Coronavirus
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is closely monitoring an outbreak caused by a novel (new) coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Chinese authorities identified the new coronavirus, which has resulted in hundreds of confirmed cases in China, including cases outside Wuhan, with additional cases being identified in a growing number of countries internationally. The first case in the United States was announced on January 21, 2020. There are ongoing investigations to learn more.
Cotton Swabs
Cotton-tipped swabs are not meant to be placed in ears. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the best thing to do with earwax is leave it alone. Trying to remove earwax can cause problems.
Putting cotton-tipped swabs into the ear canal pushes wax further into the ear. It can cause damages, dizziness, and balance problems. A child whose earwax is blocking the ear may have ringing or fullness, ear pain, itching, discharge, odor, and cough. Swabs also may tear or rupture the eardrum causing pain, bleeding, and permanent hearing loss.
For more information on earwax, please visit the HealthChildren.org.
Fever Medication
Every year hundreds of infants receive more than the recommended dose of Tylenol for age. Rarely, these overdoses can cause liver failure or death. The overdoses are most likely related to dosing too frequently- that is more than every 6 hours AND from parents using two products that BOTH contain acetaminophen
e American Academy of Pediatrics does NOT recommend cough or cold medications for children under the age of two unless they are ordered by a physician.
When Is a Fever an Emergency?
While for the majority of children fever is not an emergency- there are a certain group of children that fever is considered dangerous. Think of the Three I’s
Think of the Three I’s
- Immune compromised– children that do not have a well working immune system cannot fight off infection and therefore when they have fever they need to see their healthcare professional immediately
- Immunization– babies less than two months of age are at higher risk for bacterial infection and if your child has not had his 2-month vaccines and has a temperature over 100 degrees rectally you should consider this a medical emergency and go directly to the emergency department
- Intake– having a fever WILL make your child uncomfortable- especially if it is over 102. Often this leads to poor drinking and if your child cannot drink enough they may become dehydrated. If you think your child might be dehydrated due to fever then bring them to see the doctor immediately.
Fever is Good – Most of the Time
For parents, doctors and pharmacy companies, fever has been thought to be “the enemy”. We should be scared of fever and make it go away as fast as possible. This may be a very dangerous idea for the following reasons.
Fever Facts
- All animals, even single cell organisms, have fever. Therefore it is felt to be important in protecting us in some way.
- Studies show that increasing the body temperature decreases the ability of bacteria to multiply and spread. That gives antibiotics a chance to work faster.
- Newer studies also show that the increase in body temperature activates a special kind of white blood cells- aptly named “killer T cells”. The activation of these killers means that your body can fight virus infections better and may be the only “treatment” needed for getting rid of the most common form of infection.
Therefore- not letting your body have a fever when you have an infection may actually make the virus last longer and take the antibiotics longer to work for bacteria infections.
Fever Phobia
In 1980, Pediatrician Dr. Barton Schmitt created the term “Fever Phobia” to describe the misconceptions that many parents and physicians have regarding fever. Since that initial study, many other researchers have looked at how parents react to a child with fever. Most all studies show that the majority of parents do not understand key concepts related to fever, such as what defines a fever, how dangerous is a fever and how should fever be treated.
Throughout the month of September, The Children’s Clinic will be providing daily information for parents about what defines a fever and how to treat fever in children. It is hoped that this factual information will help alleviate the myths and fears that are associated with fever and guide parents on when to call for an appointment and when to be concerned if their child develops fever.
Ticks & Lyme Disease in Children
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Although anyone can get Lyme disease, children spend a lot of time outdoors and are at particular risk.
- Reasons to suspect that your child may have Lyme disease include:
- Your family lives in or has visited a region where Lyme disease is commonly found
- You know or suspect that your child has been exposed to ticks
- Your child is experiencing symptoms such as rash, fever, chills, fatigue, joint or muscle pain, or facial paralysis
Children sometimes experience joint pain as their first, and possibly only, symptom of Lyme disease. If you suspect that your child may have Lyme disease, call us promptly.
Protect your family from Lyme disease
- Use insect repellent that contains 20 – 30% DEET. Follow the instructions on the packaging.
- Make children bathe or shower as soon as possible after they come indoors.
- Look for ticks on their bodies. Ticks can hide under the armpits, behind the knees, in the hair, and in the groin.
- Put clothes in the dryer on high heat for 60 minutes to kill any remaining ticks.
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For more information, download this brochure from the CDC.
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Hungry or Bored?
Children sometimes use food for reasons other than hunger to satisfy themselves. These reasons may be in response to their emotions or feelings. Many things can trigger hunger such as:
- boredom
- depression
- stress
- frustration
- insecurity
- loneliness
- fatigue
One way to keep your child from eating out of boredom is to steer them towards activities that keep them busy. Also make sure your child eats three well-balanced meals and one snack each day.
A few things to do instead of eating would be:
- walk the dog
- walk around the neighborhood
- kicking a ball around
- painting a picture
- running through sprinklers
Mumps – What You Should Know
Mumps has been in the headlines lately, and for a good reason. We are in the midst of a significant outbreak in several areas of our state, and cases of mumps have recently shown up in Northeast Arkansas. Here are a few facts about this disease:
- Mumps is a viral illness spread by coughing and salivary contact. It is present throughout the world and is uncommon in the USA because we immunize for it. The virus infects our respiratory tract and salivary glands, lasts for several days, and usually resolves without complications. After a 2-3 week incubation period, children and adults typically develop cough and congestion, sometimes fever and headache, and about two thirds have salivary gland inflammation with tender, firm swelling over one or both cheeks. When it is suspected, mumps can be tested with a cheek swab – the result may take several days.
- Thought the disease is usually relatively mild and self-limited, it can cause occasional severe complications including swollen testicles in adolescent or adult males, viral meningitis, encephalitis, arthritis, or other glandular inflammation. For women in early pregnancy, there may be a slight increased risk of spontaneous miscarriages.
- There is no specific treatment for mumps, so the only effective approaches are containment and prevention. Infected children can pass on the virus well before, and for about 1 week after the symptoms show up, so isolation of sick or highly susceptible individuals is important. Mumps vaccine is part of every child’s routine immunization regimen and is usually given at 1 and 4 years of age. Most, but not all children who’ve had both doses are fully immune.
More information, including detailed isolation advice, is presented in a recent Arkansas Department of Health Newsletter (see below), and you may feel free to contact us if you have questions or concerns.
Choosing an Insect Repellent
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Insect repellents come in many forms, including aerosols, sprays, liquids, creams, and sticks. Some are made from chemicals and some have natural ingredients.
Insect repellents prevent bites from biting insects but not stinging insects. Biting insects include mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, chiggers, and biting flies. Stinging insects include bees, hornets, and wasps.
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[av_row row_style=’avia-heading-row’][av_cell col_style=”]What’s Available
[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=”]How Well It Works[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=”]How Long it Protects[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=”]Special Precautions
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[av_row row_style=”][av_cell col_style=”]Chemical repellents with DEET
(N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide)[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=”]Considered the best defense against biting insects. [/av_cell][av_cell col_style=”]About 2 to 5 hours depending on the concentration of DEET in the product.
[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=”]Caution should be used when applying DEET to children.
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[av_row row_style=”][av_cell col_style=”]Picaridin[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=”]In April 2005 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended other repellents that may work as well as DEET: repellents with picaridin and repellents with oil of lemon eucalyptus or 2% soybean oil. Currently these products have a duration of action that is comparable to that of about 10% DEET.[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=”]About 3 to 8 hours depending on the concentration.[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=”]Although these products are considered safe when used as recommended, long-term follow-up studies are not available. Also, more studies need to be done to see how well they repel ticks.
Allergic reactions are rare, but can occur when using repellents made from essential oils.[/av_cell][/av_row]
[av_row row_style=”][av_cell col_style=”]Repellents made from essential oils found in plants such as citronella, cedar, eucalyptus, and soybean[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=”]In April 2005 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended other repellents that may work as well as DEET: repellents with picaridin and repellents with oil of lemon eucalyptus or 2% soybean oil. Currently these products have a duration of action that is comparable to that of about 10% DEET.[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=”]Usually less than 2 hours.[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=”]Although these products are considered safe when used as recommended, long-term follow-up studies are not available. Also, more studies need to be done to see how well they repel ticks.
Allergic reactions are rare, but can occur when using repellents made from essential oils.[/av_cell][/av_row]
[av_row row_style=”][av_cell col_style=”]Chemical repellents with permethrin [/av_cell][av_cell col_style=”]These repellents kill ticks on contact.
[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=”]When applied to clothing, it lasts even after several washings. [/av_cell][av_cell col_style=”]Should only be applied to clothing, not directly to skin. May be applied to outdoor equipment such as sleeping bags or tents
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Read more about types of repellents and the dos and donts for children.
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