#pediatric vaccinations

[news-buzz]

Covid-19 boosters could keep thousands of kids out of hospitals, but uptake remains low

CNN  —  Higher Covid-19 vaccination rates among US children could prevent thousands of pediatric hospitalizations and millions of missed school days, according to an analysis published Tuesday by the Commonwealth Fund and the Yale School of Public Health. If school-age children were vaccinated with the updated Covid-19 booster shot at the same rate that they were vaccinated against flu last…

[joga-blog]

BEST PEDIATRIC SPECIALIST IN VIJAYAWADA

Dr K. Siva Kumar: Trusted pediatric care and neonatal specialist offering comprehensive medical attention for infants, children, and adolescents. From routine check-ups to specialized treatments, ensure your child's health and well-being with expert care.

[teachingrounds]

Q. Do you recognize this rash?

A. Measles (rubeola) is an infectious disease caused by a single-stranded Paramyxoviridae RNA virus. After infection, the virus incubates for ~10 days. First come fever, congestion, conjunctivitis, and a highly infectious "barking" cough that spreads respiratory droplets. 3-4 days later a rash appears. All symptoms intensify for 3-4 days and then resolve. Late winter and spring is prime time for measles infections.

Source: Craft, Fox, Goldsmith, "Measles in Child"; image from Wellcome Collection

[gumjrop]

Pediatric pneumonia cases requiring hospitalization are up 30% in Central Virginia.

While not a cause for panic, it does call for caution.

Christopher Doern, M.D., director of microbiology at VCU Health, said the initial investigations suggest that this rise in hospitalizations may be because of an increase in rhinovirus and enterovirus.

“The last time we saw this phenomenon was in 2014 during the EVD68 outbreak,” Doern said. “I don't have any speculation as to why this is only being observed in Central Virginia and would be surprised if it doesn't soon disseminate to the rest of the region and beyond.”

David Marcello, M.D., chief of pediatric hospital medicine, answers some key questions about the spike in pneumonia cases and the type of care being provided at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU.

What might be causing this current rise in pediatric pneumonia?

In addition to increased Mycoplasma infections (atypical bacterial pneumonia), community acquired bacterial infections, we’re also seeing a spike in rhinovirus/enterovirus infections. These are two types of the many respiratory viral infections that typically rise this time of year with back to school, weather changes and increased pollen counts. It may be that there’s a new strain of rhinovirus or enterovirus that is more virulent than in the past, something that occurs every 6-10 years. We know viral infections can also lead to bacterial pneumonias (typical or atypical).

What care is your team providing for children in the hospital with pneumonia?

These children are provided supportive care in the hospital, which varies depending on their specific symptoms and needs. It may include hydration via IV or by mouth, or oral hydration via nasogastric tube (tube from nose to stomach) for children who can’t take liquids by mouth. Oral is always preferred, especially now with the shortage of IV fluids due to Hurricane Helene storm damage. They may also receive oxygen through a nasal cannula, mask or in very severe cases a ventilator (with a tube from the mouth into the breathing passages).

Antibiotics are an important component of care if a bacterial infection is suspected. We’ll also give steroids and albuterol to patients who experience an asthma attack in addition to their pneumonia.

Do you expect that this will improve or get worse in the coming weeks?

It’s likely to worsen with pollen and mold counts rising, colder weather keeping everyone inside and the holidays bringing people together. Asthma is triggered by infection and cold weather, so we often see patients with asthma needing extra care this time of year as well.

When should families seek medical care for children’s respiratory symptoms?

Not all cases of respiratory illness require care in a medical setting. That said, if you notice any of the following symptoms, we urge you to check with the pediatrician if possible or bring your child to the emergency room:

High fever (higher than 100.4˚F for infants younger than 3 months, or higher than 102.2˚F in children older than 3 months) that lasts more than 2-3 days despite Tylenol and/or Motrin

Inability to drink liquids or vomiting so much that they’re not urinating regularly (fewer than three wet diapers per day in an infant, using the bathroom less than once per day in older children)

Dry lips or mouth

Working hard to breathe/catch their breath (seeing their ribs with each breath, belly breathing more than usual, gasping for air, inability to speak if they’re typically verbal)

If your child has asthma, cough with wheezing, needing more than four breathing treatments per day, and working hard to breathe with no response to breathing treatments would all warrant medical assessment and care.

Should families try any care at home for respiratory symptoms before seeking medical treatment?

For mild symptoms, we encourage lots of liquids and Tylenol or Motrin for pain relief. Honey can help decrease cough but should only be given to children over 1 year of age (there’s a risk of botulism in little ones with immature digestive tracts). Children with asthma should follow their asthma action plan instructions.

If symptoms begin to cause concern, seek medical care right away.

What are the best ways to protect ourselves and our kids from getting sick?

Infection prevention measures are essential, including:

Washing your and your child's hands

Staying home and away from others until symptoms are improving and there is no fever for 24 hours without the assistance of fever-reducing medication

Getting the flu vaccine (now is the time to get the vaccine and start building immunity)

Staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines

Getting all childhood vaccines on schedule

Wearing a mask if tolerated, especially if you have a weakened immune system or are recovering from illness

A version of this story was originally published by Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU

[broadlyepi]

MMWR Booster #34:  Routine Vaccination Coverage — Worldwide, 2021, Weekly

Top 5 Takeaways

Global Decline in Routine Vaccinations: The estimated global coverage for key vaccines, including the three-dose diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine (DTPcv3) and the first dose of the measles-containing vaccine (MCV1), dropped to 81% in 2021, marking the lowest levels since 2008.

Increased Number of Unvaccinated Children: In 2021, approximately 25.0 million children were either unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated, a significant increase from 19.1 million in 2019.

Regional Disparities: The decline in vaccination coverage was most pronounced in the South-East Asia Region, with notable decreases also in the Americas.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic: Disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have severely impacted routine immunization services globally.

Need for Context-Specific Strategies: Recovery and enhancement of immunization programs are vital, requiring targeted approaches to address gaps and improve access across different life stages.

Full summary link: BroadlyEpi.com

Enjoying these summaries? Check back every day at 8am and 4pm Pacific Time (UTC - 8) for a new MMWR Booster. A reblog would also be greatly appreciated, and thanks to everyone who already has! BroadlyEpi hopes to make Epidemiology and Public Health more approachable to anyone who's interested.

[intrainingdoc]

New on in-House, poetry by pediatric resident physician Holly Ingram, MD, MPH.

"Shots at two months

are Hep B part two,

But Rota, Hib, DTaP,

pneumo and polio are new."

https://in-housestaff.org/pediatric-vaccine-schedule-2023

[bluewindfall]

3 good things

Had an intern meeting, so we gave each other flu shots while doing immunization passoff this year :) The intern I gave a shot to said I was really gentle?? I feel like she was just being nice XD

Was driving home today, and the sunshine was super pretty

Got a little bit of a pep talk for applying to residencies :)

[derinthescarletpescatarian]

wait, Derin how did your leaving make the hospital shut down?

I used to work as a live-in nanny for a pediatrician.

Now, the thing about hospitals in my country is that they are massively understaffed and massively underfunded. This is especially true outside the major cities. The staff are worked to the bone and receive little to no help in things like finding accommodation or childcare, making working in rural areas a very uninviting prospect; staff come out here, get lumped with the work of three people (because there's nobody else to do it), burn out under the workload and leave, meaning that those remaining have even more work because that person is gone. It's unsustainable and the medical staff are doing their best to sustain it, because people die if they don't, so to the higher-ups it looks like everything's getting done and therefore everything is fine.

My friend (and boss) worked one week on, one week off, swapping out with another pediatrician. This was necessary because it would not be physically possible for one person to handle the workload for longer periods of time. The one single pediatrician had to hold up the entire pediatrics ward, which was not only the only public hospital pediatrics ward in our town, but also the one that served all the towns around us for a few hours' drive in all directions. I regularly saw her go to work sick, aching, tired, or with a debilitating 'I can barely make words or see' level migraine, because if she took a day off, twenty children didn't get healthcare that day, and some of these kids' appointments were scheduled weeks in advance. She'd work long hours in the day and then be called in a couple of times overnight for an hour or two at a time (she was on-call at night too, because somebody had to be), and then go in the next day. Sometimes she would be forced to take a day off because she physically could not stay awake for longer than a few minutes at a time, meaning she couldn't drive to work.

Cue my niece's second birthday coming up in Melbourne. I'd been working for her for about 3 years, and she (and the hospital) had plenty of advance warning that I (and therefore she) needed one (1) Friday off. That's fine, we'll find someone to work that Friday, the hospital said. Right up until the last week where they're like "oh, we can't find a replacement; you can come in, can't you?"

No, she tells them; I don't have anyone to watch my kid that day.

Oh, surely you can hire a babysitter for this one day, they say. Think of the children! We really really need you to work that day. I know we said it'd be fine but we need you now, there's no one else to do it.

There are no other babysitters, she told them. Unless you can find one?

That's not our responsibility, they said.

But I'm not changing my plans, she's got plans by now as well, the hospital knew about this one day weeks in advance, and with absolutely no reserve staff they're forced to reschedule all pediatrics appointments for that Friday. Not a huge deal, it happens on the 'physically too overworked to get out of bed' days too. I go to Melbourne, she goes back to her home in Adelaide for her recovery week, all should be on track.

My niece gives me Covid.

This was way back in the first wave of the pandemic, and there were no Covid vaccines yet. The rules were isolate, mask up, hope. I had Covid in the house, and it would've been madness for my friend and her toddler to come back into the Covid house instead of staying in Adelaide. There was absolutely no way that a pediatrician could live with someone in quarantine due to Covid and go to work in the hospital with sick children every day. And no support existed for finding another babysitter, or temporary accommodation, so the hospital was down a pediatrician.

The other pediatrician wasn't available to do a three-week stint. They were also trapped in Adelaide on their well-earned week off.

Meaning that the only major pediatrics ward within a several-hour radius had no pediatricians. They had to shut down and send all urgent cases to Adelaide for the week. To the complete absence of surprise of any of the doctors or nurses; of course this would happen, this was bound to happen, it presumably keeps happening. But probably to the surprise of the higher-ups. After all, the hospital was doing fine, right? Of course all the staff were complaining of overwork and a lack of resources in every meeting, but they could always be fobbed off with the promise of more help sometime in the future; the work was mostly getting done, so the issue couldn't be too urgent.

It's not like some nanny who doesn't even work for the hospital could go out of town for a weekend for the first time in three years, and get the only public pediatrics ward in the area shut down for a week.

[ankurhospital]

Pediatric OPD vaccination in ghansoli

[bommagoni]

Pediatric Vaccine Market Size, Trends, Share, Growth, Analysis

[hospitalamar]

Finding the Right Children’s Doctor in Punjab for Your Child's Health

Choosing a doctor for your child is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as a parent. At Amar Hospital in Punjab, we understand the unique health needs of children, and we’re committed to providing exceptional care that parents can trust. Our children doctors in Punjab are specially trained to manage the health of infants, children, and adolescents, ensuring that your little ones receive the best possible medical attention.

From the moment your baby is born, regular check-ups are crucial for monitoring growth and development. These visits help ensure that your child is hitting important milestones, and they provide an opportunity for parents to ask questions about nutrition, vaccinations, and general health concerns. Our pediatricians are not only experts in diagnosing and treating illnesses but also in providing guidance for a healthy lifestyle.

As your child grows, they may face various health issues, from common colds and allergies to more complex conditions like asthma or ADHD. Our children’s doctors in Punjab approach each case with empathy and understanding. We know that children may feel anxious about visiting the doctor, so we strive to create a warm and welcoming environment to help them feel at ease.

At Amar Hospital, we also emphasize preventive care. Regular vaccinations are essential for protecting your child from serious illnesses. Our pediatricians will ensure your child receives all necessary vaccinations on schedule. We believe that keeping your child healthy is a partnership between the doctor, the child, and the parents, and we’re here to support you every step of the way.

[teachingrounds]

Q. Where in the world is there measles?

A. It's not just the United States: the United Kingdom, the Philippines, and Austria (among other countries) are experiencing measles outbreaks.

[drashwinikarale]

Boosting Your Child's Immunity: Tips for a Healthy Start

A child’s immunity plays a crucial role in their overall well-being, enabling them to fend off infections and grow healthy and strong. As a parent, ensuring your child has a robust immune system can set the foundation for lifelong health. At Dr Ashwini Karale's Kids Clinic, a trusted children's clinic in Baner, we aim to help parents understand the key factors contributing to boosting immunity, starting from early childhood. Here are some vital tips that can help strengthen your child’s immune system for a healthy start in life.

Breastfeeding for Natural Immunity

Breast milk is often referred to as the "first vaccine" because it contains antibodies that protect infants from infections. Colostrum, the initial milk produced by the mother, is packed with immunoglobulins that help build a newborn's immune system. Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life is highly recommended by pediatricians, including Dr. Ashwini Karale, to provide a strong foundation for your baby’s health.

Balanced Nutrition for Immune Support

Nutrition plays a pivotal role in boosting immunity. A diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants helps your child's body develop a defense system that can fight off infections. Focus on providing a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Vitamin C-rich foods like oranges, strawberries, and broccoli, along with zinc-rich foods like nuts and seeds, are known to boost immune function.

If you're unsure about whether your child is receiving adequate nutrition, consider scheduling a child development assessment in Baner with Dr. Karale. Her clinic provides comprehensive health check-ups to ensure your child’s nutritional and developmental needs are being met.

Regular Physical Activity

Physical activity is vital for building a strong immune system. Exercise helps promote healthy circulation, allowing immune cells to move freely through the body and perform their protective functions. Encourage your children to engage in at least one hour of active play every day, whether it’s outdoor sports, cycling, or simply running around the park.

At Dr. Ashwini Karale's Children Clinic in Baner, we often advise parents on the importance of balancing screen time with physical play to ensure children develop not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too.

Adequate Sleep

Sleep is a powerful ally when it comes to boosting immunity. During sleep, the body produces cytokines—proteins that help fight infections and inflammation. A lack of sleep can impair the production of these vital proteins, making your child more susceptible to illnesses. Ensuring your child gets the recommended amount of sleep (10-14 hours, depending on their age) will keep their immune system in top shape.

If you notice behavioral issues or problems with concentration due to poor sleep, a visit to Dr. Karale’s clinic can help identify any underlying health concerns and guide you on improving your child’s sleep patterns.

Vaccinations: A Critical Tool

Vaccinations are one of the most effective ways to strengthen your child’s immune system. Vaccines work by preparing the immune system to recognize and fight specific pathogens, reducing the risk of potentially serious infections. At Dr. Ashwini Karale's Kids Clinic, we follow a comprehensive immunization schedule that ensures your child is protected against common diseases.

Parents can discuss their child’s vaccination needs and understand the importance of timely immunizations during a child development assessment.

Minimizing Stress and Encouraging Emotional Well-being

Children are sensitive to stress, and emotional well-being is often overlooked when considering physical health. Chronic stress can weaken the immune system, making children more vulnerable to illnesses. Encouraging open communication, providing a stable and loving environment, and teaching children relaxation techniques can go a long way in reducing stress levels.

Dr. Karale’s clinic also focuses on holistic approaches to child health, offering guidance on both physical and emotional development to ensure a well-rounded approach to your child’s care.

Conclusion

Boosting your child's immunity is essential for giving them a healthy start in life. By focusing on breastfeeding, proper nutrition, regular exercise, sufficient sleep, timely vaccinations, and emotional well-being, you can equip your child with the tools they need to grow strong and healthy. For personalized guidance, you can visit Dr. Ashwini Karale's Children Clinic in Baner, where comprehensive services like child development assessments in Baner are available to ensure your child’s developmental milestones are met, and their health is on track.

Give your child the best start with expert care and support. Schedule a visit today!

[healthcarehubhh]

Pediatric Vaccines - Ensuring Healthy Development of the Future Generation

Early childhood is a crucial period for children's overall development. Ensuring robust health during these formative years lays the foundation for long-term well-being and success. Medical experts widely agree that regularly scheduled pediatric vaccinations play a key role in safeguarding children's health. Vaccines help prevent dangerous, even life-threatening diseases during a time when young immune systems are still developing. Pediatric vaccination has been demonstrated to significantly reduce both individual risk of infection as well as community spread. By sparing children from illnesses, vaccines protect them from preventable suffering and allow healthy minds and bodies to reach their full potential. Recommended Vaccine Schedule The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) creates the recommended pediatric vaccine schedule which is updated based on ongoing research and disease trends. Strict adherence to this schedule maximizes vaccine effectiveness while minimizing clinic visits. The schedule outlines recommended ages, dosing intervals, and number of doses needed to provide adequate protection. For example, the rotavirus vaccine requires two or three doses at 2, 4, and 6 months of age. The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine requires four doses at 2, 4, 6, and 12 to 15 months. Sticking closely to this schedule trains young bodies to safely build immunity without over-stimulating immune systems or risks of vaccine-preventable diseases. Importance of Timely Vaccination Delaying or spreading out vaccines provides no benefit and can significantly increase health risks. Young immune systems are primed to learn via regularly spaced exposures. Staggering doses leads to missing windows of opportunity and allows diseases more chances to spread in under-vaccinated communities. Furthermore, some diseases like pertussis are most severe in very young infants who may not be fully protected before first exposures if vaccination is not timely. Vaccine schedules are designed based on balancing benefits of individual and community immunity. Adhering faithfully protects not only one's own child but the vulnerable including newborns too young to be fully vaccinated. Public health depends on high overall vaccination rates which require commitment to timely vaccination. Impact of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Thanks to vaccination programs, many infectious diseases that routinely harmed children in past generations have been virtually eliminated in the United States. Nevertheless, the diseases themselves have not disappeared and can circulate again if vaccination rates drop. While most people today have little personal experience with the severity of vaccine-preventable illnesses, the potential impact should not be underestimated. Diseases like diphtheria, polio, measles, and pertussis can cause permanent disabilities or prove fatal, especially among vulnerable populations of infants and immune-compromised children. Maintaining sufficient population immunity through pediatric vaccination significantly reduces occurrences and barriers to future outbreaks, preventing needless suffering. At the same time, continued disease control saves healthcare costs which ultimately benefit businesses. Societal and Economic Importance of Vaccination Programs Robust pediatric vaccination programs provide extensive financial, social, and public health benefits far beyond just preventing cases of childhood disease. A 2019 study in the Journal Pediatrics estimated the total savings of routine vaccination for a single birth cohort would exceed $400 billion. This includes $69 billion saved in direct medical costs and $374 billion from indirect benefits such as lives saved, suffering avoided, and increased economic productivity through education and healthier, longer lives.