Ear Infections
Secondhand Smoke Robs Vitamin C from Children
Children exposed to the most cigarette smoke have the lowest levels of vitamin C in their blood - regardless of how much fruit and vegetables they eat or the vitamins they take - according to a study …
Cotton Swabs and Ear Performations
I heard from a reader about an extremely common practice that most of us have been warned never to do: My wife was cleaning our three-year old daughter's ear with a cotton swab. She turned into the sw…
Ear Infections and Pacifier Use
We've known now for several years that discontinuing the use of a pacifier can reduce ear infections in children. A study published in the September 2000 issue of Pediatrics looked at the effect of si…
Dangers of Parental Smoking
Dr. Greene's take on parental smoking... (hint: don't do it!) A study in the August 2000 issue of the Archives of Disease in Childhood found that parents who smoke increase the risk of meningococcal m…
Earaches and Ear Infections
Dr. Greene on the difference between earaches and ear infections... Dear Dr. Greene, My name is Sharine, and our 5 year old son seems to get alot of ear infections. I'm just wondering if you can tell …
Ear Infections – Predicting Them! Preventing Them?
No one has fun when babies' ears are in pain. Testing a baby's cord blood for levels of maternal antibodies to pneumococcal bacteria can predict the frequency of ear infections. Information presented …
Prevnar Vaccine Available to Prevent Ear and Sinus Infections
Antibiotic-resistant pneumococcal infections have become a major health problem. In 2000, the FDA approved Prevnar, a vaccine that provides protection against 13 types of pneumococcal infections ? the…
How Secondhand Smoke Affects Children
The Great American Smokeout is the American Cancer Society's call to stop smoking. We all know that smoking leads to serious health problems for adults, but many people just don't get that being in a …
No Parents Want Their Children to Need Surgery…
...and there are certainly ways to prevent it! Children go under general anesthesia more often for ear tubes than any other reason. A study in the August 1999 Pediatric News ( 33(6):15, 1999) found th…
Cold Or Flu? How To Tell The Difference
Dr. Greene's take on how to distinguish: cold or flu? The symptoms we get during a viral illness are often the body's attempt to get rid of the virus and to minimize damage. Sneezing ejects the virus …
Fast Facts about Meningitis
Bacterial meningitis can occur at any age, but 95 percent of cases are in children under 5 years old. Boys are more likely to get it than girls. (more…)…
Fast Facts about Febrile Seizures
Some children have seizures or convulsions when they have fevers. Febrile seizures occur in 3% to 5% of otherwise healthy children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years. Toddlers are the most commo…
Fast Facts about Septra
Septra and Bactrim are both brand names for a combination antibiotic called trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. (more…)…
Fast Facts about Ear Infections
Since ear infections are the most common diagnosis in pediatrics, it is worthwhile for a parent to learn to become a Sherlock Holmes -- able to notice the clues and suspect an ear infection before it …
Does This Child Have An Ear Infection? – Case 1
A ten-month-old girl, who had been sleeping through the night, has now been waking up each night for one week. She pulls herself to standing in the crib, and rubs her right ear. She calms quickly when…
Does This Child Have An Ear Infection? – Case 2
A seven-month-old boy has had a cold for three days. Last night he woke up screaming, and remained irritable for several minutes even when he was picked up. He felt hot to the touch. This morning, he …