Pediatrics Blog

The back to school season means different things for different kids. For some, it is going to be the first day of kindergarten. Is your preschooler ready for kindergarten? If you are sitting on the fence about whether or not to start your child in kindergarten or wait another year, review some of these signs of kindergarten readiness.

For many other children, the back to school season really means getting ready to go back to school. In addition to stocking up on school supplies, this is a good time to make sure your child's immunizations are up-to-date, that you have addressed any school performance problems, including adjusting your child's ADHD medicine if necessary, and your are prepared to handle your child's medical problems at school, especially if he has food allergies, diabetes, seizures, or asthma, etc.

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A stye, also known as a hordeolum, is a common infection on a child's eyelid.

Although common, parents frequently are unsure what to do when their child gets a stye. Learn about the symptoms and treatments in case your child gets a stye.

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Pink Eye
Kids and Contact Lenses
Vision Screening

Although you likely don't want to think about it yet before your kids have even gone back to school, flu season will be coming before you know it and it isn't too early to start to get ready. Preparing for flu season doesn't mean stocking up on Tamiflu though.

Instead, it can be a good time to start thinking out where you are going to get your child his flu shot. Also, learn about the new recommendations for this year's flu season and when your child should get the flu vaccine.

A lot of people blame the current childhood obesity epidemic on what kids are eating. The fact that many kids aren't very active is likely a factor too. Still, you likely don't want your kids eating a lot of high calorie, high fat foods and junk food.

What are your kids eating?

A printable food diary can be a great way to keep track of the calories your kids are eating, especially if they are overweight, and to make sure that they are getting enough fruits, vegetables, vitamins, and minerals, etc., from all of the different food groups.

Related:
Junk Food
Childhood Obesity
Exercise and Fitness for Kids
Healthy Food
Nutrition Facts Quiz

While most people have been worried about the recent Salmonella outbreak, another infection has been spreading this summer, but has gotten far less attention.

Cryptosporidiosis, an infection with the Cryptosporidium or crypto parasite, can follow drinking contaminated water and often leads to a few weeks of diarrhea, stomach cramps, and nausea. It most commonly occurs in the summer months in outbreaks from contaminated swimming pool water at water parks and community pools.

Although a few cases here and there are considered usual, this summer, there are already outbreaks in North Texas and Arizona, which follows a large outbreak in Utah last year.

Learn about the symptoms, treatment, and prevention of crypto infections.

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Healthy Swimming
Symptoms of Dehydration
Hidden Summer Dangers

The FDA is being cautious as usual and so isn't definitely saying they know what has caused the recent Salmonella outbreak, but their finding Salmonella on a farm in Mexico that grows serrano peppers makes it sound like they are likely close to identifying the source.

The FDA reports that Salmonella that is identical to the strain causing the outbreak that has infected 1319 people in 43 states has been found in both a sample of serrano peppers and a sample of irrigation water on this Mexican farm. Previously, Salmonella was found on a jalapeño pepper grown in Mexico.

More testing is also being done from other farms and other peppers, but according to the CDC, it looks like "jalapeño peppers and serrano peppers grown, harvested, or packed in Mexico are the cause of some clusters and are major food vehicles for the outbreak."

Remember that experts are still advising people to "avoid raw jalapeño peppers and raw serrano peppers and foods that contain them, if they were grown, harvested, or packed in Mexico."

Related:
CDC Salmonella Investigation
FDA Salmonella Outbreak Information
Salmonella Symptoms

We often see reports on the best places to retire and the best places to work. But where is the best place to raise your family?

There are actually several reports on the best places to raise a family, with most using statistics about crime, test scores, and divorce rates. Using one scale, Vermont rates the best, as it has the lowest rates of infant mortality and lowest risk for developmental delays.

Review some important factors to consider as you look for the best place to live and raise safe, happy, and healthy kids.

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Hidden Dangers
Home Safety Quiz
Lead Poisoning
Stranger Danger Quiz

Low-carb diets, such as the Atkins diet and South Beach diet, are fairly popular among people. Are they a good idea for kids too?

In addition to the problem that many foods that are high in carbs seem to be the things that kids like, i.e., bread, pasta, corn, potatoes, cereal, raisins, milk and fruit juice, there is a worry about restricting foods from children who are still growing.

Learn if low-carb diets work for overweight children and teens, if they are safe, and why a modified low-carb diet may be a better alternative for the average child. With this approach you would still encourage low-carb foods, like lean meats, watermelon, cheese, and peanut butter, etc., low-fat milk, but put your focus on limiting 'bad' carbs made with simple sugars, like white bread, candy, sugary breakfast cereals, soda, and fruit drinks.

Related:
Childhood Obesity
Weight Loss Goals for Kids
Child Nutrition
Low Fat Foods
High Calorie Foods

Vyvanse, an FDA-approved treatment for children with ADHD, has been available for about a year now. Many parents report good results on this long lasting stimulant, with many anecdotal reports of fewer side effects than Adderall XR and some other ADHD stimulants.

The main complaint about Vyvanse is that it had originally only been available in three dosage strengths - 30mg, 50mg, and 70mg. That limited how much you could adjust a child's dose of medicine and meant that if the a starting dosage of 30mg was too much, than the child likely couldn't take Vyvanse.

Three new dosage strengths are now available and should help pediatricians and parents fine tune a child's dose. These include 20mg, 40mg, and 60mg, which means that you can also start a child at a smaller dosage if you wanted to. This is especially helpful if you are switching a younger child who is only taking 10mg of Adderall XR or Focalin XR 10mg to Vyvanse.

Related:
ADHD Medications
ADHD
ADHD Symptoms
Concerta

One surprising thing about the current salmonella outbreak is that few children have been affected. In fact, of the 1251 people infected with salmonella, the rate of infection is lowest in children.

That the FDA has found a jalapeño pepper that was contaminated with the same strain of salmonella may offer a good reason why kids aren't getting sick more often during this outbreak. How many kids do you know are there that commonly eat raw jalapeño peppers? Not as many as the young adults in the 20 to 29 year old age range, who have the highest rate of infection.

Although the exact cause of this salmonella outbreak has not yet been determined and it is thought that it has peaked, infants and children with immune system problems should avoid raw jalapeño peppers and raw serrano peppers. Tomatoes are okay now though.

Keep in mind that jalapeño peppers, serrano peppers and avocados have been recalled because they may be contaminated with a different strain of salmonella from the current outbreak. They were distributed by Grande Produce, LTD. CO of Hidalgo, Texas between May and July. Call your supplier if you think you have one of these affected peppers or avocados.

Related:
CDC Salmonella Outbreak Investigation
Salmonella Symptoms
Preventing Food Poisoning