Jennifer Matthews: Dana and Terry Lawrence have their hands full with five kids -- Brittany, Courtney, Drew, Ethan and Austin.
Dana Lawrence: Austin is a busy little guy. He just goes and goes. He's your typical five-year-old.
Jennifer Matthews: It's that adventurous spirit that landed Austin in the emergency room.
Austin Lawrence: I tried to do a cartwheel off the chair.
Jennifer Matthews: He didn't land the cartwheel but did break his arm.
Jan Luhmann: There's no question that broken bones are one of the more painful emergencies that we treat.
Jennifer Matthews: Doctor Jan Luhmann says there's a myth that children don't experience as much pain as adults.
Jan Luhmann: Adults are much more likely, somewhere around two to one, to get pain medications for fracture pain.
Jennifer Matthews: When medication is given to kids, it often comes in a needle.
Jan Luhmann: In children that are hospitalized, their greatest fear is a needle.
Jennifer Matthews: Now, nitrous oxide may be a better option. Doctor Luhmann delivers the laughing gas on a kid-size scale. It doesn't require deep breaths like the adult delivery system, and the masks are sprayed with good-smelling scents. Most importantly, it relieves pain.
Jan Luhmann: It reduces pain in mild to moderate situations when it's used alone, and it reduces anxiety, and it reduces memory of the event.
Jennifer Matthews: Austin got the gas and handled the pain of his broken arm well.
Dana Lawrence: They pulled, and they tugged, and they mashed, and just watching it, it looked kind of painful. He was just watching TV. You could tell he was relaxed.
Jennifer Matthews: But, he didn't stay relaxed for long. He's now back to full-speed. This is Jennifer Matthews reporting.
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