Medical Care | Family Resource

Allergic to Vaccines?

While vaccines for the major childhood diseases have been around for decades, there are still those who can’t be vaccinated. A fair number of people are allergic to the vaccines that modern medical science uses. Actually, it’s not so much that they are allergic to the vaccines themselves, as they are to the liquid that carries the vaccine.

Just as any other allergy, the reaction to these vaccines can range from mild to very serious. You never know in advance who has these sorts of allergies, although there is a genetic inheritance factor in this. In other words, if a parent is allergic to vaccines, there’s about a 25% chance that they’ll have a child who is also allergic. Or, if that couple has four children, one of them will most likely have that allergy.

For people who have these allergies, being vaccinated can be more dangerous than not being vaccinated. So, for those who are allergic, the decision is based upon which is the greatest risk. While the diseases which we vaccinate our children for are serious, the incident of their occurrence in western society is rare. Granted, part of this is due to the vaccines, but another part is that modern medicine and hygiene have largely eliminated these pathogens from our environment.

This isn’t necessarily true in other countries, however. So, if your family travels outside the United States a lot, the risk factors can change drastically. In some cases, it can change so much that the risk of taking the vaccine may be justified, even with a child who has previously shown allergic tendencies to vaccinations.

If you, your spouse, or any of your children have had any symptoms of allergic reactions to any vaccines in the past, be sure to tell your physician. Each and every time that it is time to administer vaccines, make sure they are aware of this history of allergy; that way, an informed decision can be made by you and the doctor about whether to proceed with the vaccination.

Filed Under: Child Care, Medical Care Tagged With: Allergy, Vaccine

What You Need in Your First-Aid-Kit

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Every home that has children is bound to have people getting hurt. It seems that kids attract injuries, or maybe just that kids don’t think about the risks of their actions, and so are more likely to get injured. On top of that, it seems that every family has one child who wants to be the next Evil Knievel. They’re the one who is always trying something daring, thinking that the laws of physics don’t apply to them, and accepting every dare. They’re also the one who gets hurt the most.

When that inevitable injury occurs, no matter how small, super-mom has to instantly change into doctor mom. The question is, are you ready? Is your emergency room fully stocked for whatever boo-boo your kids manage to get? Or, if not your emergency room, how about your first-aid-kit, is it ready?

What do you need to have in your first-aid-kit in order to be ready for those sudden emergencies? Let’s take a look:

Adhesive Bandages – be sure to have an assortment of sizes, and some larger sizes as well. Not all boo-boos can be covered by a little strip. Although more expensive, the flexible bandages last longer.
Alcohol or Hydrogen Peroxide – for cleaning the wound before bandaging it.
Cotton balls or pads – for cleaning the wound and applying disinfectant; you don’t want to use your fingers for this.
Antibiotic Ointment – you need something to put on that cut or scrape, in order to make sure it doesn’t get infected.
Rubber or Plastic Gloves – you may decide to treat your own children’s cuts and scrapes without using gloves, but what about their friends? This is a good item for your safety and protection.
Children’s Pain Reliever – always a good idea; be sure to know the proper dosages.
Muscle Cream – aching muscles happen too; it’s a good idea to have something for them.
Last but not least – a good supply of lollipops. That’s the best medicine for a crying child.

Now you’re ready for action, bring on the injuries, doctor mom is on duty.

Filed Under: Medical Care Tagged With: Analgesic, First aid kit

What Should Be In Your First Aid Kit

In case of emergency dial 911.What if there is not an emergency, but kisses will not do the trick? You would turn to your trusty first aid kit. The same kit that you have not looked at in months, and to be honest, cannot really remember if there is even a band-aid in it. If this is you, then it is a good thing you decided to read on. Having a first-aid kit in your home can be really beneficial, and when you have those little emergencies, that kit can bring about a lot of piece of mind. You are also in luck, today’s kits are intended to be light weight, and very portable, which means that you do not have to worry about lugging around a huge amount of products for the sake of piece of mind.

First on the list of what you should have in your kit is none other than antiseptic wash. If you bandage something without cleaning it first, you will be sealing in bacteria, and other infectious causing particles. The best type is an extremely inexpensive saline wash that is small and costs about $.60. Once you have cleaned that scrape or wound you will be ready to bandage. This means band-aids, or bandages. For this you should consider purchasing bandages that are second skin sealant. This means that after you wash the affected area, you can bandage, and nothing is getting between the bandage because of the seal that it provides. If the wound is deep enough, consider using some type of antibiotic topical treatment. This would be like Neosporin, or even a generic. Next would be gauge, then tape, and a pair of small scissors. If you are unsure about what a kit should contain, or how to use all the products in the kit, you can always visit your local Red Cross, and they will explain what you need to know.

Filed Under: Medical Care Tagged With: First aid kit, Neosporin

Healthy Homeopathic Options

There are so many over the counter drugs these days that are intended to help one ailment or another, but really, nature has already provided the answer. The help aid comes in the form of a recipe, or an herb, and the answers to many common health issues for children can be found in your own backyard depending on where you live. For instance, if your child has chronic colds, and you live in the desert, look into fresh creosote. Creosote, which can also be found in many health food stores, is a great natural decongestant and expectorant. The beneficial part of using homeopathic medications is there they are much safer to use, and are intended to be used by children.

Another great gift from nature is garlic. Garlic is one of nature’s greatest antibiotics. This means sinus infections, ear infections, or any other type of illness that would normally require prescribed antibiotics, can be cut off at the pass. By having garlic as part of your regular diet, or with garlic pills, you and your children can avoid many of the bacterial illnesses that can ruin a good day.

Are you feeling ginger today? Ginger root is nature’s pain killer. Mix some ginger root, garlic, and some cinnamon, nature’s other antibiotic, into a nice tea, and your cold, sinus pain, or tonsil pain are gone in a flash. Mix with some honey, and now your natural cure is great tasting too. Since honey is completely sterile, and sugar free, you do not have to worry about it bringing your immune system down. Many people do not realize that sugar can actually help make you sicker because it brings down the effectiveness of your body’s natural defenses. Stick with all natural remedies, and you will feel a big difference in the way your body responds, and to way it is able to naturally protect itself from illnesses.

Filed Under: Medical Care Tagged With: Alternative medicine

Food Allergies

Many children suffer from food allergies and many of the types of allergies that children have are very serious. For instance, a peanut allergy is a progressive allergy. This means that the allergic response gets worse with every occurrence. For example, if the first allergic response involves a hard time breathing, hives, or discoloration of the skin, the second and third responses will have the same type of events, but just at an increasingly stronger magnitude. Especially with peanut allergies, the affects of the allergic response can be get to the point that touching a peanut can cause a sever reaction.

Another intense food allergy is with shellfish. Many children that have this allergy usually react with anaphylactic shock. This is the where the body can not fight off the histamine in the fish, and begins to swell. The areas that have touched the fish are the areas that begin to swell. This means that the throat, mouth, tongue, and lips swell. With anaphylactic shock, the swelling can begin immediately, and unless there is immediate intervention, can be extremely harmful. This allergy is much like a peanut allergy, in that is can worsen with each event. However, this allergy does not worsen with the same speed like that of a peanut allergy. Peanut allergies can take only two or three events to become at is fullest reactionary stage. With shellfish, this can take years.

All food allergies are serious, and should be taken very seriously by those that are around, and care for your child. It is recommended that a bracelet be worn by your child, identifying the allergies that are present. It is also imperative that you notify their schools about the condition, so that your child can remain protected. This includes not allowing certain snacks or foods in the classroom by other students, and separating your child from others at lunch to make sure every precaution is taken.

Filed Under: Child Care, Expert Advice, Medical Care Tagged With: Allergy, Peanut allergy

Treating Burns In The Home

Burns are a common event. Whether they are sun burns, slight heat burns, from say a light bulb, or sever burns from fire. Most can be handled at home with basic first aid. The point of handling a burn at home with first aid to try and prevent the burn from spreading. When skin burns, the cells transport the heat, thus allowing the burn to essentially spread and damage surrounding cells. By providing first aid right away, the continuation of that cycle declines significantly, eliminating more possible injury.

There are some basic steps to take when handling a burn. There are also some serious “don’t's” when handling a burn as well. For instance, you never want to place ice directly onto the site of the injury. Hypothermia is the burning of skin cells through freezing. Burning essentially means destruction of the cell. By placing ice directly on the burn site, you are continuing the damage, just with the opposite element. Cool water is best. Run cool water over the site, as soon as humanly possible. Quick action can be the difference between blisters and weeks of discomfort. Another fast acting help aid is aloe vera.

Some people have a plant in their home for burns, and this plant help soothe sun burns and second degree burns. While it is not the most aesthetically pleasing plant to look at, it is very hardy, can handle being mistreated; so if you don’thave a green thumb, you do not need to worry. When your child, or someone in your home receives a burn, just break off a piece of the plant, and rub the sticky juice inside all over the burn. The aloe has a cooling affect, strong moisturizers, and a pain killing element. This is why so many skin care products have aloe vera as a main ingredient. By having the plant in your home, you will have an extreme concentration ready when you need it.

Filed Under: Medical Care Tagged With: Burn, Skin

Common Childhood Ailments

Children are always going to have little ailments that come along during their lifeteimes. The common is the sniffles, colds, tummy aches, and ear aches. These are very normal things to deal with, but it is a parents role to figure out if these ailments are symptomatic of a more serious condition. For instance, if your child has the sniffles, the mucus is clear, there is no fever, but your child is very tired, chances are it is just allergies. This is a quick fix with antihistamines, or with treatment with herbal remedies such as teas or homeopathic drops. The key factor is fever. If fever is not present, then the best thing to do for your child is to help keep their sinuses clear, allow them to rest, and pamper them for a little while. Pampering goes a long way to helping your child feel like they feel better.

Ear aches are another common occurrance. In fact, many ear aches come after the sniffles have developed. There are couple of causes for ear aches, and one of them is that mucus is backing up in the sinuses

Filed Under: Child Care, Medical Care Tagged With: Common cold, Fever

The Importance Of Vaccinations

Vaccinations are vital for your child’s health. There are many childhood diseases thought to nearly disappeared because of important vaccinations. Some of the primary ones that children receive are for measles, mumps, and rubella. These diseases are sometimes fatal, but usually their lasting affects later in life are the true end result. Measles, for instance, can be miserable for a child to endure, but depending on the severity, can cause sterility. Mumps can cause problems with hearing, and sterility. Rubella can cause most harm to pregnant women, who contract the disease from infected children. The disease can lead to late term miscarriage.

These are only a handful of the diseases that children are vaccinated for, and because there is a blanket approach to vaccinating young children, many of these diseases are nearly extinct in the United States. However, there are those that are afraid to have their children vaccinated. There was a case report where a doctor misrepresented his finding for a completely unrelated phenomenon to the use of vaccinations. Since that report was released, many of these diseases are making their way back into our children’s lives. The doctors research was clarified, and it was found to produce false results. The outcome of this was that millions of children are susceptible to diseases that up until a decade ago, were thought to be eliminated in western culture.

Vaccinations are an important step in ensuring that our children are able to have happy, productive lives, without the threat of long term affects from a preventable disease. By taking care of your children, it protects countless others around them, including family and friends. Counties have health departments that offer free vaccinations once a month. Contact your local Health Department if you are interested in learning more about the offerings and education on available vaccinations.

Filed Under: Expert Advice, Medical Care Tagged With: Rubella, Vaccination

Seasonal Allergies

Many children deal with allergies, whether it is seasonal or year-round. There are things that you can do that can alleviate some of the culprits of seasonal allergies. For instance, many homes in the summer have swamp coolers, also known as water coolers, or vented window units depending on your area. These machines hold dust, mold, mites, and pump the room they are in with allergy causing air particles. The best way to curb this is by making sure there are clean filters in the units, and that they have been kept in a clean place, or winterized with as much seal as possible.

During the winter, many allergies pop-up because the house becomes a petri dish of allergens. How do you handle this? Open the windows a few times, and air out the house. Disenfect handles, door knobs, the bathroom, and other areas where there is a lot of touching, and maybe not enough washing. This will help. The other consideration that you could make during this time of year, is by replacing your child’s pillows. Pillows and matresses hold epithelials. These are skin cells that sluff off during the night. These cells accumulate, and actually hold onto viruses, and cause allergy related issues. This is especially important since your child can be inhaling these old dirty cells in their sleep because of close contact. Having a matress cover can also significantly cut down on the amount of allergens that a mattress can hold.

During the Spring and Summer, make sure your children bath at least once a day, and preferably before bedtime. Many allergens from this time of year include pollen, and other naturally sticky materials. When your child bathes they are washing off those sneeze causing pollens. This will also prevent the pollen from making its way to your childs bed, where it can stay, causing allergies to worsen.

Filed Under: Expert Advice, Medical Care Tagged With: Allergen, Allergy

Diagnosing an Allergy

When your child has an allergic reaction to something, the first step is figuring out what caused the reaction so that you can keep it from happening again. Different types of allergies have different symptoms, so by analyzing these symptoms you can narrow down the cause.

Hay fever is one of the most common allergies. It’s caused by a reaction to certain plant pollens and is characterized by runny nose, sneezing, and red itchy eyes. More severe reactions can include hives (red itchy bumps or welts on the skin) and dark circles under the eyes, called allergic shiners.

Other respiratory allergies that cause similar symptoms are allergies to pet dander, dust mites, or mold. Typically hay fever is seasonal in nature, getting better or worse as the weather changes, while indoor allergies are constant year-round.

If your child has an itchy red rash but no other allergy symptoms, and the rash remains over several days or develops blisters, it’s caused by a reaction to a poison plant – most commonly poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac. All of these plants contain a chemical called urushiol that causes an allergic reaction when it touches the skin.

A respiratory-type reaction combined with swelling around the mouth, vomiting and/or diarrhea is probably a food allergy. Common causes of food allergy are nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, and certain types of fish or shellfish

Narrowing Down the Cause

Hay fever occurring in the spring is usually caused by tree pollen; summer hay fever is caused by grass; and autumn hay fever is caused by ragweed or sometimes fungus spores. Indoor allergies can be tough to diagnose and are best dealt with as a group; talk to your doctor about how to reduce indoor allergens. To identify a food allergy you may need to ask your doctor to do blood tests or scratch tests on your child.

Filed Under: Expert Advice, Medical Care Tagged With: Allergy