Rx For Parenting Today

Gun Violence and Children

As the world seems to be getting more and more violent it must be an extremely difficult time to be a parent. An excellent small article in yesterday's New York Times offered a quick summary of gun problems in the U.S. A quote from Katherine Fowler of the C.D.C was particularly good. She stated that "Children are at a higher risk of violence if they have academic problems, encouragements to be aggressive, and limited adult supervision". She added "The likelihood of violence is also higher in communities with high levels of instability, gang activity, drug sales, unemployment, or poverty."

Car accidents are the first cause of death in children followed by gunshot wounds. The statistic was also given that nonfatal injuries each year are 5,790. When there is a gun in the house, the possibility of an injury or death is great. Now that many in Congress are pushing to have an open carry law,the problems would just increase. The idea of having guns on college campuses is crazy. As the daughter of a college professor, I can imagine my father's reaction ,even though he was a hunter. Guns for hunters are one thing. Guns that kill or injury children and innocent adults are entirely different. I had hoped that after the Sandy Hook killings something would be done. However, the NRA is so powerful that Congressional members don't  have the courage to pass gun restrictions. No one needs an assault rifle, but  it is the most popular gun purchase today. 

When a teen is thinking of committing suicide, a gun in the house increases the likelihood he or she will die. Males use guns to commit suicide while girls usually try other means as drugs or knives. A gun in the house means a family member will more likely be shot than an intruder. When domestic violence is occurring, a gun increases the possibility of a terrible outcome.

Time for Fathers

I hope all new and older fathers have a good Fathers' Day. Fathers are so very important to children. Even if a woman  has been widowed or is single, it is important for children to have male role models. When I was divorced I made a special effort to find men who would be available to take my children to various events. Both girls and boys need men in their lives. 

Single parent fathers play a special role in their children's lives.  They do  have to be careful these days when young girls, in particular, are around them. I remember a birthday sleepover that my granddaughter planned to  have. I suggested to my son it would be good for me to spend the night. At first he was resistant but the next morning when the guests had all left he thanked me for spending the night. The mothers all knew I would be there, he said, which made them very comfortable. So it is always wise to be careful for fathers in this new crazy world, even thought they are well respected men. 

Fathers, also, need to take care of themselves and be sure they  have enough time for themselves, some hobbies, and plenty of play time. They also need to let their children know how much they love them. Just saying the words can mean a lot to kids.

Traveling with Small Children

I was boarding an airplane last week and saw a young couple with a cute, small baby. The mother told me they were anxious because it was the baby's first flight. I said I thought the baby would do well as long as he was nursing or sucking on a bottle or pacifier when the plane went up or down. "Oh", she said," no one has ever told us that." The couple sat across the aisle from me and the baby seemed fine as long as he sucked on a bottle or pacifier during takeoff and landing. Somehow I find practical tips are not being given to parents these days. Having flown alone with a three-weeks-old baby across country and traveling also across country in a car with a six-month old baby gave me a lot of insight about traveling problems with children.

Some tips I learned about traveling in a car with small children were to have lots of supplies, many more than you think you will need. I always kept a bag at my feet where I could pull out treats, surprises, food, medical supplies or anything I might need. No hard candies, carrots, cheese,nuts, or apple chunks should be given small children when traveling because they can choke on these. Stopping frequently so they can run around when they get restless is important. 

It is always wise to  have the name of a doctor you can call in the place you are headed or to be able to contact your child's doctor if needed. Urgent care centers may not have a doctor with pediatric training and retail clinics in drugstores and other stores are staffed by nurse practitioners. The American Academy of Pediatrics warns about using these for children.

Check on Newborn Lab Results Before Discharge

An article in the most recent Pediatric News reported an all too common problem. Unfortunately, this one had disastrous effects.   At birth, states are required to do several lab tests for potential problems. One of these is a metabolic disorder for which the test is a PKU. The lab work was done, but apparently not checked by the baby's doctor before the baby was sent home. Gradually, the parents began to notice the child was not progressing developmentally as he should have. Not until the child was six years old, did a pediatric neurologist repeat the PKU and found it was abnormal.  By that time the couple had another child who was also found to have an abnormal PKU. The article noted that 70% of diagnoses are based on lab results.

I was asked to see a child with muscle weakness several years ago and reviewed his voluminous chart from a recent stay at a University Hospital in another state.The chart was almost six inches in depth and took me a long time to go through it. When I got to about the middle I found the answer. The boy had a very elevated lab test indicating a treatable muscle disorder. I called the pediatrician who was head of the pediatric department and after he saw the abnormal test, he called back. The man was greatly embarrassed because the boy had a treatable disorder. Fortunately, the smart parents knew to get a second opinion which made the difference in the child's life.

I have always advised patients and parents to have a test repeated if it is abnormal. That way they can know if the lab has made a mistake or if it is truly abnormal. This advice has paid off many times. Also if lab work is done on a hospitalized child or teenage, parents need to be sure the results are reported to the child's doctor and reviewed.