Frequently Asked Questions

1. When should I treat a fever and how?
   If your child has a fever and feels listless, just not himself, then we recommend treating with a lukewarm wash cloth, cool fluids, and/or medication such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil).

2. How should I treat a cough?
   A nighttime cough can be helped by elevating the child's head and running a humidifier. If your child has difficulty breathing with a cough, they should be seen by a provider.

3. What is pink eye?
   Pink eye (conjunctivitis) can be caused by an infection in the eye. It can be viral or bacterial. If your child's eye is red and goopy, they may need prescription eye drops.

4. What do I do if my child has diarrhea?
   First, discontinue milk in your child's diet. Replace with water, Pedialyte or Gatorade. Switch to foods such as bananas, applesauce, crackers and/or breads. To protect the skin from breakdown, use a good barrier cream like zinc oxide. If improvement isn't noticed after a few days or blood or mucus is seen in the stool, have your child evaluated.

5. What should I do if my child is vomiting?
   For infants that are breast fed, continue to nurse but in shorter spurts. For infants and toddlers, offer Pedialyte rather than formula or milk. Older children may drink flat clear soda, water, eat popsicles or ice chips. Wait 1 hour from last vomiting episode and then begin with 1 teaspoon every 10 minutes. If the vomiting persists or is green, the child should be evaluated. To check for dehydration, look for drool in the mouth under the tongue. If the mouth is dry, your child may be dehydrated and should be evaluated.

6. When can solid foods be introduced?
   Solid foods can be introduced usually between 4 and 6 months. Start with cereal, then single-ingredient fruits and vegetables. Regular milk should not be given as baby's sole milk source before age 12 month.

7. What is the best product to use for diaper rash?
   Any thick barrier cream is helpful, applied generously with each diaper change. Those that contain zinc oxide (white in color) are especially good barriers.

8. Are antibiotics harmful to my child?
   Antibiotics have potential side effects, such as diarrhea, vomiting, and allergic rashes. Therefore anytime an antibiotic is used, the risks and benefits must be considered. Most childhood illnesses resolve with time and antibiotics should not be used for the common cold. If antibiotics are used frequently, the bacteria present in a child's body may become more difficult to treat and stronger antibiotics may be needed. However, antibiotics do not damage the immune system.

9. What should I know about my infants stooling patterns?
   Breast fed newborns have very soft to liquid green-yellow stools usually 6-8 times a day initially, which may decrease in frequency to one every several days after 6-8 weeks of age. Formula fed infants usually have yellow-green-brown stools that may or may not be more formed. Frequency is usually several times per day initially, then about once a day. Stool appearance and consistency changes with the introduction of solid.

10. How do I treat a bug bite? What is a sign of a problem?
    Bug bites with immediate stinging can be treated with ice. A bee sting should have the stinger removed. Some people react significantly to bee stings and need more aggressive allergy treatment as recommended by their doctor. Mosquitoes cause itching, which can be treated locally with anti-itch creams or antihistamines. Scratching excessively aggravates the local reaction of bug bites and therefore discouraged. Using insect repellents as directed can prevent insect bites.

11. What causes hives? How do I treat them?
    Hives are a skin rash of pink or white irregular-sized welts that itch. They are usually an allergic reaction to something. Just about anything can cause hives including; medicines, food, viruses, and even local irritants. The best treatment is to determine the underlying cause and remove it, if possible. Benadryl or other antihistamines are helpful to control itchiness, but hives often recur when the medication wears off. If the rash is not controllable, develops into purple spots, involves the mouth or lips, results in significant swelling or joint paint, then a doctor should be consulted.