Baby 411 & Toddler 411 Blog

Flu is here.

It's that time again. The influenza viruses (both A and B strains) are making their cross country tour. Unlike last year's really strange H1N1, this year is shaping up to be a pretty typical flu season. The southern states and atlantic states are in full flu swing with Alabama and Louisiana having the highest number of cases this week. Northerners have been spared of major flu activity thus far...but it's coming, folks!

I've seen a ton of kids with flu this week. Most of it is Influenza A, and of that, the CDC tells us it is primarily H3N2 strain (not H1N1) this year. Fewer kids are testing positive for Influenza B. This year, it doesn't make too much difference whether it is A or B strains since both are treatable with antiviral medications (Tamiflu or Relenza). But, the medications are most effective if treatment is started within the first 48 hours of symptoms.

Bottom line: If your child has a fever of 102 or above, bodyaches, chills, headache, and looks like a wet noodle...get a doctor's appointment sooner rather than later. The runny nose, cough, and sore throat show up later on in the illness.

Check out the CDC's flu surveillance for more info.

 

Hey kid: Put down the iPad and learn how to tie your shoes!

AVG, an internet security company, publicized results of their Digital Diaries research study of 2200 families across the world who had internet access and toddlers in the home. Here were the key findings:

1. More 2 year olds know how to play a computer game than ride a bike. 58% of American kids aged 2-5 know how to play a 'basic' computer game. Only 43% of kids 2-3 can ride a bike.

2. More kids aged 2-5 know how to use a smartphone "app" (19%) than tie his or her shoelaces (9%). Interestingly, almost as many 2-3 year olds can play with an app as 4-5 year olds (17 vs 21%)

3. More small children know how to do a Google search than swim (25 vs 20%)

By the way, there is no gender difference here. Girls and boys are equally tech savvy. But, European kids beat American kids hands down in knowing how to use a cell phone to make a phone call or play a computer game.

My take on this? Given the early age that kids are getting acquainted with technology these days, we parents should add a media as a new category when it comes to "safety proofing" our homes. Buying safety gates, cabinet locks, and outlet covers is only one part of keeping your little ones protected. Limit the amount of time your child spends in front of screens. Make sure you approve of the content before your child gains access to it. And, be sure your child's online identity remains anonymous.

We should also remember that, for our kids, learning to tie shoes and swim are as important (if not more important!) as learning to navigate the latest electronic toy.

 

RSV: Is your child wheezing?

RSV. Officially, it stands for Respiratory Syncytial Virus. But, if you are a parent with an RSV infected child, you might think it stands for Really Stinky Virus.

‘Tis the season for Wheezin’…RSV is a very common winter respiratory infection. It’s clear when RSV has made its appearance in town because infants and young children come in with tons of snot, coughing, and wheezing. We call these kids “happy wheezers”. Unlike someone with asthma, most RSV infected children have no difficulty getting a good breath in and getting an adequate amount of oxygen. But, there are certain kids at risk…newborns and formerly premature babies can encounter the most trouble with RSV.

Winter babies. Some newborns who get infected with RSV have trouble catching their breath. That’s called apnea and it is not a good thing. That definitely buys a ticket for admission to the nearest children’s hospital until it is certain that the baby is able to breathe. Believe it or not, I actually tried to time my pregnancies so I wouldn’t have a baby born in the peak of RSV season. (Yes, only a pediatrician would worry about this kind of stuff).

Preemies beware. If you have a baby who was born prematurely (particularly one born before 35 weeks of pregnancy), the NICU staff probably warned you about RSV. Premature babies, especially those who required respiratory support or who had chronic lung disease, may really struggle to breathe with an RSV infection. Those kids also need hospitalization. That’s why former premature babies should receive a monthly injection of an RSV immune globulin to protect them during RSV season. (That medication is incredibly expensive, which is why full term babies are not eligible to get it.)

Marathon cough. With most respiratory infections, a cough typically lasts for 10-14 days. With RSV, a child might be coughing for 3-4 weeks. You read that right. RSV is unique. It makes the tiny airways in the lungs, called bronchioles, swell. So, an RSV infection is also known as “bronchiolitis”. And that tiny airway swelling is what makes little ones cough and wheeze—for weeks—until the swelling goes away.

What to do?  Unfortunately, RSV is a virus. And that means we don’t have a miracle antibiotic to make it go away. The virus (and the residual bronchiole swelling) has to run its course. But, you should check in with your child’s doctor if he appears to have difficulty breathing. Do asthma medications help? Usually not. Most kids do not respond to the standard array of asthma treatments, although a small percentage do. If your child is truly struggling to breathe, his doc will likely administer a breathing treatment to see if it will help. Kids who wheeze with RSV may be more prone to wheezing again in their lives. That doesn’t mean your child will necessarily develop asthma, though, just because he wheezes with RSV.

Boomerang fever. Because there is just so much darn snot with RSV, many kids will end up getting an ear infection in the course of their recovery from RSV. If your child develops a new fever or becomes super cranky, it’s time to check in with his doc.

Closely spaced pregnancies: a risk for autism?

A study published today in the journal, Pediatrics, examines the interval between pregnancies and the odds of a child having autism. Researchers looked at the birth records of 660,000 second-born children born in California and the timing of their conception after the oldest sibling was born.

The results? Compared to children who were conceived at least three years after their sibling was born:

• Babies conceived less than 12 months after the birth of the first-born child were THREE times more likely to be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
• Babies conceived from 12 to 23 months after the birth of the first-born child had almost two times the risk of ASD.
• And, even babies conceived 23-35 months after the first-born child had a slightly greater risk of ASD.

Unfortunately, the researchers have no idea why the odds are greater when the spacing between pregnancies is shorter. Perhaps it’s because a woman’s nutritional stores have not had enough time to be replenished. Or maybe women who have put off parenthood until later in life have more closely spaced babies—and parental age itself is a risk factor for having a child with an ASD. This study isn’t going to give us those answers.

Bottom line: We are learning more and more about autism every day. Thus study alone should not necessarily influence your decision on how long to wait between pregnancies. However, the current recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control is to wait at least 18-23 months between pregnancies for a mother and baby’s optimal health.

FDA alert for kids who wheeze: Albuterol nebulizer solution recall

The FDA recalled certain lots of Albuterol 0.083% nebulizer solution that comes in 3 ml vials. The concentration on the packaging is mislabelled. Consumers should return any unused portion to where the medication was purchased. Check the link for full details.