Wednesday, January 27, 2010

End of January Office Update

1. Infections going around...
  • RSV: we are seeing LOTS of RSV around. RSV stands for Respiratory Syncytial Virus. It causes fevers for 4-6 days, congestion, cough, and ear infections. It can also cause wheezing in certain kids, and can occasionally lead to pneumonia. It most often affects younger children under age 3, though we have seen it in some toddlers/ preschoolers/ school aged kids as well.
  • Gastroenteritis (the stomach flu): we are seeing lots of kids with vomiting, many with diarrhea as well. In general these are caused by viruses, and do not require antibiotics. It is important to monitor hydration status for these kids. Signs of dehydration include dry lips, lethargy, significantly decreased urine output, and fast heart rates.
  • Influenza: we have not seen much influenza this month. It typically worsens in February and March. We suspect that there will be a resurgence of H1N1 Influenza this winter, so it is still a good idea to get immunized or receive a booster if you have not already done so.
2. Office Information...
  • Walk-ins: we continue to offer walk-ins starting at 830 AM throughout all of January and February. We hope this helps you as we try to provide easy access to us during the difficult winter months.
  • Blog: we will continue to update our blog with information as we have it. Thanks for reading.
Stay warm and stay healthy!
- esp

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Happy New Year 2010!

Happy New Year to everybody! We are sorry we havent posted any info in awhile, but we do plan on providing information here on a monthly basis, so stay tuned!

What we are seeing in the office:
  • we have seen a nice decrease in the amount of H1N1 influenza seen in the area
  • if history holds true, we should start to soon see an increase in Seasonal influenza
  • we have started to see RSV, which is a fever/ runny nose/ cough/ wheezing/ ear infection illness that tends to affect younger children under age 3
  • we are also seeing lots of gastroenteritis, also known as "stomach flu"
Vaccine reminder:
  • we do have H1N1 vaccine, and as a reminder, a second (booster) dose is recommended for all children aged 9 or younger who received the first dose of vaccine
  • the booster should be given 3-6 weeks after the first dose was given
Please stay tuned and stay warm!
We will be providing updated information again soon in the near future!
And... Happy New Year!!!

-esp