Toe Tourniquet Syndrome, Essay Example

The website address for the chosen article is http://vitals.msnbc.msn.com/-news/2012/06/14/12227285-hidden-hairs-can.  The article is entitled, “Hidden hairs can strangle baby’s Toes, doc warns,” and is written by Linda Carroll.

The article points out the hidden danger to a baby’s toes of a single strand of human hair, which if wrapped around a baby’s toe(s) is able to cut off circulation.  Consequently, if the problem is not found soon enough and remedied, a baby can lose one or more toes.  Although this is a rare occurrence, it has, nevertheless, been sufficiently frequent for it to have been labelled the “toe tourniquet syndrome.”  Michelle Whelan, the mother in this article, was fortunate in that when she noticed that her baby’s toes were turning blue, she realized that   medical help was needed to prevent the possible loss of one or more of her baby’s toes.  She continued to be fortunate in that the surgeon, Dr. Timothy Lepore, at the local hospital recognized the problem immediately; and with the help of his magnifying glasses was able to see the strand of hair around the toes and cut it off.  One would think that the hair would break off on its own, but it is, apparently, very strong and a strand of long hair can result in 100 revolutions around a baby’s toe.  Partially because toe syndrome is quite rare (Dr. Lepore has only seen on average of one every 10 years), doctors may fail to recognize it.  He, therefore, cautions that if that happens, to mention the possibility of the syndrome to the attending doctor.

This student found the article extremely easy to read and very informative.  Although I am well acquainted with small children I have never come across this problem and, to the best of my knowledge, neither have any of my relatives and friends.  It is, therefore, a very important article so that parents and caregivers can be alert to this condition, which is not easy because the hair can embed itself into the flesh of the toe(s) and, therefore, be relatively invisible to the naked eye.  Since I have never come across this syndrome before; and as a result, do not have any prior knowledge of such a situation, I did not find anything contradictory in this article.  Again, because I have not come across this syndrome before, I had no beliefs to which this article could relate.  I am, however, a believer now and will not hesitate to spread this important knowledge wherever it might be needed and appreciated.  I am hoping that this information will find its way into baby literature and that mothers might be cautioned by their health professionals to be watchful for this condition, which, incidentally, can also affect the fingers.