Archive for the ‘Newborns & Infants’ CategoryPractice Safe Swaddling to Protect Baby’s HipsTuesday, December 13th, 2011
Hip Dysplasia is an abnormal formation of the hip joint where the top of the thigh bone is not held firmly in the socket of the hip. The main cause of this condition comes from tightly wrapping an infant’s legs straight down rather than leaving enough room for leg movement. Although hip dysyplasia is fairly common at birth, continued use of an incorrect swaddling technique puts your newborn at risk for a life of painful joint movement. According the Internal Hip Dysplasia Institute, mothers should use the following techniques when swaddling a baby:
To reduce the chance of sudden infant death syndrome, parents should place babies on their backs to sleep and keep loose bedding and soft objects out of the crib. American Academy of Pediatrics News, September 2011 Posted in Newborns & Infants | No Comments » Protect Young Children from Heat StrokeThursday, August 4th, 2011
Heat stroke in children isn’t limited to unattended vehicles. Children can also become extremely overheated when playing outside in hot weather. Infants who are dressed too warmly can suffer from heat stroke. Sunburn and dehydration make children more susceptible to this condition. What Is Heat Stroke?Heat stroke, or hyperthermia, occurs when the body temperature rises beyond the body’s ability to cool itself down. Symptoms include high temperature but no sweating, flushing, rapid pulse, restlessness, slow or muted response, and can progress to confusion, dizziness, headache, vomiting, rapid breathing, and unconsciousness. Why Are Children So Vulnerable to Heat Stroke?Adults can suffer from heat stroke, but children are especially vulnerable for a combination of reasons, including:
This list has been taken from: http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/injuries-emergencies/sports-injuries/Pages/Heat-Tolerance.aspx How Can Parents Protect Young Children from Heat Stroke?From vehicle-related heat stroke:
From other heat stroke causes:
What Should Parents Do if Heat Stroke Is Suspected?Heat stroke can be deadly. The moment heat stroke is suspected in children, parents or caregivers should call 911 immediately and follow instructions. You must cool the child as quickly as possible because children suffering from heat stroke can slip into unconsciousness in minutes. Posted in Health Alerts, Newborns & Infants | 3 Comments » Do You Know the Facts About Autism?Tuesday, April 12th, 2011
Most parents turn to the Internet in search of information, only to find conflicting opinions, equivocal answers and no real help. What do we know about this disorder? What causes it? Are vaccines responsible for this epidemic? Where can a parent go for help? The truth is that we still don’t have clear answers to all those questions. Investigations continue without evidence of a single cause. But we are learning something through all the research going on in this field. Most experts agree that the condition starts before birth. We also observe that it is four times more frequent in boys than girls and the symptoms appear during the first 3 years of life. We can also identify many different forms of autism that now belong to what we call Autism Spectrum, which are a group of related disorders that affect behavior, social and communication skills. If you, as a parent, suspect autism in your child, then you must contact your pediatrician immediately. During health supervision visits, pediatricians provide questionnaires to parents to help detect early signs of autism that may be present but may not be obvious during the visit. Again, the information provided by the parents is essential. If you are concerned, share your thoughts with your child’s doctor. The easy questionnaire administered by pediatricians is called M-CHAT, and it should be administered at the 18 and 24 month visit, or any time the parent expresses concern. How can a parent identify signs of autism?There are multiple resources out there. One of them is provided by Autism Speaks, a non-profit organization established to create awareness of autism and to raise funds for research. Together with First Signs and First Words organizations, they produced video clips, glossaries and early signs to identify developmental delays. This information can be found at www.autismspeaks.org, www.firstsigns.org and www.firstwords.fsu.edu. The American Academy of Pediatrics, through their Healthy Children section, provides information about diagnosis and resources for children. Check out www.healthychildren.org for more information. It is going to be through the combined effort of researchers, doctors, parents and educators that we are going to find answers to the many questions we have. To some ,we already have an answer. We know, for example, there is no relationship between autism and vaccines; we learned that exposure to the mercury containing the preservative thimerosol does not increase the risk for developing the disorder, and we are also learning, through on-going research, other characteristics of the disease that may or may not be significant. One study, for example, points out that autism is more frequent in children conceived after an inter-pregnancy interval of less than 12 months. Another recent study from Denmark points at jaundice during the newborn period as a risk factor. The same study found the disorder is more common when mothers had previous children. Why? Because in Denmark women who had previous children go home soon after delivery, while those who are first time mothers have a longer hospital stay, and jaundice is more easily identified and treated earlier. It is going to take the efforts of many individuals and the continuous observation of children with autism that will lead us to the right answers. For those families who need help, The National Center of Medical Home Initiatives for Children with Special Needs is a good resource to gain access to educational, resource and advocacy materials, guidelines for care, evaluation tools and technical assistance. They can be reached at 847- 434-4000 or at www.medicalhomeinfo.org. If you are concerned about your child’s risk for autism, please call (512) 733-5437 to schedule an appointment for an evaluation.You can find more resources on our web site at www.pediatriccenterofroundrock.com/austim-asperger-disorder. Posted in Health Alerts, Newborns & Infants | 13 Comments » Whooping Cough on the RiseMonday, March 28th, 2011
Whooping cough can be fatal to infants who have not yet been fully vaccinated. The best way to protect babies is to make sure the adults in their lives are vaccinated. Learn more about the Texas statistics: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/disease/pertussis/statistics/ What Is Whooping Cough?Whooping cough, known clinically as pertussis, is a disease caused by bacteria. It starts out with the symptoms of the common cold – runny nose, sneezing, a low grade fever, and a cough. But the cough worsens after the first or second week and eventually causes coughing fits that are so strong they can cut off the air supply. In babies, this can lead to pneumonia, seizures, brain damage, or even death. When a person with whooping cough sneezes, coughs, or even talks, the bacteria can enter another person’s body through the air. The bacteria is also spread through things touched by the infected person. However, the first symptoms usually appear with 5 to 21 days after the person is infected, which means that the bacteria can spread before one even has an inkling that he or she has been infected with the pertussis bacteria. You might infect your baby with whooping cough before you even realize you’re sick. That’s why it is vital that every member of the family of an infant must see a doctor to be vaccinated for whooping cough. Visit the Pediatric Center of Round Rock to learn more about the importance of the pertussis vaccine. Other Ways to Protect Your Baby from Whooping Cough
Make sure everyone in your family has been vaccinated, and that everyone who cares for your baby has been vaccinated When Can Your Baby Be Vaccinated?Children receive a total of five doses of the pertussis vaccine before they are considered to be fully immunized. These doses are given at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15-18 months, and at 4-6 years. Until your child has been fully immunized, you must protect him or her by getting vaccinated yourself, and by making sure that every adult in his or her life has been vaccinated as well. This is one of the most fundamental ways you can take care of the baby you love. Posted in Health Alerts, Newborns & Infants | No Comments » The Natural Born Mother Is a Myth – Prenatal Classes Help Every ParentWednesday, March 16th, 2011
Yes, it’s true that people have been raising babies ever since people existed, but while loving your child is instinctive, knowing specific information about how to care for a newborn is not. No one is born knowing whether to place a baby in the crib on her back, side, or stomach. No one is born knowing what medications should be in the home of every newborn. No one is born understanding the pros and cons of immunizations. When bringing home a newborn, education is keyAlthough the “natural born mother” is a myth, here’s a fact: babies are the greatest natural resource any society can have. Research about infant health is ongoing, and the doctors and staff at the Pediatric Center of Round Rock stay current on the latest findings of the medical community. There are a lot of controversial issues out there, such as whether immunizations are helpful or harmful to your baby. You need to get all the facts so you can make the best possible decisions for your child’s health. When you get a new job, the first thing your employer will do is train you for the task at hand. Becoming a parent will be the most important job you’ll ever have, and education is key. Prenatal classes introduce new moms and dads to the information they need now, before the real training begins – on-the-job training once the baby comes home. So don’t worry if you don’t feel like you have all the answers. There is no such thing as a “natural born mother.” Every mother – and father – can learn by coming to one of our prenatal classes. We offer FREE prenatal classes every month. If you our someone you know is expecting or you just need a refresher course, call (512) 733-5437 to reserve your spot now. 2011 Prenatal Class Schedule at the Pediatric Center of Round RockAll classes begin at 6 p.m. and last approximately one hour and are held the third Thursday of every month. Learn more at www.pediatriccenterofroundrock.com/round-rock-prenatal-classes.php March 17 – TOMORROW NIGHT! Call (512) 733-5437 to reserve your spot now for our next FREE Prenatal Class.Posted in Newborns & Infants | No Comments » Upper Respiratory Virus (RSV) Season is HereMonday, November 15th, 2010
Each year, 2.1 million children younger than 5 years of age in the United States develop an RSV infection requiring medical attention, says Dr. Caroline Breese Hall, an expert in infectious diseases in children. RSV causes one of every 334 hospitalizations, one of every 38 emergency room visits, and one of every 13 primary care visits each year. Since there is no vaccine available (yet), the only way to prevent it is to administer an injection of antibodies every month, during the winter months, to those at risk for suffering the more severe consequences of the infection. Premature babies and babies with underlying chronic conditions receive antibodies every month, from October to April, in order to prevent the disease. Premature babies have an increased risk when they attend day care and when they have young siblings at home. With the shopping and family gathering season approaching, it is a good idea to leave the baby at home with grandma, instead of risking unwanted exposures at the shopping malls. Posted in Health Alerts, Newborns & Infants | No Comments » How to Help Your Newborn Sleep at NightWednesday, November 10th, 2010
I have been advising my patients to give the baby a bath between 8-9 PM, in order to signal the end of the day and as a way to relax for the night. The day-night rhythm (circadian rhythm) is not established when the baby is first born, and it takes about 6 weeks to start to develop. Just about the same amount of time it would take an adult who starts working the grave yard shift to get used to the day/night change. By about 6 weeks of age, the baby starts showing signs of fussiness and cluster feeding during the evening hours, when the sun is going down. That is the first indication he/she is starting to adjust. The evening bath will eventually relax the baby after the fussy period, preparing him to sleep longer at night. You don’t need to wash the baby with soap every night, if you’re worried about drying the skin. Just nice, warm water over the whole body, including the head, is enough. Posted in Newborns & Infants | 1 Comment » Early Childhood Obesity Intervention Is a MustWednesday, April 28th, 2010Summary:
To be effective, any campaign against childhood obesity must include intervention strategies to combat obesity in preschool children, say researchers at the University of California San Francisco in a report published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
When childhood obesity is in the news, it’s often discussed in tandem with changes needed to school lunch programs. First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign focuses a lot of attention on making school lunches healthier. A group of retired military veterans recently took up the school lunch cause, as well, because they have found many children graduating high school are too fat to qualify for military service. TV chef Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution series focused on the issue, as well.
They’re not wrong. School lunches must be made healthier.
But to be effective, any campaign against childhood obesity must also address the needs of preschoolers, say researchers at the University of California San Francisco in a report published in the New England Journal of Medicine. [link: http://healthcarereform.nejm.org/?p=3321] The report was written by Dr. Janet M. Wojcicki and Dr. Melvin B. Heyman.
By the age of two, about one-third of all children in the U.S. are overweight or obese. This is not cute childhood chubbiness; it’s excess weight that causes real harm to their little bodies. Dr. Wojcicki and Dr. Heyman discovered markers in three-year-olds that have been linked to heart disease later in life.
What Parents Can Do for Infants
First, mom should not smoke while she’s pregnant, period. Ironically, although smoking is linked to low birth weight in babies, the bad habit also influences the body’s ability to regulate weight later in life. So an underweight infant can become an overweight toddler.
Second, mothers should follow their doctors’ recommendations when it comes to breast feeding. Shorter-than-recommended breastfeeding has been linked to childhood obesity, as well as many other health concerns.
Third, parents should establish a routine that allows the baby to get plenty of sleep. Lack of sleep also hurts the body’s ability to regulate weight. This is true from infancy through adulthood.
Whenever possible, an infant should be allowed to sleep in quiet surroundings. In other words, parents should not rely on the fact that their baby is sleeping in the car or at the ball game and say that the baby gets plenty of sleep. At loud sounds, deep sleep is frequently interrupted, even if the baby’s eyes don’t completely open. Deep, uninterrupted sleep is the goal.
What Parents Can Do for Toddlers
Parents of small children should turn off the TV and the computer until after the children are in bed. Even if the children aren’t watching the TV or playing on the computer, these machines deprive the child of the parent’s attention. Parents need to make a commitment to unplug from the world for at least a couple of hours each evening.
Instead of mindlessly watching TV or chatting online with their friends, parents can play with their children. Play is exercise, and this activity can help a child to maintain a healthy weight. This time together will also cement the bond between parent and child, in addition to helping the child develop great social skills.
Another step parents can take is to abolish unhealthy snacks from the house. These snacks are hard for adults to resist, impossible for toddlers. If, instead of stocking the pantry with potato chips and sugary cereal, parents only kept on hand fruit, vegetables, cheese, and other healthy snacks, children wouldn’t have the option to fill their bodies with junk.
It is undoubtedly true that school lunches must be made healthier. However, the problem of childhood obesity is evident long before children reach school age. That means that parents must take charge of their child’s diet right from the start.
When childhood obesity is in the news, it’s often discussed in tandem with changes needed to school lunch programs. First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign focuses a lot of attention on making school lunches healthier. A group of retired military veterans recently took up the school lunch cause, as well, because they have found many children graduating high school are too fat to qualify for military service. TV chef Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution series focused on the issue, as well. They’re not wrong. School lunches must be made healthier. But to be effective, any campaign against childhood obesity must also address the needs of preschoolers, say researchers at the University of California San Francisco in a report published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The report was written by Dr. Janet M. Wojcicki and Dr. Melvin B. Heyman. By the age of two, about one-third of all children in the U.S. are overweight or obese. This is not cute childhood chubbiness; it’s excess weight that causes real harm to their little bodies. Dr. Wojcicki and Dr. Heyman discovered markers in three-year-olds that have been linked to heart disease later in life. What Parents Can Do for Infants to Prevent an Overweight ToddlersFirst, mom should not smoke while she’s pregnant, period. Ironically, although smoking is linked to low birth weight in babies, the bad habit also influences the body’s ability to regulate weight later in life. So an underweight infant can become an overweight toddler. Second, mothers should follow their doctors’ recommendations when it comes to breast feeding. Shorter-than-recommended breastfeeding has been linked to childhood obesity, as well as many other health concerns. Third, parents should establish a routine that allows the baby to get plenty of sleep. Lack of sleep also hurts the body’s ability to regulate weight. This is true from infancy through adulthood. Whenever possible, an infant should be allowed to sleep in quiet surroundings. In other words, parents should not rely on the fact that their baby is sleeping in the car or at the ball game and say that the baby gets plenty of sleep. At loud sounds, deep sleep is frequently interrupted, even if the baby’s eyes don’t completely open. Deep, uninterrupted sleep is the goal. What Parents Can Do to Encourage Healthy Habits ToddlersParents of small children should turn off the TV and the computer until after the children are in bed. Even if the children aren’t watching the TV or playing on the computer, these machines deprive the child of the parent’s attention. Parents need to make a commitment to unplug from the world for at least a couple of hours each evening. Instead of mindlessly watching TV or chatting online with their friends, parents can play with their children. Play is exercise, and this activity can help a child to maintain a healthy weight. This time together will also cement the bond between parent and child, in addition to helping the child develop great social skills. Another step parents can take is to abolish unhealthy snacks from the house. These snacks are hard for adults to resist, impossible for toddlers. If, instead of stocking the pantry with potato chips and sugary cereal, parents only kept on hand fruit, vegetables, cheese, and other healthy snacks, children wouldn’t have the option to fill their bodies with junk. It is undoubtedly true that school lunches must be made healthier. However, the problem of childhood obesity is evident long before children reach school age. That means that parents must take charge of their child’s diet right from the start. Posted in Healthy Eating, Newborns & Infants | 4 Comments » Dr. William Foege: An Inspirational Talk at The Shilling Lecture SeriesFriday, March 12th, 2010Another reality check was the information about contributions made by vaccine and drug manufacturers to situations of need. Merck donated $ 250 million to the treatment of River Blindness in Africa. He also mentioned how, at one point, the incidence of HIV positive births at this particular hospital he visited in Africa was 40 %, and how just nine years later it had decreased to 4 %, thanks to medications and technology donated to the area.
At the end of the lecture a few students where invited to ask questions to Dr. Foege. One of them asked a very intelligent one: “Is there a disease or ailment in the world today for which there is no sponsorship”? The good news seems to be that for most of the current threats existing in our world there is concern, investigation and help. He mentioned poverty, social conflicts, unemployment, etc, as examples of unsponsored issues menacing our communities. I am going to add one more; an epidemic threatening the health of children across national borders: the obesity epidemic.
One day we’ll have sponsored programs and international cooperation aiding in the decline of childhood obesity.
From this pages you will hear all about it when it happens. For now I will continue trying to advice my patients, bringing awareness and help, one family at the time.
Thank you Natalie for inviting me to attend this lecture.
Marta Katalenas M.D.
Biography
Dr. William Foege was director of the U.S. Center for Disease Control and became Chief of the CDC Smallpox Eradication Program in the 1970’s. In 1984 he was part of the Task Force for Child Survival, a working group for the World Health Organization, INICEF, The World Bank, the United Nations Development Program and the Rockefeller Foundation. He was Executive Director of he Carter Center, Fellow for Health Policy and Executive Director of Global 2000, Executive Director of he Task Force for Children Survival and Development, Presidential Distinguished Professor of International Health at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University and Senior Medical Advisor for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He is the author of over 120 professional publications and recipient of many awards; he holds honorary degrees from numerous institutions and was named a Fellow of the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. He attended Pacific Lutheran University, received his medical degree from the University of Washington and his master’s degree in public health form Harvard University.
Dr. Forge is an epidemiologist who worked on the successful campaign to eradicate smallpox in the 1970’s. The smallpox virus killed more than 300 million people during the 20th Century. When the vaccine first became available, it met with the familiar limitations encountered when epidemiologist try to create a plan to best utilize the resources available. One of the limitations in any plan is the restricted quantity of vaccine available to face such a devastating disease, when compared to the population susceptible to the illness. Dr. Foege created a strategy of “surveillance and containment”, by which experts were able to identify focuses of disease and heavily vaccinate individuals around the focus. He made the analogy of a fire starting in a house. Firefighters must extinguish the existing fire, but by pouring water into the houses around the index case, they can assure the fire is not going anywhere, being able to better control the spread. The same tactic was utilized in the eradication of smallpox with very successful results: the disease was first contained and by 1977 the last case was reported in Somalia. The patient survived the illness, but the virus was dead. It had nowhere to go and was eliminated from the face of earth. What an accomplishment! It is estimated that more than 120 million lives where saved by the vaccine. I get inspired when I meet people like Dr. Foege, and I hope the students of Southwestern University recognized a good example to follow. He encouraged them to participate in the making of history by writing their own individual chapter, to invest in life and to be ambitious with their dreams. He invited them to shake the world, to wake up every morning with a goal in mind. Science is about people, Dr. Foege said. It is about making existence better for others by improving quality of life. There is more work to be done. Young students today have an open book to write as he reminded us about the 200,000 children who die every week from vaccine-preventable illnesses. He mentioned the Tsunami a few years ago, and the terrible earthquake devastating Haiti and Chile. About 200,000 people died in Indonesia during the tsunami and about the same number in Haiti. The whole world was moved by those disasters; cooperation and aid arrived from all around the globe and presidents joined the efforts to help the victims. The same number of children die every week from vaccine preventable diseases in the world; that information created a lump in my throat at the end of the lecture, as it really touched home. I see children in my practice everyday and I didn’t realize we still have so much work to do. Another reality check was the information about contributions made by vaccine and drug manufacturers to situations of need. Merck donated $ 250 million to the treatment of River Blindness in Africa. He also mentioned how, at one point, the incidence of HIV positive births at this particular hospital he visited in Africa was 40 %, and how just nine years later it had decreased to 4 %, thanks to medications and technology donated to the area. At the end of the lecture a few students where invited to ask Dr. Foege questions. One asked a very intelligent question: “Is there a disease or ailment in the world today for which there is no sponsorship”? The good news seems to be that for most of the current threats existing in our world there is concern, investigation and help. He mentioned poverty, social conflicts, unemployment, etc, as examples of unsponsored issues menacing our communities. I am going to add one more; an epidemic threatening the health of children across national borders: the obesity epidemic. One day we’ll have sponsored programs and international cooperation aiding in the decline of childhood obesity. From this blog you will hear all about it when it happens. For now I will continue advising my patients, bringing awareness and help, one family at the time. Thank you Natalie for inviting me to attend this lecture. Marta Katalenas M.D. Biography of Dr. William Foege Dr. William Foege was director of the U.S. Center for Disease Control and became Chief of the CDC Smallpox Eradication Program in the 1970’s. In 1984 he was part of the Task Force for Child Survival, a working group for the World Health Organization, INICEF, The World Bank, the United Nations Development Program and the Rockefeller Foundation. He was Executive Director of he Carter Center, Fellow for Health Policy and Executive Director of Global 2000, Executive Director of he Task Force for Children Survival and Development, Presidential Distinguished Professor of International Health at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University and Senior Medical Advisor for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He is the author of over 120 professional publications and recipient of many awards; he holds honorary degrees from numerous institutions and was named a Fellow of the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. He attended Pacific Lutheran University, received his medical degree from the University of Washington and his master’s degree in public health form Harvard University. Posted in Newborns & Infants, News & Events | 1 Comment » Pertussis Outbreak in Williamson County ContinuesTuesday, December 1st, 2009
It is a childhood disease and we all got immunized when we received the DTP vaccine, which stands for Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis. But over the last few years those who look at national statistics for a living realized that the incidence of Whooping Cough in adolescents and beyond was increasing at a rate that was not acceptable. The Center for Disease Control then issued a recommendation for adults and children over the age of ten to receive a booster dose of the Whooping Cough vaccine. Here is how it is done: your adolescent or preadolescent child (over 10 years old) is going to be given a booster of Tetanus combined with Pertussis; the vaccine is called TdaP. The big letters indicate the main antigens present in the vaccine, Tetanus and Pertussis. The “d” refers to a small amount of diphtheria antigen that is present only to enhance the recognition by our immune system of the other two antigens, and the “a” (in case you are interested) refers to the presence in the vaccine of the “acellular” type of pertussis antigen. Back a couple of decades ago, the Pertussis vaccine had side effects such as very high fevers, irritability, etc. This lead to the development of the current “acelular” Pertussis vaccine, which enables the vaccine to stimulate the immune system without making us sick. If you are an adult you probably know you should receive a booster of Tetanus every 10 years. Tetanus is an almost-always fatal disease, and one for which there is no herd immunity. (Note to self: explain what “herd immunity” is). That is, no matter how many people you get immunized and protected, we are still going to see cases since the bacillus lives in the soil and it is not transmitted from person to person. So, you need your tetanus booster every 10 years, right? Next time you see your doctor, ask about the status of your tetanus protection. If you are due to receive a booster, ask to be given the TdaP. You don’t need to receive this combination every 10 years, just once is enough. Then you can continue with your regular tetanus-only vaccine every 10 years. By now you may still be wondering how this Pertussis business is affecting you. Well, it is not a pleasant set of symptoms when you get Whooping Cough; they last for a long time and the disease is very contagious. It may start like a cold, with runny nose and cough, fever and sneezing. After a couple of weeks the cough gets worse, occurring in very strong fits lasting six or more weeks. Children usually have fits of cough followed by a “whooping” sound as they try to catch their breath. The cough is often worse at night. If you are in contact with small children and babies, your chances of passing the disease to them are very high. Babies suffer greatly when infected with whooping cough; the cough may get so bad that it keeps them from eating, sleeping and breathing. Many end up admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, especially when it affects premature babies. So, the protection of the vaccine goes beyond you, like it is the case for the majority of the vaccines. Here are some case scenarios to help you clarify what choices you have to protect yourself and others around you.Q - I am a 50-year-old grandmother of a cute one-month old baby boy. Do I need to get immunized against Pertussis (Whooping Cough)?
A- Yes. In order to protect your grandson it would be advisable for every member of the family, in immediate contact with the baby, to receive a TdaP booster. Remember, babies start their immunizations at about 2 months of age and Pertussis is one of them. But they don’t mount a protective immunity until they go through the primary series of 3 doses, ending after 6 months of age. Q - My two-month-old premature grandson is coming home after spending his first two months of life in the Neonatal ICU. He got his first set of shots in the hospital and one of them includes Pertussis. Is he protected during this winter Pertussis outbreak?
A- Because this baby is premature his immune system is not as developed and he needs special care and consideration. It is good that the immunizations have been started, but we must add the effect of “cocooning” the baby in order to protect from serious infections. One of the protective measures to take is to make sure all adults and children in contact with the baby are up to date with immunizations, including the TdaP for those older than 10 years of age, as explained above. Breast-feeding, vitamin supplementation and day care avoidance are other protective measures when dealing with a premature infant. Q - I am 25 years old and pregnant. I had my last Tetanus booster 5 years ago but I don’t think it included Pertussis. Should I get immunized again? A - The TdaP vaccine is not indicated during pregnancy. It is not that it is unsafe to receive it; we simply don’t have enough data to make that recommendation. But you can make sure your husband and those who are going to be in contact with your newborn are immunized. Right after you have the baby you can ask your doctor to give you the TdaP vaccine, even if you had a Tetanus booster 5 years ago. The added protection provided by the Pertussis part of the vaccine is good for your baby. If you are planning on breastfeeding, you are going to make antibodies as a response to the vaccine and you are going to pass them through your breast milk to the baby. We can’t measure the extent of that protection, but it is a real one. Q - I am a 16 year-old High School student. The nurse informed the students and parents about a case of Whooping Cough in the school. I received a Tetanus booster 6 years ago, but it did not include the Whooping Cough. Should I get immunized?
A - Yes. The Tetanus protection is still good, but you are at risk for contracting whooping cough, especially now that you have a case in your school. Those in direct contact with patients suffering from Pertussis get antibiotic prophylaxis, but your doctor or the school nurse will advise you if you need to start taking antibiotics. The best long-term protection you can have right now comes from the TdaP vaccine. Even if your Tetanus part is up to date, it is advisable and safe to get the combination vaccine that includes Whooping Cough. I hope this explanation and case-scenarios is helpful to you all. I would appreciate your comments. Marta Katalenas M.D. Posted in Health Alerts, Newborns & Infants | 3 Comments » |
 
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Concerns about autism are in the minds of new parents these days. It is alarming to learn that the disorder affects 1 % of our children; it is a lifelong condition for which there is no cure.
Talk about gifted people and inspirational speakers! Yesterday I attended the 2010 Shilling Lecture at Southwestern University in Georgetown, where Dr. William Foege gave a superb speech to students and other attendees; his talk was moving and inspiring.
You’ve probably heard it in the news. There is a Pertussis (Whooping Cough) outbreak in Williamson County and, I am sure, in other areas of the country. Whooping cough is a childhood disease, right? If you are an adult you may be thinking “who cares, it is not going to affect me anymore!” or “I was immunized as a child, I am protected”. Wrong and wrong again.