Section: Pediatric Medicine
Q:
My son’s teacher said she thinks he needs medicine to help him focus. Are these medicines safe?
A:
Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the condition that your son's teacher is likely questioning. Manifestations of ADHD include inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Most children will have these troubles some of the time, but children with ADHD have troubles all of the time. Children with ADHD can have behavior problems at home and at school, academic difficulties, and social problems. In children with ADHD, it is thought that the parts of the brain that control activity and attention are not functioning as well as they could. The most common medicines used to treat ADHD are stimulant medicines. These medicines help to stimulate the attention and control centers of the brain. Your pediatrician will be able to evaluate if your child is a candidate for stimulant medicines. Your pediatrician will ask about things like personal or family history of heart disease, seizure disorders, tic disorders, growth disturbance, blood pressure problems, or insomnia. ADHD medicines can be used safely in many children, and can significantly improve their quality of life and overall functioning. You can consult your pediatrician for further recommendations specific to your child.
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Section: Pediatric Medicine
Q:
My daughter had a high fever yesterday and I didn’t bring her into the emergency room. Now I am worried that I should have. My mom told me that it could have caused her brain damage. Is this true?
A:
This is a question I get asked all the time! “Fever phobia” is common, and there are many misperceptions about fevers in our culture. It can be scary when your child is sick. The truth is, however, that fevers do not cause brain damage, hearing loss, or blindness. Fevers are nothing more than a sign that your child has an illness! In fact, an elevated body temperature may actually help the body to fight infection. A true fever is defined as a temperature of 100.4 degrees or above. The natural course of a fever is to spike up and go back down several times over the course of the illness. Your child may develop a high fever, and within an hour or two, have a perfectly normal temperature. It is important to look at how your child is doing overall. Does she perk up and interact with you when her fever goes down? Is she drinking well and making a good number of wet diapers? Does she seem comfortable? Is she breathing comfortably? If not, it is important to call your pediatrician right away for further instructions.
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Section: Pediatric Medicine
Q:
I am worried that my daughter is getting lots of illnesses. It seems like she is sick all the time. She goes to daycare. Do you think that I should take her out of daycare?
A:
The average child in the first 1-2 years of daycare catches 10-12 viral illnesses per year. This can range from a mild runny nose, to a diarrheal illness, to a full-blown cough and febrile illness. The reason for this is simple - kids share germs! As long as your child continues to grow and develop well according to your pediatrician, you can be reassured that this is a normal part of childhood and will not cause any lasting effects. That said, it is also important to evaluate the cleanliness of your daycare. You can ask your provider for their usual cleaning procedures. If you have concerns, show up unannounced some day and look around for yourself. Do you notice dirty floors or children with unchanged diapers? Does the facility smell clean? These could be signs that the daycare is not adhering to acceptable standards.
Most of the illnesses passed around in daycare can be treated with simple comfort measures such as rest, lots of fluids, pain relievers such as acetaminophen (and ibuprofen for children 6 months and older.) You will want to check with your pediatrician if your child has a fever, defined as a temperature of 100.4 or above.
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Section: Pediatric Medicine
Q:
My 2 year old used to love to eat, he ate everything we gave him, including vegetables. Now he is refusing to eat the foods he used to love. I am worried about his nutrition. Is there anything we can do?
A:
Toddlers are notoriously picky eaters. Most babies will start out eating a great variety of foods. Around the age of 1-2 years old, it is not unusual for children to start asserting their independence in a variety of ways. Food battles can be very frustrating, and cause lots of stress to both parents and children. What I advise parents is to just keep on offering a good variety of healthy foods (fruits, vegetables, and proteins,) and try to make mealtimes an enjoyable time for your child. Studies show that it can take up to 12 attempts before a child "accepts" a new food, so don't give up! Mirror excellent eating habits to your child by eating those foods (and enjoying them) yourself. As long as your child is getting a good variety of foods over the course of a week, and is growing appropriately according to your pediatrician, things are going well! Also keep in mind that serving sizes for children are much smaller than adult servings. A general rule of thumb is that one tablespoon per year of age is considered an age appropriate serving size. So, a 2 year-old child only needs 2 tablespoons of peas, broccoli, etc., to equal an adult serving. Please check with your pediatrician for more specific recommendations.
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Section: Pediatric Medicine
Q:
I heard that the cervical cancer vaccine can be given to boys. Should I give it to my son?
A:
We have been giving the "cervical cancer vaccine" to females age 9 to 26 for several years. This year, it has been licensed for males as well. The vaccine protects against certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV.) HPV affects an estimated 75 to 80 percent of males and females in their lifetime. It causes genital warts in both males and females. In females it can also cause vaginal, anal, and cervical cancers. In males it can cause cancers of the anus and penis. Most people clear the virus on their own, however some people can go on to have these serious consequences. The virus is spread by genital contact, including, but not limited to, intercourse. Parents often ask whether it is "too early" to give the vaccine. My response is that it is never too early to plan protection for your child's future. The vaccine is well tolerated with very few reported side effects. The major reported side effect is dizziness or passing out after the vaccine is given. Because of this, your pediatrician may want to monitor your child for a short period of time after administration. Please ask your pediatrician for their specific recommendation regarding your child.
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