A paper chart is the tried-and-true method to track your child’s immunizations. However, if you’re an iPhone addict like me, you may be looking for an app to help you keep track of your family’s shots.
Here are the iPhone apps I found and considered:
Baby Care Log
What it does: Gives you a place to record milestones and advice from your baby’s doctor, as well as track height, weight, feeding schedules, vaccinations. Information can be emailed.
Reviews: 1½ stars - Weight doesn’t record ounces. As we all know, babies come in pounds and ounces.
Cost: 99 cents
Child Vaccine Record
What it does: Tracks vaccinations in an easy-to-read chart. Also lets you record height/weight over time and food, drug and environmental allergies.
Reviews: 2½ stars - Company doesn’t provide any contact information on its Web site. This said to me they don’t stand behind their product.
Cost: $4.99
Health n Family
What it does: Tracks doctor’s appointment, vaccinations, prescriptions and medical records.
Reviews: 5 stars - Sometimes requires lots of typing. Phone numbers can be hard to read. Some users reported lots of bugs in the app.
Cost: $4.99
iBaby
What it does: Tracks vaccines, breastfeeding schedules, doctor visits, height/weight and important milestones.
Reviews: 2½ stars – Doesn't yet have enough reviews.
Cost: $3.99
ImmunoTrak
What it does: Tracks the entire family’s vaccinations. Provides alerts for upcoming vaccinations. Links to your doctor’s contact information.
Reviews: 4 stars - See below.
Cost: $1.99
Total Baby
What it does: Tracks sleeping and eating schedules, vaccinations, activities and appointments for up to six kids. Includes timers to record feeding and sleeping times.
Reviews: 3 stars - Information can be printed only in HTML format.
Cost: $7.99
Which one did I choose?
Drum roll…ImmunoTrak. Here’s my review on the iPhone app store:
"ImmunoTrak makes it easy to add your family members, and it’s easy to see at a glance which vaccines that person has. However, it doesn’t list lots of vaccines that adults might get, and there’s no place to add vaccines or make notes. Also, you can only list two flu vaccine dates. For people who get one every year, that’s not helpful.
However, if an upgrade makes it possible to add vaccines, I’d give this app a 3½ to 4. If they also added a spot to track when I’ve gotten tested for TB and also let me track our pet vaccinations, I’d give it a 5!"
What I learned
ImmunoTrak only cost $1.99, but I wouldn’t buy it again. I’d probably go with one of the apps with more reviews, even if it provided more functions than I need.
One bit of advice: Many of the iPhone apps for immunization and vaccine tracking have been developed for health care professionals or are simple reproductions of the Center for Disease Control vaccine schedule. If you want true functionality, you'll have to read the reviews.
Tell us: Have you tried an electronic method for tracking your family's vaccines? What's worked for you?
Image courtesy of Apple.
Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital’s program to treat pediatric kidney disorders ranked 18th among the top 20 in U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Children’s Hospitals” 2009 survey. This is the first time the program appeared on the list.
The program is staffed by pediatric nephrologists from the University of Texas Medical School - Houston, the teaching partner of Children’s Memorial Hermann.
Nephrologists are doctors who specialize in treating kidney disease.
Memorial Hermann’s program includes a children’s dialysis unit that provides acute or chronic hemodialysis and/or peritoneal dialysis to children from birth to 21 years old. Nephrology nurses in this unit are specially trained to work with neonatal and pediatric patients.
If you're a work-at-home parent, summer can be a particularly tough time for balancing client time and kid play time. Guest contributor Tamara Rice offers these tips to help you and your kids get the most out of this special time.
The big kid swap. Trade kids with a friend.
Here’s how this one works. You figure out which of your friends has kids that get along best with yours–or maybe just which of your kids’ friends you can tolerate the best. Then you arrange a swap. Once a week you have all the kids for about 5 hours. Once a week, they have all the kids for about 5 hours. And you know what this means–5 hours of a quiet house. If your kids are old enough and play well together, the five hours all the kids are at your house might be productive as well.
Give in. Change your work schedule.
If you’re used to working during days, this might be a tough switch, but summer only comes once a year. Temporarily, work minimally during the day and seriously at night. Spend time with your kids while they’re young enough to want to be with you. After dinner, put in a great movie and you can get back to work. If your spouse has weekends off, maybe you should start working weekends. It’s not ideal, but it’s short term. Say it together: They are only young once.
Consider day camp or hired help. For their sake and yours.
If playdates, kid swaps, and working nights won’t cut it this summer, think about hiring temporary help. Get a trusted teenager who will babysit the kids right in your backyard a few hours a day (for much less than the cost of daycare).
Or, if you can , send your kids to day camps and summer camps. They’ll have fun and you can make money while they are gone. Sometimes you need to make a choice, and sometimes you paying for science camp is a better option than you screaming at them every 20 minutes: “Quiet! I’m on the phone!”
Reprinted at HealthyHoustonKids courtesy of Tamara Rice and ODesk.
Need a summer science camp? Check out the Houston Health Museum's remaining classes for kids.
Houston’s Museum of Health and Medical Science -- also known as the Health Museum -- is a great place for kids (and their parents) to have fun while they learn about the human body.
This week, Houston Healthy Kids spent three hours at the museum. That’s how long it took for Conrad, 13, and Marshall, 10 (watch their review below) to tour the exhibits.
Current exhibits include:
- Planet YOU: What’s inside that body of yours? How will you look when you’re 70? What do smoking and obesity do to your body?
- Facing Mars: U.S. premiere of this exhibit shows what happens to the body in outer space.
- Amazing Body Pavilion
- 3D film about cells
This Thursday, July 30, the museum will stay open until 7 p.m.
I can’t imagine you need another reason to stop smoking, but if you’re still not convinced, here’s a good one. Second-hand smoke can make a child’s asthma worse and harder to treat.
Dr. Harold Farber, a Houston pediatric pulmonologist (that’s a children’s lung specialist) at Baylor College of Medicine and associate medical director of the Texas Children's Health Plan at Texas Children's Hospital, says exposure to smoke can trigger asthma attacks in children and make asthma medicine not work as effectively.
"Cigarette smoke – in first-, second- and third-hand forms – poses a serious threat to your child's asthma,” he says. "The most important thing a parent who smokes can do for their child with asthma is to get treatment for his or her own tobacco addiction.”
Smoke causes inflammation
The American Lung Association estimates about 7 million children in the United States have asthma. As many as 1 million of them are being made even sicker by exposure to smoke.
Asthma, a chronic condition of the respiratory system, occurs when inflammation of the breathing tubes in the lungs irritates the muscle surrounding them.
Besides smoking, other asthma triggers include:
- Strong chemicals
- Infections (colds, viruses)
- Allergens (animals, dust, pollens, mold)
Medicine is less effective
When children with asthma are exposed to smoke, asthma medicine doesn’t work as well. And asthma attacks may be more severe, Farber says.
"Our best medications are inhaled steroids that go down the breathing tubes and tell the breathing tubes to 'chill out, act like you don't have asthma,'" he says. "Smoking irritates the breathing tubes and reduces the benefit of this important asthma control medicine."
Help your child breathe easier
If your child has asthma and you or someone in your family is a smoker, Farber says it’s very important to stop. Talk to your doctor about quitting.
For more information about how you can live smoke-free:
- Call the free national smoker's help line at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669)
- Visit the National Cancer Institute’s Web site
Tell us: Does someone in your family smoke around your child, even though you’ve asked him or her to stop?
Jellyfish aren’t jelly, and they’re not even fish. But they sure can sting and ruin a fun day on the beach.
Hundreds of people along the Gulf Coast get stung by jellyfish every summer. Most have just minor problems, but some have allergic reactions or complications. Of the stings reported each year, about half are in children ages 6 to 19.
How do you keep your kids safe at the beach?
When it comes to jellyfish, the best offense is a good defense. Consider these tips:
- Teach your kids how to recognize and avoid jellyfish.
- Look for jellyfish before swimming in or walking along the ocean.
- Don't touch dead jellyfish lying on the beach. Their stingers are probably still active.
- Watch for blue flags on the beach that signal jellyfish danger.
Drs. Sally Robinson and Keith Bly, pediatricians at UTMB in Galveston, give these suggestions for how to treat a jellyfish sting:
- Pack a small container of vinegar, some gauze pads, a small can of shaving cream and a disposable razor in your family’s beach bag.
- Make a compress with the vinegar and gauze pads and apply it for up to 30 minutes. This helps prevent the stinger from releasing toxins.
- Don’t rub or try to pull the tentacles off until after the vinegar treatment.
- Don’t use fresh water to wash off the small cysts. This causes them to release toxins.
- After 30 minutes, remove the compress and put some shaving cream on the spot. Gently shave the area to remove the stingers.
- Splash the skin with salt water.
- Make a paste of water and unseasoned meat tenderizer. Apply this to the sting.
- Don't press the skin.
- Use regular vinegar or a solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water to help ease pain.
What does an allergic reaction to a jellyfish sting look like?
While treating your child's sting, always watch for an allergic reaction. Get immediate emergency medical treatment if your child:
- Has swollen lips or tongue
- Develops a new rash or hives
- Is faint
- Has trouble breathing
Tell us: Have you or your child ever been stung by a jellyfish? What did you do?
Raise a healthy child
Sponsored by: Harris County Public Library
When: Aug. 17, 2009, 6:30 p.m.
Location: Library meeting room
For more information: 713-466-4438
When: Aug. 22, 2009, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sponsored by: Houston's Outbreak Ministries of Windsor UMC Church
Location: 6011 West Orem, Houston, TX 77045
For more information: www.youthoutbreaklive.com or call 713-723-8187.
Update: Garages 11, 12 and 16, those closest to Texas Children’s, now have the new payment machines that work much faster than the old ones. Final testing was finished Sept. 20, says Jim Heisler, of Texas Children's facilities planning and development department.
The coins are supposed to eliminate the problematic paper tickets, which frequently jammed the former pay station machines or didn't work due to magnetic stripe defects.
A visit last week to the Medical Center proved the hype correct. The new machines work much faster than the old ones.
Plus, you can still pay at the machines located on each floor of the parking garages, but the new system also allows you to pay by credit card as you exit. No wandering multiple floors of the parking garage looking for a machine in service!
The Texas Medical Center (TMC) reports it's about half-way through replacing all the old machines. Garages 1 and 2, those that service The Methodist Hospital and St. Luke’s will be upgraded in July and August. Garages 11, 12 and 16, those closest to Texas Children’s, are scheduled for September.
Garage 7, which serves St. Luke’s and Memorial Hermann is rumored to be upgraded already. (Can any readers verify this?)
TMC says its 5-day visitor pass will be replaced with a 5-day chip available for purchase at the pay machines. You'll also be able to purchase a chip that allows multiple visits over non-consecutive days. No word on whether these new chips are available for purchase yet.
This is truly good news for Houston families who have to visit TMC institutions frequently.
Tell us: Have you used the new chip system yet? What do you think? Have you been able to buy one of the new passes?
To get the most out of your baby's car seat inspection, follow this checklist:
- Bring the child who sits in the car seat you are having checked. This helps the inspector make sure the seat fits your child properly.
- Allow approximately 20 minutes per car seat checked.
- Make sure the seat belts and buckles in the back seat work.
- Be sure your vehicle’s owner manual is in the glove box. If the inspector has any problems checking your installation, this may help diagnose the problem.
- Clean out your car’s floor and seats so you and the inspector can easily find the seat belts and buckles.
- If you have leather seats, bring some non-slip rubber shelf liner to put under the car seat. This may help prevent the car seat from sliding around.
Free car seat inspections are available by appointment at several sites around the Houston area.
These services are very popular so always call ahead to make a reservation! And, be sure to call if you must cancel or reschedule so another person can take your place.
Tomorrow's blog: Things to do before your car seat safety check
AVANCE Early Head Start
Address: Park Temple Baptist Church, 4027 Irvington, Houston, TX 77009
Days/Hours: 2nd Thursday each month, 1 to 4 p.m.
Appointments: 713-812-0033
Baybrook/Friendswood – Babies Babies ‘R Us (beginning August 2009)
Address: 18182 Gulf Freeway, Friendswood TX 77546
Hours: First Tuesday of the month, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Phone: 281-990-9390
Baytown Police Department
Address: 1308 Apache Trail, Baytown, TX 77521
Hours: Monday-Friday, by appointment
Phone: 281-420-6622
Community Family Centers
Address: 7524 Avenue E, Houston, TX 77011
Days/Hours: Call for schedule
Appointments: 713-923-2316, ext. 256
Cypress Creek EMS
Address: 16650 Sugar Pine Lane, Houston, TX 77090
Days/Hours: By appointment only.
Appointments: 281-440-9650
Friendswood Police Department
Address: 1600 Whitaker, Friendswood, TX 77546-4177
Days/Hours: Twice a month, in the evenings
Appointments: 281-996-3316
Galleria – Babies Babies ‘R Us (beginning August 2009)
Address: 6145 Westheimer, Houston TX 77057
Days/Hours: Second Thursday of the month, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Appointments: 713-576-7039
Harris Co. Sheriff's Dept. Community Services
Address: 9111 Eastex Freeway, Suite 300, Houston, TX 77093
Days/Hours: When available
Appointments: 713-759-9454
Harris Co. Sheriff's Dept., District I & II Store Front
Address: 7614 Fallbrook, Houston, TX 77086 (Hwy. 249 & Aldine)
Days/Hours: When available
Appointments: 281-537-9492
Harris Co. Sheriff's Dept., District III Store Front
Address: 610 S. Main, Highlands, TX 77562
Days/Hours: When available
Appointments: 281-843-4047
Hollister – Babies Babies ‘R Us (beginning August 2009)
Address: 5770 Hollister St., Houston TX 77040
Days/Hours: Fourth Tuesday of the month, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Appointments: 713-460-9966
Katy – Babies Babies ‘R Us (beginning August 2009)
Address: 20280 Katy Freeway, Katy TX 77449
Days/Hours: Third Wednesday of the month, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Appointments: 281-829-1000
Monument Chevrolet
Address: 3940 Pasadena Fwy (at Beltway 8), Pasadena, TX 77503
Days/Hours: Second Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Appointments: 713-580-1726
ProSalud
Address: 7000 SW Freeway (Hwy 59 S), Houston, TX 77074
Days/Hours: Second and fourth Wednesdays of each month
Appointments: 832-524-8429, 713-665-3103 or 832-567-2121
Sugar Land – Babies ‘R Us
Address: 15555 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land TX 77478
Days/Hours: 2nd Wednesday of the month, 9 .am. to 2 p.m.
Appointments: 281-980-9595
Texas Children's Center for Childhood Injury Prevention
Address: 7400 Fannin, Houston, TX 77054, Parking garage, 5th floor
Days/Hours: Tuesday mornings, by appointment only
Appointments: 832-828-1318
Texas Department of Public Safety
10110 Northwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77092
Hours: Monday-Friday, By Appointment
Appointments: 281-517-1337
Tree of Life Lutheran Church (Montgomery County)
Address: 3201 Loop 336 West, Conroe TX 77305
Days/Hours: One Thursday each month, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Appointments: 936-539-9530
Tell us: Do you know of another place to get your car seats checked? Email us at HealthyHoustonKids at gmail dot com.
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center will host "Anti-Cancer: Explore a New Way of Life" on July 22, 6 p.m.
Attendees will learn how to start a science-based diet that lowers cancer risk, how stress can impact cancer, benefits of exercise and how to reduce exposure to environmental toxins.
Register for this event at publiced@mdanderson.org or call 713-745-0749.
Got a new baby and not sure what to do? What’s normal? Join the All About Moms support group at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands and find out.
All About Moms is for new mothers and their babies who are between birth and 9 months old. The group meets from 10 to 11:30 a.m. every Monday morning in the Parent Education Center, Classrooms B/C, 9250 Pinecroft, The Woodlands, TX 77380. Call Jackie Stiernagle at 281.364.5896 for details.
Editor's note: Here's a roundup of some of this week's health-related news stories you may have missed.
Friends, neighbors come together to help Kingwood family
Post-Divorce Hospital Rankings: And the winner is .... Methodist
Hospital marks milestone of dream project
Swine Flu Is Confirmed in 67 Cadets at the Air Force Academy
Illnesses Afflict Homes With a Criminal Past
The Stress of Autism
Parenting multiples isn’t just a matter of taking a single-child formula and multiplying by X. If you are pregnant with or already a parent of infants, toddlers or school-age multiples, The Woodlands, Mothers of Multiples chapter is a support group for you.
The group meets at 7 p.m. the first Monday of every month at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands, Resource Center Classrooms, 1st floor, 9250 Pinecroft, The Woodlands, TX 77380.
They also host playgroups and social outings.
Learn more at their Web site.
There’s an urban legend floating around that once a child starts kindergarten, except for an annual flu shot, he is done with immunizations.
In all honesty, while never having to hear one of my kids complain about getting a shot or deal with the dramatic tears that follow would be great, I know they need vaccinations until they leave for college.
Plus, Texas now requires all 7th graders get meningitis vaccines before the start of the school year.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s immunization schedule recommends several vaccines for tweens and teens (PDF).
One of those is the MCV4 (meningococcal conjugate vaccine) that protects against four of the five meningitis bugs that most often infect this age group. The vaccine works in 75 to 85 percent of the four strains of meningitis, and lasts from 3 to 5 years. The CDC recommends your child get the MCV4 between 11 and 12 years old.
While the MCV4 vaccine is not as well known as the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), chicken pox or flu vaccines, it does get a lot of media attention when a case of bacterial meningitis spreads through a middle school, high school or college dorm.
Does my teen need a meningitis vaccine?
Bacterial meningitis leads to death in 10 to 15 percent of those who get it. Earlier outbreaks caused many states, including Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Virginia, to require college students living in dorms to get the MCV4. Even if a state doesn’t require the MCV4 vaccine, many colleges now require it for students living on campus.
Rice University and University of Houston don't require the MCV4 but do encourage students to get it. Both provide the vaccine upon request.
One last bit of advice: When you make an appointment for your tween or teen to be vaccinated with MCV4, make sure the doctor’s office knows why you are coming. Not all offices keep all vaccines on hand, and they may have to special order the MCV4 to have it for your appointment. You don’t want to have to schedule a return visit!
For more information
Another great place to learn about immunizations for tweens and teens is through www.vaccinesforteens.net, which is sponsored by the NBA, the WNBA, the Society for Adolescent Medicine and Sanofi Pasteur.
There are many places in Houston to get free vaccinations for your tween or teen before school starts.
Sources: National Meningitis Association, CDC, Texas Department of State Health Services
By Heather Wiederhoeft
Editor's note: See our new page Free/Cheap Shots for Houston Children to find out where to find free and low-cost vaccines for your child this month.
No matter what part of town you live in, there’s a place nearby to get your child's immunizations. Some places even offer free vaccinations.
Here are a few possible locations for kids' shots -- in addition to their regular pediatrician’s office, of course:
- Baylor Teen Clinics (six locations) – free for ages 13-21
- City of Houston Health Centers (nine locations)
- Troubleshooters Immunization Program (locations throughout Houston such as day care centers, Medicaid offices, pre-schools and public events)
Generally, for a child to get immunizations, a parent must be present and have the child’s shot record. The Baylor Teen Clinic is completely confidential for teens.
When you choose a location, call ahead to make sure they have the vaccines your child needs. Not all vaccines may be carried throughout the year or in all locations.
Other HealthyHoustonKids articles on immunization:
Tweens, teens need vaccines, too
January 2010 cheap shots for kids
Child drownings in Texas reached a record 30 deaths in June, and 13 children have died in Houston.
Most of these children drowned in backyard, community and apartment pools. Many of them were toddlers who happened to wander into the water or who were being watched by older children.
Toddlers' natural curiosity is endearing, but it can put them in danger, especially around water. Protect your little ones this summer with a few simple safety tips.
Pay attention
Parents need to keep a close watch, both physically and mentally, to prevent toddler drownings, says Dr. Rohit Shenoi, assistant professor of pediatrics – emergency medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital.
"By far, the most common cause of drowning is lack of supervision," Shenoi says.
Shenoi suggests these additional tips to keep toddlers safe in and around water:
- Stay alert and attentive when children are in the pool.
- Keep your toddler within arm’s reach at all times. Be sure he is close enough to touch.
- Don’t rely on floating devices like “water wings,” floaties, noodles, etc. Shenoi says they’re likely to come off or slip away.
- Check pool drains. Be sure the pool has two unblockable drains to prevent a child or a body part from becoming stuck.
- Don’t let your guard up just because your child can swim or is taking swimming lessons. "Knowing how to swim is always good, but in a dangerous situation it may not keep the child's head above water," Shenoi says.
- Fence the pool with a four-sided fence at least 4-feet tall with self-closing latch and gate.
- It’s best if the pool does not open into the house. It’s too easy for a child to open the door and stumble into the pool.
After you’ve taken all these precautions, relax and have fun.
"A big part of your child's summer fun may be time spent at the pool," Shenoi says. "You can enjoy this time together by helping to teach him safe behaviors while keeping an eye on him."
Sources: Baylor College of Medicine, Chron.com
ATVs – or all-terrain vehicles – can be great fun for kids. But they can also be extremely dangerous if you don’t follow a few safety tips.
Dr. James McCarthy, an assistant professor of emergency medicine at the UT Medical School at Houston and medical director of the Emergency Center at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, says many accidents could be prevented if kids followed some basic ATV safety rules.
Respect their power
“ATVs are vehicles – not toys,” said McCarthy, whose ER has treated multiple ATV accident victims already this summer. “All-terrain vehicles need to be driven responsibly. Alcohol and ATVs definitely do not mix."
Here are a few ATV safety tips:
- All riders should wear protective gear, especially good helmets.
- Don't let your kids wear hand-me-down helmets meant for adults. Give them proper fitting, DOT-approved motorcycle helmets in good condition.
- Be sure all drivers stick to designated trails.
- Children should drive child-sized ATVS, not adult-sized ATVs.
- Supervise children at all time, and don't drink while you're supervising
- Young children should not drive ATVs at all. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, says that means any child under 12.
The ATV Safety Institute says to first seriously consider whether your child is old enough, big enough and mature enough to handle an ATV. Their Web site provides a Readiness Checklist to help you evaluate if your child is ready for an ATV.
Teach kids to check that the parking gear is set before they try to mount. Then they can put one foot on a footrest and swing the other foot over to the other footrest – like getting on a horse or bicycle.
Ride it right
Believe it or not, proper posture helps a rider control the ATV and provides maximum safety. So, teach your kids to ride:
- Head up, eyes looking ahead
- Shoulders relaxed, back straight
- Elbows bent, slightly out and way from the body
- Hands on the handlebars
- Feet on the footrests, toes straight ahead
- Knees tucked in
Sources: University of Texas Health Science Center, ATV Safety Institute, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
Tell us: Do you let your kids drive ATVs? How old are they?
Still need a camp or two to fill out your kid’s summer schedule? Houston’s Health Museum still has openings for a variety of week-long health-oriented camps for children ages 5-7, 8-10 and 11-13.
The Mini Medical School camps offer kids a great chance to see if they might be interested in a medical career and Super Sleuths explores forensic science. Other camps teach kids about human anatomy and how organs work, sports medicine, and about food chemistry and healthy eating.
Registration costs $225-$335 per camp, with after-camp care available. Remaining classes include:
July 20-24
Edible Explorations
Savory Science
Mini Medical School I
Week of July 27-31
Science of Sports
The Body Shop
Mini Medical School II
Week of August 3-7
Itty Bitty Bodies
Camp Da Vinci
Scout Merit Badge
Week of August 10-14
Super Sleuths: CSI
Super Sleuths: Forensic Scientist
Mini Medical School I
Week of August 17-21
The Body Shop
Mission to Mars
Mini Medical School II
Learn more and to register online at The Health Museum.
Tell us: Share your ideas for a health-related summer activity for kids!
Tamiflu can help children with chronic diseases fight the flu bug, and that may be important news if a flu pandemic occurs this fall.
Houston expert Dr. Pedro Piedra recently published research that shows children with chronic health conditions benefit from the flu-fighting drug oseltamivir, known as Tamiflu. Doctors must prescribe it quickly – as soon as they suspect the child has influenza.
"This study demonstrates that those individuals who have underlying medical conditions and thereby are at greater risk from complications from influenza benefit significantly from the use of Tamiflu early in their disease process," said Piedra.
Who is at risk?
Children with certain chronic conditions can be especially vulnerable to the flu and its complications such as pneumonia, ear infection and hospitalization. These include asthma, chronic lung disease of prematurity, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, diabetes, seizures, cancer, HIV, neuromuscular disease, congenital heart disease and chronic renal disease.
Piedra and his team studied information from six influenza seasons. They found that high-risk children ages 1 to 17 who were prescribed Tamiflu as soon as their doctors suspected the flu had a lower chance of developing further complications from the flu.
Piedra stressed the importance of confirming any flu diagnosis with a test.
Flu treatment important this fall
As the swine flu, or H1N1 virus, continues to circulate in Houston and other Texas communities this summer, these findings could be important for these vulnerable children, said Piedra.
"If we have a major wave in the fall months and the vaccines are not yet available, antiviral treatments will be the only way we have to either prevent or treat H1N1," said Piedra.
Piedra is a professor of molecular virology and microbiology and pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine. This study appeared in the journal Pediatrics. Funding for this study came from Roche, the company that makes Tamiflu.
Source: Baylor College of Medicine
Rather than list every service that's available for families with a special needs child, we provide this directory of Houston organizations that offer a broad range of services. If you know of another organization that should appear here, please email us at HealthyHoustonKids (at) gmail (dot) com.
The Arc of Greater Houston provides resources for families, individuals with special needs and professionals. Services range from advocacy, training, education, social programs and support programs for parents and siblings.
The DBTAC Southwest ADA Center offers technical assistance, training and materials on the Americans with Disabilities Act and related laws to employers, businesses, government agencies, schools and people with disabilities. It is sponsored locally by TIRR Memorial Hermann and Baylor College of Medicine, and nationally by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). DBTAC stands for Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center (DBTAC) and Houston is lucky to host one of the 10 such centers in the U.S.
Family to Family Network (F2F) is another parent-driven group with chapters in Katy and Clear Lake. F2F specializes in helping parents get accommodations and access so that children with special needs are fully included in school, athletics and work.
Houston Parent Information Network (HPIN) meets the first Monday of the month, 10 a.m. to noon at Christ the King Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2353 Rice Blvd. The group hosts speakers during the school year, children are welcome and Spanish translation is available. They focus on providing parent-to-parent assistance.
The Parent Education Project at the University of Houston offers a variety of services, programs and information for parents of children with disabilities. The free programs Families Can and Family Partners offer information, referrals, in-home casework services, help getting services from other agencies, help with coordination of resources and advocacy. It also sponsors HPIN.
Specific to Houston, the Resource Guide for Parents of Children with Disabilities is a bible for parents of children with disabilities. It is published by Elaine Hime, mother of a child with multiple disabilities. The guide is available in print and online.
Texas A&M University Center for Disability & Development maintains a huge list of resources organized by region.
Many thanks to Christy Monroe and Elaine Hime for their help with this list!
Editor's note: See our new page Free/Cheap Shots for Houston Children for this month's Troubleshooters schedule.
Free shots (immunizations) will be given at Harris County Hospital District’s School-Based Clinics from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. on the next four Tuesdays:
- Aug. 11
- Aug. 18
- Aug. 25
- Sept. 1
- Be two months to 18 years old
- Have parent present
- Have shot record
For a list of participating schools, with addresses and phone numbers, check HCHD’s Web site.
Need to know more?
Does your child need a vaccination or two before heading off to school? Don’t put it off until the last minute – and don’t let a lack of money keep you from protecting your child.
Harris County Hospital District’s Troubleshooters Program offers free shots at several locations around Houston through August. Click here for locations and info.
When you go, be sure to bring your child’s updated shot record.
Need to know even more?
Looking for information about vaccinations and immunizations? Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Awareness and Research is a great resource for immunization information, including safety, schedules, research and the latest news.
Not sure if your child needs immunizations? Visit the Centers for Disease Control Web site for several tools to help you keep track.
Tell us: Do you worry about the safety of vaccines? Are your kids shots up-to-date?
Obesity and smoking are known risk factors for pancreatic cancer. In fact, more than 25 percent of cases are tied to obesity. The study reconfirmed this and also found that obese teens had a 60 percent higher risk of getting the disease later in life than those who were not overweight.
"As we see obesity dangerously on the rise in the country, this study has true public health implications," said James Abbruzzese, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology. "Like smoking, obesity is a modifiable risk factor. Our study suggests that weight control at a younger age should be the primary preventive strategy to reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer."
Study examined BMI and cancer risk
Published in the June 24 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, this study is one of the few to look at body mass index (BMI) over the span of a lifetime and how it affects the risk of pancreatic cancer.
Researchers enrolled 1,595 people:
- 841 pancreatic cancer patients
- 754 people without cancer
- Age
- Race
- Gender
Researchers then calculated each person’s BMI during each decade. According to World Health Organization guidelines, they classified participants as:
- Normal
- Overweight (BMI greater than or equal to 25, but less than 30)
- Obese (BMI 30 or greater)
More study planned
Next, the researchers plan to study whether insulin resistance or diabetes, which is more common in obese people, leads to faster death or fewer recoveries from pancreatic cancer. They also hope to find preventive strategies and biomarkers for early detection of the disease.
One of the most deadly types of cancer, pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 42,000 people will be diagnosed with the disease this year, and more than 35,000 will die because of it. Less than 5 percent of people with pancreatic cancer live for five years. The median time of survival is less than 10 months.
Source: M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Acetaminophen, the drug found in Tylenol and many other medicines, is the backbone of the home medicine cabinet. We use it for everything from high fever to benign boo-boos.
But how safe is acetaminophen for children? Is it time to reassess our knee-jerk reaction to reach for the bottle – especially with the Food and Drug Administration’s recent warnings about the potential for liver damage?
Here's what HealthyHoustonKids found: The American Academy of Pediatrics says the safety and effectiveness of acetaminophen is well established, especially when compared to aspirin. However, the risk of toxicity is still a concern because the drug is used so frequently.
Signs of liver damage may not be noticeable for hours or even days after taking acetaminophen. By the time you notice changes, the liver damage may be severe and could lead to death.
How to avoid over-dosing
"One form of pediatric formulation may contain much higher amounts of acetaminophen than the next," says Baylor Liver Health Director Dr. John Vierling. "People must read the labels carefully to be sure the dose being given is safe. Adults also must be more aware that acetaminophen is often found in prescription pain killers and over-the-counter cold remedies, which can lead to unintentional consumption of excessive amounts."
Texas Children’s Web site offers a handy chart to help you decide how much acetaminophen to give your child.
The FDA also gives these tips to keep your baby, child or teen safe if you give them acetaminophen:
- Do not give your child more than one medicine with acetaminophen. Read the labels of all the medicines your child is taking to be sure they do not contain acetaminophen.
- Follow your doctor's instructions exactly.
- Read the “Drug Facts” label on the package and follow all directions. It will tell you how much to give, how often and when to call the doctor.
- If a dose for your child’s weight or age is not listed on the label, or you can’t tell how much to give, ask your pharmacist or doctor what to do.
- Use the measuring tool that comes with the medicine. Don’t use a spoon for cooking or eating.
- If the drug doesn’t seem to be working, don’t give more than the recommended dosage. Call your doctor instead.
- Don’t substitute adult medicine or try to use drops instead of syrup.
- Keep acetaminophen (and all drugs) out of reach of children.
Sources: Baylor College of Medicine, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Mayo Clinic
What is your "medicine of choice" when your child has a fever? Do you worry about acetaminophen overload?
A study of Houston parents and their fourth and fifth-graders has found that parents have a significant impact on their children’s physical activity.
Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and Duke University studied 681 parents of 433 fourth- and fifth-graders from 12 schools in Houston. They found that parents who encouraged their children to join in high-intensity sports had more-active children. Both the boys and girls watched less TV and spent less time on computers.
Vigorous activities included basketball, soccer, running, cycling, swimming, skating and chores such as heavy yard work and moving furniture.
Moderate activities included baseball, softball, volleyball, football, walking, biking around the neighborhood, golf and household chores such as cleaning, raking leaves, weeding and carrying groceries.
“The difference between activity levels in the girls and boys had to do with the parents' attitudes toward the types of activities. Parents encouraged sons to partake in vigorous- and moderate-intensity team and individual sports, and vigorous-intensity home chores, such as heavy yard work, more than they encouraged these activities for their daughters,” said Cheryl Braselton Anderson, PhD, of Baylor College of Medicine. “There still is gender bias on encouraging boys to participate in certain sports and strenuous activities more than girls.”
However, the researchers found that girls considered themselves able to participate in intense sports and heavy-duty chores.
The findings appear in the July issue of Health Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association.
It seems like a no-brainer. Don’t leave your child alone in the car EVER. Not for a minute. In this summer heat, it can turn into an oven, causing heat stroke and even death.
Yet, last year five children died in Houston after parents or caretakers left them in hot cars. Across the country, 42 children died from heat stroke after being left or trapped in a vehicle. In the past two weeks, two people have been arrested in Houston for leaving children in cars when the temperatures outside were over 100 degrees.
Arrested? That’s right. It’s against state law to leave a child unattended in a vehicle. Punishment ranges from a slap on the hand to a long prison term if the child is injured or dies.
What if you just need to run into the store for a minute? Don’t even think about it. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the temperature in a car can skyrocket from 78 degrees to 100 degrees in just 3 minutes, and to 125 degrees in 6 to 8 minutes.
Safety tips
Safe Kids USA’s Never Leave Your Child Alone program suggests these safety tips:
• Teach children not to play in, on or around vehicles.
• Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle, even with the windows slightly open.
• Always lock a vehicle’s doors and trunk – especially at home. Keep keys and garage door remotes out of children’s reach.
• When you get home from shopping or from a trip, take the children inside first, then unpack the car.
• Make sure your child’s daycare has a good plan to ensure kids aren't left in the car or van. For instance, they should count heads or check the vehicle after unloading.
• If you’re afraid that you accidentally might leave your sleeping child in the car seat, put a note on the dashboard.
What should you do if you see a child alone in a hot car? Call 911 and give them the location and other information. Don't waste time looking for the parent.
Tell us: Have you ever had to call 911 because you saw a child left in a car?
Unless you want to leave your July 4th cookout for the emergency room, HealthyHoustonKids recommends that you and your children watch a fireworks show put on by your local city.
That’s right, we recommend you bag the old tradition of shooting fireworks at home. The reasons are many, but let’s start with some facts:
- Almost half of all fireworks injuries happen to children under age 15.
- Firecrackers cause the most injuries, followed by rockets and sparklers.
- Burns are the most common injuries from fireworks.
- Sparklers, which can reach up to 1,800°F, cause half of the injuries to children under age 5 and 10 percent of fireworks-related injuries overall.
- Children 10 to 14 years old had the highest injury rate from fireworks among all ages.
One of the city’s doctors who sees children in the ER during this holiday agrees.
“The best way for children to enjoy fireworks is to attend one of the many outdoor displays on the Fourth of July," said Charles S. Cox, Jr., M.D., director of the pediatric trauma program at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital and distinguished professor of pediatric surgery at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston.
So, that means fireworks are not safe -- even with adult supervision. Nope, not even sparklers.
The National Fire Protection Association found that supposedly safe fireworks cause more injuries than illegal fireworks, especially to preschool children. In fact, nine out of 10 injuries that required emergency treatment were from fireworks that met federal regulations.
We feel almost as strongly about fireworks and children as we do about CHIP and health insurance for children. What do you think?
Sources: Memorial Hermann Hospital System, Centers for Disease Control, Consumer Products Safety Commission
Ben Taub Children’s Center - Harris County's public hospital for children.
Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital - Pediatric hospital within the Memorial Hermann Hospital System.
Depelchin Children's Center - Local non-profit for adoption, foster care and other helpful services for families, such as autism assessment and support.
M.D. Anderson’s Children’s Cancer Hospital - Pediatric cancer services within M.D. Anderson, widely considered the world's best hospital for cancer.
Shriners Hospitals for Children - Galveston - Specializes in children's burn cases.
Shriners Hospital for Children – Houston - Houston branch of the well-known hospital chain for children and located in the Texas Medical Center. Specializes in pediatric orthopedics and conditions of the bones, muscles and joints including scoliosis, curvature of the spine and cerebral palsy.
Texas Children’s Hospital - The area's only hospital exclusively for children. Texas Children's main hospital is located in the Texas Medical Center. It is building a second hospital near Katy. It also offers health centers and pediatrician offices around town.
UTMB Children's Hospital (Galveston) - The state's oldest hospital for children. Part of the University of Texas Medical Branch.
Woman’s Hospital of Texas(babies only) - Hospital specializing in women's issues, including labor and delivery. That's why it offers services for newborn babies, called neonatology.
About Houston - All about things to do and places to go in and around Houston.
Houston Family Magazine- Houston's monthly magazine for family news.
Houston Health Examiners - Local writers cover topics as varied as mental health, special needs kids, cancer and alternative medicine.
Houstonist - News, arts venues, events and new photos every day. Skews to a young audience.
MedBlog - Houston Chronicle reporters Cindy George and Todd Ackermann blog about health news that affects our area.
Mom Houston - Blog by the Houston Chronicle. Features free things to do on the weekend, talks about issues important to parents, including many health issues.
Miracles of Multiples - Blog written by a nurse who works in the Texas Children's Fetal Center. Mainly talks about Twin-to-Twin Transfer Syndrome.
Off the Kuff - Blog about Houston politics and life in Houston.
ParentsConnect - Site that lists family-friendly events, support groups, businesses and non-profits of interest to parents. Sponsored by Nickelodeon.
Rice - Baylor College of Medicine Merger - Blog by a Rice faculty member about the potential merger.
Safe Kids Greater Houston - Site that offers child safety information such as car seat check locations.
School Zone - Blog about HISD from the Houston Chronicle.
Sell This House Now - Blog about real estate in the greater Houston area.
Turning Houston Green - Blog about local green living and greening up your house.
