www.WestTowerPesiatrics.com

Tylenol (acetaminophen) Dosing Chart

- may be given every 4-6 hours as needed - 

Advil/Motrin (ibuprofen) Dosing Chart

- may be given every 6-8 hours as needed for children 6 months and older - 

Benadryl (diphenhydramine) Dosing Chart

- may be given every 6-8 hours as needed - 

Fever: When to Call the Pediatrician

When your baby has a fever, it is usually a sign that their body is fighting an illness or infection. Fevers are generally harmless. In fact, they can be a good sign that your child's immune system is working, and the body is trying to heal itself.

The most important things you can do when your child has a fever:

• make sure they drink enough fluids to stay hydrated and
• watch for signs and symptoms of a serious illness.

It is a good sign if your child plays and interacts with you after receiving medicine for discomfort.

Call your child's doctor right away if your child has a fever and:

• Looks very ill, is unusually drowsy, or is very fussy
• Has been in a very hot place, such as an overheated car
• Has other symptoms, such as a stiff neck, severe headache, severe sore throat, severe ear pain, breathing difficulty, an unexplained rash, or repeated vomiting or diarrhea
• Has immune system problems, such as sickle cell disease or cancer, or is taking steroids or other medicines that could affect their immune system

• Has heart problems that may affect how she tolerates a fever and increased heart rate as a result of the fever

• Has had a seizure
• Is younger than 3 months (12 weeks) and has a temperature of 100.4°F (38.0°C) or higher
• Temperature rises above 104°F (40°C) repeatedly for a child of any age

Also call your child's doctor if:

• Your child still "acts sick" once their fever is brought down.
• Your child seems to be getting worse.
• The fever persists for more than 24 hours in a child younger than 2 years.
• The fever persists for more than 3 days (72 hours) in a child 2 years of age or older.

RSV: When It's not Just a Cold

Almost all children get RSV at least once before they are 2 years old. For most healthy children, RSV is like a cold. But, some children get very sick with RSV.

What is RSV?

RSV (or respiratory syncytial virus) is one of the many viruses that cause respiratory illness―illnesses of the nose, throat and lungs. This virus usually occurs in the late fall through early spring months, but can vary in different parts of the country.

With mask-wearing and physical distancing for COVID-19, there were fewer cases of RSV in 2020. However, once safety measures relaxed with the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines, a rise in RSV cases began in spring 2021. The spread of RSV and other seasonal respiratory illnesses like influenza (flu) has also started earlier than usual this year.

RSV symptoms in babies

Typically, RSV causes a cold, which may be followed by bronchiolitis or pneumonia. Symptoms generally last an average of 5-7 days.

When should you call the doctor?

RSV symptoms are typically at their worst on days 3 through 5 of illness. Fortunately, almost all children recover from an RSV infection on their own.

Call your pediatrician right away if your child has any:

• Symptoms of bronchiolitis (listed above)
• Symptoms of dehydration (fewer than 1 wet diaper every 8 hours)
• Pauses or difficulty breathing
• Gray or blue color to tongue, lips or skin
• Significantly decreased activity and alertness

COVID-19

While COVID-19 causes mild illness in some people, others get very sick and need hospital care. These articles can help you learn more about COVID-19 and how you can protect your family and others.

Connect to CDC website here for updated information:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

We encourage you to contact us first with your concerns in order to protect your child from additional exposure at an Urgent Care or ER and we will will advise you on next steps.

However, to prevent unintended exposure to COVID-19, and until further notice please be aware of the following:

• All visits to our office are by appointment only with no walk ins
• Masks are worn at all times in the office.
• We are Designating rooms for you ahead of your visit to separate sick visits from Physical Examinations.
• We are asking parents to limit the number of people attending the child's visit to 1,
• Both parents if fully vaccinated.

Appointment availability:

We are open Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm, Saturday schedules vary monthly. Please. Call, Email or reach us via our portal for any scheduling or questions you have.

Extra Steps we are taking for our patients:

We now have Virtual / Telemedicine available for certain conditions.  Please contact our office for an appointment. Our staff will go over insurance to ensure coverage for these appointments and  verify your contact information and guide you through the set-up process via your mobile or computer device. 

If you have any questions or want to schedule your child's first visit to our office, feel free to contact us today. Our friendly and highly knowledgeable staff is available to support and assist you with any questions or concerns about the health of your child.

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