Patient FAQ

Common illnesses

A.Vomiting and diarrhea (“Gastroenteritis” and " Rotavirus")

Vomiting and diarrhea are very common late winter and early spring illnesses. With the increased use of the vaccine for Rotavirus, such illness should become less frequent and severe. Most children can be treated at home with careful attention to diet. Decreased urination, lethargy, and the failure to adhere to diet therapy in order to control symptoms will cause dehydration requiring IV fluids and hospitalization. Contact us or immediately go to the hospital – we will meet you there.

B. Croup

Croup is a viral infection of the trachea causing a harsh brassy and barky cough. It can cause breathing problems in small children – most noticeable when the child tries to sleep. Newer therapies allow us now to treat most children at home, but severe cases are still hospitalized.

C. RSV

The RSV virus can cause causes runny nose, cough and wheezing in children less than two years of age. Sometimes these symptoms can be severe and require your child to be hospitalized especially if your child under six months of age; and less frequent for children up to 15 months of age. The RSV season starts in mid to late October and continues through April. Some authorities think RSV in infancy can lead to asthma, but that is not a fully established fact. Asthma medications help in RSV only in some patients. The Synagis injection is only approved for a certain group of infants at the highest risk for severe disease.

D. Bronchitis and pneumonia

The most often form of bronchitis or pneumonia is viral or mycoplasmal in origin. Cough and fever, sometimes associated with chills and vomiting are the most common symptoms. Bacterial pneumonia is a very serious disease and may require hospitalization for treatment. Whether you suspect your child to have bronchitis or pneumonia, they should be seen by on of our doctors.

E. Hand-foot-and mouth disease and herpangina

These diseases are often seen in the spring and summer months. Symptoms include a body rash, fever, and sometimes blisters in the mouth and/or throat are seen. They come from the same family of viruses, the enteroviruses. In severe cases, the children will refuse to swallow and become dehydrated. Many cases are mild and require little or no treatment. Hydration and rest are the best medicine as they do not respond to antibiotics.

F. Roseola

This is a mild viral illness, which is characterized by a moderate fever with few other symptoms for 3 days and can then be followed by a rash for 1 to 3 days. It is not a reason to be excluded from daycare or school.

G. Fifth Disease

A mild viral illness also known as “slapped cheeks disease.” The rash starts on the face and is very red; it then fades and a lacy-like rash develops - first on the backs of the arms and tops of the legs, and then spreads over the rest of the body. The rash can come and go for several weeks. The period of contagiousness precedes the onset of the rash. As such, the child is no longer contagious once the rash breaks out or is visible. Although mild, some people are at high risk for complications. These include pregnant women and people with certain blood disorders ( e.g. sickle cell disease).

H. Influenza

The “flu” as it’s more commonly known is actually an annual wintertime, epidemic, which begins as early as November and runs as late as April. Symptoms include: sudden onset of cough, high fever, chill, severe headache, and body aches. The illness can last as long as two weeks before full recovery. Although there are medications to help prevent or shorten the illness, vaccination is the best way to prevent illness. Young children are at high risk for being hospitalized with influenza, and they are also considered the transmitting source of the disease to the elderly (i.e. grandparents taking care of the sick child).