Pediatrician
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Review Case Reports
Smokeless tobacco addiction: a threat to the oral and systemic health of the child and adolescent.
The use of smokeless tobacco (ST) within the United States has increased greatly in recent years, especially among adolescent boys and young men. Recent national data completed from several large scale studies indicate that 10-12 million Americans use some form of ST. Representing a significant systemic and oral health risk, ST usage can produce a wide range of negative effects on both soft and hard oral tissues. ⋯ Several recent Surgeon General's Reports list ST as being addictive. It is highly possible that ST users will 'graduate' to cigarettes if they eventually conclude that these products are socially unacceptable, inconvenient or out of vogue. Health professionals, educators, parents and schoolchildren need to be informed about the significant health risks associated with ST use.
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Children's typical modes of responding to stress influence their ability to manage painful events. Coping skills mediate a child's response to pain that is associated with illness, injuries, and medical procedures. ⋯ There has been recent progress in the assessment of children's coping with distressing and/or painful experiences. Research in this area is providing a foundation upon which interventions can be tailored to a particular child's specific needs to assist him or her in the management of pain.