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Posts Tagged "Health"

5Oct2019

Vaping Concerns with Teenagers

Teen smoking and nicotine usage have long been a concern throughout local schools, but today, vaping is beginning to take over the news. Although many see vaping as being a healthier alternative to traditional cigarette smoking, research is starting to show that this may not be the case and that vaping has become particularly dangerous for teenagers.

The Rising Trend of Vaping

Vaping can create a certain type of chemical-related lung disease, which is popping up all over the country. In addition, electronic cigarettes, which are used for vaping, still contain regular nicotine, which raises cancer and cardiovascular disease risks. What your teenager may not know is that electronic cigarettes also contain other dangerous additives, such as flavorings, glycerol, and propylene glycol. Not much is yet known about how these substances could affect the body, but up-and-coming research points to the possibility of a myriad of problems.

Although legislators are beginning to see that they need to do something to curb electronic cigarettes and vaping, it is still quite easy for teenagers to get their hands on these dangerous chemicals, including at school where friends may pass supplies to others in their group. Because teenagers do not think that it is as bad for their health as cigarettes are, they may take up this habit without realizing the short-term and long-term effects. Vaping can be particularly habit-forming because of the huge array of flavors. Over time, many teenagers move on to regular cigarettes because their perceptions of smoking change.

Openly Communicate with Teenagers

The best way for you to deal with a teenager who you believe uses electronic cigarettes is to focus on open communication and a trusting relationship. Your teenager needs to know that he can talk to you honestly without fear of negative consequences. Assure your teenager that you are there to help him find the help he needs. In addition, be sure that your teenager has a great relationship with a trusted pediatrician who can provide that safe space and a high level of knowledge that is needed in these types of situations.

If you are looking for a new pediatrician in Apple Valley, California, or have recently moved to the area, consider choosing Kids 1st Pediatrics. Here you will find a calm, soothing environment and a friendly ear. We see children of all ages, including teenagers. Call us today to set up an appointment for your teenager.

Kids Staff
Pediatrics
14Sep2019

All about Lupus

Although it is not an incredibly common disease, lupus can strike children at elementary age or in their teenage years, making it something of which parents should be aware of. With the correct treatment from a trusted pediatrician, lupus can be well-controlled, but it requires great vigilance on the part of both parents and health care providers.

What Is Lupus?

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease, which means that the body attacks itself. Although the symptoms of lupus may come and go in a series of flare-ups and remissions, the disease is not contagious, and children can still attend school and participate in as many other activities as are possible even while dealing with lupus.

The cause of lupus is not currently known, but it could be genetic in nature or could be related to a variety of environmental stressors or pollutants. Exact symptoms depend on the individual child and may often mimic the symptoms of a different disease. Therefore, it requires a skilled pediatrician, possibly working with a rheumatologist, to diagnose lupus. Some of the most common symptoms include the following:

  • -Fatigue
  • -Poor appetite and weight loss
  • -Swollen joints
  • -Aches and pains
  • -Fever
  • -Butterfly-shaped rash on cheeks
  • -Mouth ulcers
  • -Headaches
  • -Hair loss

How Prevalent Is Lupus in Pediatric Populations?

Approximately 1.5 million Americans have lupus, and, of these people, approximately 20 percent of them developed the disease before they were 20. Lupus is rarely diagnosed before the age of 5. In addition, 90 percent of lupus patients are females.

How Can Pediatric Lupus Be Treated?

It can be challenging to get a lupus diagnosis because of the non-specific symptoms. However, once a lupus diagnosis is in place, it is important that the child receives treatment immediately to reduce overall damage to the body’s organs. Medications are typically the first line of defense and are specifically chosen to reduce inflammation in the body, to suppress the immune system and to control pain. Your pediatrician may also be able to recommend at-home lifestyle changes, such as exercises and dietary plans, that could help.

Will Lupus Continue into Adulthood?

As a chronic disease, children diagnosed with lupus will still have the disease in adulthood. However, it should be fairly well-controlled by this point, and individuals should be used to managing symptoms and medications. Many patients are able to enjoy healthy and happy futures by seeking quick and complete treatments.

Kids Staff
Pediatrics
10Sep2019

What Is Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease?

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease almost sounds like a joke until your child is the one diagnosed with it. This is a very real viral disease that seems to be popping up a bit more lately, causing plenty of concerns and confusion among parents who may have never heard of it before or who may not recognize the symptoms their children are facing and may be filled with dread. However, with over 200,000 cases diagnosed in the United States every year, it would certainly be worth your while to learn more about this contagious disease so that you can recognize it for yourself and understand how to treat it at home.

Typically, children under the age of 5 are most likely to contract hand-foot-and-mouth disease mainly because of the increased skin-to-skin contact and poor hygiene habits among this group. This infection is so named because of the sores that pop up inside the mouth as well as on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.

This is a mild viral infection caused by a type of coxsackievirus in the U.S. This virus can be transmitted between children through skin-to-skin contact, through saliva and feces and even through airborne particles. Therefore, such activities as hugging, kissing, changing diapers, and even sneezing or coughing can quickly spread the virus, making large outbreaks at daycares and preschools a distressing possibility. Although symptoms typically last approximately ten days for most children, youngsters will be at their most contagious during the first seven days.

As soon as you notice any symptoms, you should keep your child at home to avoid spreading the infection within your community. The most common symptoms you could see include the following:

  • Fever
  • Poor appetite
  • Sore throat
  • General fatigue
  • Painful mouth sores
  • Red spots on the hands and feet
  • Blistering rash

Most of the time, this infection can be cared for quite well at home once your pediatrician diagnoses your child. Treatment may include over-the-counter pain and fever remedies and mouth sprays to numb painful sores. However, without proper treatment, some children may experience such complications as fingernail or toenail loss, viral meningitis, or encephalitis. However, these complications are quite rare.

Kids Staff
Pediatrics
17Aug2019

The Relationship between Sleep and Weight

You certainly know how important high-quality sleep is for your child. After all, you have probably experienced an incredibly crabby toddler who missed his nap or a cranky teenager who only got a few hours of sleep before a big day of classes and tests. While sleep certainly affects a child’s mood, it also impacts a variety of other areas of a child’s physical and mental health. Poor sleep may affect the following:

  • School performance
  • Anxiety levels
  • Depression
  • Memory and concentration
  • Creativity
  • Social relationships

Interestingly, poor sleep has begun to be linked to childhood weight gain. Childhood obesity has made plenty of headlines in the past several years as children in certain developed countries, including the United States, are becoming overweight or obese at alarming rates. Numbers from 2016 show that almost 20 percent of school-age children are obese. Another alarming statistic shows that teenage obesity rates have quadrupled since 1980. 

Although there are many ways to combat these statistics, such as with healthier meals and increased exercise, one easy option of which very few parents are aware is achieving adequate nightly sleep. Sleep cycles are important rhythms in the body that help with growth and development. In addition, adequate sleep is necessary for a good metabolism, which is vital for burning the calories that children and teenagers take in each day. When children are awake longer each day, they are more apt to become hungry and to eat more often. Obviously, a disruption in sleep routines leads to appetite changes and metabolism changes, which can swiftly lead to weight gain.

It can be a struggle to know how much sleep a child should get each night. Keep in mind that recommended sleep numbers are based on children’s ages. Basically, the younger your child is, the more sleep he will need nightly. Here are the general guidelines for daily sleep. Younger children may also take naps to help equal the recommended allotted time.

  • Toddlers: 11-14 hours
  • Preschoolers: 10-13 hours
  • Elementary and middle school-aged children: 9-11 hours
  • Teenagers: 8-10 hours

While your child may not get the recommended amount of sleep every night, this will give you something to aim for as you consider bedtimes and wake-up times. If you have any concerns about your child’s sleep habits or weight, contact Kids 1st Pediatrics for a pediatric assessment.

Kids Staff
Pediatrics
13Jul2019

Air Quality and Asthma

According to the American Lung Association, asthma is the most common condition that chronically affects children in the U.S. These children often experience flareups, which could occur from nearly anything, including allergens, chemicals, stress, excitement, and exercise. In the summer, one of the most concerning triggers that parents should be aware of is the hot outdoor air.

Factors Affecting Air Quality

Just when parents are finally able to let their children play outside, they may have to tell them to stay inside instead if the forecast is showing a string of particularly hot, sunny days. The reason for this is that the ozone in the air, which is produced by ultraviolet light from the sun, can increase exponentially on these sunniest of days. Those living in urban areas are particularly at risk, but wind can push the excessive levels of ozone nearly anywhere, including into more rural areas that are typically assumed to have clean and healthy air. 

Children who spend much time outdoors during weather like this may find that they have a harder time than normal with breathing, and they may cough much more frequently. However, this weather can be particularly harmful to children with asthma who may be forced to reach for their rescue inhalers or to take a trip to urgent care. This is because the ozone that they breathe in reacts with the tissues deep inside their lungs to create irritating toxins.

Pay Attention to Air Quality Reports

Parents of children with asthma should carefully monitor air quality. They may be able to do this through the newspaper or through a weather app on their smartphones, but they should know that not all poor air quality days make it onto official alerts. Instead, they may want to find a local app using information from the Environmental Protection Agency that will display up-to-the-minute ozone levels. 

In addition, parents will want to make sure that they keep their children inside during the hottest parts of the day, plan most outdoor activities for the morning, have children take plenty of breaks indoors and find plenty of fun activities for the indoors. In addition, they should be sure that they know exactly where their child’s rescue inhaler is and should know how to use it. 

If you are concerned about your child’s breathing or need a new inhaler prescription for your child, schedule an appointment with Kids 1st Pediatrics today.

Kids Staff
Pediatrics
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