Take Home Pediatrics

Here is what's happening in the baby world today:

• Watch that Baby 👶💩 gut🦠bacteria ➡ they might hold the key to predicting juvenile arthritis!

• 🚸🦠😞 Long COVID isn't just for grown-ups - even little superheroes can feel its lingering effects!

• Mom💤🛌sleeps 🔁 Baby sleeps 😴

• 🧠💪💡 Don't fret! A little 💥 to the noggin won't dim your 🌟 brilliance

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) still continues to be an area of unknown for the medical community. Can we predict which children will develop this autoimmune inflammatory disease? Studies have shown that now we may be able to link early gut flora in children to those who are at risk for JIA. History of antibiotic use, increased inflammatory bacteria and decreased “good” bacteria all correlated with higher risk of developing JIA. These studies showed gut evidence at the age of 12 months old with JIA developing average of 12 years later.

Long COVID affects 1 in 5 children. As it continues to still be a mystery of how long the affects last and who gets affected, we see kids with symptoms even three months later. A review of multiple studies showed most common lingering symptoms in kids were sore throat, fatigue, fever, sleep issues and weakness. There continues to be studies underway to better understand long COVID.

Sleep is an important health factor, and now a study shows a correlation between maternal sleep and child’s sleep in the first 2 years. The correlation can go either way: infant wakes up more at night so mom gets less sleep or mom tends to wake up to slightest stir of infant. Most important is creating a consistent routine that will ensure good quality and quantity of sleep which is so important for growth and development.

Concussions are an unfortunate part of youth sports. A recent study reassures us that concussions do not affect the intellectual capabilities of our children. This study followed the children not just 1-2 weeks after the injury but 3 months later. As we reassure our parents and children, please continue safety precautions with sports as these studies did not cover repeated injuries!

🚨RECALLS AND ALERTS🚨

• Crib

• Children’s Cup

• Portable Charger

• Children’s Bicycle

• Mozzarella Sticks

Dear Dr. Bhumi, my children, ages 2 yrs and 4 yrs, are constantly watching TV or the iPad. How do I know if it is OK or should I stop them?

Dear Reader, screen use by children and even adults in the family has become such a hurdle for us. You are not alone in this world of this unknown. It was so easy for pediatricians to say no screens prior to the age of 2 yrs old and then limit to 1-2 hours a day in school age children. Now with iPad, computers, video games all competing for screen time with the television, how do you monitor? Additionally, so much education is on the screen now too. Let’s start by labeling screen use recreational vs. educational. For 18 months old or less, use only video chat to keep in touch with distant family. For 18 months to 2yrs old, limit screen for education purpose only and even then keep it to a minimum and only 10-15 minutes at a time. Children develop and learn much more by human social interaction then learning from a screen- they will get social skills, fine motor skill, gross motor skills and learn emotions and reactions when playing games with an adult or older child. Then from 2-5 yrs, limit screen use to one hour a day. At this age, have screen controls and monitors on devices so you can see what they are doing and also can turn off the device once the limit has been reached. For school age children, limit recreational screen use to 1-2 hours daily and start teaching some screen etiquette- limit use when others are in the room so you can play or interact, no screens at mealtimes, turn off all devices one hour prior to bedtime. Also monitor what your children are watching as there are inappropriate contents available to our children: violence, sexual content, inappropriate or dangerous stunts or tricks, inaccurate information, cyberbullying and predators. Now teen years become more difficult with monitoring the time- how do you really count minutes and hours on Facebook or Instagram throughout the day? This is when you hope all the etiquette you taught them sink in. Also make sure to teach them how to be safe online from predators. Remember most important time for brain and social development is first 5 years, so limit those screen and play and interact with your children. This mean we adults need to learn screen etiquette also! Let’s read books, play outside, play interactive games indoors, talk , play sports or enjoy hobbies together!

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