Routine Health Care for Kids
Here are preventive measures you can take in three crucial areas of your child’s health to prevent problems or to detect them early so that corrective measures can be taken.</p>
Tooth Care in Children
Tooth cleaning should begin as soon as the first teeth come in, around one-and-a-half to two years of age. Children love to imitate their parents, so encourage your child to brush along with you as soon as she is able to hold a toothbrush. You can help out with the tooth brushing until your child becomes proficient, usually around age five or six. Any toothpaste you use should contain fluoride to help prevent tooth decay. Be sure to supervise small children so they don’t swallow too much of the toothpaste. Also talk to your dentist about fluoride treatments for your child, which can be very effective in preventing decay.
The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that parents also floss their children’s teeth from age 1 1/2 until the children are able to do it themselves (about age eight). Children should be supervised during flossing so that they do not injure their gums.
Take your child along with you to the dentist and show that this is a positive experience. Most dental squeamishness in adults can be traced to an unpleasant childhood experience. Making a youngster comfortable with dental treatment can do much to eliminate lifelong anxiety.
Dental sealants are also recommended for all children by the American Dental Association and the federal government. Fluoride and brushing are effective against cavities on the smooth surfaces of the teeth, but they have little effect in preventing cavities on the biting surfaces, where 80 percent of cavities in children occur. The dentist applies dental sealants on the pits and fissures of the teeth to form a tight protective seal against decay. In combination with fluoride, sealants virtually guarantee a cavity-free mouth.
Vision Care in Children
Scientists now generally believe that even newborns can see, although vision is not sharp in infants. Vision generally improves to about 20/30 by age three and 20/20 by age four.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that all children should have their eyes examined at age three or four, before starting school. Eye-care professionals can often detect and treat common problems such as amblyopia (lazy eye) or cross-eyes in children this age. During the school years a child should see an eye doctor if visual problems develop, such as difficulty reading small print (farsightedness) or a blackboard (nearsightedness). Many schools conduct regular vision checks for all students. A routine professional vision check at age 13 is also a good idea.
Hearing in Children
Newborns usually react to loud sounds by startling. Older infants will turn their heads toward the sound. Parents are usually the first to suspect a hearing problem. Impacted earwax can sometimes muffle hearing, particularly if children stick things in their ears and wedge the wax in further. A cotton swab should be used to clean the outside of the ears only; it should never be inserted into the ear canal.
If you are concerned about your child’s hearing ability, arrange to have a hearing test done. Hearing tests are generally more precise after the first year, when children are better able to understand and communicate.
