Tag Archives: fever

Spider bites

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Both spiders and ticks are common in our area. We’ll deal with ticks next time.

While most of their bites aren’t dangerous to most people, it’s good to be informed about different types of spiders, their bites, and diseases that might result from some of them.

Spiders use a venom to anesthetize and paralyze their tiny prey. The venom from most species is not dangerous to most humans (see below for exceptions). Watch for signs of infection and report those immediately to your pediatrician. If you are concerned that a bite is getting much larger, note the edges with a Sharpie marker so you can see if it’s continuing to grow.

The female black widow spider can be extremely poisonous to humans, sometimes even fatal. She has an hourglass shape and is dark colored with yellow or red on her abdomen. Symptoms can be severe muscle cramping and pain. Call EMS if you think someone has been bitten by a black widow spider.

The brown recluse spider is fairly common in Kentucky, and can also be fatal at times. People often don’t know they’ve been bitten until the bite starts to swell and get painful. Reactions greatly vary. Call EMS if you are concerned about a brown recluse bite.

According to this article by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), here are things to watch for after a spider bite, and a signal to call your pediatrician or EMS:
• “Tiny fang marks
• Pain
• Pain begins as a dull ache at the bite site
• Pain spreads to the surrounding muscles
• Pain moves to the abdomen, back, chest, and legs
• Blister at the bite site
• Mild swelling and a blue-gray mark at the bite surrounded by lightening of skin color
• Progressive soft tissue damage; the skin becomes dark blue and then black (necrotic).”

Wash the affected area with soap and water, and treat a bite with an ice pack (make sure you put a layer of cloth between the ice pack and the skin) Another resource for your questions about spider bites is the Poison Control Center.

As with anything, whenever you have a concern, call our office.

© MBS Writing Services, 2015, all rights reserved

Roseola

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Let’s say this first: anytime your infant or young child has a fever of 102°F for twenty-four hours, call the pediatrician.  The issue may be minor or serious, and the doctor should help you determine what it might be.

One possibility is roseola, usually not a series condition, which is yet another in the herpes family of viruses.  (It is not the same as the herpes strains that cause genital herpes or cold sores.)  It’s human herpes virus 6 (HHV-6) and is relatively common in children aged six months to two years.

Symptoms, in addition to the fever (which may last up to a week), may include a cough and runny nose, less appetite and mild diarrhea.  Finally, after the fever is gone, generally a slightly raised red rash will appear.  It usually starts on the torso before spreading to the rest of the body.

Roseola is contagious, and a child with a fever should be kept away from other youngsters until the fever is gone.  Once roseola is at the rash stage the child is no longer contagious and can return to daycare.  The incubation period is one to two weeks.

If the pediatrician suspects roseola in your child, you might be asked to treat the fever with age-appropriate doses of acetaminophen (always be sure to check dosing instructions and note that they have changed in the last few years) and keep him hydrated.  The doctor may want to talk to you again to make sure the child isn’t sick with something more serious.

You can find out more about roseola in the two articles from which our research was drawn, here and here.  Both articles were published by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

© MBS Writing Services, all rights reserved

Stomach virus season

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Yes, we’re starting to see some fall/winter viruses that cause gastrointestinal (GI) problems. By the end of winter, Rotavirus will have been our most common offender, but now that kids are back in school, lots of viruses are happy. Families who get the viruses… not so much.

 

GI viruses like school, daycare and home settings because these places have children who haven’t always learned good hygiene practices. Prevention is always the best action against these diseases, so don’t forget to CLEAN door handles, toilet seats, other bathroom surfaces, television remotes. Also be sure to wash hands before cooking, serving and eating food.

 

Another way to hinder a virus is to keep your child home when she’s sick, preventing the spread to other children and adults. That may have been where she came into contact with the virus. Let’s not spread the “love.”

 

When can you send him back to school or daycare? Make sure he has been fever free for 24 hours (without a fever reducer), is able to tolerate small amounts of bland foods, has gone at least 12 hours since his last episode of vomiting and has had no more than 3 episodes of diarrhea in 8 hours.

 

Contact our office if diarrhea and vomiting don’t subside within three days or if diarrhea is bloody, if there’s been no urine output for 10 hours, or if the fever is high or doesn’t subside. We have a nurse available for advice on the phone, and we often can call in prescriptions for nausea for older children, unless we think they need to be seen in the office first.

 

More information? See our blog from last spring which includes a link to the American Academy of Pediatrics article on Rotavirus. Also, our blog regarding when to be concerned about a fever.

 

Stay healthy this winter!

 

 

 

© 2014, MBS Writing Services, all rights reserved

 

 

 

Stomach virus recovery

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“Stomach bugs” are making their rounds right now.  Rotavirus, in particular, is quite contagious and may have even made the rounds through every member of your household.  It causes diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, etc.  Sound a little too familiar?

What to do?

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, usually, the virus goes away on its own.  Watch, though, for dehydration and high fever.  Dehydration can be serious in a small number of cases.  Give small amounts of fluids until the vomiting ceases.  Water is fine, but fluids like Gatorade can add electrolytes.  Stay clear of acidy drinks (like orange juice) and milk.

Be watchful regarding dehydration.  Pay attention to the frequency of urination.  The urine will become more concentrated and less frequent, but child should still be urinating.

While your child is sick, give a very bland diet:  avoid dairy, fried foods, fast foods, hot dogs, etc.  Some good foods are bananas, rice, applesauce and toast (BRAT).

However, it’s recommended that as soon as the stomach is settled, you should return to a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables and protein (meat, yogurt).

Call the pediatrician if diarrhea and vomiting don’t subside within three days, if there’s been no urine output for 10 hours, or if the fever is high or doesn’t subside.  See our blog about when to be concerned about a fever.

As always, stay healthy!

 

© 2014 MBS Writing Services, all rights reserved

When is a fever something to be concerned about?

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That’s a great question, because we probably get more calls about fevers than about anything else.

The American Academy of Pediatrics published a brief article about fever and treating it, reminding parents that fever is the body’s way of fighting an illness, and the reason to treat it is to make the child more comfortable.  They emphasize:

  • watching for signs of serious illness;
  • being careful of dosage amount based on the child’s weight;
  • keeping the child well-hydrated;
  • storing the medication in a safe place;
  • not waking the child up to administer the medication.

So, what should you be watching for, and when do you call the pediatrician?  Here we’ve quoted a list from the same article that we think is quite helpful:

“Call your child’s doctor right away if your child has a fever and

  • Looks very ill, is unusually drowsy, or is very fussy.
  • Has been in a very hot place, such as an overheated car.
  • Has other symptoms, such as a stiff neck, severe headache, severe sore throat, severe ear pain, an unexplained rash, or repeated vomiting or diarrhea.
  • Has immune system problems, such as sickle cell disease or cancer, or is taking steroids.
  • Has had a seizure.
  • Is younger than 3 months (12 weeks) and has a temperature of 100.4°F (38.0°C) or higher.
  • Fever rises above 104°F (40°C) repeatedly for a child of any age.

“Also call your child’s doctor if

  • Your child still “acts sick” once his fever is brought down.
  • Your child seems to be getting worse.
  • The fever persists for more than 24 hours in a child younger than 2 years.
  • The fever persists for more than 3 days (72 hours) in a child 2 years of age or older.”

Don’t forget:  since a fever is a sign of an illness, do NOT send your child back to school/daycare until his temperature has been under 101 for 24 hours.

Together, we’ll work at keeping your child healthy.

Artwork by Tori

Artwork by Tori

 

© 2013, MBS Writing Services.