Anyone in Indiana could sustain a dog bite. However, age matters when dealing with the results. According to the International Journal of Surgery Case Reports, 10 percent of the wounds that adults suffer from a dog attack are on the head and neck. However, 76 percent of children's bite wounds were to the face and neck, and most of these primarily affected the cheeks, lips and nose.
The smaller a child is, the more likely he or she is to have bites to the face, head and neck. Older children not only have a height advantage, most also have the knowledge to approach animals less aggressively and the ability to protect themselves somewhat.
Medical professionals are advised to instruct parents about the issues that children may develop after their first evaluation and treatment. For example, parents should know that any bite could leave a scar, that infection is often a problem after an animal bite and that even after the wound is cleaned and treated, there still could be undetectable foreign bodies present.
Children's treatment typically should include rabies vaccination and antibiotics, at the least. Often, children need follow-up and on-going treatment that may include scar revision. Children typically need counseling, too, to deal with the mental and emotional issues that are likely to occur.
CNN.com reports that because children's brains are still developing, the psychological trauma from a dog bite is more likely to be severe than it would be for an adult. In fact, most children who have been attacked by a dog develop post-traumatic stress disorder, which may include symptoms such as anxiety, nightmares, extreme fear of all dogs and even an unwillingness to leave the home. The mental anguish also has the potential to change a child's personality permanently.
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