Car Seat Safety
A properly sized and buckled car seat is important to keep your baby safe in the event of a car crash. Children should NEVER be held while driving, no matter where they are in a vehicle. Make sure to check these websites to get the proper seat for your child:
Vaccine information
Childhood vaccinations remain an important step in prevention of serious and deadly diseases. We recommend routine vaccinations as outlined by the AAP and CDC and believe in the effectiveness and safety of these vaccines. We understand that there is a lot of uncertainty and misinformation regarding vaccines and are more than willing to discuss and answer all your questions.
If you plan to not vaccinate your child, we humbly respect your decision, but acknowledge that our office may not be a good fit for your family.
Mak Pediatrics follows the childhood vaccine schedule as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. You can find more information about vaccines on the AAP website.
AAP vaccination schedule. Click to enlarge
Common after-hours questions
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Fever, especially in young child can be scary. It is a common sign that your child is fighting an infection, but it is also one of the body’s natural defenses against the infection. Depending on the age of your child, fevers may not represent an emergency and can be appropriately handled at home.
FEVER IN BABIES UNDER 2 MONTHS (8 WEEKS) REQUIRES IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION.
Fever may make your child quite uncomfortable. For older children, you may give acetaminophen (Tylenol) or, above 6 months ago, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) , as needed to help with fever. Ensure that your child stays well hydrated. Attached find dosage for both. Please note that dose is based on weight of your child.
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Newborns cry a lot and for many reasons. Among the most common are the same things that make us upset: being hungry, tired, or in pain (like from an upset, gassy stomach). Crying that is inconsolable is a concern that may require medical attention.
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There are many reasons why your child’s ear may hurt, with an ear infection (acute otitis media) being only one possibility. For instance, fluid may collect behind the ear drum when your child has a cold which can cause discomfort. There may be irritation to the ear canal. There could even be an object stuck in the ear canal (this is more common than you may believe!) The only way to tell for sure is for the ears to be examined.
Infants may pull/rub their ears for comfort when they hurt. If your child is complaining of ear pain, it is okay to give you child Tylenol or Motrin for pain and observe for a day or two. If the symptoms persists, or pain increases in severity, then please have you child seen in the office.
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/ear-nose-throat/Pages/Ear-
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For children WITHOUT a history of Asthma, coughing is most commonly due to viral infections like colds, flu, and other bugs or due to environmental allergies. Most children can have colds 6-8 times a year and these illnesses can last 7-10 days. At times, these can lead to ear infections or sinus infections, but the majority of the time, these illnesses will with resolve on their own without intervention.
As parents/caretakers, we can help our children’s symptoms with supportive care. We recommend: nasal saline drops or spray, cool mist humidifier for congestion. Tylenol or Motrin can be helpful for discomfort or fever. There are no recommended cough medications for children under 5.
Antibiotics do not help with the vast majority of coughing illnesses.
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If your child seems to be having difficulty breathing, this constitutes a medical emergency. Do not wait or try to call for an appointment. Seek emergent medical attention. Call 911 if necessary.
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“Pink eye” or conjunctivitis is when the white part of the eye is red in one or both eyes. Different causes can be viruses or bacteria, allergies, or trauma (scratch to eye).
The most common cause of pink eye is viral infection. This can be quite contagious, so good hand hygiene is important, and small children will likely need to stay home for a few days to prevent transmission. Warm compresses can help symptoms quite a bit. Eye drops or ointments may be prescribed sometimes to help. Pink eye is rarely an emergency, but severe eye pain or an eye that is very swollen with a lot of discharge should be evaluated as soon as possible.