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HEALTH&FITNESS
296
October14
Many an adult has an unreasonable
fear of dental treatment, often brought
on by a traumatic childhood experience. (Those
brain-piercing drills were enough to put one off
forever.) Thanks to today’s high-tech, painless
treatments, your child doesn’t have to suffer in
this way. Healthily functioning teeth and a lovely
smile should be everyone’s birthright, believes
DR THEAN TSIN PIAO, and instilling good dental
habits at an early age is vital.
Parents should start bringing their child to the dentist from
the age of two, he says, for regular check-ups and cleaning.
Depending on need, the kinds of
treatments
he provides to
youngsters include everything from the extraction of baby
teeth to fillings, fissure sealants, root canal treatment and
even orthodontics.
Dr Thean agrees that there can be special challenges in
treating a child, especially one who doesn’t want to sit in
It’s almost impossible to stop a child from
scratching a worrisome itch – which, of course,
only aggravates the problem, leading to infections
(like impetigo) and even scarring. Dermatologist
DR LIM KAR SENG answers a few questions.
What are some of the more common childhood skin
conditions that you see?
In babies, that would be
heat rash
. Usually presenting as red
spots over the neck, back or even face, they often resolve on
their own after a day or two. Occasionally, we also see
food
allergies
manifesting as rashes – usually from the age of one,
when the baby’s diet starts expanding.
In children of primary school age, we are more likely to see
skin infections such as
viral warts
or
molluscum
. These are
transmitted via physical contact, probably at school. And for
adolescents,
acne
represents the biggest skin issue.
What can parents do at home? When is it time to
take a rash to a doctor, and how do you treat the
various childhood skin conditions?
For a
heat rash
, I’d recommend keeping the baby cool;
applying moisturiser might help, too. However, for a rash that’s
IS FOR
CHILDHOOD
SKIN DISORDERS
persistent or very recurrent – flaring up every week, say – then
do see a doctor, as it may be more than a simple heat rash.
Viral warts
should be treated as soon as possible, before
they spread to other areas or even to the child’s siblings
and friends. Unfortunately, it can take a long time to get
rid of persistent warts, even with medical treatment. For
molluscums
that are not actively spreading, I would advise
leaving them alone and monitoring them for any change, as
they often go away on their own. If you note a rapid increase
in the size and number of spots, do seek medical attention,
because they can spread like wildfire.
Tell us about impetigo.
Caused by excessive scratching, impetigo is a
bacterial
skin infection
that is quite common in kids between the
ages of two and 10. They present with a weepy rash with
yellowish discharge or crusts. Left untreated, it can spread to
the other areas of the body. If the affected area is localised
and superficial, treatment with a good antibacterial wash
and topical preparations would suffice. However, should the
infection be deeper or more widespread, then one would
require oral antibiotics.
The Dermatology Practice
#07-60/61/62 Mount Elizabeth
Novena Hospital
38 Irrawaddy Road
6694 3290
thedermatologypractice.com
IS FOR
DENTAL
one place, or already has a fear
of dentistry.
“Fear of dentistry exists in both
childrenandadults,” he says. “In these
cases, good bonding, communication
and trust are important in order to get
the necessary treatment done. And when I’m
dealing with a little one, having good parenting skills
helps me to get him or her to cooperate during the process.”
As part of Aesthete Smilestudio’s
Total Senses Concept
,
he adds, the clinic does not look, smell, feel or taste like the
traditional dental clinic. Pleasant, comfortable and painless
treatment is a key goal, together with an emphasis on good
preventive dentistry. The clinic is powered by state-of-the art
technology.
Whatever age you may be, he stresses,
do
go for regular
checking and cleaning. Good preventive dentistry is
affordable and painless. Delaying early preventive dentistry
often leads to a need for advanced dental treatment that
can be costly and painful – both in terms of the treatment
experience and on the pocket, too!
Aesthete Smilestudio
#02-04 Clifford Centre
24 Raffles Place
6438 3811 | aesthetesmilestudio.com