This guide provides a treasure trove of ideas and resources to make learning about dental health a fun and educational experience for your preschoolers.
Activities:

• Brushing Beats Rhythm! Turn brush time into a musical adventure! Play a 2-minute song and have children brush their teeth following the rhythm.
• Snack Sorting Showdown! Help kids learn about healthy food choices with a sorting game! Separate pictures or real food items into "Strong Teeth Snacks" and "Sugar Bug Treats" categories.
• "Brush the Plaque Away" Playdough Fun: Set up a playdough station with different colors. Encourage children to create teeth shapes and practice "brushing away" the plaque (represented by another color of dough) with child-sized toothbrushes.

Printable Resources:

• "My Sparkling Smile" Coloring Book: Create a simple coloring book showcasing healthy foods, happy teeth, and toothbrushing scenes.
• "Brush & Floss" Bingo: Design a bingo sheet with pictures of healthy foods, brushing and flossing icons, and smiley faces. Let children mark off squares as they complete activities like brushing, flossing, or eating a healthy snack.
• "Healthy Food Matching Game": Print out pictures of various healthy and unhealthy foods. Children can match the pictures together or sort them into separate categories.

Crafts:

• "Tooth Fairy Pouch" Craft: Let children decorate small fabric pouches (or reusable snack bags) with glitter, fabric markers, or paints. These can be used to store lost teeth waiting for the Tooth Fairy!
• "Brush Buddies" Paper Plate Puppets: Help children create fun puppet friends using paper plates and construction paper. Decorate them with features like eyes, a nose, and a big smile, and use them to act out stories about brushing and flossing.
• "My Flossing Fun" Pipe Cleaner Activity: Provide children with pipe cleaners and beads of different colors. They can thread the beads onto the pipe cleaner, creating a "floss thread" with colorful "food particles" attached.

Lesson Plans:

• "The Tooth Detectives" - Exploring the Mouth: Introduce basic anatomy by discussing the different parts of the mouth (teeth, tongue, lips) using age-appropriate language and visuals. Engage children in a "touch and explore" activity, gently touching their own teeth and tongue while discussing their functions.
• "The Sugar Showdown" - Understanding Food Choices: Discuss the impact of different foods on teeth. Use visuals to demonstrate how sugary foods can lead to cavities, while emphasizing the benefits of nutritious choices for strong teeth.
• **"Brushing & Flossing Fun" - Practice Makes Perfect!: Guide children through the proper brushing and flossing techniques using a child-sized toothbrush and model mouth (if available). Use a timer to ensure they brush for two minutes and demonstrate how to gently floss between their teeth.

Additional Tips:

• Incorporate songs, rhymes, and stories related to dental health throughout your activities.
• Encourage children to participate in creating the resources, fostering their creativity and ownership of the learning experience.
• Adapt activities and materials to cater to individual needs and abilities.
• Most importantly, make learning about dental health fun and engaging, leaving a lasting positive impression on your preschoolers!

Remember, this guide offers a starting point. Feel free to explore further and customize these ideas to create a unique and engaging dental health learning experience for your preschoolers!

Related Q&A

How do you teach preschoolers about dental health? 15 Fresh Dental Health Activities for Preschoolers and Kinders

1. Read a dental health book. ...
2. Make a model mouth. ...
3. Engage in sensory play. ...
4. Hang some Happy Teeth. ...
5. Paint with toothbrushes. ...
6. Count playdough teeth. ...
7. Assemble tooth collages. ...
8. Sing the dental care song.

Why do preschoolers need dental care?

All children should visit the dentist regularly (every six to 12 months) for a check-up, even if they don't appear to have any problems. Visiting the dentist regularly can help prevention, early detection, and management of tooth decay.

How can I teach my child about teeth? We're sharing 8 tips for teaching kids to brush their teeth:

1. Give Yourself a Refresher on Proper Tooth Brushing Technique.
2. Start By Brushing Kids' Teeth for Them.
3. Demonstrate on Yourself.
4. Let Kids Try Brushing Their Teeth on Their Own.
5. Use the Correct Tools.
6. Watch Teeth Brushing Videos for Kids.
7. Brush Your Teeth Together.

How can you prevent dental problems in preschool children? For Children

1. Brush their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
2. Help your child brush their teeth until they have good brushing skills. If your child is younger than 6, watch them brush. ...
3. Ask your child's dentist to apply dental sealants when appropriate.
4. Drink tap water that contains fluoride.

What are the activities of oral health hygiene? Follow these tips to keep your teeth and gums healthy:

• Brush your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste.
• Clean between teeth regularly, aiming for once a day. ...
• Visit the dentist for routine check-ups and professional cleaning. ...
• Drink fluoridated water. ...
• Don't smoke.

What are the dental habits for children?

Children under 3 years old: Help your child brush twice a day for 2 minutes with a soft toothbrush with a smear (the size of a grain of rice) of fluoride toothpaste. Children 3 years old and older: Help your child brush twice a day for 2 minutes with a pea-size amount of fluoride toothpaste.

Why do preschoolers brush their teeth?

Regular toothbrushing helps to remove bacteria and plaque that cause tooth decay and gum disease. Brush teeth twice a day – in the morning and before going to bed at night.

How many teeth do preschoolers have?

The average child has 20 deciduous teeth by the age of 3 years. Between the ages of about 6 and 7 years, the deciduous teeth start to exfoliate and the permanent teeth begin to come through. By the age of about 21 years, the average person has 32 permanent teeth including their third molar (wisdom) teeth.

How do you take care of a 3 year old's teeth?

Teach your child to brush 2 times a day with fluoride toothpaste. Starting at age 2 or 3 years, use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste to brush your child's teeth. Make sure your child spits out the toothpaste after brushing — if young children swallow too much fluoride toothpaste, their adult teeth may have white spots.

What are 5 ways to prevent dental issues? Preventive Measures

• Brush twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush.
• Use the right brushing technique.
• Floss regularly.
• Eat healthy food.
• Avoid sugary foods and beverages.
• Visit your dentist who may recommend further treatments if needed.

What is the golden rule for oral hygiene?

Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Clean between your teeth daily using floss or interdental brushes. Eat a healthy, balanced diet and limit added sugar intake. Visit the dentist regularly for check-ups and preventative care.

What are the major oral communication activities? Types of oral communication include:

• Meetings,
• Discussions,
• Face-to-face conversations,
• Speeches,
• Telephone conversations, and so on.

What are teeth facts for kids? Teeth & Tooth Decay

• You are born with all 20 of your primary teeth. However, these teeth will remain in your jaw until you are about 3-6 months old. ...
• Humans have 32 permanent teeth, while dogs have 42. ...
• Although many people think that teeth are bones, they are not bones.

Did you know facts about teeth for kids? Did you know? Check out our 5 fun teeth facts for your kids!

• Tooth enamel is the hardest bone in your body. ...
• Your mouth makes around 25,000 gallons of saliva in a lifetime. ...
• Teeth started growing in your gum before you were born. ...
• Your mouth has more bacteria than there are people in the world. ...
• Everyone's teeth are different.

How do you brush preschoolers teeth?

Step one use a bit of toothpaste. Not much a pea-sized amount will do. Step two start brushing your back teeth and molars brush the outside of your upper.

How do you teach preschoolers about dental health? 15 Fresh Dental Health Activities for Preschoolers and Kinders

1. Read a dental health book. ...
2. Make a model mouth. ...
3. Engage in sensory play. ...
4. Hang some Happy Teeth. ...
5. Paint with toothbrushes. ...
6. Count playdough teeth. ...
7. Assemble tooth collages. ...
8. Sing the dental care song.

Why is dental health important for preschoolers?

Early checkups help prevent cavities and tooth decay, which can lead to pain, trouble concentrating and other medical issues. Youngsters with healthy teeth chew food easily, learn to speak clearly and smile with confidence.

What are the objectives of learning about healthy teeth? Learning Objectives:

state the different types of teeth and their functions. understand the biological process of tooth decay • describe best practice for keeping teeth clean • state the key oral health messages on tooth brushing, fluoride and dental visiting.

What are the basics of dental health? Helpful Tips

• Brush your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste.
• Clean between teeth regularly, aiming for once a day. ...
• Visit the dentist for routine check-ups and professional cleaning. ...
• Drink fluoridated water. ...
• Don't smoke. ...
• If you are planning to become pregnant, have a dental checkup. ...
• Eat a well-balanced diet.

How can you prevent dental problems in preschool children? For Children

1. Brush their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
2. Help your child brush their teeth until they have good brushing skills. If your child is younger than 6, watch them brush. ...
3. Ask your child's dentist to apply dental sealants when appropriate.
4. Drink tap water that contains fluoride.

How can I teach my child about teeth? We're sharing 8 tips for teaching kids to brush their teeth:

1. Give Yourself a Refresher on Proper Tooth Brushing Technique.
2. Start By Brushing Kids' Teeth for Them.
3. Demonstrate on Yourself.
4. Let Kids Try Brushing Their Teeth on Their Own.
5. Use the Correct Tools.
6. Watch Teeth Brushing Videos for Kids.
7. Brush Your Teeth Together.

Why is dental health important for children?

Pediatric dental care ensures your child's primary teeth stay healthy and free of decay and other dental diseases. Good oral hygiene starts as early as infancy. Whether you're nursing or bottle feeding, you should begin incorporating some type of dental hygiene regimen as soon as possible.

What is the purpose of teeth for kids?

When we eat, our teeth tear, cut, and grind food in preparation for swallowing. The tongue helps push food to the teeth, and allows us to taste the food we eat.

What are the three functions of healthy teeth?

Teeth have three main functions of “breaking down (masticating) food”, “enabling us to pronounce words”, and “enhanced facial expressions”. Chewing has various positive effects on health, in addition to helping the production of saliva.

What is the importance of teeth for children?

Healthy baby teeth set the stage for a lifetime of good dental health. Teeth play a crucial role in helping us speak clearly, smile confidently and chew our food thoroughly, which nourishes our bodies for overall good health. Setting a good example helps prevent tooth decay now and in the future.

What are the 5 fundamental principles of dental hygiene? What Are The Five Principles Of Oral Health?

• Regular Brushing and Flossing: The Foundation of Oral Health. ...
• Balanced Diet for Dental Well-Being. ...
• Regular Dental Check-ups and Cleanings. ...
• Habits for Dental Health: Avoiding Tobacco and Limiting Alcohol. ...
• Protecting Your Smile: Mouthguards and Proper Oral Hygiene.

What are the 5 principles of dentistry?

There are five fundamental principles that form the foundation of the ADA Code: patient autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice and veracity.

What is the #1 dental problem for preschoolers? Tooth Decay (Cavities)

Most young children aren't proficient at brushing and flossing without supervision. Coupled with the fact that some kids might have a sugar-heavy diet, cavities can become a major issue. Tooth decay is caused when sticky plaque accumulates on the surface of the teeth.

What are the milestones for 3 year olds dental care?

Toddlers should have a full set of teeth by age three. If this is not the case, they need to see a pediatrician or dentist. This milestone is marked by having a full mouth of “baby teeth.” The last teeth to cut, or grow anew, are the molars. These are particularly painful and can cause fever, headache or even a cold.

What are the activities of oral health hygiene?

Practice good oral hygiene. Brush teeth thoroughly twice a day and floss daily between the teeth to remove dental plaque. Visit your dentist at least once a year, even if you have no natural teeth or have dentures. Do not use any tobacco products.

In addition to the topic Resources, use the chart you completed and questions you answered in the Topic 3 about "Case Study: Healing and Autonomy" as the basis for your responses in this assignment.
Answer the following questions about a patient's spiritual needs in light of the Christian worldview.

1. In 200-250 words, respond to the following: Should the physician allow Mike to continue making decisions that seem to him to be irrational and harmful to James, or would that mean a disrespect of a patient's autonomy? Explain your rationale.
2. In 400-500 words, respond to the following: How ought the Christian think about sickness and health? How should a Christian think about medical intervention? What should Mike as a Christian do? How should he reason about trusting God and treating James in relation to what is truly honoring the principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence in James's care?
3. In 200-250 words, respond to the following: How would a spiritual needs assessment help the physician assist Mike determine appropriate interventions for James and for his family or others involved in his care?

Remember to support your responses with the topic Resources.
While APA style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.
Benchmark Information
This benchmark assignment assesses the following programmatic competencies:
BS in Health Sciences 1.2; BS Nursing (RN to BSN ) 5.2
Assess for the spiritual needs and provide appropriate interventions for individuals, families, and groups.
Attachments
see attachment below

I read something on the internet the other day that truly horrified and pissed me off, I was not going to post about it originally out of respect for the victim but then I realized that this particular case study is fictional... Why someone felt the need to make this story up I don't know, I guess just for educational purposes, but I thought it would be a good case for me to react to from the perspective of a medical abuse survivor. The original story will be typed like this and my reaction will be in regular text.
*Case
Dr. McKinney is working in the emergency department when an ambulance arrives with a frantic 12-year-old-girl, Micah, and her 8-year-old sister, Gracie. The paramedic quickly reports that the girls were home alone when Gracie found Micah sitting on the bathroom floor screaming and “covered in blood.” No one has yet been able to contact the girls’ parents. Micah is so frantic that she is unable to give Dr. McKinney any medical history.
After a rapid assessment, it is clear to Dr. McKinney that Micah is having profuse vaginal bleeding. However, he does not yet know the reason for the bleeding, and no one knows if the young girl was assaulted or suffered some injury. Alternatively, she could have a bleeding disorder of some sort. He knows that, in either case, a severe laceration or other injury could result in life-threatening bleeding, and decides that a vaginal exam is critically necessary for Micah’s care. Recognizing that the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) protects his right to treat Micah without parental consent because of her life-threatening problem, he begins to try to examine her. She screams, “Don’t you look down there, I don’t want that! Stop it!” as she kicks and yells.
Dr. McKinney normally likes to seek the assent of young patients prior to any invasive exam, and Micah has clearly refused to provide her assent. However, he retains legal authority to perform this important exam, and begins to question the best way to proceed, as the exam will be impossible to perform on an uncooperative 12-year-old.*
So far we have a young girl of 12 who seems to have sustained an injury to her vagina, our fictional doctor, McKinney, doesn't usually like to be a rapist so after the girl refuses he begins thinking about how he can rape this girl without hindering his career. We know that Micah has refused the exam, this makes any attempt to perform it rape. My questions are 1. Was the potential severity of this situation explained to Micah? Did McKinney actually put forth effort to talk to her and explain things? Because typically children are treated as subhuman in medical situations, like some kind of mentally incompetent animal and not a human being. 2. Was there a way to stabilize her until her parents got there and could calm her down? Because in most normal situations even if the parents were not able to be reached at that time if you gave them a while they probably would be.
*Commentary
Dr. McKinney is following several decades of best practices in caring for older children and adolescents in his “seek[ing] the assent of young patients prior to any invasive exam.”
Since the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Bioethics’ publication in 1995 of its policy statement “Informed Consent, Parental Permission, and Assent in Pediatric Practice” [1], there has been increasing recognition that minor children have the right to exercise a limited autonomy by being involved in and agreeing to decisions about the medical care they may receive. Advances in developmental psychology and appreciation for human rights for children have coalesced to support the current paradigm that children and adolescents clearly have the right to provide assent and, in some cases, independent full consent to medical care for themselves years before the achievement of legal majority. Studies of cognitive development and of processes of hypothetical medical decision making have shown that youth from ages 14 or 15 differ little from young adults in their early 20s in how they make treatment decisions [2, 3].*
Wow congratulations, you understand that children are human beings with feelings and rights. Somebody get this guy a medal of Honor and the Nobel Peace Prize, shit why don't you give him an Oscar too? On a more serious note, why the fuck did it take to 1995 to figure this out?
Informed consent has three major elements: a medical decision should be made knowingly (i.e., “informed”), reasonably (.i.e., “competently”) and voluntarily (i.e., “free of coercion”) [3, 4]. Current practice allows such decision making by “mature minors,” even though only three states recognize the “mature minor doctrine” formally by statute. Additionally, certain classes of minors may consent if they qualify as “emancipated” by virtue of being in the armed forces, being married, being themselves parents, or living apart and independent of parental financial and social support. Finally, minors may consent to services in certain categories of medical conditions, including care for sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy and related conditions, and substance abuse or mental health problems. The minimum age for such categorical consent varies considerably among the states. The right to consent by mature minors applies not only to routine care or minor procedures, but most importantly to vital decisions about end-of-life care, resuscitation status, and institution of palliative care [5].
Great now we understand the law this doctor is about to break.
*A rough rule of “7s” has evolved as a guide to whether assent or informed consent should be sought from minor patients both in clinical research and in routine medical care. Children and youth from 7 to 14 years of age should be asked to assent to care and receive basic information about the proposed care, its risks, and potential benefits. For youth ages 15 to 18 years, the process should be very similar to seeking informed consent from young adults of legal age [1], even if ultimate legal decision-making rights are reserved to parent or legal guardian.
Assent for care from older children and younger teens should include developmentally appropriate explanation of the patient’s condition, facts about the proposed testing or treatments, clinical insight into the patient’s understanding of and willingness to receive the proposed care, and expression of agreement or refusal of the proposed care. Assent to care should always include the option of refusal.*
Assent should always include the option of refusal. Says Dr McKinney as he prepares his legal argument to rape a child and call it Health Care.
In this case, Micah has forcefully and unequivocally refused a genital exam which might optimize evaluation of her profuse vaginal bleeding. While she has the right to refuse assent for her care, her awareness of the possible severity of her bleeding, of the need for prompt evaluation, and then for appropriate treatment is clouded by her fear, embarrassment, uncertainty, and the worry that she’ll get in trouble if she lets the doctor perform the exam.
If she has the right to refuse care why are we even still having this discussion? This person has said no, it shouldn't matter if a doctor dubs a patient's reasons for refusing care irrational. As this article has discussed in detail informed consent exists, and informed consent for minors is supposed to exist as well.
Micah’s almost hysterical response to Dr. McKinney’s attempt to proceed with appropriate evaluation cannot be considered an “informed” or “competent” refusal. To try to proceed with an exam meant in part to rule out any genital trauma as the cause of her bleeding would necessitate an equally traumatic, at least psychologically, second assault and potentially do her great emotional harm.
So Dr McKinney fully understands that forcing Micha to have a vaginal exam she doesn't want is assault, and could seriously harm her. Also she is a 12 year old, in a hospital alone with strangers, one of which is a man who is trying to shove his fingers into her vagina against her will, and her parents are no where to be found. This situation is reasonably scary for any young girl, but being scared doesn't mean she's incompetent. And as a survivor of medical abuse myself I know that doctors favorite way to cover their ass when they choose to examine a patient against that patients will is to say that they were incompetent of making the decision for some reason or another. This is a reoccurring theme in medical abuse situations, and while sometimes it's probably true, it's also a good way for bad doctors to avoid accountability. The person writing this essay is clearly reinforceing the idea if you can't aquire real consent just call them hysterical and do whatever you want. I lived almost the same situation described here at 18, and the doctor who committed the assault used the same excuse that I was "hysterical" and "incompetent" even violent, none of that was true.
*Given that Micah has exercised her autonomy in refusing to agree to this exam, what can Dr. McKinney do to fulfill the principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence in a timely manner? Beneficence demands that he stabilize his patient hemodynamically, identify the cause of the bleeding, and institute optimal medical or surgical therapy. Nonmaleficence requires that he not traumatize Micah physically or psychologically in his attempts to treat her and that he not fail to act appropriately to diagnose and to treat her bleeding.
It is legal in every state to provide emergency medical care to a minor without parental consent. Minors may consent to emergency care if they have the capacity to do so. However, assent for emergency care is no more required than is parental permission. Under federal law, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) mandates initial evaluation (a medical screening exam) and treatment for all patients presenting to an emergency department with an emergency medical condition. Neither parental nor patient consent or assent is needed for such care. Provision of appropriate care is mandated “up to and including surgical intervention or transfer…if needed” [6].
Legally and ethically, Dr. McKinney should render that evaluation and care which he deems most appropriate. But how exactly should he go about it?*
You heard it here folks, consent doesn't matter at all. If you have the nerve to turn up at your local hospital expecting medical care you can legally be subjected to surgery, invasive exams, and even rape regardless of consent. Because if you say anything but "yes" your doctor is just gonna say you're some combination of stupid, incompetent, or hysterical and do whatever he wants.
If possible, a rapid and separate evaluation of Micah’s presenting problem and clinical status from a second ED physician should be sought immediately; this will help assure the appropriateness of what might otherwise be considered an invasive exam. With a consensus that, with this inadequate history, vaginal trauma, accidental or intentional, might be the cause of the profuse bleeding, plans should be made for an emergent exam under anesthesia.
Ok, I get it now. Rape is ok as long as you drug her first, and someone else who has the same education as you says it's necessary.
If the cause of bleeding is a vaginal laceration or uncontrolled uterine hemorrhage, either surgical repair or vaginal packing may be necessary. These can be done only under anesthesia, so the appropriate procedure is to do the exam under anesthesia. The minimal risk of general anesthesia is far outweighed by the potential benefit that a comprehensive and timely vaginal exam will provide in optimizing Micah’s care. Micah should be told that she needs to go to the operating room and be put to sleep so the bleeding source can be found and then treated. Her assent to this approach should be sought. If she does not assent, then sedating her and appropriately anesthetizing her without her assent would be appropriate both legally and ethically.
Again we see another example of how doctors see consent as optional to the point it's almost non-existent. Dr McKinney is admitting that he only cares about the consent of his patients enough to cover his own ass, once he is legally in clear he is morally fine with ignoring this young girl's consent and actually sedating her against her will and essentially still comitting rape. My question here is does Dr McKinney really think that just because she's sedated it doesn't matter and won't traumatize her? I've heard from several different people that going under general anesthesia is terrifying and some people even hallucinate or think they're dying, so not only is girl going to experience that she's also going to fall asleep knowing that a stranger who she doesn't want to touch her is going to shove his fingers in her vagina against her will. How will that not traumatize her?
*Afterword
Several additional comments should be made about this case in addition to offering a possible approach to the clinical dilemma it describes.
Although new-onset profuse vaginal bleeding in a 12-year-old girl may be due either to accidental trauma, such as a straddle injury, or a sexual assault, the most common cause is an unusually heavy initial menses. When this bleeding is abnormal in volume or duration, it is often evidence of a congenital bleeding disorder.
If Micah’s condition is in fact caused by a bleeding disorder, ideally, she should have been educated by her parents that she needs to inform any doctor that she “bleeds easily” or “doesn’t clot right.” Alternatively, she might have a medical alert bracelet or necklace stating her diagnosis. Future improved electronic health records which contain summary problem lists and medication lists and which are more widely accessible might allow all regional EDs access to vital information in such a case.
Finally, one would hope that any 12-year-old girl would have been prepared for her first menses and told what to expect and what to tell a doctor or nurse if she started bleeding heavily, especially if she also has a known bleeding disorder.*
I know that my commentary on this essay was probably entirely unwelcome by the person that wrote it, and I realize that my criticism is rather harsh and it may leave you asking "well what should the doctor have done then?" In my opinion, which may be unpopular, I think that the exam should not have been done. Surely there was an alternative available. And I'm still left with several questions unanswered. Wasn't there a way that the girl could have been stabilized without the invasive exam? Even if it was something more serious like giving her a blood transfusion, or something like having her put pressure on the wound herself if there was one? Was she asked if she was assaulted or attacked? Was she asked if she had gotten her period yet, if she understood what a period was, and if she usually experienced heavy bleeding? What she asked if she'd injured herself? Because I think if she was asked she could probably answer those questions regardless of if she was "hysterical" or not. How many unsuccessful attempts to contact Micah's parents were made, and how long did the doctor wait after those attempts to decide to sedate her and do an exam on her against her will? And was the situation really explained to Micah? I doubt it really was considering that even now for me at 21 I have to demand things be properly explained to me by doctors, and even then when I go home and Google whatever my doctors have said something was usually left out whether it was intentional or not I don't know, but it was still left out. I highly doubt this doctor had enough respect for a 12 year old patient to actually bother explaining jack shit to her. Most of the time if you actually take the time to explain something to even a child younger then the person in the situation they will understand it to some degree, maybe not to the scientific degree that an adult might understand it but they will understand it. I firmly believe that kids are capable of understanding such matters and that they should be given a choice, when I was a child I did not like getting vaccines but I still understood why I needed to once it was explained to me. I am sure this patient understood what was being explained to her if anything was, and I think it should have been her decision especially in the absence of her parents, weather or not she proceeded with the exam. Also was she offered a female doctor? Because that can go a long way to convincing a scared young girl who may or may not have just been assaulted to allowing an examination to be done. I think Dr McKinney 100% made the wrong call, and he probably despite his attempt to avoid doing so, severely traumatized Micah. She probably grew up fearing doctors, and avoiding them at all cost, if it turns out that she did have a bleeding disorder she has been discouraged from seeking further treatment for it, and she probably thinks that all doctors are going to ignore her consent, knock her unconscious, and rape her. It's possible that she could have developed PTSD, vaginismus, or a host of other potential psychological side effects from this doctor's incompetence it getting consent.
I know that this particular case is a fictional story intended for educational purposes, but that doesn't mean there isn't a real version of Micah in real life that has been through this. In fact I was the real life version of Micah, and I can tell you for a fact that because of my doctor's decision in the situation I now live with PTSD, vaginismus, and several anxiety disorders. It's also been proven by several studies that very rarely does an emergency pelvic exam add anything to the patient's treatment plan that could not have already been assumed, and hardly ever does the findings of such an exam change the doctor's treatment plan for the patient.
I'm not saying that in certain cases informed consent cannot be acquired and it's always wrong for a doctor to go forth with treatment without that consent. I'm just saying it's wrong to sedate and essentially rape someone because you don't agree with their logic to refuse care. Which in such situations, emergency or not, that is exactly what usually happens. And I think that there is a reasonable Middle Ground somewhere that could be reached if the doctor put their mind to it and the patient is capable of (i.e conscious and at least somewhat mentally stable) thinking for themselves. Assumed consent should be reserved for those who are completely unconscious and unable to make their own decisions, and it should only be assumed to the point of stabilizing the patient until either they are able to consent or someone who knows them personally and cares for them can consent to what they think the person would want. I don't think there is any case where it would be necessary to do an invasive vaginal exam on a young girl to stabilize her, and I think any doctor Who can justify doing something like this to a 12 year old is a piece of shit. That's just my opinion as a survivor of this situation, and I'm sure plenty of people strongly disagree with it. But I thought I'd put it out there non the less.

Hello medicine. Can you critique this writing? I would like to see how my views align with other people in medicine.
I am a student in a health care profession. I see many different people every day that come to seek treatment at my school. Most patients are local to our area, but many come to our school’s clinic from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds. Our curriculum has recently been updated in accordance with the board of accreditation that our state mandates for professional schools. This curriculum includes a course entitled ‘Cultural Awareness.’ The goals of the course, as stated by the syllabus and our professor, is to:

1. Emphasize, illustrate and analyze how patient’s background, culture, beliefs and norms may impact health and health outcomes;
2. Enhance understanding of legal boundaries and provider’s responsibilities in the delivery of care;
3. Enhance the students understanding of cultural, various societal values and traditions that must be considered during the delivery of care, doctor-patient interactions and treatment outcomes;
4. Increase awareness of the challenges and mechanisms for providing services to special populations. Except for the second objective, I am not interested in learning about any of these. I am going to illustrate to you why classes like these are a farce, a waste of our time as professionals, and demeaning to every intelligent culture.

As a professional healthcare worker, I am bound by a code of ethics. In fact, this code is a defining aspect of the culture found among healthcare professionals. This code includes virtues like veracity, nonmaleficence, justice, beneficence, and patient autonomy. These virtues lay the groundwork for almost every aspect of clinical decision-making in healthcare. It is a defining aspect of healthcare culture. This code is well recognized by people within and without the healthcare system as it is the basis for the credibility patients give to their doctors, nurses, dentists, optometrists, etc.
When a patient walks into a clinic and wants treatment, this culture allows them to be sure of what they are walking into. The code of ethics is unchanging and unwavering. It is a cornerstone of healthcare because without it, patients could not trust their healthcare providers to give them a high quality of healthcare.
Why do I mention professional healthcare culture? Because when a patient walks into the office, it is the only one that truly matters. Do not misunderstand me. I respect my patients. I would never be intentionally rude to them or purposefully disrespect their culture without reason to do so. What I am saying is that when it comes to the treatment of my patients, the ethics of my profession are the only ones that matter because they are rooted in scientific fact and are designed to emphasize the patient’s best interest.
The cultural awareness class that we are taking required us to read a book called ‘The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down’ by Anne Fadiman. The book describes the medical treatment of a girl from Laos whose family is part of the Hmong culture, which have some beliefs that are not typical in Western culture. The girl, Lia Lee, began having life-threatening seizures at a very early age and was hospitalized many times in her childhood before eventually becoming severely brain damaged and dying. Throughout the family’s experience, they would take Lia to the hospital, try communicating with doctors, and either refuse treatment or not follow up with adequate home care due to their beliefs stemming from the Hmong culture and the language barrier that was present in the family. The Hmong are believers in medicine men and shaman. They also have beliefs about medicine that conflict with available scientific research, such as animal sacrifice and spirits that can affect our physical world.
These beliefs by Lee’s parents was the reason for many of the communication problems with her doctors, their unwillingness to cooperate with the advice of their healthcare providers, and their refusal to follow through with much of Lia’s needed homecare. The book describes the doctors being unwilling to try to adapt to the Lee’s culture and try to understand the Lee’s point of view.
What exactly is there to understand in this case? The doctors knew the illness, knew the medically reasonable treatment for her illness, and, perhaps most importantly, the Lee’s sought their help. The Lee’s were in no position to try and prescribe treatment for a sick child. They had no prior medical training and their culture was at best quirky and at worst a system of beliefs that run directly against logic and reason. The doctors were in an American hospital regulated by laws of the profession. They had no reason to adapt. They were on their home turf and the Lee’s were coming to them.
It is fine if the Lees or any other people who wish to participate in a culture do so in their own personal lives, but when they come to medical professionals, it is not their place to endanger other people’s lives by interjecting their own unsubstantiated cultural remedies in place of scientifically proven treatments. Additionally, cultures exist everyone and for every individual. It is absolutely ridiculous to think that everyone should be accommodating and adaptive to every single person. It is impractical. Respect cultures according to the situation.
I was recently looking at Facebook and on my wall, I ran across two posts that made my blood boil. One was an anti-vaccine supporter and the other was a person complaining about the mercury in amalgam cavity fillings. The anti-vaccine supporter was angry that their child was required to get a mumps shot for school and were convinced that the doctors were going to give her baby autism. The complainer about mercury in amalgam was ranting about her teeth and the dentist that was going to remove all the ‘harmful’ fillings she had received over the years. These are the sorts of culture that I refuse to respect in any way, shape, or form. They are blatantly wrong. Amalgam has been used in fillings for decades and numerous studies have confirmed its safety. Vaccine use is mandated because it not only immunizes people against horrible diseases, but it also provides herd immunity to those with weakened immune systems. It has been repeatedly shown that vaccines and the instances of autism have no correlation. The doctor responsible for the study claiming that they were is an absolute fraud and has been stripped of his medical license.
Today’s culture has become obsessed with political correctness and acceptance of all people and beliefs. You are entitled to your beliefs, but I am also entitled to mine. I will not respect you if you are contradicting known medical facts with the garbage you learned on Dr. Oz or the neighbor selling essential oils. I will tell you that you are wrong and that it is my duty to tell you so. You will receive high-quality, evidence based care from me regardless of your culture. I will be as polite and accommodating as I can practically be, but you are in my office. Your beliefs do not supersede mine. At most they are equal. I will not trample your beliefs unless they are stupid. I define stupid as ideas that are not supported by evidence done in a medical trial.
Your culture does not matter when healthcare professionals are treating you. Your health matters. Your livelihood matters. Everything else is secondary. I am not advocating for a total ignorance of cultural differences. They belong where manners and etiquette are involved. Life and death situations or those involving the health of individuals does not have any room for cultural beliefs that are contrary to the practitioner’s method of care. You are entitled to your opinion even if you are wrong, but I will not accommodate you, respect your judgment, or treat you in a manner that is not consistent with the best treatment available.
EDIT 1: This response has been awesome. I have received some really great feedback, and it is clear that healthcare professionals are quite passionate about this topic. I want to refer anyone else reading this/coming back to blast me on it to u/lwronhubbard answer below. I think he does a great job arguing for the purpose of culture in medicine. I also wrote a response explaining my writing to u/frank_and_beans. Hope it clears up why I wrote like this and some of my responses to you. I think that professionals need to always be thinking about what part culture plays in their decision making and their patient's lives. If anyone ever searches for something like this questions and finds this thread, I wanted to make a record of the arguments that they will hear and understand all sides of the issue. I figured Reddit would have something to say to a blatantly one-sided argument, and damn did you guys not disappoint.
EDIT 2: also, I would recommend u/throwthefuckaway7 comment for an explanation of the culture of healthcare and why I wrote the article and responded like I did.

I had a Nursing exam and there were questions like:
What should you do if a patient says he is in pain?
A. Use the therapeutic response of restatement.
B. Use the therapeutic response of clarification.
C. Ask for the patient's pain on a scale of 1-10.
D.
E.
Giving medication to the patient in pain would be an example of:
A. Beneficence
B. Nonmaleficence
C.
D.
E.
Are these just poor questions on the testmaker's part or are NCLEX questions really like this?