Spring is here! The weather is warming up and
flu season is almost over! This is the time of year for sun, fun, and
relaxation. Unfortunately, with the warm weather comes a different group of
illnesses and medical hazards. Dr. Katie Friedman, board certified pediatrician
and co-founder of foreverfreckled.com, is going to help prepare us for the spring months with
a discussion of the common illnesses during these otherwise fun filled months.
Allergies. The reason for the
spike in allergy flare-ups in spring is due to the blooming trees, plants and flowers. Pollen and other
products of nature get carried by the wind and end up in our nose, eyes, and
lungs. When this happens, our immune system reacts to the foreign elements and releases histamine.
Histamine causes swelling and mucus production in the nose, redness and tearing
in the eyes, and itching. More seriously, it can cause wheezing, excess mucus production,
and swelling in the lungs. Make sure you have the tools you need to fight
against allergies including antihistamines, decongestants, combination
antihistamine/decongestants, and cromolyn nasal spray! It is important to plan ahead
of time, especially if your child tends to wheeze. Speak to your doctor about a
plan to fight against allergies before the season starts as it can be stressful
for both you and your child.
Heat
illness. I am already starting to see cases of heat illness in the ER! So,
let's go over them and discuss how to prevent it from happening. Heat cramps are brief, painful muscle cramps in the legs, arms, or abdomen
that may occur during or after exercise in extreme heat. It isn't dangerous but
a painful sign that it is time to hydrate and cool off. Heat exhaustion causes symptoms which
include increased thirst, muscle cramps, nausea or vomiting,
irritability, headache, increase sweating, and fainting. If your child is
having any of these, you need to take them immediately indoors, take off their
clothes, place cool clothes on their body, encourage fluids with salt or sugar
(Gatorade), and call the doctor. Sun poisoning is a sunburn that forms large painful blisters on your body
along with symptoms of fever, chills, nausea, headache, and signs of
dehydration. To prevent these heat illness make sure your child is well
hydrated. They need to be drinking fluids every 30-45 minutes while out in the
hot sun. The best type of fluids are ones that have sugar and salt to
replenish electrolytes. Sunscreen is imperative. Wear a sunscreen that has at least 30
SPF and apply it about 15 to 30 minutes before going out in the sun. Reapply
sunscreen at least every hour and after you have been in the water. Wear protective clothing and limited sun
exposure.
Food poisoning. Bacteria loves warm,
moist environments and therefore the amount of cases of food poisoning
increases significantly during the summer. A quick and easy rule to avoid food
poisoning- hot foods should be kept hot and cold foods should be kept cold. Try
to avoid dishes that have been in the sun for an extended period of time.
Mosquito ticks, and
more. Unfortunately, mosquitoes are not only annoying but can be
extremely dangerous. Mosquito-born infections are usually causes by arbovirus and can
lead to serious illness including Zika Virus,
St. Louis encephalitis, and dengue fever. Although not as common in Florida,
tick-borne infection increases significantly during the spring and summer
months. Lyme disease is popular in the media right now, but Rocky Mountain Spotted
fever, and ehrlichiosis are other infections spread by ticks as well. It is so
important that you make sure your child is not only wearing sunblock but bug spray too. I recommend
using an organic
bug spray as the chemicals used to repel the insects can be strong.
For more important pediatric medical tips and
safety precautions, follow Dr. Friedman at www.foreverfreckled.com
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