Children with special needs are those who have certain disability that restricts them in performing daily life activities. American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry(AAPD) defines special Healthcare needs (SHCN) as “any physical developmental, mental, sensory, behavioural ,cognitive or emotional impairment or limiting condition that requires medical management Health Care intervention and or use of specialised services or programs.
What are the examples of special needs for the patient?
Special needs can range from people with autism cerebral palsy ,down syndrome, dyslexia blindness ,deafness.
How do you handle Special children?
So, if you are child with the disability is around you, you should make sure that you spend time talking with them , explaining in simple language what is you doing, smiling with them, telling them all about their environment, making noises around them so that they can response to noises.
How do you clean special needs teeth ?
Patients who are unable to swish and spit with mouthwash can benefit from oral swabs. Care givers can simply dip the oral swab into this some mouthwash and carefully swap the inside of the patients mouth, teeth tongue and gums. Remember, use the open wide mouth prop if needed to ensure easy access to all of these areas.
when communicating with clients who have disabilities and disorders , remember the TALK Principle ;-
- Take the time to get to know their preferences.
- Ask don’t assume
- Listen attentively and speak directly to the person.
- Know your client’s needs and their accommodations and special services available .
Parents play an Important role in their children’s dental health. That need to reinforce good oral hygiene habits such as brushing and flossing at home with their children. Much of the focus in special need dental care from a pediatric dentist is on prevention.For example , for a child that takes medication that increases the risk of dry mouth (and subsequent Halitosis) . Ofcourse dentist can provide restorative services for children with special needs such as cavity filling.
If your child is too difficult to work with and the need for a dental procedure is urgent enough, a dentist may have no choice but to use dental sedation in order to perform his job .Various dental procedures are perform under general Anesthesia for the children who needs special care and treatment.
