Adolescent Care

Your teen needs routine and preventative care against diseases, just like they did during childhood. We at Aayushi clinic make sure you get the best care for your child in the growing up years.

Adolencent Care (Question & Answer)

What types of preventative care does my teenager need?

Your teenager continues to grow, experience puberty, and develop throughout teen years. When they have a relationship with a pediatrician, your teen has someone they can trust to help with medical questions or concerns. Beginning at age 12 or 13 we routinely set aside some time for the doctor to speak with the teenager alone at the well visits.

If your adolescent is healthy, plan on bringing them in for a checkup about once a year. Of course, you’re more than welcome to come in more often if needed.

When does my daughter need her first pelvic exam?

Your daughter’s first gynecological exam should occur between the ages of 13 and 15 by a qualified gynecologist . This exam is a chance for your teen to talk with her and the pediatrician about menstruation, cramps, sexual activities, or other health concerns. This teen well visit usually includes a general physical exam and an external genital exam only. Unless your daughter has abnormal circumstances, like a sexually transmitted disease or severe menstrual cramps, she most likely won’t need an internal pelvic exam during her teen years. We recommend establishing routine care with a gynecologist and beginning pap smears and pelvic exams around age 21.

Allergies

1-in-3 children have allergies, and many parents don’t realize it.Its a nightmare for parent to see their child suffer. Any child can develop allergies, but they are more common in children from families with a history of allergies. Since it’s impossible for parents to control absolutely everything that their child is exposed to or eats, parents should instead focus on monitoring their child for symptoms.

What Are Allergies ?

Allergies are abnormal immune system reactions to things that are typically harmless to most people. When a person is allergic to something, the immune system mistakenly believes that this substance is harming the body.

Who gets Allergies ?

Allergies tend to run in families, which means it can be passed down through genes from parents to their kids. But just because you, your partner, or one of your children might have allergies doesn’t mean that all of your kids will definitely get them. And someone usually doesn’t inherit a particular allergy, just the likelihood of having allergies. Some kids have allergies even if no family member is allergic, and those who are allergic to one thing are likely to be allergic to others.

What is the treatment of Allergy?

Symptoms can be managed but there’s no cure for allergies. The best way to cope with them is to avoid the allergens. That means that parents must educate their kids early and often, not only about the allergy itself, but also about the reactions they can have if they consume or come into contact with the allergen. If avoiding environmental allergens isn’t possible or doesn’t help, doctors might prescribe medicines, including antihistamines, eye drops, and nasal sprays.

Telling all caregivers (childcare staff, teachers, family members, parents of your child’s friends, etc.) about your child’s allergy is also important. In some cases, doctors recommend Immunotherapy to help desensitize a person to an allergen. Immunotherapy is only helpful for allergens such as dust, mold, pollens, animals, and insect stings. They’re not used for food allergies.

Asthma

Watching your child struggle to breathe is gut wrenching for any parent. While asthma isn’t curable, it’s certainly manageable Asthma is one of most common chronic diseases of childhood with the help of the team at Pediatrics of Southwest Houston. Our dedicated team of Pediatricians are experts in diagnosing asthma in children and finding just the right treatment. Whether your child has already been diagnosed or if you suspect your child has asthma, call the office or make your first appointment online.

What are the symptoms of asthma in children?

Asthma causes certain symptoms that are often obvious for most parents. If your child is asthmatic, he or she may:

  • Cough regularly, especially at night
  • Get frequent chest colds
  • Wheeze when breathing
  • Have difficulty breathing
  • Regularly take shallow fast breaths
  • Complain of chest tightness
  • Feel weak or tired
  • How is asthma diagnosed in children?

    Everything depends on your child’s age, since it’s tricky to diagnose asthma in children under five. Infants, toddlers, and very young children are still developing their respiratory system, so their bronchial tubes are small and narrow to begin with. Nevertheless, this is also the age bracket where children tend to show symptoms. With a little inflammation, your child may show signs of asthma, but you could find out that it’s just a minor chest cold. Sometimes just the opposite occurs: your child gets diagnosed with a chest cold, but it never really goes away. This is why asthma is often overlooked or misdiagnosed in small children.

    The diagnosis process for young children often involves monitoring their symptoms and some lab work to check for inflammation. Many a times your child may also go through allergy testing to see if an allergen is triggering asthmatic symptoms. Sometimes treatment is as simple as removing that allergen from your child’s diet or environment. For children over five, the diagnosis is usually a little simpler since they can describe their symptoms. Laboratory work to check for inflammation, allergy testing, or chest X-rays are common diagnostic tools your pediatrician might suggest.

    Breast Feeding

    Breastmilk contains nutrients your baby needs for growth and development and protects your baby against infections and diseases. Breastfeeding is free and convenient and can promote bonding between you and your baby. It’s recommended you breastfeed exclusively until your baby starts solid foods at around 6 months and keep breastfeeding until at least 12 months.

    Caring for your newborn baby is undoubtedly an overwhelming task for a new mother and the family. But, when you have a caring pediatrician on your side, they take out all the guesswork.Our pediatrician makes sure you learn everything you need to know about newborn care. Call ou clinic or use the convenient online booking tool to schedule your baby’s first visit.

    How Often to Feed to Bring in the Milk Supply:

  • Every 1½ to 3 hours for the first month (8 to 12 times per day).
  • During the day, wake your baby up if more than 3 hours have passed since the last feeding.
  • During the night, wake your baby if more than 4 hours pass without a feeding.
  • After 1 month of age, allow your baby to sleep longer. If your baby is gaining weight well, feed on demand and do not awaken for feedings.
  • Ear Ache

    Earache is one of the most common problems we see in children. Your child’s earache can be quite serious, especially if it isn’t recognized and treated right away. Your pediatrician is here to relieve earache pain so that young patients can enjoy being kids again.

    Why do children get earaches?

    The most common cause of children’s earaches is an infection. Your child might develop an earache because of an upper respiratory infection like the common cold following eating of icecream or coldrinks,etc. Children might also experience earaches because of a sudden injury to the ear.

    What type of middle ear infection does your child have?

    There are three categories of middle ear infections, each with its own specific set of symptoms. These are:

  • Acute otitis media
  • In this, the most common kind of ear infection, your child’s middle ear is swollen and infected. This swelling traps fluid in the back of the eardrum and the pressure causes your child to have an earache. Acute otitis media may also cause a fever.

  • Otitis media with effusion
  • This type of ear infection causes fluid to remain in the back of your child’s eardrum, even after the pain and other symptoms have passed. Your child may have few or no symptoms, so this type of ear infection can be hard to identify. Children who have otitis media with effusion may tell you that their ears feel stuffed or full.

  • Chronic otitis media with effusion
  • This occurs when your child has trouble with fluid that stays trapped in the back of the eardrum, or when the fluid keeps returning once cleared out. This type of infection can be serious and can cause hearing problems if not resolved. Children who suffer from chronic otitis media with effusion may have almost constant pain due to fluid buildup and will often say their ears feel full.

    Fever

    Fever remains the most common concern prompting parents to present their child to the emergency department. Fever has traditionally been defined as a rectal temperature over 100.4 F or 38 C. Temperatures measured at other body sites are usually lower. The threshold for defining a fever does vary significantly among different individuals since body temperatures can vary by as much as 1 F. Low-grade fevers are usually considered less than 102.2 F (39 C).

    What You Should Know About Fever:

  • Having a fever means your child has a new infection.
  • It’s most likely caused by a virus.
  • You may not know the cause of the fever until other symptoms develop. This may take 24 hours.
  • Most fevers are good for sick children. They help the body fight infection.
  • Use the ranges below to help put your child’s level of fever into perspective.
  • 100° – 102° F (37.8° – 39° C) Low grade fever: helpful, good range. Don’t treat.
  • 102° – 104° F (39 – 40° C) Average fever: helpful. Treat if causes discomfort.
  • Over 104° F (40° C) High fever: causes discomfort, but harmless. Always treat.
  • Over 106° F (41.1° C) Very high fever: important to bring it down. Rare to go this high.
  • Over 108° F (42.3° C) Dangerous fever: fever itself can be harmful.
  • HPV Vaccine

    Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted virus in India. There are about 40 types of HPV. About 20 million people in the U.S. are infected, and about 6.2 million more get infected each year. HPV is spread through sexual contact.Most HPV infections don’t cause any symptoms, and go away on their own. But HPV is important mainly because it can cause cervical cancer in women. HPV is also associated with several less common types of cancer in both men and women. It can also cause genital warts and warts in the upper respiratory tract.More than 50% of sexually active men and women are infected with HPV at sometime in their lives.There is no treatment for HPV infection, but the conditions it causes can be treated.

    Why is HPV vaccination recommended?

  • One out of 4 women who die of cervical cancer is from India.
  • Every seven minutes one woman dies of cervical cancer in India.
  • Cervical cancer kills roughly 67,477 Indian women annually.
  • Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) has been detected in 99.7% of all cases of Cervical Cancer worldwide.
  • This is the highest level of the associated pathogen known to be a major cause for a human form of Cancer.
  • HPV types 16 and 18 are responsible for82%of cervical cancers in India.]
  • Newborn Care

    Caring for your newborn baby is undoubtedly an overwhelming task for a new mother and the family. But, when you have a caring pediatrician on your side, they take out all the guesswork.Our pediatrician makes sure you learn everything you need to know about newborn care. Call ou clinic or use the convenient online booking tool to schedule your baby’s first visit.

    When does my newborn baby need to go to the doctor?

    Your pediatrician at Petals childrens clinic wants to see your newborn regularly to ensure he or she is happy and healthy. Typically, you bring in your newborn for their first visit three to five days after discharge from the hospital and again at age two weeks. If our doctor did not see your baby in the hospital, please bring your baby’s discharge papers with you to the first visit. After that, plan on bringing them in at one and half month, two and half months,three and half months, six months,seven months, nine months, and twelve months. Of course, if you have any health concerns between visits, you can certainly come in for additional appointments.

    Nutrition

    Proper nutrition is a critical part of keeping your children healthy, but many parents may find that there is nearly a dizzying array of food options for kids. Knowing what to feed, when to feed it, and what size portions to provide your child can be challenging. A healthy child is a happy child, and nutrition can be the start of that. Make an appointment online or call our clinic to get help with children’s nutrition anytime.

    When can your child drink cow’s milk?

    Doctors typically recommend that you give your child cow’s milk only after they’re 12 months or older. During your child’s first year of life, they need all of the nutrients in breastmilk or formula. Until your child turns two, use full fat cow’s milk. After the age of two, you can switch to any type of cow’s milk.

    What about fruit juice?

    It’s very easy to give children too much fruit juice. In fact, juice adds extra calories without much nutritional benefit. Your child should have no more than two small (two ounce) servings of fruit juice daily until age six. From 7-12, kids can have a total of 8-12 ounces of juice a day. Whole fruits are always better for your child than fruit juice because they have fiber that fills your child up and contains more nutrients.

    Vaccination/Immunisation

    Immunisation is the best from of protection you can give to your child.Figuring out which vaccines and vaccinations your child needs — and when to get them — is overwhelming for any parent. When your child becomes a patient of aayushi childrens clinic, you get a custom immunization schedule. We ensure that your child is up to date on all of their required injections. Whether you’re a new or old patient.

    IMMUNISATION

    IMMUNISATION Immunizations and vaccinations help protect your child against some of the most harmful diseases around. As avid proponents of routine immunizations, Dr Prashant Gandhi ensures that your child is up to date on all of his or her essential injections. Aayushi childrens clinic, offers flexible scheduling, even for new families. Book your appointment online, or call us to schedule your child for an immunization visit.

    Are Vaccines, Vaccinations, and Immunisations Different?

    No. Vaccinations introduce the disease-causing organisms into your body in a dead or weakened state. That way your immune system starts building up antibodies to fight them. The terms “immunizations,” “vaccines,” and “vaccinations” are often used interchangeably. Immunization is the technical term that describes the process your body goes through to build strength and ward off specific harmful organisms. Vaccines/vaccinations ultimately immunize your body against a particular disease.