Pediatricians San Diego

By now you have heard about the new corona virus, the respiratory illness that was first detected in Wuhan, China. Understandably, there is some anxiety about this virus. Here is what you need to know: If you have not traveled to an area where the virus has been detected or had close contact with a person infected with this type of coronavirus, the risk of infection is extremely low. Symptoms include fever AND cough or shortness of breath, occurring 2-14 days after exposure. Because corona virus symptoms are similar to Influenza (flu) symptoms, this is another important reason to get your flu shot if you have not done so already. Prevention includes good hand washing, avoiding people who are sick, staying home when sick, regular disinfection of objects, and covering your cough or sneeze. Learn more about this new corona virus from the California Department of Public Health: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/nCOV2019.aspx The post Coronavirus: what you

With humidity levels so low during our Southern California winters and cold temperatures pushing us to crank up our home and car heaters, children can be susceptible to nosebleeds. Fortunately, they’re not usually serious. Here’s what you need to know. Nosebleed basics • A nosebleed is bleeding from tissues inside the nose (they’re called nasal mucus membranes) caused by a broken blood vessel. • Most nosebleeds in children occur in the front part of the nose close to the nostrils. This part of the nose has many tiny blood vessels which can be damaged easily. • Your child may have pain if the nosebleed is caused by an injury, or sore tissue inside the nose. • Nosebleeds happen more often in dry climates. They occur during the winter, when dry heat in homes and buildings can cause drying, cracking, and crusting inside the nose. Nosebleeds also happen during the summer when it is hot and dry. What causes a nosebleed in a child? Nosebleeds can be caused by many things. Some common c

Winter is the season for coughing…from dry, hacking coughs to those coughs that sound like sea lions barking at Sea World. Here’s the scoop on coughs and when to seek medical attention. What causes a cough? The Common Cold: Colds are viral illnesses that cause mucous production in the upper airway. The cough occurs from post nasal drip of the mucous. They last about 10 days but the cough may linger beyond that. Viral cough:  This is similar to a cold but the lower airway is infected by the virus. This means patients will not have the typical runny nose or congestion that occurs with a cold. Again, this cough can last for weeks. Influenza:  The flu is a severe viral infection that causes fever, body aches, fatigue, headache, sore throat and cough. There is usually less mucous production in the upper airway with the flu compared to a cold. Also, the fever is usually higher compared to the common cold. Pneumonia:  This is probably what parents worry about the most. Pneumonia is not