Meningitis - January 2012
Meningitis is a very serious infection of the brain which can present very rapidly and in extreme cases, lead to death. Meningitis can be caused either by a virus or bacteria. One of the most serious bacterial meningitis is meningococcal meningitis. This is the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in children 2 to 18 years old in the United States. The good news is that we have a vaccine for meningococcal meningitis. It is approved for children as young as 11 years if age and a booster dose at age 16.
There are many different types of meningococcal disease, this vaccine covers the 4 most common types. We have this vaccine available and strongly recommend you to discuss with the doctor the benefits of receiving the vaccine. Please call our office for more information.
Stay Tuned . . . next month we will talk about Tobacco use!
Flu Season - December 2011
Currently, influenza activity is low, but it is expected to increase in the coming weeks. Anyone 6 months of age or older who has not yet received the flu vaccine should get it now. It is important to get the flu vaccine every year because the virus is always changing. Each years scientists try to match the viruses in the vaccine to those most likely to cause flu that year. It will take your body two weeks to develop an immune response to the vaccine.
We use the inactivated (killed) influenza vaccine, the "flu shot", which is given by injection with a needle. This year we have been using exclusively the flu shot with no preservatives in it. With this type of vaccine, we typically do not see any side-effects. As always, you need to watch for mild soreness or redness of the injection site.
We also have available the Flu Mist, which is live (weakened) influenza, which is sprayed into the nostrils. This type of vaccine is not recommended for everyone. If your a child under 2 years of age or an adult 50 years of age or older, or if you are pregnant, you should not get the Flu Mist. If you have any chronic medical problems such as asthma, lung or heart disease, etc. please talk to your doctor who will be able to direct you to which vaccine is right for you.
We currently have the Flu Shot and Flu Mist available for our patients, please call the office to schedule an appointment. Also, please visit our page with Tips for the Flu Season for more information.
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) - November 2011
Genital Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexual transmitted virus in the United States. There are about 20 Million people in the U.S. that are infected and about 6.2 million more that get infected each year. HPV spreads through sexual contact. This virus is important because some strains of it cause cervical cancer in women. HPV can also cause genital warts and warts in the upper respiratory tract. Every year in the U.S. 10,000 women get cervical cancer and 3,700 die from it. This makes it so important to immunize both girls and boys with HPV vaccine. We use HPV vaccine (Gardisil) which can prevent most cases of cervical cancer and genital warts.
Protection from HPV vaccine is expected to be long-lasting. Even if you are vaccinated, you should still get screened for cervical cancer at adult age. We immunize girls and boys as young as 11. It is crucial to get this vaccine before girls and boys get sexually active and get exposed to HPV. If you are already infected with HPV, the vaccine will not help. We are currently giving out the HPV vaccine, please call to schedule an appointment. Make sure to call your insurance carrier first to see if the HPV vaccine is covered under your insurance plan. If you have any questions regarding HPV or the vaccine, please feel free to set up an appointment to speak with your doctor.
Hand Washing - September 2011
With the start of school and change of season we are getting prepared to see more sickness, including infections. Transmission of infectious agents occur by various routes, but the most common is through hands. Children are constantly touching things, each other and placing their hands in their noses, eyes and mouth. Bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites often travel on hands from one person to another. That's why hand hygiene becomes the most important measure in any infection control program. We suggest that children wash their hands after school, playing outside or before and after playing with other children. By washing hands we can stop spreading sickness to other people.
Please refer to our Tips for the Flu Season, where you can see the steps on how to properly clean your hands with either alcohol-based hand sanitizers or by using soap and water.
Summer Safety - July 2011
Water, bugs and the sun are a few of the things kids experience more in the summer time. For parents extra vigilance is required to prevent injuries and keep out kids safe and healthy. Here are a few tips to follow during the summer months.
1. Be very careful with swimming. Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 1-14. Here are a few safety tips: Learn to swim. Even if your children have had formal swimming lessons, constant careful supervision is mandatory when children are in or around water. Learn CPR, use buddy systems and lifeguards. Heed warning flags. Use life jackets. Form toys are not designed to keep swimmers safe.
2. Protect your skin. While you enjoy the outdoors this summer protect yourself from skin cancer by seeking shade, wearing sunglasses, a hat, sun protective clothing and using sunscreen. For children 6 months and older we do recommend sunscreen of 40 SPF or higher.
3. Be careful with bug bites. Do a regular body check on kids once a day. If you find a tick on your child, don't panic. Identify tick, remove it as soon as possible and call your doctor. Even small ticks can be removed easily with a pair of fine tweezers. Even if an infected deer tick is removed within short period of time, you can minimize the chance of the children developing lyme disease.
4. Make sure that your children drinks enough fluids, preferably water, during the hot humid days. Don't allow your children to play outdoor sports on a hot humid day without drinking plenty of water.
5. Keep your kids active. Don't allow them to sit in front of the television, computer or video game for more than a hour a day total. Be very selective with programs they watch on TV.
6. Make sure that your and your child are fully immunized. Playing outdoors means getting cuts that may become infected with bacteria, commonly found in soil, including the ones that cause tetanus. Make sure you and your family are up to date with your tetanus
shots.
We hope this tips with help you to be safe and enjoy your Summer!!!
Allergies - May 2011
The month of May is well know as the start of allergy season. Of the estimated 17 million people in the United States, 10-20% are children. This time of the year, genetically predisposed children may develop allergies to trees in April through May, grass in May through July, or to molds in spring through fall. Typically allergies present with stuffy congested nose, postnasal drip with throat clearing, frequent sneezing, and nose/throat/eye itch. All allergy medications are over the counter (OTC) now, since allergy medications have several side-effects, we highly encourage parents to talk to the doctors before administering any allergy medication. All OTC medications can be adjusted as need and if necessary be supplemented with nasal sprays and eye drops. There are ways to test your child for allergies, so please talk to your doctor about this. Do not self diagnose allergies, very often allergies are combined with infectious conditions such as, upper respiration infection (URI), sinusitis, strep throat, bronchitis, etc. Again, if your think your child has allergies, please consult with your doctor.
ADHD - April 2011
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is common but not a simple medical diagnosis. It represents a clusters of behavior patterns which are consistently observed by parents and other caregivers early in the child's life. In young children, these behaviors cause significant dysfunction in most of the important aspects of the child's experience, such as behavioral and discipline problems at home, school and child care. Later in adolescent and adulthood, ADHD can present as poor job performance, broken relationships and often associated with increased rate in motor vehicle accidents, smoking and substance abuse. The best estimate is 4.6% of American school children have ADHD. Male to female ratio is estimate at 4-6:1. However recent studies show a lower ratio of 2:1. There are different types of ADD, such as ADD predominately inattentive type, ADD predominately hyperactive type or a combination of both. If you suspect that you child has a problem, please complete the Vanderbilt Screening Tool (Which is in the ADHD section under the resources tab) and discuss it with your doctor.
Lack of attention is not necessarily ADD per say, it could be, sensory problems, such as hearing deficit, vision deficit, allergies, headaches as well as other physical problems. Very often ADD co-exists with learning disabilities or other but different behavior issues or problems.
Please discuss everything with your physician if you feel you child has problems at school, home, or with a caregiver.
Influenza - February 2011
We are in the middle of the influenza season. We would like to inform you that the current flu shot/flu mist has been working well. We definitely have seen less cases of flu with people who have been immunized for this season. We want to remind you that flu is spread through coughing and/or sneezing, whether it is by contact through a person (which is more likely) or from a surface. People may become infectious 24 hours before they appear sick. The first 3 days of illness is the most contagious time and it ceases within 7 days, but can be prolonged in very young children and sick people.
Typically, flu presents with a sudden onset of fever, often accompanied by chills, headaches, muscle aches, and a dry cough. Later on patient can develop a sore throat, nasal congestion, and their cough will be getting worse.
In our office we have the ability to test you for influenza A and B. The doctor will discuss optional treatment with antiviral drugs depending on the symptoms of the child and his/her past medical history.
If you have any more questions regarding the flu, please visit our Tips for the Flu Season page or contact our office.
Internet Addiction - December 2010
In recent years, computers and internet became an essential part of our life. Although it is a very help tool, there are a growing number of people who become addicted to the internet.
How do you know if you or someone else has an internet addiction? Below are a few signs of internet addiction:
- Being preoccupied with the internet and feel depressed and irritable when internet is not available.
- Staying online for an extended period of time.
- Using the internet as a way of escaping from problems.
People estimate that nearly 10% of uses become addicted to the internet. If you find that you or someone you know is using the internet as a means to alter a mood, you or he/she may be developing a problem. Internet provides a feeling of high to many users which makes it easy to become addicted to. If you or someone you know feels that they are having any of these symptoms, please seek professional help and counseling.
Sleeping Problems - November 2010
Sleep problems constitute one of the most frequent parental complaints in pediatrics. 25 percent of all children experience a sleep problem at some point during childhood, ranging from short-term difficulties in falling asleep, to night wakings, to more chronic and persistent sleep disorders. Although many sleep problems in infants and children are transient and self-limited, the common wisdom that children will grow out of it is not an accurate perception.
At different ages, the amount of sleep one requires is different. Newborns sleep approximately 16-20 per day, in 1-4 hr sleep periods followed by 1-2 hour awake periods. Sleep/wake cycles are largely dependent upon hunger. Infants generally sleep a total of about 14-15 hours at 4 months and 13-14 total at 6 months. By 6 months most of the healthy infant should reach 6 hours of night time sleep. By 9 months 70-80% sleep through the night. Most infants nap between 2-4 hours divided as 2 naps per day. Toddlers (1-3 yrs) sleep about 12 hours per 24 hours. Most give up a second nap by 18 months and generally nap 1-2 hours as one nap a day. At this age, separation anxiety can pick up and could be associated with increased night wakings. Preschoolers (3-5 yrs) sleep about 11-12 hours at night. Most children give up napping at 5 years. Middle childhood (6-12 yrs) sleep 10-11 hours are night. Unfortunately, recent studies showed that there is a high incidence in sleep problems at this age group. Adolescence (12-18 yrs) require just over 9 hours at night, however, the average adolescence actually gets 7 hours of sleep.
The causes of sleep problems can range from the medical (such as drug related, pain induced or associated with primary sleep disorders) to the behavioral (such as poor sleep hygiene or sleep anxiety) and are often a combination of these factors. Please talk to you doctor if your child has any sleep problems.
Bad News in the Media - October 2010
Over the last 20 years, media coverage of the worlds events has changed. In 1965 American children spent 30 hours a week with their parents. In 2002 children spent 17 hours a week with their parents and about 40 hours a week watching TV, using the computer or playing video games.
A lot of local news programs describe violence and speak about crime which makes it very dangerous for a child to watch. We recommend that you limit the child access to TV, news papers, and magazines; spend extra time with your child during times of stress and try to maintain open communication about world events.
For child 2 years and under, try to shield child as much as possible, reassure them that they are safe.
With Preschoolers, keep TV off as much as possible, reassure them that they are safe and their environment is safe too.
For School age children, question them to find out how much your child may know and begin from there. As they have a sense of right and wrong, they are often focused on why an event occurred. If they become sad or angry, try to understand and help them to deal with these emotions in a healthy way
Thumb Sucking - September 2010
Thumb sucking is very common, 80% of infants suck their fingers or toes. 30-45% of preschool children and 5-20% of children over age 5 continue to engage in thumb sucking. It is slightly more prevalent in girls than in boys. Prior to age 4, thumb sucking is normal, if it doesn't interfere with development or social functioning. This behavior should be ignored and given no special attention. When thumb sucking is noted, the child should be distracted without mentioning the behavior. The child should be praised when not sucking their thumb.
After age 4, if thumb sucking is persistent and problematic, parents can use several techniques. They could use a chart or calendar, gentle reminders, rewarding the child when he or she is not sucking his or her thumb or replacing thumb sucking with a social acceptable habit that occupies the thumb, such as squeezing a foam ball.
If thumb sucking occurs at night, thumb splints, gloves, or socks can be tried. If these measures fail, consider a referral to a pediatric dentist. This is especially important with older children who can develop malocclusion as a consequence of thumb sucking. Make sure to keep the child actively involved in management and treatment choice.
Sibling Rivalry - August 2010
Following the birth of a sibling, some degree of upset and behavior regression such as bed wetting, is almost universal. However, in most surveys, the frequency of positive sibling interaction is still greater. Here are a few tip on how you can deal will sibling rivalry:
1. Parents should intervene as much as they have to but no more.
2. Help an older sibling play a helpful role.
3. Avoid comparison and labeling.
4. Settle disputes according to clearly stated principles.
5. Separate young children.
6. Explain differential treatment.
7. Under all circumstances try to be thoughtful, show empathy, less anger, and more firmness. Be reasonable in your expectations for sibling co-existence.
An excellent guide designed to help parents understand their children's behavior and make the necessary changes in their own behavior is Siblings Without Rivalry: How to help Your Children Live Together So Your Can Live Too by Faber A. and Mazlish E.
Television and Video Games - July 2010
Do you know that children and teens spend more time watching TV then doing any other activity except for sleeping - an average of 3 hours or more per day. By the time children reach age 70, they will have spent 7-10 years of their lives watching TV.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that parents limit their children's total media time to no more than 1-2 hours per day and that infants under the age of two years should not be routinely watching TV at all. The AAP also recommends that parents control which shows the children can watch and they should watch TV with their children. AAP suggests that a TV set shouldn't be placed in a child's bedroom.
Do you know that on any given day 60% of young people in America play video games which equals nearly 2 hours of their life. With that frequency and intensity of video game use, comes the risk of visually induced seizures. In one study, seizures triggered by electronic media represented approximately 10 percent of all new cases of epilepsy in young people between the ages of 7 and 19.
If you have any questions about media usage, please contact our office. We love our children, lets be aware of what they are being exposed to.
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