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20Oct2020

Protecting Your Child from Influenza This Year

Protecting your child from influenza is important every year but is even more important this year with the added concerns of COVID-19 still swirling across the United States. Those who are already sick with influenza may find it even more difficult to fend off a COVID-19 infection and could end up with more serious health concerns. Additionally, it is important to decrease as much work for medical teams around the country as possible to free up resources for fighting the novel coronavirus. Here are a few ways that you can protect your child this fall and winter.

First and most importantly, be sure that your child receives an influenza vaccine.

October is an excellent month to get this shot as it should last through the rest of the influenza season. However, even if your child does not get the shot this month, your doctor will still be able to give it in later months. According to the CDC, very young children, especially those younger than 5, are at high risk of developing serious complications should they develop influenza. Your child can receive an immunization as long as he is at least six months old.

Second, you can still take numerous steps to prevent an outbreak of influenza in your family even after family members get the influenza vaccine.

Stay away from sick family members and friends, and stay at home yourself if you are feeling under the weather.

Teach your child to cover his coughs and sneezes with a tissue or his arm. Tell him to wash his hands for at least 30 seconds after blowing his nose. Singing Happy Birthday while washing up can be an easy way to measure the correct amount of time.

Although it can be difficult for children to keep their hands away from their faces, it is vitally important for reducing the spread of germs. In particular, encourage them to stop rubbing their eyes.

Finally, be sure to keep frequently touched surfaces in your home clean and disinfected at all times.

This is particularly important if someone in your family is sick, but it should be done regularly even when you all are healthy. Use disinfecting wipes or sprays to clean doorknobs, light switches, countertops, and faucet handles.

If your child still needs an influenza vaccine this season, contact Kids 1st Pediatrics to set up an appointment time.

Pediatrics
13Oct2020

What You Need to Know About Pink Eye

Although not a terrible health risk in most cases, pink eye is still something that most parents will gladly avoid. It is highly contagious and can create much discomfort and eye drainage. Because of this, if your child is diagnosed with pink eye, he will likely need to spend time on his own at home recuperating before heading back out to school or sports.

If you are not sure whether your child actually has pink eye, there are a few common signs you can look for before getting your pediatrician’s opinion. The eye will most likely appear pink or reddened. Your child may spend a lot of time rubbing his eye or may complain that it feels as if something is in his eye. Another clear indicator of pink eye is a watery discharge along with a yellow or green-tinged discharge that can crust the eye shut during sleep.

If you notice any of these symptoms, you should bring your child into Kids 1st Pediatrics as soon as possible to get an official diagnosis. With treatment, pink eye can clear up quickly. Without treatment, however, your child may remain contagious for two weeks.

Treatment for Pink Eye

Many cases of pink eye are caused by bacteria and can be treated with antibiotic eyedrops. It can be difficult to put eyedrops in your child’s eyes. However, even if his eyes are closed, you can drop the ointment into the corners of his eyes, where it will flow into the correct spot as soon as he blinks his eyes open. After using antibiotics for 24 hours, your child will not be contagious any longer and will be able to return to school and his other usual activities.

In addition, you will want to keep his eyes clean. Use a warm, wet, soap-free cloth to remove drainage. Your child may find this warmth soothing to his symptoms as well. If your child wears contacts, you will want to switch to glasses for the time being so that the eye does not become reinfected.

In most cases, pink eye should clear up within three days after initiating treatment. If your child is still dealing with the same symptoms, make another appointment with his pediatrician at Kids 1st Pediatrics. In some cases, the infection can spread even further into the eye and may need a different type of treatment.

Pediatrics
28Sep2020

Easing Your Child’s Emotional Stress During This Difficult Time

No one in your generation has ever parented during a pandemic, and you may be wondering where you can turn for expert help. You may not know how to address your child’s questions or fears during this time, and you may find the emotions of your whole family are spiraling out of control. Decreasing emotional stress is particularly important for children whose brains are rapidly developing. However, with all of the changes in the world, your child may feel more worried than ever. Here are a few tips to get both of you through this difficult time.

Encourage Open Sharing

Let your child know that you are open to hearing anything about how she is feeling. Your child needs to know that her feelings are completely normal.

Use Empathy

Tell your child that you understand that she is nervous or anxious and that it is good to talk about these concerns. Reassure your child of all that is being done to keep her safe.

Help Your Child See the Positives

Help your child see how much she can enjoy this special time as a family. If there are new things that you are doing, such as wearing face masks in public or washing your hands more often, find a way to make the experience fun.

Keep Your Child Occupied

Avoid constantly rehashing the negative things that are happening. Keep your child busy with school, imaginative play, or other things she enjoys doing so that she can get her mind off the negatives.

Engage in Fun as a Family

Let this be a special time to do things together as a family. Institute a family game night or turn one evening every week into a pizza and movie night.

Of course, it is not just the current pandemic that may make your child feel anxious and stressed. A serious accident, a natural disaster, or even recurring trouble in the home or at school can leave children wondering where they can turn and how they can deal with their big emotions. While stress is a normal human reaction, it should be dealt with swiftly so that it does not cause long-term harm. If you need any help with this or are concerned about physical or mental symptoms, your child may be exhibiting, set up an appointment at Kids 1st Pediatrics today.

Pediatrics
19Sep2020

Protecting your Asthmatic Child from Common Chemicals

You may already be working hard to protect your child from common asthma triggers, such as seasonal allergens, tobacco smoke, excessive dust in your home, and the dander from household pets. However, what you may not realize is that some of the most common chemicals that you use for cleaning your home may actually be what is causing your child’s difficult breathing episodes. In particular, disinfectants, many of which are being used heavily during these days of COVID-19, can be particularly problematic for children and even adults who already have chronic respiratory issues. Here is how you can ensure that your house stays clean while keeping your loved ones safe.

Use Products As Directed

Be sure you never mix chemicals and disinfectants, and never use more than is recommended on the bottle.

Find Safe Products

Some chemicals are more apt to cause asthma attacks than others are. Try choosing products certified by the EPA’s Safer Choice program, such as those containing hydrogen peroxide or ethyl alcohol. Avoid bleach and ammonia-containing products as well as products with added fragrances.

Improve Household Ventilation While Cleaning

Consider opening doors and windows while cleaning, if possible. You can also turn on exhaust fans in kitchens and bathrooms. If possible, install a high-efficiency air filter in your HVAC system.

Clean One Area of the House at a Time

By focusing on a single area at a time and ensuring that your child stays in an area that is not being cleaned, you can keep her away from chemical-laden triggers. If she does happen to experience an asthma attack in a recently cleaned area, move her into an area with better ventilation.

You can recognize an asthma flare-up in your child if she suddenly begins taking quick, shallow breaths or starts wheezing or coughing. If your child has an inhaler for use during flare-ups, you should have her use it immediately. If the problem does not resolve quickly, you will need to seek emergency medical care for your child.

Pediatrics
18Aug2020

Massage for Babies

If you have ever received a massage, you know just how good you can feel after it. You may have noticed the feelings of stress and anxiety melting away. You may have also noticed that little aches and pains decreased. Over time, massage has even been shown to create real physical and mental benefits that can translate into a better quality of life. If massage is so good for adults, imagine how it could help your infant.

The birthing process is not a gentle one from the infant’s perspective. As you can imagine, it can feel stressful to suddenly be in a new environment and to be away from mom so much of the time. Infant massage is a great way to ease away this stress from your baby while also improving your baby’s ability to relax and fall asleep on his own.

How to Massage Your Baby

You do not have to be an expert to start massaging your baby. In fact, it is something you can easily begin doing at home. You may want to make a regular practice of it, such as by doing it after every bath or as part of your baby’s bedtime routine.

Make sure the atmosphere is calm and peaceful. Ensure that your baby is warm and comfortable. You may want to remove only one article of clothing at a time, depending on the warmth of your space.

Be gentle as you knead each area of your baby’s body. Place him on his back to stroke and rub his head, neck, back, and legs. Roll him over onto his back to rub his arms and the fronts of his legs. The longer you massage your baby, the more you will find out what he prefers. You may discover that he particularly likes one type of motion or that a certain body part is very ticklish. You will be able to tell whether he likes what you are doing by how happy or restless he appears.

Benefits of Massage for Babies

If your baby has a hard time getting to sleep at night, you may find that massage helps him better relax. However, massage is also great for encouraging a nurturing relationship between you and your baby. Your baby will learn to trust you more. Finally, massage helps decrease stress hormones and may even be able to reduce crying episodes.

Pediatrics
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