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Posts Tagged "Vaccination"

21Dec2019

’Tis the Season for…

With winter right around the corner, it is time for parents across the community to prepare for wintertime illnesses. When your child suddenly comes home from school with a sore throat, muscle aches, or stomach pain, you want to know what he is fighting so that you can treat it properly.

Common Cold

It is nearly a given that your child will come down with a cold this winter as most children get up to 10 colds every year. Because this is a virus with typically mild symptoms, your child will most likely not need to see a doctor unless the illness worsens. However, he will need plenty of liquids and may need medication to bring down a fever.

Influenza

Although influenza is less common than a cold, almost half of children contract it each year. It is set apart from colds by the high fever, chills, and body aches that accompany it. Children over the age of 6 months should have the influenza vaccination every year. Most children who catch this illness can get over it on their own.

Stomach Flu

This illness may be called the flu but is correctly labeled as gastroenteritis. Most children with gastroenteritis have a stomachache along with nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea for 24 to 48 hours. Hydration is vital.

Strep Throat

If your child has strep throat, he will have a very sore throat along with a fever, stomach pain, and difficulty swallowing. However, he will not have a runny nose. A simple throat swab from your pediatrician ensures that the illness is correctly diagnosed and treated with antibiotics.

Ear Infection

Many very young children end up with ear infections and spend time rubbing or pulling at their ears. If your child has a fever along with these symptoms, some acetaminophen or ibuprofen should limit the discomfort. If symptoms do not resolve in a few days, you should visit your pediatrician for professional help.

Whooping Cough

Although less common these days than it once was, whooping cough seems to be making a bit of a comeback in recent years. Initially, symptoms feel like a common cold but will progress to a terrible cough during which your child makes a whooping sound.

Be sure to contact Kids 1st Pediatrics to set up an appointment time for the influenza vaccine or to request a same-day or next-day appointment for your child.

Kids Staff
Pediatrics
13Nov2019

Flu Vaccine: Yea or Nay?

Vaccines have become a hot topic for many parents, with some fighting vigorously for their cause while fiercely opposed to the other side. As flu season rolls around again this year, parents find themselves faced with the question of whether or not the flu or influenza vaccine is safe, necessary, and the right choice for their children. While this vaccine may not raise the same questions that other common vaccines, such as the MMR shot, raise, it still deserves your consideration.

Is the Flu Vaccine Safe?

One of the biggest questions for parents is whether the flu vaccine is even safe. You should know that this vaccine cannot actually cause the flu, although it may cause some initial symptoms of soreness or fatigue for the first day or two. Getting this vaccine is far safer than testing your luck and hoping that your child does not get influenza, which could lead to days of fierce illness and could even land him in the hospital.

Should Children Get the Flu Vaccine?

You may think that the flu vaccine is only important for elderly adults who have weakened immune systems. However, keep in mind that your child’s immune system is not nearly as strong as yours is and that children who come down with influenza often have serious symptoms.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that all people over the age of 6 months get the flu vaccine yearly. You may want to opt for the nasal spray flu vaccine if your child is afraid of needles. Although the nasal spray has not been as effective as the shot in past years, the CDC states that it should be just as effective for the 2019-2020 flu season. If your child is under the age of 9 and has never had the flu vaccine in the past, he will most likely need two doses.

Is There Anyone Who Should Not Get the Flu Vaccine?

Almost all children should and will be able to get the flu vaccine this year. However, you should always have an open conversation with your pediatrician regarding any concerns you may have about the shot. There are a few sub-groups of children who may not be able to have this vaccine, including those who have had severe reactions to the flu vaccine in the past and those who are actively ill.

Kids Staff
Pediatrics
4May2019

All About the Measles Virus

With the recent news about the spread of measles in 22 states, parents may be worried about how this virus could affect them and their little ones. It is important that parents have the facts about measles and about the options for preventing this disease so that they can make the best choices.

What Is Measles?

Measles is a viral disease that quickly spreads. The virus can be passed from person to person through the air, such as when one coughs or sneezes. Because people are contagious days before they notice any symptoms in themselves, measles can spread particularly quickly.

A person who has measles may have some symptoms that appear similar to a common cold, such as a runny nose and cough. However, within the next few days, the individual will develop a low-grade fever along with a smattering of white spots in the mouth. This rash grows across the face, eventually spreading to the rest of the body. This disease can be particularly distressing in children because it can lead to such complications as pneumonia, encephalitis and permanent brain changes that could create permanent hearing loss or learning disabilities.

Why Is Measles Spreading Today?

While measles was once a typical childhood disease, today’s immunizations have made measles quite rare. In fact, most years see fewer than 100 cases in the United States. Sadly, misinformation about and fear over typical childhood immunizations has led to many parents withholding important immunizations from their children, which has led to an outbreak of measles infections in the U.S. Because larger percentages of people are unvaccinated today, measles is quickly spreading. It usually infects 90 percent of unvaccinated people.

How Can Measles Be Prevented?

Thankfully, there is a way for parents to ensure that their children do not get measles. The MMR vaccine is the best prevention because it is 97 percent effective against the virus. This vaccine is usually given at 12 months with a booster shot given around the time that children head to school. However, very young infants, as well as children who are unable to be vaccinated because of certain immune diseases, should stay far away from anyone who has measles.

At Kids 1st Pediatrics, our pediatricians provides vaccinations for children according to the CDC’s immunization schedule. Be sure to schedule an appointment for your children to stay up-to-date with current guidelines.

Kids Staff
Pediatrics
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