I have heard that giving aspirin to children causes Reye’s Syndrome. Is this true?
Reye's Syndrome is a constellation of symptoms that occurs when a child under the age of 16 years-old takes aspirin containing medications while ill with influenza, influenza-like diseases, and varicella (chicken pox). The association of aspirin and viral illnesses was discovered in the 1970's. In 1974, there were 400 cases with upwards of 40% mortality. There are 5 severity grades categorizing the syndrome, helping doctors determine what sort of prognosis the child has for recovery. Signs and symptoms include a child with a viral illness with a
Cough Medicine and Children
by Tom Seman MD FAAP October 13th, 2011 | Pediatrician on Call
My six year-old son develops a terrible cough every time he has a cold. He can't sleep, and he misses a lot of school. I have heard that cough medicine may be harmful to children, yet I don't know what else to do to help him. Any suggestions?
This is a very interesting question, but it is actually somewhat more complex to answer than it may seem. If we deal only with cough and cough suppressants, we still need to understand the type of cough - dry, productive (also known as wet), spasmodic (difficult to stop each event while it is happening, and looks
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This is a very interesting question, but it is actually somewhat more complex to answer than it may seem. If we deal only with cough and cough suppressants, we still need to understand the type of cough - dry, productive (also known as wet), spasmodic (difficult to stop each event while it is happening, and looks
Cold/Flu Medications and Young Children
by Lori Sciame September 26th, 2011 | Medication
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that children under 4 should not be given over-the-counter cough medicines.
As stated on the WebMD site, “the cold medicines in question include four different categories of drugs:
• Cough suppressants (dextromethorphan or DM)
• Cough expectorants (guaifenesin)
• Decongestants (pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine)
• Antihistamines (such as brompheniramine, chlorpheniramine maleate, diphenhydramine [Benadryl] and others)
You might not recognize these drugs by name. But they are the active ingredients in many brands of kids’ cold and cough medicines.†These types of medicines are dangerous, as they may cause extreme drowsiness, and there have been cases of parents
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As stated on the WebMD site, “the cold medicines in question include four different categories of drugs:
• Cough suppressants (dextromethorphan or DM)
• Cough expectorants (guaifenesin)
• Decongestants (pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine)
• Antihistamines (such as brompheniramine, chlorpheniramine maleate, diphenhydramine [Benadryl] and others)
You might not recognize these drugs by name. But they are the active ingredients in many brands of kids’ cold and cough medicines.†These types of medicines are dangerous, as they may cause extreme drowsiness, and there have been cases of parents
Tobacco Products and Children
by Lori Sciame August 15th, 2011 | Health News
Do you smoke cigarettes or chew tobacco? If yes, then you know how addicting nicotine can be. But do you also know that tobacco is harmful? In fact, “tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in the United States.†And, “between 1964 and 2004, cigarette smoking caused an estimated 12 million deaths, including 4.1 million deaths from cancer, and 5.5 million deaths from cardiovascular diseases.â€
These statistics, provided by the educational website Above the Influence, show the devastating effects of tobacco use on our population. Think about it. Don’t we all know someone who died
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These statistics, provided by the educational website Above the Influence, show the devastating effects of tobacco use on our population. Think about it. Don’t we all know someone who died
Children and the Sun
by Tom Seman MD FAAP July 27th, 2011 | Pediatrician on Call
I am going on a beach vacation with my husband and six month old. I know that babies burn easily, so what is the best way to protect her delicate skin?
The answer is fairly simple. For children under 6 months, it is best to avoid sun as much as possible. This does not mean that the child cannot go outside, rather the child should stay in an area of deep shade. This can be accomplished by placing 2 large beach towels over 2 beach chairs. When you place your hand in the shaded area, it should feel cooler than
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The answer is fairly simple. For children under 6 months, it is best to avoid sun as much as possible. This does not mean that the child cannot go outside, rather the child should stay in an area of deep shade. This can be accomplished by placing 2 large beach towels over 2 beach chairs. When you place your hand in the shaded area, it should feel cooler than