Take Home Pediatrics

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

• ADHD medications 💊- no link 🔗🚫 to substance abuse if taken properly

• All Milks 🐄🌾 were not created equal 🥛

• Can one test 🤧🧪 help decrease antibiotic 💊 overuse?

• Personalized 🎯🧬 medication treatment plan means more cancers cured!⚕

ADHD has long been known to be linked to substance abuse. However, parents also worry if starting stimulant ADHD medication will increase risk of substance abuse in the future. A recent study gave us reassuring results. Use of ADHD stimulant medication had NO increased risk for cocaine or methampethamine use later. The misuse of ADHD stimulant medications in adolescents is linked to increased risk of substance abuse. This places a focus on making sure we are monitoring the proper dispensing of the medication by providers and the parents.

ALL milks are not equal. Recent reports show non dairy alternate milks have various levels of calcium, Vitamin D, protein, fats and even sugar. You can pick from soy milk, oat milk, almond milk, hemp milk, coconut milk and much more. How to decide which one? Focus on making sure it is fortified with Vitamin D and Calcium or ensure you are getting it from other food sources. Soy and oat milk have similar protein content as cow’s milk, but again if using another type of milk, make sure you get protein elsewhere. One important fact is to avoid the added sugars in the alternate milks-pick unsweetened alternate! Read the labels, avoid the sweetened milks and incorporate other healthy foods for any lacking vitamins and minerals.

Sinusitis is treated with antibiotics but it looks so much like viral upper respiratory infection that sometimes viruses get treated with antibiotics when not needed. Recent study shows that testing for bacteria with a nasal swab may decrease unnecessary antibiotic use. We test for strep so why not for sinusitis?

Childhood cancers incidence has been increasing in past decade. However, new research may be helping to eliminate it. Researchers are investigating a technique where they take cells from the child’s original tumor, grow it in the lab and then treat with the different drugs. Whichever drug or drug combination eliminates the cancer cell will be the treatment for that child’s cancer. This personalized technique will hopefully bring improved cure rates and decrease side effects from unnecessary medications.

🚨RECALLS AND ALERTS🚨

• Sky Wheel part of Play System

• Treadmill

• Chips

• Liquid Probiotics

Dear Dr. Bhumi, I think my 4 year old has worms- I see thin white strings in his stool but it looks like they are moving! What do I do and why doesn’t he have diarrhea or stomach pains?

Dear Reader, this sounds like a classic case of pinworms. I know it shocks most parents into think how in the world did my child get this! First of all, it’s fairly common, usually doesn’t have many symptoms, and is treatable at home. Children get this from other children. It is spread through transfer of eggs from the infected person (usually on finger and under fingernails) to your child. Other common areas are bathrooms, glasses and utensils, countertops or lunch tables, and toys. Once the eggs are swallowed, the pinworms infest the intestine. It may take 1-2 months to realize your child has the pinworms, either seen in the stool or symptoms of itching occurs. At night, the worm will come to the anal opening and lay eggs. This can cause itching in the area or simply restless sleep. Sometimes, girls can get worms in the vaginal area and will have itching or pain there. The diagnosis is mainly by history and/or visualization of the worms. Treatment is one dose of pyrantel pamoate and repeat in 2 weeks. In addition, when the child is scratching the anal area at night, the eggs will lodge under the nails and child will continue to infect himself when he puts his hands in his mouth. Make sure you keep nails trim, good hand washing, wash all clothes, towels and bedding in hot cycle frequently, and control the itching. Sometimes, your provider may have to give prescription medication called mebendazole and a cream to soothe the anal area. Please see your provider to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment.

NURSEMAIDS ELBOW 🤕🚸🧒

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