We've posted about this topic before, but thought it was a good time for a reminder. At some time or another, we’re all going to come down with the sniffles, our kids included. Between the runny noses, cough and fevers, it’s tough for parents to know when their child has more than a common cold. But don’t worry. The experts at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital have tips on identifying and preventing more serious ailments.

Bronchiolitis
Bronchiolitis is an infection caused by a virus typically seen in children 2 years of age and younger. Its symptoms include wheezing, coughing and chest congestion, vomiting and a low-grade fever (less than 101 Fahrenheit). A child may take a longer time to eat with the infection.

The most routine care for bronchiolitis is to treat the symptoms. Parents are encouraged to frequently wash their own hands and their child’s hands, keep their child’s nose cleaned out, encourage their child drink more fluids and control fever. Your child may need medicine for wheezing.

Dr. Barry Gilmore, medical director of Emergency Services at Le Bonheur Children’s, says parents should call or see a doctor if your child has difficulty breathing, is unable to eat or drink or has signs of dehydration. Dehydration signs include dry skin, dry mouth, a lack of tears, and lack of wet diapers or use of the potty.

Le Bonheur Children’s recommends parents seek emergency care if the child’s neck, chest or ribs sink deep when breathing, if the child has trouble breathing or stops breathing, turns blue around the mouth or fingernails, has less than three or four wet diapers per day, or has trouble feeding after suctioning the nose.

Bronchiolitis is caused by a number of different viruses, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Respiratory Syncytial Virus
RSV is a common winter virus that attacks the lining of the airways and lungs. Dr. John DeVincenzo, a leading investigator in the treatment of RSV, is based at the Children’s Foundation Research Center at Le Bonheur Children’s. He says the virus infects all age groups, but infants younger than 1 year of age are most severely infected. It is the most common cause of pneumonia in infants and the most common cause of hospitalization in infants. In fact, about 3 percent of all babies younger than 1 year of age are hospitalized for RSV infection.

Early signs of RSV infection are the same as a common cold – runny nose, sneezing and mild cough. However, RSV often turns into a deeper cough and causes difficulty breathing by the second or third day of runny nose.

“It is important to try to avoid RSV infections within the first few months of life and avoiding the infection during the entire first winter season of your child’s life would be best,” DeVincenzo said.

For premature babies and for babies with heart or lung problems, medication can help prevent RSV. For other babies, the only way to prevent RSV is to follow these precautions:

From mid-October through the end of March, DeVincenzo recommends that parents try to ensure infants 6 months or younger aren’t touched by adults and children with colds. RSV doesn’t float through the air, but can be sneezed onto your infant or physically brought to your baby by direct physical contact.

Flu
The flu’s peak season runs from late fall through mid-winter and symptoms usually hit hard and fast. Those include fever, headache, muscle aches, dry cough, sore throat and weakness and fatigue. See our recent post on the flu to learn more.

Summertime means more outside play for kids - and more mosquitoes. If you live in the South, the pesky insects are simply a part of everyday life, however there are things parents can do for their kids to avoid contact with mosquitoes and soothe symptoms when bites occur.

Dr. Barry Gilmore, medical director of Emergency Services at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, provides parents with some reassuring and helpful advice. He also gives some insight into West Nile virus – something parents are certainly concerned about when it comes to their kids. Here’s what he had to say.

“Most insect bites are bothersome and uncomfortable but can be managed with symptomatic care. Occasionally these bites will become infected from bacteria living on the skin causing a more serious condition called cellulitis. This is usually associated with frequent scratching and causes the bite to become increasingly red, warm, swollen and tender. If the bite demonstrates these symptoms, call your pediatrician.

Parents can soothe these symptoms by applying a cold compress to the bite. A good method for doing this can be wrapping a piece of ice in a towel and applying it directly to the bite. An oatmeal bath at the end of the day is also a good treatment option. As far as treatments, Benadryl (Diphenhydramine) cream and Benadryl liquid work well. But parents need to remember not to use both at the same time. If you apply the cream to the bite, you cannot give a dose of the liquid.

Mosquitoes are carriers of West Nile virus (WNV), and there are cases of the virus reported every year. It’s something the health care industry watches very closely. Anyone can be bitten by a mosquito that is infected with WNV. The incubation period for symptoms ranges from about two to eight days. Usually, symptoms are very similar to the flu including chills, fever and weakness. Sometimes a brief rash on the torso will present itself as well. The symptoms usually resolve in about a week to 10 days with most people not experiencing a complications from WNV, or many times, even knowing that they are infected.

Very rarely, kids and adults can develop encephalitis from WNV. Fortunately, this is not common, and parents shouldn’t be overly concerned about this occurrence. However, if your child becomes rapidly ill with excessive sleepiness and severe headaches, please call your pediatrician.

The best advice I have for parents is to keep an approved Deet-containing insect spray with you during outside play. But be careful about using too much on smaller children. Mosquitoes come out around dusk and are more commonly found around bodies of water. Rely on the treatment methods above, and as always, if you have a concern about your child’s health or behavior, call your pediatrician.”

Temperatures have reached near record highs this week in Memphis, and it’s only going to get warmer. Parents need to make sure their kids are staying safe and limiting heat exposure as much as possible.

Heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke, are major concerns in the summer, says Barry Gilmore, MD, medical director of Emergency Services at Le Bonheur. According to Gilmore, multiple factors can contribute to these illnesses in the summertime, including temperature, humidity, sun exposure, wind and clothing. And kids are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses than adults.

“They have a decreased ability to sweat,” says Gilmore. “Kids require a greater core temperature to initiate sweating and are slower to acclimatize to temperature changes. They produce more heat than an adult for the same level of activity.”

He says sweating is important because it regulates the body’s internal temperature. Without perspiring, the body can get too hot.

Many times, kids don’t recognize the signs of too much heat exposure until it’s too late. According to Gilmore, prolonged exposure to heat, certain medications and even caffeinated drinks can contribute to an increased risk of heat-related illness.

To prevent these illnesses, Gilmore says to make sure kids come inside frequently to cool off if they’re playing outdoors. Hydration is key, too, so insist they drink plenty of water. Clothing should be breathable – like cotton, for example – and light weight. If your child has been sick recently, keep him or her inside. Often, children who have been sick are dehydrated.

For many families, our pets are an essential part of everyday life. Walks in the parks, playing fetch and napping around the house are a daily occurrence for our beloved friends. Parents need to be informed and take certain precautions to ensure that the entire family unit is living happily - and most importantly, safely - all under the same roof.

Dr. Barry Gilmore, director of Emergency Services at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, shares some important information about what parents should know about dog bites.

What is the most common reason for a child to be bitten by a dog?
A toddler or small child usually startles the family pet or approaches an unfamiliar animal. Many times, children will approach an older pet or one who is eating or sleeping causing a negative reaction from the animal.

What are some injuries seen resulting from a dog bite?
Puncture wounds to the skin from the animal’s teeth are usually the most common injury seen. Many times, small tears and scrapes are seen as well from the teeth and claws.

Parents should clean the wound immediately with soap, warm water and hydrogen peroxide. Stopping the bleeding and assessing the severity of the wound needs to happen next. This will then determine whether or not a visit to the emergency department or pediatrician’s office is needed. Injuries to the face or hands and ones that are deep or have persistent bleeding need to be evaluated by a doctor. Parents need to ask the doctor if a tetanus shot should be administered after the child is bitten or scratched.

Where do dogs usually bite a child?
Injuries to the face are most common for small children as they are at eye level with the animal. Older children usually have injuries to their lower legs and arms. Other more severe injuries can occur to the eyes, mouth or neck area.

What can parents do for any pain or swelling?
For injuries not requiring medical attention, cold compresses to the skin will reduce the swelling and help with the pain. Motrin or other pain relievers can be given every 4 to 6 hours for children over the age of six months. For children under six months, Infant’s Tylenol can be given. Parents should watch the wound for infection until it has healed completely.

Barry Gilmore, MD, medical director of Emergency Services at Le Bonheur, shares some tips for winter weather safety.

As a general rule of thumb, parents should dress young children and babies in one more layer of clothing than an adult would wear in the same conditions. Kids playing outside should dress in several layers to stay warm and dry.

"Don’t forget boots, gloves, hats and scarves," says Gilmore. "Extremities like fingers, toes, noses and chins are particularly susceptible to developing frostbite."

Signs of frostbite include feelings of numbness, pain or change of skin color. If you suspect frostbite, bring your child indoors and place frostbitten part in warm (not hot water). Water temperature should be no higher than 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not rub the affected area. If numbness continues, call your child’s doctor or seek medical attention.

Gilmore also says to bring children inside frequently to warm up during outdoor play. Prolonged exposure to cold temperatures could cause hypothermia, which occurs more quickly in children than adults. Warning signs include confusion, shivering, slurred speech and sleepiness. If you suspect hypothermia, call 911 and immediately bring your child indoors, remove any wet clothing, and wrap him or her in blankets.

Parents should NOT wrap infants in blankets to sleep. Loose bedding could lead to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). A one-piece, zip-up "sleep sack" is the best way to keep babies warm while sleeping.