Smiles for Kids Blog
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Preventable lawn mower injuries can be devastating
Via UPI.com
U.S. medical societies say a child needs to be at least 12 years old to operate a lawn mower safely and at least 16 to operate a ride-on mower.Click here to read the full article.
"Many children who sustain lawn mower injuries must undergo reconstructive surgery for months, sometimes years, after the initial accident," Dr. Richard D'Amico of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons said in a statement. "The look on parents' faces can be truly heart-wrenching. We are the physicians called to treat these devastating injuries, but (we) would do anything to prevent them in the first place."
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Unborn Amniotic Band Syndrome Baby Undergoes Surgery
Australian surgeons saved the leg of an unborn baby by operating when her mother was just 22 weeks pregnant.
In amniotic band syndrome, strands of the amniotic sac ensnare parts of the developing body, causing a variety of problems. These may include syndactyly, bands or constriction rings, amputations, swelling, or other deformities. There are several different names for this condition.
Just hearing the doctor say she'll have full function in that foot and basically be able to walk, I know I made the right decisionRead the whole article here:
— Kylie Bowlen, mother
Friday, June 13, 2008
Doctor sees more plagiocephaly, toticollis in babies
"I see it very commonly in my clinic," said Maples, a pediatric orthopedic specialist at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital and Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital.Read the rest here:
In fact, she has seen an increasing number of babies with plagiocephaly since 1992 when the American Academy of Pediatrics initiated its "back to sleep" campaign, urging parents to place newborns on their backs to avoid sudden infant death syndrome.
Maples said parents should continue following that advice, but they also should be aware that infants who spend too much time lying in one position can develop the misshapen skull characteristic of plagiocephaly. When awake, babies should be given more "tummy time," she said, allowing the skull to develop the more-typical symmetrical shape.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
A great family story with Treacher Collins Syndrome
Here's a video about a boy with Treacher Collins Syndrome- this was unique in that it involves the whole family- sibliings and parents- and their feelings.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Web helps families share medical updates
"Everybody wants to know what's going on, but you can't talk to everybody," Mrs. Harbert said. "It's a support group you can have in the privacy of your own home."Read the entire article here.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Dr. Muzaffar featured in Columbia Business Times
Arshad Muzaffar, M.D., was recently named editor-in-chief of The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal. Muzaffar is the director of craniofacial and pediatric plastic surgery at University of Missouri Health Care. He oversees diagnosis and treatment of several complicated craniofacial anomalies. As a bi-monthly international publication of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association, the journal reports on the study and treatment of surgical procedures and the latest research related to this abnormality. One out of every 600 newborn babies is affected by a cleft lip or cleft palate, the fourth most common birth defect in the United States.Read the whole story here:
Monday, June 2, 2008
Stereolithography helps rebuild wounded warrior's jaw
The lab's technicians first used images from CT scans to create a 3-D graphic. They then used 3-D sculpting tools and advanced modeling techniques to produce a mirror image the patient's mandible and created a corrected anatomical jaw. A computer-guided laser used the graphic to create an epoxy photopolymer resin model of how his jaw should look.Read the entire story here: