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  • New Recommendations for Treatment of Ear Infections

    One of the most common illnesses in U.S. children is acute otitis media (AOM), which is a type of ear infection when the middle ear becomes infected. This type of ear infection is the most common condition for which antibiotics are prescribed for U.S. children. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has recently updated its recommendations to physicians taking care of uncomplicated ear infections in children ages 6 months to 12 years. This new clinical practice guideline will be published in the March 2013 Pediatrics journal. These new guidelines help provide a more specific and stringent definition of a middle ear infection, pain management guidelines, recommendations for initial observation versus immediate antibiotic therapy, and preventive measures.

    What is an ear infection?

    Usually, a child will get an upper respiratory infection or a cold, and the middle ear can become inflamed. Fluid may build up and become trapped in the middle part of the ear during an acute illness. The tube that helps drain fluid from the middle ear to the back of the nose is called the Eustachian tube, and this tube is smaller and more horizontal in children as compared to an adult’s. So when a child becomes ill with a cold, it is more difficult for this fluid to drain out and bacteria can possibly grow in this fluid that is trapped behind your child’s eardrum.

    How do I know if my child has an ear infection?

    Symptoms of an ear infection may include: Fever Headache Difficulty sleeping Difficulty hearing Crying more than usual Fluid draining from the earThese symptoms may be difficult to detect. If your child has a cold and any of the above symptoms, your doctor will be able to use an instrument called an otoscope to look at your child’s ear drums to diagnose an ear infection.

    If my child has an ear infection, do I need a prescription for antibiotics from my doctor?

    The surprising answer is that your child may not always need antibiotics for an ear infection. In treating non-severe ear infections, less may actually be more because our body’s immune systems can usually handle and take care of ear infections on its own. Studies have shown that children with ear infections usually report similar symptoms after about ten days, whether or not they received or did not receive antibiotics.

  • Even After School Starts, Don’t Forget Sun Safety!

    This article was written in conjunction with Robert Hedrick, MD, pediatric medical resident at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children.

  • ​​Concussions in Babies and Toddlers: What You Need To Know

    At some point, every kid bumps their head — sometimes harder than others. While most of these accidents are minor, all head injuries should be monitored for signs of a concussion, which could get worse without timely and appropriate care. 

  • Keep your (and your child's) head in the game

    As parents, we often like to encourage our kids to play sports. There are many valuable skills to be learned through sports: improved hand and eye coordination, teamwork and sportsmanship, just to name a few. And, of course, sports are also fun!

  • In parenting, the season of giving lasts all year

    Most mornings I drag myself out of bed to the sound of a 2-year-old yelling, “Eat! Eat! Eat, Momma, Eat!” from her crib. So, I get breakfast for her as fast as humanly possible to avoid the emotional breakdown that is sure to follow if food is not immediately available.

  • Sensory carts at Arnold Palmer Hospital help reduce stimulation for children on the autism spectrum.

    For any child, a visit to the Emergency Department (ED) can bring on a sudden increase in anxiety. However, for a patient on the autism spectrum, the

  • Is an alternative vaccination schedule better for your child?

    This post was originally posted in November 2014

  • 15 Tips for Helping Your Child With ADHD

    If your child has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (commonly referred to as ADHD), you already know how much this developmental difference can affect a child’s everyday functioning. Coping with this challenge brings with it a huge learning curve for the whole family. Your child’s differences in behavior, learning and attention can affect everything from the amount of time it takes him to get dressed in the morning to how well she makes and keeps friends to his ability to succeed in the classroom.

  • When Mother’s Day brings sadness along with joy

    My mom died seven years ago. We were very close. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about her about a hundred times. To be honest, I miss her more than words can even express. As a result of this, Mother’s Day is always a strange day for me. I am a mom, but I don’t have a Mom anymore. Year after year, my Mother’s Days are filled with sentimental joy when I read my son’s homemade cards and aches of sorrow when all I want to do is be able to call my own Mom and tell her I love her.

  • How to care for your newborn’s umbilical cord

    So you’ve brought your newborn bundle of joy home from the hospital- now what? In your sleep-deprived, brimming with love (and exhaustion) state of mind, you’re probably realizing right about now that you have a lot more questions about how to care for your baby than you realized. You may already have your pediatrician’s phone number on speed dial, and that’s okay! The responsibility of caring for a newborn is challenging for everyone, and it is completely normal to feel a little bit overwhelmed as you’re thrust into this new world of parenthood.