My four-year-old daughter has a doctor kit, with the following pieces:
stethescope, for listening to the heart and lungs
blood pressure wrap
syringe, for giving injections
angled mirror
hammer for testing reflexes
scope for looking in the ear
thermometer
bandage
prescription pad
I want this to be an educational tool so she can actually learn something (about the actual names of the instruments, and how a doctor uses them).
Since I personally know very little about anything, I’ve come to the SDMB for a little assistance.
First, I’d like to learn and use the correct terminology for these medical instruments, and get my daughter to use them as well. For example, I know that the thing you use to listen to listen to your heart and lungs is called a stethescope, and I’ve gotten her to actually call it a stethescope. Is this the correct spelling?
The blood pressure thing: I think I learned a long time ago that this is called something like a “sphygmomanometer”. Is this correct? Also, what are examples of low, medium, and high readings? Also, what’s the problem with having a low or a high reading?
The thing for giving injections: a syringe, right? Does this have any other medical name?
Angled mirror, for looking in the mouth: does this have any medical name, other than “mirror”?
Hammer for testing reflexes: what is the medical name? Also, what is the doctor really learning when this test is done? (Actually, I don’t ever remember a doctor using this on me).
Scope for looking in the ear: what is the medical name? (BTW, when my daughter uses it to look in my ear, she says that she sees clowns.)
It’s not a REAL syringe, is it? (I sure hope not.) Because if it is, she could seriously harm herself or others if she plays with giving an injection (a air bubble going to the heart could kill a person.)
stethescope, for listening to the heart and lungs + correct spelling is stethoscope
blood pressure wrap =proper name Sphygmomometer It tests the pressure in the vascular system. Average is 120/70 the top number is mesuring the systolye, the period of contraction; the bottom number measures diastolye or the relaxation period.
syringe, for giving injections
A syringe is only the plastic or glass part. It would require a hollow needle, to actually inject anything Even if the syringe had a real needle, it takes a large bolus of air (30 ccs or more) injected into a vein to do much harm. The biggest needle danger is disease transmission, but as the OP indicated, it’s not real.
4) angled mirror = do you mean a ENT head mirror or a dental mirror?
5) hammer for testing reflexes= reflex hammer
6) scope for looking in the ear= otoscope
7) thermometer may be oral or rectal (don’t encourage rectal use) either may be used axillary (under the the arm) there is 0.5° to 1° difference between each route, with rectal being the highest.
8) bandage. If it’s a roll of bandage, it would normally be used to hold a sterile pad in place over a wound too large for a bandaid
9) prescription pad= there are many arcane scribblings on a perscription, so here is a translation site
Good for you, making this a learning opportunity for both you and your daughter. picunurse 's post is quite correct, aside from the spelling of sphygmomanometer. Please don’t get too hung up on the official terminology, though; I can’t remember the last time I or any of the health professionals I work with referred to the blood pressure cuff / measuring device as a sphygmomanometer, either amongst ourselves or in talking to patients.
“Clowns” huh, sounds like she’s got a healthy imagination (or you need a mental heath exam).
I just love it when children come up w/ stuff like that.
Just don’t be too adamant about teaching her the correctness of the instuments, you’ll take the fun out of it.
Syringes are fun to play with. We had them all the time. They are the Derringers of the water gun world. You can literally hide one up your sleeve, the suddenly slip it to your hand and soak the other guy before he can move.
Hmm…I would call item 5 a tendon hammer, not a reflex hammer.
Mostly because the neurologists here get upset if you call them “reflex hammers”, since you may or may not elicit a reflex.
You may or may not be hitting a tendon either, but apparently calling it a reflex hammer implies that you expect to see a reflex everytime you use it, and you shouldn’t…did I mention neurologists are usually quite pedantic and anal?
Syringes are perfectly safe as toys…it’s the needles whichcan be attached onto the end you need to watch out for!
Other simple and safe things you could try:
A wisp of cotton wool, which can be used to test light tough should be fun for little kids to play with. Have her close her eyes and then tell you when she feels you touch her with the cotton wool on her arms, face, legs and feet, then you close your eyes and have her do it to you, if it degenerates into a tickle match, well, so much more fun!
A pen torch or baby flashlight- show her how pupils get smaller when you shine lights into them. As long as she doesn’t try it out on you while you’re driving, it’s perfectly safe.
Maybe get a sling and a few more bandages and show her how to bandage up one of her larger doll’s arms, legs and head- you can use some microporous tape so she doesn’t have to go anywhere near a safety pin.
Hell, forget the syringe/needle, worry about the prescription pad! Who know what kind of bad medicine she could potentially distribute with THAT! Does she even KNOW the correct shorthand for twice a day by mouth? Should could very easily make that twice a day rectally. Prescription pads are not a toy.
