RSV, Flu & COVID: What is the Difference?
Your child has a stuffy nose, cough, and fever. Is it the flu? COVID? Or are they symptoms of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)? Let’s look at four common childhood illnesses caused by viruses – COVID, flu, the common cold, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). All of them share some similar symptoms. Here are some clues […]
September 27, 2023
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Meningococcal Disease in Preteens, Teens & Young Adults
Meningococcal disease is a rare, serious illness caused by a bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis. The bacteria is spread from person to person through their saliva (spit) – typically through close contact such as coughing or kissing. The infection can become serious or even deadly in a matter of hours. That’s why it is important to […]
August 23, 2023
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All About the Recommended Immunization Schedules
Each year, top disease experts—including pediatricians—work together to decide which vaccines to include in the Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule for ages 18 years or younger. The schedule is approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health care organizations. It is based on review of […]
May 10, 2023
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Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Young People
On Monday, January 2nd, 2023, NFL fans around the country watched in horror as 24-year-old Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field in the middle of the game. To an outsider, Hamlin was seemingly in peak physical condition. Although we do not know Hamlin’s full health history, it is likely that he suffered […]
February 1, 2023
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Things to Know About the Flu Vaccine
This flu season is off to an early start. In October, a record number of children under age 4 years were hospitalized with the flu—the most in 10 years. The best thing parents can do to protect their children and others from the flu is to get them vaccinated! Influenza viruses change yearly. All children age 6 […]
December 7, 2022
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Vaccine Preventable Diseases: POLIO
Polio For parents of an earlier era, polio was one of the most feared infectious diseases. Many were worried about letting their children swim in public swimming pools or get together at neighborhood movie theaters because they were afraid that their youngsters might become the next victims of polio. After the polio vaccine became widely available in the mid-1950s, the world saw a dramatic decline in this disease. Polio is caused by a virus that affects infants and young children more often than other age groups. It is spread through close person-to-person contact and can produce paralysis of the muscles. Some cases are mild, but others are much more severe, leaving people physically impaired for the rest of their lives. Thanks to the polio vaccine, the wild poliovirus has been virtually eliminated from the United States and much of the rest of the world. Signs and Symptoms For most people, polio may cause no symptoms at all. At times, however, it can impair and paralyze the arms and legs. It causes death in some people, most often when the muscles involved in breathing become paralyzed. When symptoms occur, they may begin with a low-grade fever and a sore throat, beginning about 6 to 20 days after exposure to the poliovirus. Some children may also have pain or stiffness in the back, neck, and legs, although these symptoms may not last long. When polio results in paralysis, the muscle pain can be severe. The most contagious period for polio is 7 to 10 days before the appearance of symptoms. It can continue for another 7 to 10 days after symptoms surface. No treatment is available for polio. Some children fully recover from polio, but others are disabled for a lifetime or may die from the disease. To protect your child from polio, make sure that he is properly immunized against the disease. Source: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/vaccine-preventable-diseases/Pages/Polio.aspx
August 31, 2022
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