Sleep Tight and Do not let the Bed Bugs Bite

Bed bugs are small insects that feed on the blood of mammals and birds. They are sometimes referred as "red coats", "chinches" or "mahogany flats". They are usually active at night but when they are hungry they feed during the daytime. They usually populate human dwellings, birds nests or bat caves since this offers warmth a place to hide and a host to feed on. They usually populate human dwelling especially if it is crowded. They live in cracks, crevices in walls, furniture, behind wood paneling, behind wallpaper or under carpeting. They can be transferred from one place to another via clothing, luggage, bedding and furniture. They do not have the means to cling to hair, fur or feathers and are rarely found in hosts.

Bed Bugs do not carry any danger to man,it is basically a nuisance. They usually work at night when you are sleeping and the bite is painless. Most people do not react to them but there are a few individuals who will be allergic to their saliva resulting in welts, itching and swelling. The typical lifespan is 10 months and can survive for weeks without feeding.

How to get rid of "BED BUGS?"

• wrapping in big plactic containers infected mattress or small items to suffocate the bed bugs
• expose the mattress to intense cold or heat or you can wrap it in special plastic bags to get rid of the bedbugs
• wash all bedsheets, clothes and curtains in hot water on a regular basis
• vacuum and steam-clean carpets
• use insecticides for household use only with "pyrethins" as an active ingredient
• do not bring in old mattresses and box spring sets and old furniture which can harbor the bed bugs (if you must try to inspect the seams of the mattress inside the box)
• seal all cracks and crevices in the house which are hiding places for the bug
• using a hot blow dry aim this at the crevices to force the bugs out

They are one of the most difficult things to treat because they can hide very well. If all fails call the pest control guy.

Source:

cdc.gov

Salmonella from Eggs

According to the Center's for Disease there is a countrywide recall of shelled eggs because they found out that it had caused several outbreaks of Salmonella in California, Colorado and Minnesota. On August 13, 2010, Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa conducted a nationwide voluntary recall.

Tips to reduce the risk of getting Salmonella from eggs

• keep eggs refrigerated at <45f(<7c)>
• discard cracked or dirty eggs
• wash hands, cooking utensils and food preparation surfaces with soap and water after contact with raw eggs
• eggs should be cooked until both the white and the yolk are firm and need to be eaten promptly after cooking
• do not keep eggs warm or at room temperature for more than 2 hours
• refrigerate unused or leftover egg-containing food promptly
• avoid restaurant dishes made with raw or undercooked, unpasteurized eggs
• consumption of raw or undercooked eggs should be avoided especially by young children, elderly persons, persons with weakened immune systems or debilitating illness

Symptoms of Salmonella

• diarrhea after 12-72 hours of ingestion of contaminated food or beverage
• abdominal cramps with fever

illness may last for 4-7 days and most persons recover without antibiotic treatment.

Information for the Center's of Disease

Imperforate Anus

This is a congenital anomaly where the rectum ends in a blind pouch and you might have an opening into the vulvovaginal area in females and urethra in males. This is considered a disorder which have occurred during embryogenesis in the hindgut. This occurs in 1 in 5000 livebirths with slight male preponderance. This are classified into two kinds a low lying and a high lying rectal pouch. The experts use the pubococcegeal line as a guide to determine if the lesion is high or low. High lesions usually come with an underlying fistula wither rectourinary or rectovginal fistula.

Symptomatology
This is present at birth and the first things that happens is that you would not notice stools in the first 24 hours and this could be associated with abdominal distention. In some cases where there is a fistula you can see the stools and the urine seem to come in the same opening. If you notice this the first thing to do is transfer the baby at a pediatric surgical center,do not feed the baby temporarily then administer IV fluids and IV antibiotics specially when there is a fistula through the urinary tract. We worry about t a urinary tract infection.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis can be done with a combination of physical examination and and x-rays.
this is associated with the VACTERL syndrome (vertebral anomalies, anal atresia, cardiac problems, Tracheoesophageal fistula, renal problems and limb abnormalithes.

Treatment
Need to watch for constipation as the child grows bigger and to take care of this problem medically. The surgeon is consulted for anoplasty and serial dilations will be done. colostomy is done for high lesions.

Puberty is the product of Change

This is a stage in ones life that changes occur rapidly. Between early childhood and 8-9 years
of age the part of the brain that secretes the sex hormones are dormant. After this stage the hormones start to secrete and produce its effect. The onset of puberty is more related to skeletal maturity than to chronological age.

In girls, the breast bud is usually the first sign of puberty (10-11 year)
followed by the appearance of the pubic hair 6-12 months of age later and menarche will
follow between 2-2.5 years but may take as long as 6 years, In the United States the
peak age of menarche is 12.75 years old. There are however a wide variation in the stages
of development.

In boys, the first sign of puberty is testicular enlargement. Pubic hair then appears.
Growth acceleration in boys occur 2 years after the girls but can still continue till they are 18 years old. The pattern of sexual development follows parent's genetic pattern. If both parents develop early the chances that the children will also develop early is a highly likely.

What is considered pubertal delay?

• no signs of pubertal development by age 14 years old, in girls
• greater than 5 year interval between thelarche (breast development) and adrenarche (pubic and axillary hair development) in girls
• no signs of testicular enlargement by age 14 years old
• greater than 5 years for genital development
• primary amenorrhea no menarche by 16 years old with presence of secondary sexual characteristics
• primary amenorrhea no menarche by 14 years old without secondary sexual characteristics

What is defined as precocious puberty?

• traditionally defined as any sign of secondary sexual maturation before 8 years old in girls and 9 year old in boys

**recent data suggest early puberty may not even warrant extensive work-up if it occurs after 6 years old in African American girls and after 7 years old in white girls**

Protect your child from the Sun's rays

The temperature has been heating up again here in Arizona. The scorching heat went up to 110 degrees F last weekend and we can not but re-emphasize to everyone the importance of sun protection. It has been tempting to go dip in the pool during the middle of the day but that sun's rays are at its peak at this time

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics the sun's invisible ultraviolet rays are what cause damage to your child's skin even on foggy or hazy days . Hats and umbrellas do not completely protect children because UV lights reflect off the sand, water and other surfaces.

To protect against sun damage the AAP offers the following suggestions:

• Keep children away from the sun between 10am to 4pm
• use sunscreen with a sun protection factor(SPF) of at least 15. Apply 30 minutes before going outside and reapply every 1.5 to 2 hours especially while in water
• dress your child in a light cotton outfit with long sleeves and long pants and a wide brimmed hat
• use a beach umbrella to keep the child in the shade
• keep babies under 6 months of age away from the sun. Sunscreen maybe used in small areas of the body such as the face and the back of the hands
• the skin is not the only thing that needs protection but sunglasses are very important to protect your eyes

HAVE A SAFE AND FUN SUMMER!!

The Importance of Immunizing your Child

Please take a look at the link from the American Academy of Pediatrics on the Importance of immunizing your child and following th recommended schedule. www.ProtectTomorrow.org.

Periorbital cellulitis and Orbital cellulitis

Postorbital cellulitis

Periorbital cellulitis

Periorbital or preseptal cellulitis is the inflammation of the eyelids and the other soft tissues outside the orbit. This can be caused by trauma, or by an infected wound or an abscess in the lid. This can also be caused by a stye, conjunctivitis, infected blocked tear duct and insect bite. The most important thing to consider is to differentiate this with orbital cellulits which involves the inflammation of the tissues of the orbit with proptosis and limitations of eye movement. Sometimes it is hard to differentiate the two especially when the eyes are really swollen and it is hard to examine the movement of the eye. We then order a CT scan of the head and the orbits to determine if there is extension in the orbits. Orbital cellulitis follows a direct infection from a wound, deposition of organisms from the eyelids, conjunctiva, metastatic involvement from a tumor. The most common cause in children is paranasal sinusitis. Orbital cellulitis have complications which result in meningitis and cerebral abscess . Prompt hospitalization with intravenous antibiotic therapy and surgical drainage of the infected sinuses are part of the treatment.