Stephanie A. Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

05/16/2024

05/15/2024

Is it allergies or a viral infection? 🤔

With this change of weather and allergies acting up it can be confusing with our little ones

These are the differences:

- Allergies may cause clear, watery nasal discharge
- Itching of the eyes, ears, nose, or mouth 🤧

Viral infection we may see:

-Fever 🤒
-Nasal secretions are usually thicker than in allergy and can be discolored (as compared with the clear, watery discharge of allergies).
-Sore throat and a cough and slightly elevated temperature 😷

Both can cause:

Ear or sinus infections and this is when antibiotics can be helpful!

I hope this helps and thank you for your hard work!

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/allergies-asthma/Pages/Is-It-Allergies-or-a-Cold-How-to-Tell-the-Difference.aspx?_gl=1*uxawdb*_ga*MTM5NjUyMzIwMy4xNzE1Mzg0ODYz*_ga_FD9D3XZVQQ*MTcxNTgwMjkxNC4yLjAuMTcxNTgwMjkxNC4wLjAuMA..

It’s sometimes difficult to know whether the problem is hay fever or a common cold (upper respiratory infection). The diagnosis is often made when parents seek their pediatrician’s advice for a lingering “cold” that their child can’t shake.

12/25/2023

Merry Christmas! May your Christmas be full of joy and blessings!

01/15/2023

SIDs a parents worst nightmare.

It is amazing the research that has gone to studying SIDs. I wanted to share an article that I found interesting and is still being studied. In this article they are studying an enzyme that appears to be lower in infants that died in the first year of SIDs versus those that died from other causes, versus those who did not die.

The research found that the enzyme butryrylcholinesterase (BChE) was significantly decreased in infants that died from SIDs. While this new research may provide answers much more studies need to be evaluated. The most important is to continue with safe sleep practices which include:

Always back to sleep- naps and at night

Firm flat sleep surface

Never sleep with your baby

Sharing the room with your baby

Keep soft objects & loose bedding out of your baby's sleep area

Don't let your baby get overheated

Feed your baby breast milk

Don't smoke or use ni****ne during pregnancy or after your baby is born

Get regular prenatal care & avoid substance use during pregnancy

Make sure your baby has tummy time while awake every day

Swaddle your baby if you like

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/sleep/Pages/a-parents-guide-to-safe-sleep.aspx?_ga=2.223661139.970137379.1673816298-1747539337.1672880833&_gl=1*1ja5ab4*_ga*MTc0NzUzOTMzNy4xNjcyODgwODMz*_ga_FD9D3XZVQQ*MTY3MzgxNjI5Ny4zLjEuMTY3MzgxNjgzNy4wLjAuMA..

https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/family-resources-education/700childrens/2022/08/new-sids-research

No one knows exactly what causes SIDS, so there's no guaranteed way to prevent it. However, creating a safe sleep environment can help reduce your baby's risk of SIDS. On the other hand, we do know what causes accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed. This means parents can help prevent the.....