New Products
New products of interest to pediatricians
NEW PRODUCTS
Teeth go to schoolwhy not brush there?
The Cavity Busters Lunch Brush Club program, developed by a pediatric dentist, encourages children to develop good ora1 hygiene habits by taking a portable purple vinyl kit to school with them to incorporate brushing into the daily schedule. The kit leaves room for lunch and is packed with useful oral cleaning products, an instruction booklet with product coupons, and a three-minute timer to encourage brushing for the proper time span. If a school district does not allow any of these products on site, acceptable supplies from home may be substituted. Also packed in the kit is an instructive 30-minute video, Look Mom . . . No Cavities (meant to be watched at home with parents), written by Gregory George, DDS, a pediatric dentist, who explains and demonstrates good brushing and flossing techniques. The benefit to the child is clear; the advantage to the school (by way of the parent-teacher association or other organization that implements the program) is a new kind of fund-raiser in which there is oral health to sellnot candy. For information call 888-292-1991 or visit www.lookmom.com .
Relief before it hurts
The pain of venipuncture and injection can be minimized by using Gebauer's Ethyl Chloride Pain-Ease beforehand. The product is available as a mist or stream application; the manufacturer recommends giving the area to be treated a four-to-10-second burst of Pain-Ease topical refrigerant, then swabbing the area with antiseptic, and moving immediately to the procedure. For information visit the Gebauer Company Web site at www.gebauerco.com or call 800-321-9348.
Shed new light on the subject
For the office, clinic, or hospital, Sunnex, Inc., introduces the MedicaLight series of examination lights. Designed to be mobile and easy to use, the lamps have a weighted caster base, adjustable handle, and plug-in transformer. The vented shade is designed to dissipate heat from the back of the lamp and the blue filter option helps aid vision when looking at natural skin tones and tissue samples. Available in 20-, 35-, or 50-watt strengths, the floor lamps come in models with either a flexible gooseneck or articulated arm. For information on the MedicaLight and other Sunnex products, visit www.sunnexonline.com or call 800-445-7869.
Breastfeeding gets a novel assist
The Harmony Breast Pump is among Medela's new Natural Expression Breast Pumps (which include the Symphony, a rentable hospital-grade pump, and the Pump In Style Advanced, an updated version of Medela's double electric pump). Designed for mothers who nurse their babies for most feedings, Harmony offers varied handle positions and a trim design with fewer pieces to clean. Using Medela's Natural Expression technology, which tries to mimic a baby's natural nursing rhythms, the Harmony pump has two speedsfast for the early let-down period and slow for the later deep-sucking period. The aim is to offer comfort to the mother, abet faster let-down reflex, and increase milk flowthereby reducing pumping time. Other features include a soft breast shield designed to massage the breast during pumping and the ability to be attached to any universal-threaded bottle. For information visit www.medela.com or call 800-435-8316.
Mask puts a fresh face on an old standby
Respironics introduces its Pediatric Mask for children who need to manage asthma or respiratory diseases and allergies with the OptiChamber Advantage Valved Holding Chamber. Designed to provide a custom fit and an effective seal around facial features, the mask has 25% less unused space inside, according to the manufacturer. The Pediatric Mask is detachable and uses reinforcements to prevent a mask from collapsing if a baby or toddler is squirming or uncooperative. The device is available in small sizes for infants and medium sizes for children. For information visit www.respironics.com or call 800-962-1266.
New Products. Contemporary Pediatrics October 2003;20:156.
