Smarty Health Corner

By Dr. Kashyap Kansupada at CEENTA Did you know your eye can be a…

By Dr. Andy Johnson at Southpark Pediatric Dentistry February is Dental Health Month, a…

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My big sis bought me this fab new Zella jacket for Christmas. When I…

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Well maybe bikinis aren’t exactly what we’re aspiring to – a Smarty girl can…

By Dr. Steven Gold, Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates, P.A.

Many parents have this question on their minds when their child is prescribed a third, fourth, or fifth antibiotic for an ear infection. They know that “tubes” are often recommended for children with recurrent ear infections, but aren’t sure when this is a good idea or how this decision is made. Dr. Steven Gold from Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates says “Many parents are surprised to learn that in most cases, the most important factor is not so much the number of ear infections, but what is happening in the ears in between the infections.” During an ear infection, there is usually fluid which develops in the middle ear space behind the eardrum. When the infection is treated, the fluid usually gets absorbed and disappears. However, in many cases, the fluid stays in the middle ear space even after the infection clears up. This is uninfected fluid and usually causes no obvious symptoms; children with this fluid don’t have the fever or pain they often get with full-fledged infections. However, this fluid can cause hearing loss (this is temporary and the hearing returns to normal when the fluid is gone), and the fluid is a nice soup in which new bacteria like to grow, so infections tend to recur frequently in children with chronic fluid in the middle ears. Since the fluid often causes no symptoms, parents may not know it is there unless a physician examines the child and sees it.

By Smarty Kaylee

After having this on his to-do list for two months, my husband finally made it to school to have lunch with our boys back in November. While he was there, my youngest son, Charlie fell off of the slide and hurt himself. What are the odds of that happening on the one day he was there? We must have had an angel watching over us! My husband called to tell me that he brought him home from school and I needed to come meet them because Charlie needed to go to the doctor. My first instinct was not my proudest mommy moment. I thought…come on, he’s in kindergarten, shake it off and go back to class.

Needless to say, I felt like the worst mom on the planet when I arrived home to see that Charlie couldn’t put any pressure on his leg. I had heard wonderful things about OrthoCarolina’s Pediatric department so I immediately called them and we had an appointment within the hour.

By our Smarty friends at Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates

Traditionally we think of allergies flaring up in the spring and early fall, but if you are currently suffering from a stuffy nose, itchy and or watery eyes and sneezing, do not immediately blame it on the common cold. More time is spent indoors during the colder months therefore you have more exposure to indoor allergens such as mold, dust and pet dander.

A cold normally only lasts 10-14 days, but allergies can linger on for several weeks. Another major difference between winter allergies and colds is the color of your nasal drip. If it is clear with an itchy nose than it is most likely due to winter allergies.

By Dr. Andy Johnson, Southpark Pediatric Dentistry

Dental trauma is likely to happen at some point in a child’s life. With all of the sports and activities that involve any combination of running, tackling, and hard surfaces, there are many opportunities to have a “tooth” emergency. Ideally, it is best to prevent, but what should you do if it happens to your child?

As a Pediatric Dentist, I see dental trauma all too often. As a Dad it is something I have experienced at home with my own child. A few weeks ago on a sunny Sunday afternoon, my 4-year old daughter fell over her tricycle handle bars onto the cement. Both front teeth were “dangling” in front of me. Fortunately, I was trained to handle this situation appropriately. However, most parents have not had any exposure to this kind of accident and would need assistance from a dentist.