Meet Dr. SIRIO

Food to Avoid Giving Babies Under 12 Months (1 Year) It's important to introduce your child to a variety of foods when you start weaning to ensure they get all the nutrients they need for normal growth and development. But there are some foods that aren’t suitable for babies under 12 months, and should be avoided during the weaning process. These include: * Honey * Animal Milks * Salt * Sugar * Saturated fat * Whole nuts and peanuts * Some cheeses * Raw and lightly cooked eggs * Low-fat and reduced-fat products * Fruit juice and fruit drink * Caffeinated and sugar-sweetened drinks * Raw shellfish * Shark, swordfish and marlin * Unpasteurized foods * Smoked and cured meats * Choking hazards food @Dr.Muawia

RSV: When It's More Than Just a Cold Respiratory Syncytial Virus or RSV is one of the many viruses that cause respiratory illness in children and adults. It’s the most common cause of bronchiolitis which is an infection of the bronchioles the small breathing airways of the lungs. It’s also is the most common cause of pneumonia in children younger than 1 year of age. In fact each year in the United States, an estimated 58,000 children younger than 5 years old are hospitalized due to RSV infection. RSV is so common - Almost all children get RSV at least once before they are 2 years old. The peak season of RSV is November through April but can vary in different parts of the world. Along with other respiratory infections, RSV was heavily suppressed during its regular season due to lockdown measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. However, once safety measures relaxes with the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines, a rise in RSV cases began in spring 2021. RSV spreads just like other respiratory viruses from one person to another. It enters the body through the nose,eyes or mouth usually from respiratory droplets of infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus also passes to others through direct contact, such as shaking hands or kissing the face of a child with RSV. RSV can survive up to 24 hours on surfaces, toys, keyboards, door knobs - Touch your mouth, nose or eyes after touching a contaminated object - You're likely to pick up the virus. Symptoms can appear 2 to 8 days after contact with RSV. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people infected with RSV are usually contagious for 3 to 8 days. However, some infants and people with weakened immune systems can be contagious for as long as four weeks even if they are not showing symptoms. The symptoms of RSV are similar to other respiratory infections. The symptoms may included: sneezing, cough, runny nose, low grade fever, sore throat and decrease in appetite. Most of these symptoms in children resolve in one to two weeks but in some children particularly young infants, they may require hospitalization. In very young infants, those born prematurely, those with chronic heart and lung diseases or those with low immune system due to illness or treatments. RSV can be particularly sever and even life threatening. In sever cases RSV can lead to acute bronchiolitis or pneumonia. If your child develops any of these symptoms. Immediate medical attention should be sought. These symptoms include high fever, difficulty breathing, blue discoloration of the skin, lethargy or excessive sleepiness, wheezing or sever cough. Most RSV infections can be managed at home under the direction of your doctor. Your doctor may recommend things like: * Nasal saline drops and gentle suctioning by bulb syringe to allow easier breathing and feeding. * Cool-mist humidifier can be used to help break up mucus, keep airways moist and allow easier breathing. * Encourage fluids with frequent feedings are so important to prevent dehydration. If difficult for the baby to feed at the breast, expressing breastmilk into a cup or bottle may be an option. And always watch for signs of loss of body fluids, such as dry mouth, little to no urine output, sunken eyes, and extreme fussiness or sleepiness. * Use over the counter medications such as acetaminophen or brufen to treat fever and discomfort. Always avoid aspirin and cough and cold medications. * Finally, Stay away from cigarette smoke. Secondhand smoke can aggravate symptoms. Antibiotics are not used to treat viral infections - Including those caused by RSV - Antibiotics may be prescribed - however, if your child has bacterial pneumonia or other infection like ear infection. There are many steps you can take to prevent the infection of RSV, Specifically, if you or your child have cold-like symptoms, like: * Washing hands, Just as you would to prevent germs at any time, use soap and water and scrub for at least 20 seconds. * Disinfect objects and surfaces in your home regularly and keep them clean. * Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your upper shirt sleeve, not your hands. * Avoid close contact, such as kissing, shaking hands, and sharing cups and eating utensils, with others. * Limit your baby's exposure to crowds, other children, and anyone with colds. Keep them home from school or child care when they are sick. * Feed your baby breastmilk. It has unique antibodies to prevent and fight infections. * In certain infants or prematures and children at high risk for severe disease. There is a drug available to prevent sever infection. It’s called Pavlivimab. It’s not a vaccine or a cure but it can prevent the development of sever symptoms associated with RSV. If your child is experiencing any of these symptoms - Associated with RSV - Or you have concerned - Please speak with your doctor. Thanks a lot … Dr. SIRIO @Dr.Muawia

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Fever in a child is one of the most common clinical symptoms managed by pediatricians and other health care providers and a frequent cause of parental concern. Many parents administer antipyretics even when there is minimal or no fever, because they are concerned that the child must maintain a “normal” temperature. Fever, however, is not the primary illness but is a physiologic mechanism that has beneficial effects in fighting infection. There is no evidence that fever itself worsens the course of an illness or that it causes long-term neurologic complications. Thus, the primary goal of treating the febrile child should be to improve the child's overall comfort rather than focus on the normalization of body temperature. When counseling the parents or caregivers of a febrile child, the general well-being of the child, the importance of monitoring activity, observing for signs of serious illness, encouraging appropriate fluid intake, and the safe storage of antipyretics should be emphasized. Current evidence suggests that there is no substantial difference in the safety and effectiveness of acetaminophen and ibuprofen in the care of a generally healthy child with fever. There is evidence that combining these 2 products is more effective than the use of a single agent alone; however, there are concerns that combined treatment may be more complicated and contribute to the unsafe use of these drugs. Pediatricians should also promote patient safety by advocating for simplified formulations, dosing instructions, and dosing devices. @Dr.Muawia

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Fever in a child is one of the most common clinical symptoms managed by pediatricians and other health care providers and a frequent cause of parental concern. Many parents administer antipyretics even when there is minimal or no fever, because they are concerned that the child must maintain a “normal” temperature. Fever, however, is not the primary illness but is a physiologic mechanism that has beneficial effects in fighting infection. There is no evidence that fever itself worsens the course of an illness or that it causes long-term neurologic complications. Thus, the primary goal of treating the febrile child should be to improve the child's overall comfort rather than focus on the normalization of body temperature. When counseling the parents or caregivers of a febrile child, the general well-being of the child, the importance of monitoring activity, observing for signs of serious illness, encouraging appropriate fluid intake, and the safe storage of antipyretics should be emphasized. Current evidence suggests that there is no substantial difference in the safety and effectiveness of acetaminophen and ibuprofen in the care of a generally healthy child with fever. There is evidence that combining these 2 products is more effective than the use of a single agent alone; however, there are concerns that combined treatment may be more complicated and contribute to the unsafe use of these drugs. Pediatricians should also promote patient safety by advocating for simplified formulations, dosing instructions, and dosing devices. @Dr.Muawia