Common childhood ailments
Short answers to questions parents ask us most, with a link to the full article from the American Academy of Pediatrics or the CDC.
What causes allergies?
Children get allergies from coming into contact with allergens. Allergens can be breathed in, eaten, or injected (from stings or medicine), or they can come into contact with the skin.
Read the full article on healthychildren.orgWhat is anemia, and how can I tell if my child is anemic?
Anemia happens when there are not enough red blood cells or hemoglobin to carry oxygen to the other cells in the body. The body’s cells need oxygen to survive.
Read the full article on healthychildren.orgWhen is it an ear infection?
A typical middle ear infection begins with a viral infection, such as a common cold, or with unhealthy bacterial growth. Sometimes the middle ear becomes inflamed and fluid builds up behind the eardrum. In other cases the eustachian tubes, the narrow passages connecting the middle ear to the back of the nose, become swollen.
Read the full article on healthychildren.orgWho gets eczema?
Eczema, also called atopic dermatitis, is a long-lasting skin problem that causes dry, red, itchy skin. It is the most common skin problem pediatric dermatologists treat. About 65% of patients develop symptoms before age 1, and about 90% before age 5. Many babies outgrow it by age 4.
Read the full article on healthychildren.orgReflux (GERD)
Spitting up is sometimes linked to gastroesophageal reflux disease, GERD for short, which is usually a temporary mechanical hitch. When a baby’s stomach is full, or the baby’s position changes suddenly after a feeding, the stomach contents can be pushed back up.
Read the full article on healthychildren.orgWhat is a pinworm?
A pinworm (“threadworm”) is a small, thin, white roundworm that sometimes lives in the colon and rectum. Pinworms are about the length of a staple. While an infected child sleeps, female pinworms leave the intestine and lay eggs on the surrounding skin, which causes itching.
Read the full article on cdc.gov
General information, not a diagnosis. If your child seems unwell, call your office.