6 Steps to Help Control Allergic Asthma in Kids

Seasonal allergies are fairly predictable, therefore, they are relatively easy to manage and even prevent. However, allergic symptoms can manifest any time of the year because allergens occur everywhere, making treatment plans and strategies for children with asthma and related allergies more complex and challenging. Statistics say that at least 80 to 90% of children with asthma also have allergic tendencies. This is why it is important to seek the advice of an Augusta allergy and asthma specialist to help you better manage allergic asthma attacks year-round with the right treatment plan. Here are some critical steps that can help you control asthmatic attacks in children with allergic asthma:

1. Be familiar with your child’s symptoms. Every child is unique, and so are their asthmatic symptoms. Classic asthma symptoms include oral and nasal itching, sneezing, and watery eyes. Your child may or may not showcase all of these symptoms, but they are classic signs that an attack is ongoing. Other symptoms include a clicking noise, which often results from itching the roof of their mouth.

2. Know what they are allergic to. A pediatric allergist may prescribe different kinds of tests to help you determine what triggers your child’s allergy attacks. These allergic triggers can be determined through blood and/or skin testing.

3. Control indoor exposures. Once you know what your child is allergic to, it is easier to control their environmental triggers, be it the presence of dust mites, pet allergens, pests, or other indoor hazards.

4. Control outdoor exposures. Outdoor exposures are more challenging to control, but it is possible to avoid them through precautionary measures like using saline sprays, masks, and other tools to help combat outdoor exposure to allergens that occur outdoors.

5. Consider giving them allergy shots. Ask your pediatric allergist about possible allergy shots that can be given to your child to prevent allergic attacks that lead to full blown asthmatic episodes.

6. Ask about maintenance medication. There are certain allergy medications that your child could take in order to avoid the effects of allergens and reduce asthmatic attacks resulting from allergic reactions.

At Pediatric Partners of Augusta, you have access to the best pediatric allergist and general pediatricians who can help you take care of your children in the best way possible. If you are looking for an Augusta allergy and asthma specialist, Pediatric Partners has one board. Dr. Mary Anderson offers specializations in Pediatrics as well as in Allergy and Immunology. Your children will be in the best hands as they continue to grow and develop into healthy individuals.

How to Prevent Ear Infections in Children

Children get ear infections all the time, but this doesn’t mean that your child should suffer as frequently. An ear infection can be prevented if you know how to shield your child against common viruses that cause them. Everyone experiences general ear aches—adults and kids alike. Children, however, are more susceptible to them because they still haven’t fully developed their immune system, allowing them to fight off viruses and bacteria that cause ear infections. While you can’t always stop an infection from befalling your child, it’s important to know the steps you can take to prevent them and save yourself the trouble of emergency trips to your children’s doctor pediatrician.

Ear infections typically occur in the middle ear—the air-filled space just behind the eardrum, which holds small, vibrating bones responsible for picking up the sound waves we hear. Conditions like common colds, allergies, and the flu often cause swelling and congestion in the nasal passages as well as the throat. Fluid buildup in these areas increases your child’s chances of getting an ear infection, especially when these fluids don’t drain properly. Preventing these conditions is the best way to shield against ear infections. Here are some useful tips you can follow to keep earaches and infections at bay:

1. Boost your child’s immune system by breastfeeding them. Infants who nurse for at least 12 months develop a much stronger immune system and therefore have fewer infections. However, if you can’t breastfeed, your best defense is avoiding bottle-feeding your child lying down, as this makes them more susceptible to ear infections.

2. Keep the air quality in the room where your child sleeps high. Do not ever expose an infant to cigarette smoke and avoid air pollution.

3. Keep your child vaccinated and up to date on their shots.

4. Wean your child early from pacifiers, which increase their chances of developing ear infections.

5. Finally, keep your child’s hands clean to reduce their chances of catching colds and the flu and from spreading germs that cause these conditions.

At Pediatric Partners of Augusta, you’ll find the best group of children’s doctor pediatrician specialists and professionals to help care for your child’s health and wellbeing, be it a simple ear infection or perhaps a more serious illness. Their goal is to build strong partnerships with parents so that children grow into healthy, happy, young adults.

Flu Vaccine for Children: What You Need to Know

Babies and children younger than nine years of age (especially children younger than 2 years old) are at a high risk of facing complications arising from the flu. Flu vaccine for infants offers the best protection against the flu and and prevention of spreading it to other children. Getting timely flu shots for children can prevent flu-related hospitalizations, missed work and school days, flu illness, and pediatrician visits.

Parents must remember that the flu can be more dangerous to children than the common cold. Each year, thousands of infants and children get sick with seasonal flu and are hospitalized, sometimes leading to death. Complications that can arise from influenza include:

• Dehydration
• Ear infections
• Sinus problems
• Pneumonia
• Long term medical problems such as asthma or heart diseases
• In very rare cases, even death

Flu signs and symptoms:

•    Abrupt onset of fever
•    Headache
•    Body aches and fatigue
•    Respiratory-tract symptoms including a cough
•    Sore throat and an irritated nose

How to protect your child from the flu

The best way to protect your little one is with a flu shot for children. It is imperative that children and adults get a flu shot before the season kicks in, usually by the end of October, and ideally as soon as the vaccine is available each year.

What is the proper dosage?

Children from 6 months to 9 years of age require two doses of the vaccine during their first season to optimize the treatment. However, each subsequent year, children might only need a single standard dose. It is best to consult with your pediatrician to decide the best course of treatment.

Remember that like any other vaccine, a flu shot for children does not guarantee complete protection. It does greatly reduce the risk of developing severe symptoms.

How To Lower The Flu Risk

Remember that the flu vaccine for infants is the best way to control the risk, but you can minimize the uncertainty in the following ways:

• Teach your children to wash their hands often with soap and water
• Covering coughs and sneezes
• Avoid those who might be sick 

If your child exhibits flu symptoms, consult your pediatrician immediately. Remember, a flu shot each season can save lives, especially for the very young and elderly.

When Your Baby is Sick – Tips on How to Care for Your Baby’s Cold

A sick baby is never a happy sight. If there’s anything that you can do to take their suffering away and make them feel better, you will go to any length to bring them back to full health. Here is a simple guide to help you soothe, comfort, and speed up the healing of your sick child with a cold:

Let the Cold Run its Course

Common colds typically don’t require treatment, given that your baby’s symptoms are mild and easily manageable at home. When your child is only showing signs of a stuffy or runny nose, sneezing, cough, reduced appetite, restlessness, and slight fever, calming down their symptoms is really the best thing you can do to combat colds until the cold passes. To help your sick baby feel better, you can (and should) give them extra fluids to keep them from getting dehydrated. Offer to nurse more often in case of an infant, but for babies older than 6 months, you can offer water or natural fruit juice. In addition to preventing dehydration, this will also help keep baby’s mouth and nose moist, making it easier for them to cough and sneeze out mucus.

If your child is suffering with a stuffy nose, they may need help getting rid of mucus. By spraying a few drops of saline solution into their nostril and using a bulb syringe to remove mucus from their nose, you help clear their breathing passages and keep them from the discomfort of mucus buildup. Creating an environment that promotes better rest is also important as a sick baby needs more sleep to help their body recover.

Listen to the Experts

At Pediatric Partners of Augusta, you can be sure that your sick child is in the best hands. For a cold that doesn’t go away after more than a few days and after you’ve done all you can to soothe baby’s symptoms, it is time to seek treatment from a pediatrician who can perform the right diagnosis and prescribe the right remedy to restore your child’s health. This is especially true when they have persistent fever, nausea, and diarrhea. Pediatric Partners of Augusta is a private practice group consisting of Board-Certified pediatricians and specialists who are well versed in keeping children at optimal health and free from disease. They have on-site diagnostic testing, which makes finding the right treatment for your child’s relentless colds easier and more convenient, as you seek to bring your precious bundle of joy back to good health.

Parenting Tips – Caring for a Sick Child

No parent likes seeing their child sick or in pain; they’d give anything to make a sick child better. Caring for an sick child can become even more overwhelming when it is a sick baby you need to soothe and comfort. Consulting with Pediatric Partners of Augusta is always a good precaution, especially when your child is showing severe symptoms that indicate a more serious illness than a common cold or viral infection. By doing this, you can make sure that your child isn’t in any real danger and you can safely wait until the illness runs its course. There are certain things that you can do to help bring comfort to your sick child. Here are some smart tips you can follow to help your child feel better:

• Keep them hydrated. Dehydration is a real danger for anyone facing an illness and it is especially challenging to keep a sick baby hydrated. Offer your child the breast (when breastfeeding exclusively) or the bottle more often during sick days to provide proper hydration and comfort. For children older than 6 months, it is safe to offer cool water, which can also be soothing to their potentially sore throat. Older kids may benefit from fresh fruit juices and plenty of liquids.

• Encourage rest - lots of it. The body needs to recharge to be able to fight illness and heal. This is why it is important that your sick child gets plenty of rest when experiencing illness. Put them to bed early and encourage naps. Avoid overstimulation so the body can better repair itself and keep them away from other children or activities that could expose them to germs, which could worsen their condition.

• Use doctor recommended nose drops. For a congested nose, ask your pediatrician about safe nasal drops and any other product that you can use to help your child breathe better. There are many over-the-counter gels, saline drops, and sprays designed to relieve congestion and thin mucus in the nasal cavity.

• Give them a warm bath. A sick baby can also be soothed by a warm bath, which can help clear congestion and ease the common aches and pains that are brought about by the condition. Make sure to pat your baby dry with a warm towel to keep him or her from getting the chills after the bath.

Tips on How to Find the Best Pediatric Facility in Your Area

Choosing the right pediatric facility is crucial to your child’s health. Knowing where to go for your baby’s first pediatrician visit is important. You want to be sure that your child will be in the best hands and that you partner with the right doctors for you and your family. Pediatricians play a critical role in your child’s growth and development. It is their job to make sure that your child is at their healthiest. You need the pediatrician to give you guidance in providing a nurturing environment to help in their proper development. Pediatric doctors also help prevent illness. A baby’s first 12 months will require you to visit the doctor at least six times for routine well-baby checks, as well as unplanned trips because of a fever or their first cold. This is why your choice of children’s pediatric center is so important. You want assurance that you can trust them to ensure baby’s wellbeing. Below are some important things to take into account when making your decision:

• Take time to do your research and compile a list of pediatric offices of trusted names in pediatric care in your area. Research is always a good place to start when choosing healthcare providers.

• Look for a children’s pediatric center that fits your criteria, such as office hours that fit your schedule, after-hours care, accessible location, health insurance options, and quality care through reputable pediatricians.

• Check the doctors’ credentials and experience. When taking your child for their first pediatrician visit, you want to make sure that the center offers specialization in the care of infants and young children. Older children also require specialized care from pediatricians whose expertise and training qualify them for proper treatment of children and adolescents.

• Ask about continuous training requirements and standards. This will help you make sure that the center’s pediatricians keep up-to-date with current practices, especially in this day and age of constant development and innovation.

Pediatric Partners of Augusta is a trusted private practice group made up of board-certified pediatricians and specialists whose goal is to maintain continuing partnerships with parents and families so that children grow into happy and healthy young adults. Their children’s pediatric center offices are located throughout Augusta, including one in Evans, which offers an after-hours clinic for emergency calls. Whether it’s your baby’s first pediatrician visit or continuing care for your growing child, Pediatric Partners of Augusta is always ready to provide you with services to help you raise healthy, happy children. 

What causes baby ear infections and how to treat the pain

A crying baby really tugs at your heartstrings, especially when the cause is a terrible ear ache and you can’t do much about it. The fact is that baby ear aches mainly arise from ear infections, which can be treated by a child pediatrician. According to an experienced pediatrician, up to 89% of children suffer from at least one ear infection by the time they are 4 years old, making it that much more important for you to know about this ailment. Being properly informed with the right information will help you fret less the next time your baby cries out in pain or pulls at their ear.

What causes ear infections?

All ear infections are caused by a viral or bacterial infection in the middle ear. The infection starts off as a cold or allergy causing the Eustachian tubes (the passage between the middle ear and upper throat) to get blocked. When this happens, fluid gets collected in the areas behind the eardrum. When this fluid build-ups and combines with the pressure from inflammation, the ear starts to ache.

Spot an ear infection

Children are unable to fully express the cause of their pain and may not be able to inform you about the affected area correctly. You should look for these signs that can indicate your little one is troubled with an aching ear. Watch out for fever, especially if preceded by a cold, as well as crying, clinginess, loss of appetite, diarrhea and vomiting, unpleasant smell coming out of the ear, and irritability. When the ear is painful, children will find it tough to sleep as the pressure of the middle ear on the eustachian tubes increases when lying down. Sometimes there is fluid or pus coming out of the child’s ear, a clear indicator that they have an infection. If they pull or rub the ear, it could be their way of pointing out the troubled area.

How to treat an ear infection

The easy part of a baby’s ear infection is that it will usually subside on its own. Some children may need antibiotics. A children’s doctor may recommend that parents wait before giving any antibiotics if the child is over six years of age, has no fever and the child appears to be healthy. Antibiotics may be prescribed for a baby under six months, depending on how painful the infection is. It is recommended that you avoid flying when the baby has an earache as the change in air pressure can further traumatize the ear and even rupture the eardrum.

Ear infections can trouble your baby big time. As soon as you notice the symptoms, consult with an expert pediatrician who will know the best way to deal with the infection.