importantly we could be preventing tens of thousands of young children, and their families, from potentially experiencing pain, swelling and sleepless nights and time away from school or work.

Every child has a right to good oral health yet still we see one in eight three-year-old children with obvious signs of decay. We need a more radical approach to reduce the persistent inequalities in oral health, which are immoral in this day and age. We need more compassion, an accelerated programme of product reformation so that the sugar content is reduced, and a war on marketing of high sugar products aimed at children.

Two years ago after a particularly frustrating consultation with a parent whose child’s diet was limited to Ribena and biscuits, I decided to begin writing a blog as a way of delivering practical information. I have reached many more families than I would in my day job, but I still feel as though I am wading in a sea of untreated decay. Education is important but it forms only part of the solution. It is too simplistic, and frankly unhelpful, to apportion all blame to the parents. Yes, as parents we have responsibilities and a vital role to play – but we could all be more proactive when it comes to children’s oral health.

I am delighted at the growing number of organisations that are now beginning to collaborate with myself and colleagues via the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry. Health visitors can and are encouraging a dental check before a baby’s first birthday; sports and education settings can lead by example, adopting low-sugar menus and refusing to place sugary drinks in their vending machines; and communities should campaign for water fluoridation. Above all, we need strong, visible leadership by local and national government that says, “This is not acceptable and we are going to do something about it”. Children’s oral health should be everyone’s business.

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I"ve had to remove all of a toddler"s teeth. It"s time for a war on sugar

Chickenpox vaccines should be more available, says "worst case" toddler"s mother – video

Sarah Allen, whose two-year-old son Jasper was treated at Hinchingbrooke hospital in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, for a severe case of chickenpox, speaks on Tuesday about her son’s recovery. Allen says existing vaccinations should to be made more available on the NHS or affordable for parents to purchase

Chickenpox vaccines should be more available, says "worst case" toddler"s mother – video

Paramedic left heart assault victim to die 4 many years right after failing to spot toddler"s fatal injury

The North West Ambulance Services paramedic only assessed the toddler for 15 minutes and explained he did not want urgent hospital treatment.

Even so for the duration of the evening, the toddler misplaced consciousness and died with a 56-gram blood clot soon after Orme failed to advise the toddler’s parents to check out on their son at normal intervals for the duration of the evening.

The paramedic then had to go before the Wellness Professions Council (HPC) in 2010 and obtained a four-yr caution but was permitted to proceed treating individuals.

The panel ruled he was not responsible for the toddler’s death.

In the situation of Mrs Davies, Orme made a decision to quit as a paramedic and prevented a 2nd disciplinary hearing by removing himself from the register of approved health-related pros.

Orme admitted to a series of failings prior to the Tuesday’s hearing and wrote to the HPC panel asking to be struck off the register.

The allegations which Orme admitted to in the course of his employment incorporate failing to supply adequate care, failing to enquire about Mrs Davies’s past health care history and leaving her with junior workers despite her essential issue.

He also admitted to failing to perform an ECG, which can aid detect issues with heart fee or heart rhythm, as nicely as failing to travel with the patient to hospital.

The paramedic admitted to leaving the scene ahead of the ambulance went to the hospital and failing to give an adequate handover to the attending crew.

Orme has agreed not to apply to be readmitted to the HCPC register.

HCPC panel chairman Helen Carter explained a full hearing was not in the public interest, and would danger upsetting family members of Mrs Davies.

Ms Carter said: “The balance falls in favour of permitting the voluntary removal, especially as there is an unequivocal admission of the allegations and it will be known that Mr Orme will no longer be on the paramedic part of the HCPC register and will no longer be ready to practise as a paramedic.”

She extra elements of the hearing would have been limited to go over Orme’s overall health troubles.

A spokesman for North West Ambulance Service said: “We provide our sincere condolences to the households of the sufferers concerned in these incidents and value that occasions such as this hearing must be a challenging time for them.

“In line with Trust policies and procedures, the workers member and his carry out was entirely investigated, resulting in the elimination of paramedic standing inside of the Trust and referral to the HPC. We will take into account the suggestions and outcomes from the hearing.”

Paramedic left heart assault victim to die 4 many years right after failing to spot toddler"s fatal injury

Infants and toddlers at twice the chance of possibly fatal allergic reactions

Allergy symptoms are an over-reaction of the immune program so if the body is ‘primed’ by way of exposures to dirt, bacteria and parasites then it is thought allergic reactions may be much less very likely. It is recognized that youngsters who increase up on farms are less likely to have allergies than people brought up in cities with less exposure to animals and open land.

Diet programs lower in fruit and veggies and decrease vitamin and mineral content in them might also perform a element, it is believed, as well as vaccines and antibiotics employed in the manufacturing of meat but this is much more contentious.

In virtually 1 in five folks admitted to NHS hospitals in England simply because of an allergy last 12 months it was due to a significant daily life-threatening anaphylactic response.

The data consist of individuals having allergic reactions to food, pollen, skin reactions and allergic asthma.

The figures, from the Health and Social Care Info Centre (HSCIC), demonstrate that four,070 men and women have been admitted because they had been suffering an anaphylactic response – a 9.9 per cent rise on the prior twelve months.

Anaphylaxis is a serious, probably lifestyle-threatening allergic reaction. Anaphylactic shock normally develops inside minutes of speak to with an allergen, such as an insect sting, types of foods like nuts or medicines.

HSCIC also explained that the quantity of individuals admitted for anaphylactic shock due to a reaction to food has risen by 13.two per cent in a yr. Peanut allergy is one of the most widespread significant allergic reactions to foods.

NHS hospitals in England admitted 20,318 sufferers for allergies in the twelve months to February 2014 – a seven.seven per cent rise on the earlier 12 months.

The admission costs have been highest for children aged beneath 4, with 58 ladies admitted per a hundred,000 and 96 boys admitted per a hundred,000 – this was twice the charge for 60 to 65-12 months-olds.

Across all ages there have been 38 admissions for allergic reactions per 100,000 men and women.

HSCIC chairman Kingsley Manning mentioned: “The statistics we are publishing nowadays provides fresh insight into hospital admissions for allergy symptoms, which have improved by nearly eight per cent in the final yr.

“In the twelve months to February, 61.eight per cent of all allergy-associated hospital admissions had been emergencies, a rise of just more than six per cent.

“This essential details on allergy admissions in England paints a clear image for policy makers of the scale of hospital in patient care for these situations.”

Lynne Regent, chief executive of the Anaphylaxis Campaign charity, said: “Right up until now, figures on the degree of burden on hospitals from significant allergy symptoms have been scarce and this new details highlights the want for additional investment and enhancements in allergy care.”

Infants and toddlers at twice the chance of possibly fatal allergic reactions

Babies and toddlers at twice risk of potentially fatal allergy symptoms

Allergies are an over-reaction of the immune program so if the physique is ‘primed’ by way of exposures to filth, bacteria and parasites then it is considered allergic reactions may possibly be significantly less likely. It is known that youngsters who expand up on farms are significantly less likely to have allergies than people brought up in cities with less publicity to animals and open land.

Diet plans reduced in fruit and vegetables and reduced vitamin and mineral content material in them might also play a part, it is imagined, as nicely as vaccines and antibiotics utilised in the manufacturing of meat but this is far more contentious.

In nearly a single in 5 individuals admitted to NHS hospitals in England since of an allergy last year it was due to a significant existence-threatening anaphylactic reaction.

The data incorporate individuals having allergic reactions to food, pollen, skin reactions and allergic asthma.

The figures, from the Wellness and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC), present that four,070 folks have been admitted simply because they were suffering an anaphylactic reaction – a 9.9 per cent rise on the prior twelve months.

Anaphylaxis is a serious, potentially lifestyle-threatening allergic reaction. Anaphylactic shock typically develops inside minutes of get in touch with with an allergen, this kind of as an insect sting, types of food like nuts or medicines.

HSCIC also mentioned that the number of people admitted for anaphylactic shock due to a response to meals has risen by 13.two per cent in a 12 months. Peanut allergy is 1 of the most widespread serious allergic reactions to meals.

NHS hospitals in England admitted twenty,318 patients for allergy symptoms in the 12 months to February 2014 – a 7.seven per cent rise on the preceding yr.

The admission rates were highest for young children aged beneath 4, with 58 ladies admitted per one hundred,000 and 96 boys admitted per 100,000 – this was twice the price for 60 to 65-yr-olds.

Across all ages there were 38 admissions for allergy symptoms per a hundred,000 men and women.

HSCIC chairman Kingsley Manning said: “The statistics we are publishing today provides fresh insight into hospital admissions for allergies, which have enhanced by nearly eight per cent in the final year.

“In the twelve months to February, 61.eight per cent of all allergy-related hospital admissions have been emergencies, a rise of just more than 6 per cent.

“This vital details on allergy admissions in England paints a clear picture for policy makers of the scale of hospital in patient care for these conditions.”

Lynne Regent, chief executive of the Anaphylaxis Campaign charity, explained: “Until now, figures on the level of burden on hospitals from serious allergy symptoms have been scarce and this new info highlights the need to have for further investment and enhancements in allergy care.”

Babies and toddlers at twice risk of potentially fatal allergy symptoms

Do Touch Screen Devices Have An Adverse Effect On Cognitive Improvement In Toddlers?

With the widespread use of touch display devices such as smartphones in our every day lives, the issue has been raised no matter whether introducing these devices to infants and toddlers at a youthful age will lead to any early measurable educational advantage, and can they enhance studying or language capability.

Pediatricians from Cohen Children’s Healthcare Center of New York, element of the NSLIJ network, evaluated infants and toddlers -three many years outdated supplied with touch-screen devices to greater comprehend if there may possibly be any educational advantage. Final results of the investigation demonstrated that young children who played non-educational video games employing touch-screen products really had lower verbal scores on testing.

Although there was no statistical distinction in developmental scores in young children who played educational video games versus non-educational games,the vast majority of parents interviewed for the review felt that their children would derive educational advantages by employing wise phones, computer tablets, and e-readers.

English: Front of black iPad 2. (Photograph credit score: Wikipedia)

“We have observed in our neonatal clinic that the number 1 ‘toy’ mother and father are providing their toddlers are sensible phones,” described Dr. Ruth Milanaik, lead author of the study and an attending developmental and behavioral physician at the Cohen Children’s Health care Center of New York in New Hyde Park.  “It was striking to see that mothers and fathers were substituting books and general little one toys for smart phones.  Several parents did not look to deliver any other distraction for their young children except the touch display units.”

It turns out that the 2011 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy relating to use of electronic media was place with each other prior to widespread use and adoption of sensible phones and tablets and actually advisable against the use of electronic media in toddlers beneath two years of age, warning towards achievable unfavorable results on cognitive growth, due to  absence of proof to promote educational growth.

Meanwhile, the new 2013 AAP guideline, although describing optimistic educational and socially integrative benefits of media use, does not handle young children -three. In accordance to Dr. Milanaik, the results of touch-display units on cognitive growth of these young children had by no means been evaluated.

97 %, or 63 of 65 households evaluated in this examine, owned a touch screen device.  11 months was the common age of a child to begin use of a touch-screen device, based mostly on the examine information. The regular use was about 36 minutes a day.

According to the review, examples of touch screen gadget utilization included viewing children’s “educational shows” (thirty percent), playing educational applications (26 percent),  randomly pressing buttons on a display (28 %), and enjoying non-educational video games (14 %).

Although 60 percent of mothers and fathers described “educational benefits” of their child employing a touch screen device, the research overall demonstrated that there was no significant distinction in testing scores in between kids who utilized touch-screen gadgets compared with young children who did not use these units.

In accordance to the review, young children who played non-educational games (ie. Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja, and so forth.) had a decrease verbal score on developmental tests. This was reflected in lower receptive &amp expressive language scores in contrast to children who engaged in other sorts of touch display gadget video games.

Human interaction is crucial for the duration of early childhood growth and aids to generate robust emotional and social bonds in between dad and mom and kids. Whilst technology might aid to reinforce ideas and suggestions to market understanding, it is essential to keep in mind that human interaction is sacred as kids grow and build.

“Technology can never replace a parent’s interaction with their kid.  Just talking to your child is the very best way to motivate understanding,” added Milanaik.

Do Touch Screen Devices Have An Adverse Effect On Cognitive Improvement In Toddlers?

Almost a tenth of babies and toddlers in England and Wales are Muslim, census figures display

The figures display there had been 3.five million kids aged -four of whom 320,000 had been Muslim. That proportion is a lot more than 9 per cent and compares with a total Muslim population amid all age groups of much less than five per cent.

“It surely is a startling figure,” stated Professor David Coleman, Professor of Demography at the University of Oxford. “We have had substantial immigration of Muslims for a extended time. Continuing immigration from Pakistan, Bangladesh and India has been extra to by new immigration from African nations and from the Middle East.

“Birth prices of Muslims of Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin remain fairly substantial, even though falling. There look to be very lower amounts of falling away from religion among Muslims.”

Christians stay the biggest religious group between individuals aged -four, at one.5 million, 43 per cent.

Dale Barton, priest in charge at St Clement’s, a Church of England parish in Bradford, mentioned: “This was a white doing work-class British region 50 many years ago. They have all gone. There are two pubs hanging on by their fingertips. There’s a Labour club. 1 club has just gone. Outlets are now Muslim-owned. I’m not decrying that. A considerable quantity open on Christmas Day.”

Ibrahim Mogra, assistant secretary-standard of the Muslim Council of Britain said that the big quantity of younger Muslim children was a vote of self-assurance in the country by Muslims. “I just wouldn’t want our fellow citizens to be alarmed by an boost in quantity,” he stated. “This generation is really significantly British. They truly feel quite significantly this is their residence. It’s not about Britain turning into a Muslim nation but about Britain enabling the practice of Islam, which provides self-assurance to the vast vast majority of Muslims. It’s a fantastic country to regard as our house.”

Philip Lewis, a scholar of Islam and writer of Youthful, British and Muslim, warned that the one-in-ten birth rate statistic could “generate alarmism”.

He emphasised the selection of the Muslim population across the country, which in London incorporated an affluent Arab elite and Europeanised Turkish Cypriots. In components of the urban north, even though, there was a “bicultural reality” of indigenous and Kashmiri operating classes. “We don’t have real diversity in a lot of of these northern mill towns or excellent swathes of Bradford,” he stated.

Almost a tenth of babies and toddlers in England and Wales are Muslim, census figures display