Whitney Bethel Morgan, M.D.

10/30/2023

Some helpful information on influenza and the flu vaccine, with answers for common questions parents ask me.

The influenza vaccine, which protects against three or four influenza viruses expected to circulate during influenza season, is recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older.

02/25/2022

It looks like we’re going to have a bit of a flu season this year, y’all! It’s not too late to get your flu vaccine, especially if you have a little one between 6mo and 5yo, or a kiddo with asthma. We have plenty of flu vaccine at Honeybee! Call us at 830-372-3135

08/17/2021

Get your pens and highlighters ready, friends!! A few thoughts on the immunology of the COVID vaccine, after having many such conversations with patients and looking for solid answers from Basic science and existing data:
Covid (SARS-COV2) is a mucosal respiratory virus. The virus infects the cells lining our upper respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract. It enters the cells and starts making copies of itself in the cytoplasm of the cells lining the upper respiratory tract before it has contact with the blood supply. This is why a person who has antibodies or T-cell (memory cell/latent immune system) immunity from natural infection, will become infected and be able to shed virus before the humoral immune system is activated. The humoral mmune system, primed by the virus, ken neutralize and prevent virus from continuing to affect cells in the body, which is why it is most effective at preventing the serious complications of the disease, which do occur in young and healthy people, at lower rates. There is evidence, that IGA antibodies produced at the level of the mucosa, may be a very important factor in decreasing infection and spread of the virus. These antibodies are produced in immune tissue such as tonsils which is more prevalent in younger children, and shrinks as we age. This is also a good reason to think that natural immunity will be more effective than vaccine alone in protecting us from COVID, but cannot be relied upon due to significant differences in immune response.

That’s it for now. I will be back to read critique and questions after work and may edit for clarity or bad grammar.

For more posts like this, I will be moving over to Whitney Bethel Morgan, M.D. If you’re interested follow that page and check in over there.

08/21/2020

Flu vaccines are here!!! Call to schedule your appointment. Let’s get this party started!!

07/21/2020

Rapid COVID-19 tests are here! We have rapid antigen tests, which require a nasal swab, just like influenza tests. The tests are very accurate in detecting the viral proteins present during active infection, and take only 15 MINUTES!Pediatric patients will require an “office visit” which may be done in-person or via telehealth. Curbside testing available to adults and adolescents 11+ for UIL and return to work clearance if required. Call for more info 830-372-3135 Stay safe and Healthy ❤️🐝

02/24/2020

The Coronavirus-19 is coming, but don’t panic, prepare! Coronavirus is much like influenza. It can cause very mild symptoms or it can be deadly. The thing that makes this situation newsworthy is that this is a *new* version of the virus that no human has antibodies for. That means a lot of people will get sick at once, and as usual, some people will get sicker than others. Just like with other viruses, you don’t need to seek medical care unless you are having difficulty breathing or become severely ill. Here is a good link to prepare as best we can to avoid public spaces and possible shortages in the weeks to come. Please share on your timelines, let’s do our best to get the word out!

Before a Pandemic Store a two week supply of water and food. Periodically check your regular prescription drugs to ensure a continuous supply in your home. Have any nonprescription drugs and other health supplies on hand, including pain relievers, stomach remedies, cough and cold medicines, fluids w...

12/30/2019

When your doctor says it’s “just a virus.”

If you have children (assuming you’ve taken them to the doctor), you’ve been there. I’ve been there. Your child has been coughing for days; he hasn’t slept in 3 nights (whic…

12/10/2019

Influenza is hitting hard all across the country. There have already been flu-related deaths in children in Texas. The annual flu vaccine is not perfect, but it IS effective at preventing death from flu-related complications. Did you know that you don't have to be perfectly healthy to get a flu vaccine? The vaccine will be just as safe and effective, even if your child has cold symptoms or fever! The flu vaccine CANNOT cause the flu, and it DOES save lives. Please get your vaccine for your own sake and for the sake of those you love.

12/04/2019

To reduce the risk of substance-use disorders, treatment with stimulant medication should begin prior to 9 years of age, according to research on the life-long health factors that affect children w…

12/02/2019

Physicians are always grateful for families who speak out in a way that encourages vaccination, because we can’t speak publicly about the terrible complications of diseases that we see due to our commitment to patient confidentiality. We can’t get on social media and shout “TODAY I SAW A CHILD SEVERELY AFFECTED BY A PREVENTABLE ILLNESS!” The influenza vaccine is not perfect, but it IS very safe, and it does save lives every year. Get your flu shot. Call us at Honeybee Pediatrics, we will get you in ASAP. Protect your family and your community, it’s definitely not too late.

A Dripping Springs family is urging the public to get the Flu shot after their father ended up in the hospital.

11/11/2019

One of the top questions of parents of kids with ADHD is "what can we do besides medications?" While Stimulant medications are the clear standard for children who have significant functional impairment, ADHD is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that requires a different approach to parenting. As an ADHD parent of an ADHD child, I can truly say that I am always reaching for new tools for my toolbox, and behavioral therapy has been an incredible asset. Even as a Pediatrician I've had so much to learn from behavioral specialists about the nontraditional parenting needs of my own child.

ADHD is not an excuse. But it is the neurological basis for so many of your child’s greatest executive dysfunctions — challenges that impact behavior on a daily basis. Responding to bad behavior wi…

09/13/2019

09/13/2019

There is no good reason to wait. Flu vaccine is here, and we are booking vaccine visits now.

Parents may need to think about vaccinating their children even earlier

09/07/2019

Most doctors I know would rather have the chance to respond to unhappy patients personally. We cannot address/respond to bad reviews on social media, because it’s against the law! If you are dissatisfied with your medical care, please ask! Physicians are still one of the only professions truly ethically and legally bound to put our patients first.

Please folks, don’t blame a physician who has moved to your town to treat your family member and who wants to save your life when the worst day of your life happens upon you.

08/29/2019

Look what’s here! We just received our first shipment of annual flu vaccine. Call now to schedule an appointment to get your family vaccinated!

08/13/2019

I realize that this is more exciting to me than to my patients, but FLU VACCINE IS COMING! Call and schedule a vaccine visit starting Sept. 3...don’t wait too long, we will have a limited quantity.

07/31/2019

Pediatricians and family physicians across the country are seeing an alarming rise in previously obscure medical conditions related to pot. Don’t be deceived, the decriminalization and destigmatization of ma*****na use is not because science is proving that it is safe, it is quite the opposite. Don’t let corporate and political cronyism deceive your children. Reviewers from Mother Jones to National Review agree that this book is a must-read on what the science really says. Comment below with your own thoughts as a parent. What are you hearing from your teens about pot?

An eye-opening report from an award-winning author and former New York Times reporter reveals the link between teenage ma*****na use and mental illness, and a hidden epidemic of violence caused by the drug—facts the media have ignored as the United States rushes to legalize cannabis.Recreat...

07/20/2019

Did you know that ADHD is highly underdiagnosed in girls? Data shows that their difficulties often don’t manifest as disruptive behavior. Instead, girls with ADHD often struggle to cope in different ways, and tend to present later, with anxiety and depression. ADHD is not a behavior problem, it is a neurodevelopmental difference that has behavioral symptoms. ADHD is not a parenting problem or a laziness problem. ADHD is a developmental difference in executive function and sensory processing supported by over half a century of medical research. If you have concerns about your child’s focus and attention, call your Pediatrician. Make an appointment to discuss your concerns.

A good girl can’t have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, especially if she’s a high-achieving Asian American, right? Wrong. But the potent stereotypes around ADHD and race prevented those a…