Children’s Flu Vaccination Day is December 9 and this year the CDC and Families Fighting Flu (FFF) want to remind all parents to vaccinate their children ages 6 months to 19 years.
Everyone who live with or care for children should also be vaccinated in order to prevent hospitalization or death.
According to the CDC, the flu is a contagious disease that can cause symptoms such as a high fever, sore throat, coughing, extreme tiredness, runny or stuffy nose, and even nausea and diarrhea in children. Each year in the US, an average of 20,000 children under the age of five are …read more

This is your friendly reminder to schedule your family’s flu shots, now.
The cold and flu season are about to begin, and I’m all about protecting your family against influenza and its complication.
Should your family member get vaccinated? 
Yes, if he is high risk for complications of the flu. No, if he falls under this category of people.

Children up to 9 years old who are getting the shots for the first time should receive two shots, and one shot every year thereafter.
Household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children need to be vaccinated as well. Yes, that means up …read more

For years, the fear that MMR vaccines cause autism has caused parents to forego giving the immunization to their infants. The myth started when a small study in 1899 suggested that the measles component in the MMR vaccine caused inflammation in the bowel, which released chemicals that promoted the development of autism in young children.
Now, almost 20 studies later, the research consistently shows – the MMR vaccine is not linked, nor does it cause autism. The supposed link is simply an unfortunate coincidence. Autism usually develops between the first and second birthday, at the same period that children …read more

Tomorrow, my son is going for his sixth month wellness check, and routine to that visit is immunization. Ugh. I know these are necessary for him, but there could be anywhere from 3-4 shots depending on what vaccines he needs to receive.
Well, now the FDA has approved a vaccine (Pantacel) against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis, and Haemophilus influenzae type b.

The vaccine was approved for four-dose administration at two, four, six, and 15-18 months, but the initial dose may be given as early as six weeks. Full administration should be completed before the child’s fifth birthday.

It’s well tolerated in …read more

Jennifer Buettner is marketing placebo pills for children’s minor aches and pains, to “reduce the unnecessary use of antibiotics and other medicines”. Buettner first thought of the idea when she took care of her hypochondriac niece and her mother-in-law instructed her to give the young girl Motrin. So she thought the way to solve this, and “empower parents to do something tangible” for children’s complain of minor illnesses, is – “AHA!” – placebo pills.
Duh. Placebos do not solve the problem of minor or make-believe illnesses.
Children sometimes complain that there is something wrong with them. In most instances, they …read more

What student hasn’t had trouble keeping awake in class these days? With papers and projects piling up, and exams coming up, more and more students are getting stressed and lacking sleep.
Most students I know have been drinking lots of coffee and energy drinks with their late night studying. But a growing number of students – 50 to 35 per cent college / 8 to 10 per cent high school students – are using stimulants like ADHD drugs to keep up with the stress, particularly during exam time. What’s more alarming from these findings is that 25 percent of high …read more

It’s always unfortunate when mistakes like improper prescriptions happen. Somewhere along the line there was miscommunication, and sometimes neglect, by the prescribing doctor or the pharmacy. Since early this year the Federal Drug Authority has been issuing the warning against using cough medicines on young children because it can lead to life-threatening events and death. This latest news bears that tragic consequence.
Last week, makers of Tussionex Pennkinetic Extended-Release Suspension, the Belgian pharmaceutical group UCB SA, revealed the deaths of five children under six who had taken the medicine. The prescription cough medicine is approved only for adults and children …read more

Parents are concerned about the pain that our children have to endure with immunizations. I remember feeling so helpless when I watched my firstborn being given her first doses of vaccines at the 2-week check up after birth. Her cry was excruciating it broke this new mother’s heart. If I didn’t know that these vaccines are going to protect her, I wouldn’t have let her gone through the experience.
It’s exactly this kind of anxiety by moms like me that prompted Linda Hatfield and her group to conduct a study in an effort to minimize pain from vaccinations. So this …read more

Tonight, the premiere of ABC’s “Eli Stone” features a lawyer who argues that vaccine causes autism. According to script, the case would be won, and the mother outrageously awarded $5.2 million.
What’s all the fuss about?
The American Academy of Pediatrics is asking ABC to cancel the show’s premiere because it might mislead viewers into thinking that vaccines cause autism, when there are no scientific evidence to prove this.
So, should the “Eli Stone” premiere be canceled?
I don’t think so. The show is FICTION, and though it uses real-life cases and issues, it would be absurd for someone to say …read more

What is Influenza (also called Flu)?
The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent this illness is by getting a flu vaccination each fall.
Every year in the United States, on average:

5% to 20% of the population gets the flu;
more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications, and;
about 36,000 people die from flu.

Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications.
Symptoms of Flu
Symptoms of flu include:

fever …read more