The importance of immunizations

Childhood immunizations are one of the most important safeguards against communicable diseases and their serious, long-term complications. Your pediatrician closely adheres to the vaccination schedules published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Why? Well, there's nothing more important than your youngster's health and well-being, and immunizations effectively guard them.

Just what is an immunization?

Most immunizations are given as "shots," or injections, but some, such as the Rotavirus vaccine, are oral medications. However administered, vaccines boost your child's immune system in its battle against diseases which easily spread from person to person.

Each vaccine contains a small amount of a killed or weakened micro-organisms. These altered viruses or bacteria raise the body's defenses against a particular illness such as chicken pox. pneumonia, polio, tetanus, and more...up to 14 in all by time your child is two years old, says the CDC.

Are immunizations necessary?

Your pediatrician, his or her colleagues and decades of research prove that vaccines protect the health of individual children and of the community at large. Also called herd immunity, community immunity works best when as many babies and youngsters receive all their "shots" on schedule. Community immunity protects youngsters who cannot receive vaccines because of cancer treatment, HIV infection or other serious reason. It also shields the general population when people travel from countries which cannot provide access to these important medications.

Both the AAP and the CDC publish and recommend set vaccine schedules carried out at well-baby and well-child visits at the doctor's office. In addition, there is a "catch-up" schedule for children who have begun their immunizations late or had them interrupted by illness or other serious concern.

Your pediatrician's services

They're so important. Your child's doctor keeps your child's immunization records and can distribute them to schools, camps, college, sports, daycare and other organizations who require proof of up-to-date vaccines. The doctor also monitors your child for any adverse reactions, although typically, vaccines produce no more than:

• Localized redness and soreness at the injection site
• Low grade fever
• Pain and swelling
• Fussiness

Cold Vs. Flu

Is it a cold or the flu? When it comes to your child's health, your pediatrician provides great information and guidance on the most common illnesses plaguing families. If you are wondering about the exact nature of your child's illness and how to treat it, learn the differences between a cold and the flu and how to treat and prevent them.

What is a cold?

A cold is an upper respiratory viral infection lasting 5 to 7 days in both adults and children alike. Generally milder in intensity and shorter in duration than influenza, a cold causes:

• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Watery eyes
• A runny nose
• Tiredness
• Low-grade fever

Welcome to Our Blog!

Heraud Pediatrics would like to welcome you to our blog. Here you will find informative and useful postings about child health care and our practice.

At Heraud Pediatrics we believe that educated parents are better prepared to make decisions regarding their child’s health and wellbeing.  Our blog was designed to provide you with valuable health care information, the latest pediatric developments and child health care advice from our dedicated team. 

Heraud Pediatrics hopes you find our blog to be a great resource for keeping up to date with proper child health care and treatments.

We welcome all comments and questions.

-- Heraud Pediatrics

Find out the common signs that your little one could be battling an ear infection.

Nothing is worse then when your child is sick. Of course, if your child is so young that they aren’t able to talk yet, it can be nearly impossible for your child to be able to communicate what they are experiencing. Even children can find it difficult to express certain problems they may be having. Of course, our Orlando, FL pediatricians are here to provide a list of signs that could be warning you that your child might have an ear infection.

While any child can develop an ear infection, unfortunately children under 3 years old are often more at risk for developing this problem. Why? Because their immune systems aren’t quite strong enough to battle the different kinds of bacteria. If your child complains of an earache this is often a very good indicator that something is wrong. Other symptoms include:

• Draining of the ear
• Difficulty hearing or muffled hearing
• Problems sleeping
• Tugging at the ear
• Fussy or irritability
• Crying or clingy
• Lack of appetite
• Diarrhea

If your child is experiencing any of these symptoms or comes down with a fever, it’s time to visit your Orlando, FL children’s doctor for care. If your baby is under 6 months old and has an ear infection, antibiotics will be necessary so come into our office right away for care.

In some situations, our doctor may recommend waiting it out before deciding whether antibiotics are appropriate or necessary. If there is no improvement in symptoms then antibiotics may be prescribed.

If you are looking for ways to prevent ear infections in your little one, here are some handy tips:

• If your child has allergies make sure they are being properly managed to prevent mucus from building up in the Eustachian tubes of the ears.
• Quit smoking, as secondhand smoke can also increase your child’s chances of developing an ear infection.
• Vaccinate your child. These vaccines will lessen your child’s risk of ear infections.
• Make sure your child washes their hands often to prevent the common cold.

If you are concerned that your child may have an ear infection don’t hesitate to reach out to your pediatrician. We can determine whether or not your little one needs to come in for care.