Be a PAL to a Friend with Food Allergies

Food allergy occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks a food protein. Ingestion of the offending food may trigger the sudden release of chemicals, including histamine, resulting in symptoms of an allergic reaction. The symptoms may be mild (rashes, hives, itching, swelling, etc.) or severe (trouble breathing, wheezing, loss of consciousness, etc.). A food allergy can be potentially fatal.

According to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, approximately 12 million people in the U.S. have food allergies. That’s one in 25, or 4% of the population. Food allergies are more prevalent among young children – one in 17 under the age of three has food allergies.

Kids who have food allergies need help to keep them safe. The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network encourages you to become a PAL – Protect A Life from Food Allergies. You can be a PAL by:

1. Never taking food allergies lightly. Don’t joke about it, or tease kids who have food allergies. And most importantly – NEVER, NEVER try to trick someone into eating food they’re allergic to.

2. Don’t share food with kids who have food allergies. It may contain something harmful to them.

3. Wash your hands after eating. Beside being a healthy habit – you’ll clean off any food that’s on your hands.

4. Ask what your friends are allergic too and help them avoid it. Reading food labels can be tricky. If there’s a question, it’s better that the child not eat it. Consider celebrating with non-food treats and activities – like games, stickers and other prizes.

5. If a friend becomes ill, get help immediately. Tell an adult immediately if your friend with food allergies starts vomiting, gets a swollen face or lips, has difficulty breathing, starts coughing sneezing or eyes begin to water or their skin gets bumpy, red and itchy. An allergic reaction can happen anytime, anywhere, even several minutes after eating. Always be on the alert.

For more information go to http://www.foodallergy.org/.

Dr. Viren Bavishi
Pediatrician
Meriter Middleton Pediatrics
meriterkids.com

What Every Parent Should Know About Concussions

As a parent, it is exciting to watch your young athlete from the side-lines, making a great catch or kicking a goal. Also, as a parent, safety is always something that is in the back of our minds. One injury I would like to address is a concussion. It has brought recent media attention due to famous athletes or movie stars sustaining an injury to the head. However, it can affect any athlete.

What is a concussion?
A concussion is any injury to the head that potentially affects the function of the brain. It is usually the result of a blow or jolt to the head. However, it is important to know that it can also be secondary to a blow to any part of the body that causes the brain in the head to move back and forth, as per definition from the CDC. It is important to be aware of this because an athlete can sustain a serious concussion without a blow to the head. For example, imagine a hit to the shoulder, causing your head to move back and forth like whip lash.

A CDC study found that among youth ages 5 to 18 years old, the sports and recreation activities that generated the greatest number of emergency department visits for Traumatic Brain Injury were popular activities such as bicycling, football, basketball, playground activities and soccer.

What are some signs of a concussion?
After a blow to the head, talk to your doctor if you have any of the following signs of concussion:

• Headache
• Vision disturbance
• Dizziness
• Loss of balance
• Confusion
• Memory loss (called amnesia)
• Ringing in the ears
• Difficulty concentrating
• Nausea
• Feeling foggy or groggy
• Sensitivity to light or noise

However, some athletes may just say that they “don’t feel right.” This could be a sign of a concussion as well. Remember, you do not need to have loss of consciousness in order to have a concussion. If an athlete has been suspected to have a concussion, they should be evaluated by a physician. Secondly, due to new rules and regulations, the athlete will not be able to play that day and will need medical clearance by a physician in order to return to play for future games.

Recovery and safe return to play:
It is crucial to allow enough healing and recovery time following a concussion to prevent further damage. Research suggests that the effects of repeated concussion are cumulative over time.

Most athletes who experience an initial concussion can recover completely as long as they do not return to contact sports too soon. Following a concussion, there is a period of change in brain function that may last anywhere from 24 hours to 10 days. During this time, the brain may be vulnerable to more severe or permanent injury. If the athlete sustains a second concussion during this time period, the risk of permanent brain injury increases.

I encourage you to visit the CDC Web site to understand more about concussions.

Meriter Pediatrics now offers ImPACT concussion management baseline testing. Think of it as a pre-season physical for the brain!

Dr. Viren Bavishi
Pediatrician
Meriter Middleton Pediatrics
608.417.8388
meriterkids.com

The Importance of Family Time

When I was growing up, my parents always made it a point to sit down and eat dinner as a family. Although like most siblings, my sister and I would often end up arguing or bothering each other, it was our family time to catch up and talk at the end of the day. If I had a good day, it was my chance to share my happiness with my family. If my day wasn't so good, it was my chance to unburden myself at the end of a long day. Sometimes I did not talk, but instead listened. I listened to my sister talk about her plans for the weekend with her friends, or about the teacher who she was sure hated her. I heard about my father’s day at work or about something interesting my mom had heard from her friends. Sometimes, on occasion, I even heard stories from my parents about their childhood.

Flash forward many years later, I have two children, a great wife, and a wonderfully hectic life. Between work and extracurricular activities, we seem to always be on the go. However, despite the occasional craziness, we try to maintain one constant--the family dinner. Of course, due to busy schedules, it isn't always possible for all of us to eat together. So, we've created another family tradition, sharing time before bed. We spend a few minutes before bed talking about what made us happy during our day and what made us feel not so happy. And if there's time, my wife and I take a few minutes to tell family stories, either about our children when they were smaller, or about our own childhoods.

I truly believe that it is important for families to consistently take the time to talk at the end of the day. Families may choose dinner or bedtime, or even some other time that works best for them, but regardless of what they do, the end results is the same--bringing the family closer and bringing security to our children. In fact, studies have suggested that teens that engage in family dinners more than 5 times a week were less likely to engage in smoking, drinking or using drugs, and in fact, performed better in school.

Now being a parent, I completely understand why my parents made this a routine. Times are different now, compared to then, but the need to connect as a family still remains. I'd be interested to hear what "family-time routines" you've started - please leave me a comment on Facebook.

Viren Bavishi, D.O.

Pediatrician

Meriter Pediatrics

2275 Deming Way, Suite 220

Middleton, WI 53562

608.417.8388

meriterkids.com

When April showers bring more than May flowers

Yes, spring is finally here … I always look forward to this season. You can see the grass turn green, flowers starting to bloom. Ah, fresh air. But for some people it may be a season that brings misery. Seasonal allergies are common at this time of the year. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, more than 40 million Americans suffer from indoor/outdoor allergies. Unfortunately, kids can suffer from seasonal allergies as well. In fact, if a parent has allergies, the risk is higher for the child to develop them. I guess my kids can blame my wife and me for theirs.

What are the symptoms? Sneezing, clear nasal discharge and itchy eyes, are typical complaints. Sometimes a pattern of chronic colds may occur at the same time of the year as well. Other complaints may include throat clearing, stuffy nose, itchy nose and throat. In some individuals, a cough may be present. Children with allergies may have dark circles under their eyes, called "allergic shiners." And everyone has seen the classic "allergic salute." My son can demonstrate this very well. (It’s the process of itching or rubbing the nose upward with their palm.) Untreated allergies may also affect a child’s sleep patterns as well, which in turn, may affect their school or sports performance.

Sometimes the symptoms of a cold may be mistaken for allergies and vice versa. But, duration, fevers, color of discharge, as well as other symptoms can be used to differentiate between the two. For example, a fever may accompany a cold, but you would not expect that with seasonal allergies. If you are not certain, my advice would be to discuss this with your child’s doctor.

Treatment:
· Limit the time spent outside or during the peak times of pollen count
· Change clothes and wash your child’s hair after they play outside
· Keep the windows closed, or turn the air conditioner on (assuming it’s warm outside)
· Tree pollen counts may be high early in the morning during spring. During the summer, try to avoid the afternoons or early evening, to avoid grass pollen. Ragweed allergy is prevalent in the fall season and high during midday.

Medications: There are many medications to treat allergies, ranging from over the counter anti-histamines to prescription nasal sprays and medications. I’m certain you have seen the commercials. The variety of medications in the pharmacy can be quite overwhelming. My advice would be to talk to your child's doctor. You want to make certain the symptoms are consistent with seasonal allergies and not any other condition, and you also want to make sure they are age-appropriate. Allergy medications and homeopathic remedies may also have side-effects that can cause drug interaction, serious and dangerous side-effects and cause injury.

I hope that you and your family are able to enjoy this vibrant time of year.

Viren Bavishi, D.O.

Pediatrician

Meriter Pediatrics

2275 Deming Way, Suite 220

Middleton, WI 53562

608.417.8388

meriter.com/pediatrics

To fly or not to fly … with a toddler

A number of years ago, my wife and I decided to take a trip to California with our 22-month old daughter, Sophia. We reserved a hotel, arranged for a rental car, and booked the 4 hour flight to San Diego. Like anyone else, I was looking forward to vacation. I imagined showing Sophia the ocean, visiting the zoo, and just getting away from the every day routine. It was all good until a friend questioned my sanity, saying to me “Flying with a toddler is crazy. She’ll probably cry the whole flight.”

Happy visions of strolling along the beach were replaced with nightmare-ish visions of my daughter screaming the entire flight, or throwing sippy cups and toys at the heads of the passengers in front of us. Determined to get our vacation off to a good start, my wife and I came up with a plan. We made lists of what we needed to bring on the plane and armed ourselves with books, toys, games, food and plenty of diapers.

Finally the day came. Sophia ran from window to window looking at all the airplanes. I boarded first and installed the car seat, and my wife waited until the end to board, letting Sophia burn off a little extra energy. At first, things were great. Sophia sat happily in her car seat, drank some juice and ate cheerios. Then, about an hour in, she got squirmy and we read some books and colored. Two hours in, the fussiness started. We got out the toys and she played happily for a while. About three hours into the flight, we reached the level of desperation and brought out...the finger puppets. Yes, one for each finger. My wife sang songs and I made the finger puppets dance. Sophia laughed and all was right in the world. Of course, she fell asleep just as the pilot started the descent.

Overall, it was a successful flight—minimal ear pain for Sophia, minimal angry looks from fellow passengers (people around us were very nice) and minimal tears. Truly, flying with a child does not have to be stressful, especially if you set realistic expectations and plan ahead.

Here are a few tips on flying with babies and young children:

Dealing with ear pain: Babies and young children may cry in response to the sudden change in cabin pressure, which can cause ear discomfort. Usually this occurs during take-off and landing. The act of sucking, by nursing, bottle feeding, or using a pacifier, may help alleviate some of this pain.

Do not use Benadryl or cough and cold remedies: I often get asked about giving Benadryl or cough and cold medications prior to flying. I usually do not recommend them because 1) they are not approved for children under two years of age and 2) some children actually have the reverse effect and become “hyper.” Also, even if it does make your child sleepy, it may make them more irritable after they wake up. I highly recommend talking with your child’s doctor if you have questions about this.

Separate seat vs. lap child: If at all possible, purchase a seat for your infant or child (children under 2 years of age fly free as a “lap child” on most airlines). You’ll have more room to move, and more importantly, your child will be safer. When turbulence kicks in or an emergency landing takes place, it can be very difficult to keep the child safely in your lap, regardless of how tightly you hold them. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “Preventable injuries and deaths have occurred in children younger than 2 years who were unrestrained in aircraft during survivable crashes and conditions of turbulence.” Also, check with your airlines for discounted seats for infants. You can use a car seat on the airplane. Just make sure that is an FAA approved car seat.

Wait to board the plane: While many airlines allow families with small children to board first, this often means that your child will be sitting in the seat for quite a while before the plane actually departs. If you are flying with another adult, one can board first and get everything settled (including car seat installation), and the second can follow later with the child.

Keeping the seat belt on: For older children who have not flown before who will not be using a car seat, have a few play sessions at home, pretending to be on a flight . Use an old belt, or anything you have that can be buckled. Have a few discussion prior to the trip about the importance of keeping the belt on, and stress that the plane will not take off unless everyone is buckled up.

Be prepared. Flights are often delayed, so bring plenty of food and drinks (check the TSA Web site to see what is allowed), plenty of extra diapers and several changes of clothes (including a spare short for each parent in case of “accidents”). Also, bring familiar and favorite toys or games. While new toys might be a good distraction for older children, babies and younger children often prefer playing with the toys they use everyday.

Allow ample time: The process from checking in your bags to the arriving at your gate may be long. Allow yourself enough time to get through the security screening process as well. If you have older children, it is important to talk about the screening process ahead of time. Their personal belongings such as dolls, toys and games, will be placed under an x-ray screen, but will return to them after they walk through the security screen themselves.

Have realistic expectations: Your child will probably cry at some point during the flight. Accidents and spills may happen. You probably won’t have much time to read that magazine you picked up at the airport. But, with a little preparation and planning, you can make flying a great experience for the whole family!

More than 7 years later, my daughter is a seasoned traveler. She even packs her own carry on bag and entertains herself on flights by reading or drawing. I’ll admit, it’s nice to have some time to myself to catch up on reading during the flight, but there is a part of me that misses the songs and the finger puppets.

Safe travels……
Viren Bavishi, D.O.
Pediatrician
Meriter Pediatrics
2275 Deming Way, Suite 220
Middleton, WI 53562
608.417.8388
meriter.com/pediatrics