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Tips (be sure to scroll down for all of
them!)
AAP Offers Advice
on Communicating with Children about Disasters
DEALING WITH TRAGEDY: From American Academy of
Pediatrics
In response to the tragic events unfolding in New York and
Washington, DC, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) would
like to offer some advice on how to communicate with children
and adolescents during times of crisis.
- It's important to communicate to children that they're
safe. Given what they may have seen on television, they need
to know that the violence is isolated to certain areas and
they will not be harmed. Parents should try to assure
children that they've done everything they can to keep their
children safe.
- Adolescents in particular can be hard hit by these kinds
of events and parents might want to watch for signs such as:
sleep disturbances, fatigue, lack of pleasure in activities
enjoyed previously, and initiation of illicit substance
abuse.
- Overexposure to the media can be traumatizing. It's
unwise to let children or adolescents view footage of
traumatic events over and over. Children and adolescents
should not watch these events alone.
- Adults need to help children understand the significance
of these events. Discussion is critical. It should be
stressed that the terrorist acts are ones of desperation and
horror -- that there are "bad" people out there, and bad
people do bad things. But not all people in a particular
group are bad. Children should know that lashing out at
members of a particular religious or ethnic group will only
cause more harm.
The following AAP documents can be found at:
http://www.aap.org/policy/re9813.html
- How Pediatricians Can Respond to the Psychosocial
Implications of Disasters (AAP Policy
statement)
http://www.mentalhealth.org/publications/allpubs/SMA95-3022/SMA3022.htm
- Psychosocial Issues for Children and Families in Disasters:
A Guide for the Primary Care Physician (Joint
publication between AAP and US Center for Mental Health
Services)
http://www.aap.org/policy/re9702.html
- The Pediatrician's Role in Disaster Preparedness (AAP policy statement)
http://www.aap.org/advocacy/disarticle.htm
- Child Deaths Hit Communities Hard: Disasters Demand
Psychological Triage (AAP News article)
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry has
suggestions for "Helping Children After a Disaster." They can
be found at: http://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/disaster.htm
ฉ 2001 -
American Academy of
Pediatrics |
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PNEUMOCOCCAL
VACCINE: The FDA has formally approved the new
pneumococcal vaccine(Prevnarฎ) for young children at ages 2,4,6
months and a fourth dose between twelve and fifteen months.
Pneumococcal disease can cause septicemia (bacteria in the blood),
meningitis and other invasive diseases. It is a particular risk
for children under two years and for older high risk children.
This vaccine comes at a time when we are seeing increasing
antibiotic resistance of the pneumococcal organism also known as
Strep pneumoniae. We await guidelines from the American Academy of
Pediatrics regarding routine administration. Commentary: Will
this mean four shots at these visits?? Hoping we can get some
combined vaccines soon-for the children's sake.10/16/01 09:16 PM
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ADDENDUM TO ABOVE: Prevnar is
available through Pediatric Specialists as of June 23,2000. Please
discuss this option with a provider at your upcoming visit or call
the office for an appointment to start this series if you wish
your child to receive this vaccine.The vaccine has received
recommendations from the CDC and the American Academy of
Pediatrics. For additional information see the press release at
the
American Academy of Pediatrics site.
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ASTHMA
GROUP: Pediatric Specialists will be
sponsoring a parents' group devoted to discussion and sharing of
information regarding children with asthma. This group will meet
at set intervals in the evening at our office. A professional from
our office will be in attendance. We hope this will be a valuable
resource for parents' of asthmatic children and may provide a
prototype for other parent groups which we may initiate. If you
have interest in participating in such a group please e mail (giuliano@massmed.org) or
call the office and provide your name and phone number so that we
may contact you when this group gets underway.10/16/01
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ADD/ADHD
GROUP: Pediatric Specialists
plans on sponsoring a group for parents of children with ADD
or ADHD. The purpose of this group is educational and for parents
to share ideas. New ideas, treatment, school issues and
psychosocial issues are appropriate material for discussion. We
would also like to invite guest speakers to some meetings for
additional information. Please let us know your interest by
leaving your name and phone number at either the Wrentham or
Foxborough office.
 Our phones tend to be the
busiest between 9AM and 10AM on most days. If you are calling for
a routine scheduling of a physical or for some non urgent advice
try calling later in the morning or the afternoon to avoid the
possibility of a busy phone line.
- Most schools require physicals at entry into kindergarten,
fourth grade, eighth grade and eleventh grade. An examination is
also required for many camps and for participation in high school
sports and Pop Warner football. Please make appointments for these
exams in a timely fashion so that we can be sure to get them done
before they are due.
 As the weather is improving
and we are getting outdoors again, please remember to use that sun
screen on your children. For babies under six months you will have
to rely on shading the child as these sun screens are not
recommended for the younger infants.
- Have you thought about how as adults we would just as soon get
away from the phones and be inaccessable for a time while our
teenagers are buying beepers so that anyone can reach them any
time?
- ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS FOR LICE:In the April 1998 edition of Infectious Diseases in
Children an article by John Connolly reports the research out of
Hebrew University and the American Head Lice Institute which
demonstrated the effectiveness of applying household olive oil to
lice. The effect was impressive in killing or drowning the living
lice when used correctly. Although it can be used as the primary
treatment it can also be effectively used after a commercial
pediculocide (louse killer) containing permethrin or pyrethrim.
The olive oil is applied to the hair and scalp in copious amounts
and then a shower cap is applied to the child's head and allowed
to remain overnight. Pediatric Specialists expresses concern
however with a child sleeping with a plastic shower cap at night.
We fear the possibility of such a cap slipping to the child's face
and possibly being a cause of suffocation. We feel that if this
treatment is used it might be better to apply the olive oil in the
morning, apply the shower cap and leave on for eight to ten hours.
Before removing the oil, the hair should be carefully combed out
with a special metal nit comb. It is reported that the lice are
easier to remove after the oil treatment. When certain that all
have been removed and discarded the child's hair may be shampooed.
After this treatment the environment must be meticulously
cleansed. Vacuuming environmental areas and washing bedding is
essential. Some researchers recommend using a hair dryer on
possibly infested environmental surfaces and items to eradicate
lice, as the heat from the drier is effective against the lice.
Finally they recommend checking the child's hair close to the
scalp for nits over a three-week period with a metal nit remover.
As lice are becoming more resistant to our commercial products
this method may be helpful. Remember, if you are using a cream
rinse such as Nix, to wash the hair prior to application with a
shampoo that does not contain silicones. At our office we have
been recommending plain Prell.
- CHOKING:PREVENTION AND FIRST AID: A constant
concern with your child is the fear of choking. The American
Academy of Pediatrics has published its guidelines of prevention
and response to choking. Please check this out and print it out
for your future reference. Click here to go
to the site.This is a must read!!!
- CHICKENPOX:HOLD ON THE IBUPROFEN:Recent
research has shown some association of the use of ibuprofen
(Motrin,Advil) in chickenpox and the possible increase in a
condition called necrotizing fasciitis(NF). NF is a serious deep
seeded gangrenous infection which can occur as a complication of
chickenpox. Although more studies will need to be done to prove or
disprove this association, it seems wise to avoid
ibuprofen (as well as aspirin) to treat the fever and discomfort
of chickenpox and use acetaminophen instead. Until
further notice!!
- Lyme Vaccine:The vaccine for Lyme disease is
available through Pediatric Specialists. It is only licensed for
individuals 15 years old and older. It is recommended for those
who live or spend a good deal of time in endeminc areas for Lyme
disease. Campers, people who spend a good deal of time at the Cape
and Islands or other risky areas should consider getting the
vaccines. The vaccines comprise a series of three shots with the
first two given a month apart and the third given a year later.
Side effects and other issues can be discussed with one of our
nurses or providers. Also see our article
on Lyme disease.
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Meningococcal Vaccine: Although it has not
received universal recommendations, one should consider having
your college bound student immunized with the meningococcal
vaccine (Menimune). Each year we hear reports of small outbreaks
of meningitis caused by N.meningitidis on college campuses. This
form of meningitis is potentially fatal. If a college
student is living on campus in a dormitory setting you should
seriously consider arranging to have him/her immunized. Although
the vaccine is not 100% effective against all strains of this
bacteria this added degree of protection will be
helpful.
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