Papoose Board?

[usmcwfe]

My daughter (2 1/2) years needs to have 2 teeth fixed. She needs two crowns. The dentist is going to use consious sedation rather than general ant. because the treatment will only take about 30 min and its safer. But, they put her in a papoose during the procedure. Anyone go through this? She will be groggy, but I'm afraid that she will be traumatized by the restraints. But I feel like we need to get these teeth fixed before they become a problem. I've gotten multiple opinions from other dentists and this one seems to be very conservative in his treatment and is pro-nursing (which is a hard find.) I have mixed feelings about it. I'm not sure if the risks outweigh the benefits.. Anyone out there with some advice???

[Kathryn]

I wouldn't agree to a papoose board. I would lay behind her in the chair and lay her on my lap for the visit. If she starts to wiggle, you can give you a gentle bear hug.

[usmcwfe]

I would rather hold her but at the same time, I'm wondering if it is safer for her to be still. But then again, I question the safety of the restraint.. I held her during a cleaning/exam and it was very difficult to keep her hands away and keep her head still. Have you had to go through this before?

[roadfamily6now]

honestly at age 2 I would not invest in all that dental work. those teeth will fall out in 4 years anyway. I would just have them pulled.

I had my DD in a papoose board at age 2 for stitches. DH was in there with her holding her hand the whole time. It was scary for us and her.

Can you perhaps just hold her if it is only a few minutes? I think that much trauma on a toddler is not a good thing

[yurtdwellingmama]

My dd had four caps placed at age two and it was totally worth it. It was very hard for all of us (most of all dh and I, as dd did great), but I'm so glad she had the work done. Although for some extractions may certainly be the right choice (sometimes the only choice), for us we wanted dd to have those teeth mainly for speech development.

We chose GA at a Children's hospital. I knew going in I would not do the papoose, as I just felt that would be too traumatic. Also I felt more confident about GA in a hospital than any type of sedation at a dental office.

Our family doctor also felt GA was the best option for US, and the least traumatic for dd. Although there are risks, I felt they were minimal especially since we chose to use a children's hospital where the anesthesiologist is working on children all day every day. We had a great team. It took about one hour, and she was up and around quickly and playing later that day.

It was certainly not an experience I'd like to repeat, but we got through it. Good luck to you and your dd.

[griffin2004]

When my DD was 3 and a couple of months, she had to go to the ER for 3 stitches above her eye. They put her on the papoose board and it nearly did both of us in. I've never seen her so terrified, and it had nothing to do with the stitches. When our ped was taking the stitches out a few days later he was surprised to hear that anyone still used boards, and said that he would ONLY IF all other options failed.

[<<>>]

ds just had 4 teeth pulled 2 months ago, (he's now 14m, they rotted so fast that by 12m they were rotted to the gum) And the REFUSED to do GA to pull these teeth. They used the papoose and pain relief, but now when he sees someone who is "medical" doc, dentist, nurse, He is TERRIFIED.

dd 2y ago, when she was 2yo, she had 10 caps and 5 fillings and the used GA (cause it would take so long) and She as no lasting effects from the trauma, since there really wasn't any....
but.... she does have a pretty bad speech delay from all the mercury from those caps/fillings....
Make sure they don't use analagram fillings !!!!!

[Kathryn]

Originally Posted by usmcwfe

I would rather hold her but at the same time, I'm wondering if it is safer for her to be still. But then again, I question the safety of the restraint.. I held her during a cleaning/exam and it was very difficult to keep her hands away and keep her head still. Have you had to go through this before?

If she's properly sedated, there wouldn't be a question of holding her still. You holding her assures that she's actually sedated and not just strapped down. I haven't had to go through it, but I've got a close dentist friend that wouldn't dream of ever using a papoose board. My daughter needs 4 caps put on, but she will be totally out for her procedure as it should take about 1 1/2 hours.

[sun-shine01]

Here is our positive experience with a papoose board which I posted last year:



Just home from the dentist. DD who will be 3 next month had her 4 top front teeth capped due to cavities.

They gave her the oral sedation meds and she was asleep in 15 minutes and snoring. They took her to the back and they did put her in the papoose thingy but she was asleep and was not aware of it. After about an hour they came out to get me and had me sit with her until she woke up. She sat up and said, "hey mom, look at my teeth" in a very slurred voice and was trying to smile.

We left and she did whine/fuss on the way home but only because she did not like the way her mouth was numb and tingling. She also was asking to eat and telling me that she was hungry. (dentist said no food for 2 hours after proceedure to let the numbing wear off) After about 20 minutes she fell back asleep (the dentist said she probably would) and so I drove around for 2 hours until she woke up just to keep her asleep and then we went home. She immediatly wanted to eat and was feeling fine but I gave her some childrens motrin just because.

Now she has had lunch and has nursed a few times and is feeling fine.

I'm sooooooooooooooooo glad to have this over with and hope that others have a good exprience with their little ones dental appts.


Good luck -

[usmcwfe]

Originally Posted by sun-shine01

Here is our positive experience with a papoose board which I posted last year:



Just home from the dentist. DD who will be 3 next month had her 4 top front teeth capped due to cavities.

They gave her the oral sedation meds and she was asleep in 15 minutes and snoring. They took her to the back and they did put her in the papoose thingy but she was asleep and was not aware of it. After about an hour they came out to get me and had me sit with her until she woke up. She sat up and said, "hey mom, look at my teeth" in a very slurred voice and was trying to smile.

We left and she did whine/fuss on the way home but only because she did not like the way her mouth was numb and tingling. She also was asking to eat and telling me that she was hungry. (dentist said no food for 2 hours after proceedure to let the numbing wear off) After about 20 minutes she fell back asleep (the dentist said she probably would) and so I drove around for 2 hours until she woke up just to keep her asleep and then we went home. She immediatly wanted to eat and was feeling fine but I gave her some childrens motrin just because.

Now she has had lunch and has nursed a few times and is feeling fine.

I'm sooooooooooooooooo glad to have this over with and hope that others have a good exprience with their little ones dental appts.


Good luck -

I'm glad to hear at least one positive experience with dental work and a papoose, and I deeply appreciate everyone's advice. Our dentist does not want to do GA at a hospital because in his opinion it isn't necessary for this procedure. And honestly if he can repair her teeth with consious sed. I would prefer that. I am going to ask about holding her myself again. They discourage this though. We still have a couple of months to consider everything. From my research it seems the American doctors/dentists are the last of a dying breed of restraint users. I really don't want her to be traumatized by this and something deep down inside of me is terrified by the idea of restraining her. Ultimately I know she should have her teeth repaired. I don't want to have any pain or infections and these molars can stick around for a long time. It helps to hear from someone who went through the same thing, and was happy about the outcome. Thanks for ALL the advice!

[shelbean91]

When dd was 2, she had a lot of work done. I was with her until the sedation took effect (also consious sedation) and they wrapped her in the papoose. It was really loose and mostly to keep her from reaching her hands up out of reflex- you know how you swat a fly away when you're sleeping? It wasn't tight and she wasn't traumatized at all. That particular dentist wouldn't let parents stay for the actual procedure b/c the room was small (looking back, and if something similar happened now, no way I would leave the room) but I was there for all the 'before' stuff.

[Anguschick1]

I had all my front teeth pulled when I was about 2-2.5. (From the canines forward, top & bottom) My mom will tell you I fell in the bathtub, but apparently it was bottle-rot and she's too embarrassed to admit that.

Anyway...I was strapped down on a papoose board. I don't remember the procedure, I don't remember not having my front teeth (at least not until I was older - 4.5-5yo) but I do remember that utter feeling of helplessness, being scared out of my wits, feeling abandoned because no one was around me that I knew (mom and dad had to wait in the waiting room) and I can still remember that absolute terror that I felt. It took years before I wouldn't bite anyone who tried to get into my mouth - this could have been because the dentist didn't like to use pain meds, not sure. Granted this was almost 30 years ago, ymmv.

I'd insist on being able to hold your little one. That way you'd know when she starts to stir and could tell the dentist and perhaps they could sedate her more, rather than just keeping on keeping on because - you know - she's restrained, what can she do? I can imagine that the scent of her mama being there, feeling you cradle her would comfort her in what will most likely be a very scary time.

Good luck w/whatever you decide!

[Anguschick1]

I just read Shelbean91's response, and that seems like a really good idea!

[shelbean91]

Yeah, instead of papoose and then sedation, they sedate them and then wrap them up. Very similar to swaddling. I didn't mind the thought once I saw how/what they meant.

I had been in a papoose when I was a kid and needed stitches. HATED it, but I wouldn't stay still while they stiched my foot (I was 5 and stepped on a broken bottle in front of our apartment.)

[Nathan1097]

I was put on a papoose board at age 4 to sew up a lip I'd split open. I remember it vividly. It felt like I was being held down by something very heavy and was extremely scary having needles coming at my face. My parents recount that I screamed and screamed, though I don't specifically remember this, myself.

[Plummeting]

I wouldn't do it. We searched high and low to find a dentist who'd do DD's teeth w/o a papoose and w/o GA. I did not want GA because I did not feel the risk was worth it. We weren't able to find the perfect solution in a reasonable amount of time, so DD was sedated and put in the papoose. It wasn't as horrible as I was afraid it would be, but she did cry some and she seemed pretty terrified the whole time. I just can't recommend it because of that. The sedation doesn't always make kids sleep. I have two friends whose children, like my DD, did not fall asleep at all.

I would keep looking. I recently thought DD had two more cavities (luckily, I was wrong!) and I started looking at dentists in other cities until I found one who doesn't use a papoose board at all. She's breastfeeding friendly, she will let your kids come in for as many visits as necessary until they are comfortable and she doesn't force anything on them before they're ready. It was a great visit and DD let them polish the stains off of those two teeth. Anyway, my point is that you might have to drive a couple hours, but there are dentists out there who will do it the way you want. And since you're military (we are, too) it doesn't matter where you go - your dental coverage is the same anywhere in the US. Out of network providers are covered at 80% of the allowed rate, so even if you have to use someone who doesn't take the United Concordia plan, you shouldn't have to pay much.

[Cassandra M.]

We had our son and daughter sedated and in the papoose. I HATED the look if it, but once they were completely out of it with the Versed, they didn't resist the papoose at all.

It just wrapped around them like a blanket and helped keep their head still when they probably really couldn't keep it still on their own because they were out of it with the liquid drug.


There were no tears, struggles, or anything.

I would be afraid, with holding them, that if they do start to resist, you might have to hold them too hard and hurt them that way.

[usmcwfe]

Originally Posted by Cassandra M.

We had our son and daughter sedated and in the papoose. I HATED the look if it, but once they were completely out of it with the Versed, they didn't resist the papoose at all.

It just wrapped around them like a blanket and helped keep their head still when they probably really couldn't keep it still on their own because they were out of it with the liquid drug.


There were no tears, struggles, or anything.

I would be afraid, with holding them, that if they do start to resist, you might have to hold them too hard and hurt them that way.

Thanks for the imput! I'm so thankful that there are people out there willing to offer advice!!! I don't know what I'd do without you all!

[lisac77]

We had a papoose board experience when DS was 11 months old (due to an evil, overzealous doctor) and it was absolutely horrible. HORRIBLE. If she is already asleep it shouldn't be too much of a problem, but I would never consent to the use of a restraint on a conscious child. DS STILL won't sit on exam tables at doctors' offices.

[usmcwfe]

Was she wide awake? That sounds terrible and I totally agree with you. She will be sedated and I'm hoping she'll be really, really sleepy. I hear more positive things from parents who's kids were in papoose boards for dental stuff and more scary stories from people who had medical stuff done, like stiches, broken bones, etc.