Monthly Archives: July 2014

Probiotics

You’ve likely heard the term “probiotics”. Maybe you’ve also wondered what it means and what, if any, benefit probiotics could provide for your family’s health.

What are probiotics? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Probiotics are defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the World Health Organization as live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.” Sound appetizing?

Every human intestinal tract contains beneficial bacteria that helps break down food products into compounds that are more easily absorbed into the body. Sometimes the beneficial bacteria need a boost over the harmful bacteria that share the same space, or during or after a round of antibiotics that may kill the good bacteria along with the bad.

Probiotics contain the helpful bacteria. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, giving probiotics early in the course of “acute viral gastroenteritis can reduce its duration by one day. Probiotics also have been found to be modestly effective in preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea in otherwise healthy children, though there is no evidence probiotics are effective at treating this type of diarrhea.” [Italics ours.] Note the term “healthy children.” Probiotics don’t have any proven effects on treating chronic diarrhea, Crohn’s Disease or other chronic illnesses.

When a mother cannot breastfeed, special probiotics can be introduced to the formula that will help to replace the natural ones found in breast milk. Ask your pediatrician about this before trying these products.

Where do you get probiotics? They are available over the counter in drug stores and healthcare departments of grocery and discount stores. They come in foods or as supplements. Buy from a manufacturer you trust, remembering that probiotics are not regulated the same way prescription drugs are.

As always, eat a balanced diet, which is the best road to gastrointestinal health.

Why narcotics are prescribed carefully

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You may have noticed that narcotic prescriptions are increasingly difficult to get for patients of any age these days. That includes children and teens.

Because of the common problems of prescription drug overuse and even abuse, narcotics are more tightly controlled than ever. Before anyone (even a child) can be prescribed narcotics in Kentucky, the physician’s office must run a KASPER report on that person’s prescription drug history. KASPER (Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting) “tracks controlled substance prescriptions dispensed within the state. A KASPER report shows all scheduled prescriptions for an individual over a specified time period, the prescriber and the dispenser,” according the official website. The intent is not to prevent you from getting the medications you need, but to prevent overuse and provide a source of information for medical practitioners.

For this reason, refills and usage of narcotics are scrutinized closely within our office and narcotic cough suppressants (such as codeine) are rarely prescribed or suggested.

This is a good time to remind adults to store medications out of reach and out of sight. A young child is curious, and differently colored and shaped pills can look like candy. Older children and teens may want to experiment with drugs, and the ones in your medicine cabinet are free and accessible. Serious consequences of overdose, addiction and even death can occur, so lock your medicines away so that your children and teens don’t have access to them. Remind grandparents and other homes where you child visits of these important safety guidelines.

Narcotics are sometimes important, even essential, tools in your family’s health. But they are to be used carefully and cautiously.

Back to school ALREADY???

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It seems as though summer just started, and we’re already talking about going back to school. That’s because now is the right time to be thinking about getting your child’s medical exams and immunizations covered.

Exams and physicals. Most sports (both school and community) will require that your child or teen have an annual physical. You’ll see ads for retail clinics in stores and also physicals being held at the schools, but keep these things in mind:

Those places don’t have your child’s medical records. Medical and immunization histories aren’t available to the person doing the physical or administering the immunizations.
They haven’t developed a relationship with you to know what is normal and appropriate for your family.
Follow up is minimal or altogether unavailable.
No nutritional counseling is available, which we believe to be extremely important.

For all those reasons and more, we highly recommend that you see your own pediatrician for back-to-school exams and immunizations. (Check out our 2013 blog on store-based clinics here.)

Immunizations. Many immunizations are required by the state, and there are some additional ones recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). For example, Kentucky requires the meningitis vaccine for the 6^th grade; we also are doing a booster at the age of 16 which isn’t state required but is recommended by both the CDC and AAP. A printable immunization schedule for parents is available here from the CDC.

Concerned about immunizations? Read the article, “Why Immunize?” at the CDC website. Also, find here a series of articles from the AAP about a variety of immunizations.

Plan to arrange your pediatric appointments soon, so your teens and children will have everything they need before school starts.

In between your summer travel plans, pool days and sporting events, don’t forget to make room for health.

Georgetown Pediatrics

Caring for your children.

Monthly Archives: July 2014

Probiotics

Why narcotics are prescribed carefully

Back to school ALREADY???