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January 2012

There is a science behind "clicking", that magical ability to really connect with another person. Check out our newly revamped blog, www.wefigurekidsout.com for an in depth analysis of the "clicking" phenomenon and if you like the blog, become a subscriber and send our link to your friends and family.

And if you want to hear about how babies learn grammar from the moment they are born or how children really do remember what they learned at 2 years old or how MP3 players put over 25% of teens at risk for early hearing loss, become one of the growing legions of Facebook friends who look to Senders Pediatrics for fun contests, medical tidbits and news you can use.

Flu is coming. Please make sure you and your child are immunized.Things are heating up nationally. 40 states are reporting local influenza activity and there has been a steady increase in the numbers being reported over the past 2 weeks.

Senders Says: Since it takes 2 weeks for full protection from a flu vaccine, please call today to schedule a flu shot for your child. And remember, if you have not yet been vaccinated this year, we are offering flu vaccines to parents as well.

Why we don't use needleless jet injectors for flu vaccine. The FDA recommends that these devices not be used for flu vaccine administration this year because it is unknown if the immunity is the same as when the vaccine is given by a needle.

Senders Says: Our research department has heard that the company that makes the device is accumulating safety and immunity data that, if accepted by the FDA, will possibly make needles a thing of the past. Stay tuned for updates.

Parents shouldn't worry about the shape of their infant's skull. About 13% of newborns (it's even higher with twin births) have some deformity of the head in the first year of life. It is almost always caused by in-utero positioning in a misshapen uterus or because of the decade old policy of placing infants on their back to sleep. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), there is little benefit to the use of helmets ($900-3000) and almost all heads "shape" up by age 3 years.

Senders Says:The back to sleep program has been a huge success with an over 50% drop in the incidence of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) but parents need to be aware of ways to prevent flattening of the skull as a result. 1) Parents should alternate which side their infant head is placed to sleep. 2) There should be 30-60 minutes a day of supervised tummy time 3) Parents should limit the time their child is left in a swing or an infant carrier. .

Taking out a child's adenoids does little to reduce recurrent colds. Children studied for 2 years after adenoidectomy had 7.9 colds/year while those observed with watchful waiting had 7.84 episodes/year.

Senders Says: The analysis also showed no increased incidence of ear infections, days missed from school or day care or health quality of life. Surgery is not always the answer. Using probiotics may, however, reduce the incidence of colds by 30%.

Fever after vaccines is actually good for your child! Infants who mount a fever soon after their vaccination actually sleep longer over the next 24 hours. This suggests that giving Tylenol (acetaminophen) to reduce fever, may actually reduce the immune response as well as reduce the time spent sleeping.

Senders Says: Here is another example of the importance of staying current. For years, we have recommended giving acetaminophen prior to vaccination. In fact, we used to actually give a sample of the medicine to our 2 month olds. For more on the possible down side of acetaminophen, read the next blurb.

There is possibly a strong link between asthma and the use of Tylenol (acetaminophen). Akron Children's Hospital pediatrician, Dr. John McBride, reports that the data connected acetaminophen with asthma is so strong that it is possible that much of the dramatic increase in childhood asthma may be related to the use of acetaminophen. The theory is that acetaminophen increases airway inflammation in patients predisposed to developing asthma. In a study of over 200,000 children, those who took acetaminophen between 1-11 times a year had a 1.6x greater chance of developing asthma and those who took it 12 or more times had a 3.2x greater chance. The prevalence of childhood wheezing in 36 countries around the world can be predicted by each of those countries acetaminophen sales.

Senders Says: The data is so convincing, that we are no longer recommending the routine use of acetaminophen at the time of vaccines (see above) and recommending that patients with asthma or a family history of asthma, use ibuprofen instead for fever and pain.

Does your child have ear tubes? If a child with tubes has drainage, please give us a call. We are conducting a fascinating study of a new combination drop for the twice daily treatment (not 3x/day) of such infections. No blood draws involved. Email Jason at jsoltis@senderspediatrics.comfor more information. 

Giving cranberry juice to kids with a previous urinary tract infection reduces the chance of recurrence. Children in Finland given ½ cup of cranberry juice for 6 months after a first UTI, had 25% fewer recurrences.

Senders Says: Of course, we have to balance the reduction in antibiotics with the potential for dental enamel erosions. It makes sense to use cranberry juice in moderation as an additional tool in the prevention of kidney scarring that comes from recurrent UTIs.