How your pediatrician in Sacramento, CA, can help when your child has an ear infection

When you have a child, it’s easy for your child to be constantly exposed to bacteria. Some of the bacteria can get into your child’s ears, causing an ear infection. Your pediatrician can help your child get relief from an ear infection. The pediatricians at Timberlake Pediatrics in Sacramento, CA, provide comprehensive medical services for children, including treatment of an ear infection.

When you are a parent, it’s a great idea to know some facts about ear infections. These are a few frequently asked questions about ear infections:

Why Are Children More Prone to Ear Infections?

The structures including the ear canal are much smaller and less developed than those of an adult. Bacteria, dirt, and debris can easily clog a child’s ears, causing an ear infection.

What Are Some Signs and Symptoms of an Ear Infection?

Your child may have an ear infection if you notice your child is:

• Fussy and crying
• Tugging or pulling at their ear
• Having trouble hearing sounds and responding
• Feverish and having trouble sleeping
• Having problems with balance
• Draining fluid out of an ear

What Can I Do To Help My Child Feel Better?

There are a few steps you can take at home to help your child feel better. You can try:

• Giving your child a children’s pain reliever like Children’s Tylenol
• Placing a warm, moist washcloth over your child’s ear
• Having your child rest and avoid activity

What Will a Pediatrician Do To Help With an Ear Infection?

Your pediatrician will recommend an antibiotic regimen to be taken for 7 to 10 days. Eardrops are another common treatment to help with an ear infection. For severe, recurring ear infections, your pediatrician may recommend placing tubes in your child’s ears to help with drainage, increase air flow to your child’s ears, and prevent infections.

To find out more about the signs, symptoms and treatment of an ear infection, talk with the experts. Call the pediatricians at Timberlake Pediatrics in Sacramento, CA. You can reach them in the office by calling (916) 688-5040, so call now.

Adults aren’t the only people that need mental health services. Children can suffer mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and other conditions, just like adults. If your child suffers from mental health issues, a pediatrician is an important member of your child’s healthcare team.

Children often deal with life’s stressful events. Adults have coping skills and experience that makes dealing with these events easier. Children don’t have the same resources to draw from. Life’s stressful events can have a huge impact on a child’s mental health.

Children often suffer from depression, anxiety, or other mental health conditions because of:

• Moving
• Changing schools
• Losing friends
• Death of a close family member

Your child can benefit from children’s mental health services if your child is having:

• Difficulty in school
• Anxiety about going to school
• Anxiety about participating in social activities
• Frequent aches and pains
• Fits of temper or rage
• Frequent nightmares
• Thoughts about self-harm or suicide

If you notice any of the signs or symptoms listed above, your pediatrician can perform a mental health screening for your child, to help identify potential mental health issues.

These are some of the mental health issues your pediatrician can identify and help treat:

• Fear and anxiety disorders
• Sleeping and eating disorders
• Obsessive compulsive disorder
• Manic depression and clinical depression

Your pediatrician can counsel your child on healthy ways to cope with stress and stressful events. There are also several effective ways your pediatrician can treat mental health issues, including:

• Medications to manage anxiety, depression, and other conditions
• Counseling about coping mechanisms to deal with stressful situations
• Relaxation techniques to help manage stress

Children’s mental health issues can be managed effectively, with a little help from your pediatrician. Your pediatrician may also provide counseling on diet and exercise, so your child has the best chance for a healthy, happy life. To find out more about the importance of children’s mental health and how your pediatrician can help, call your pediatrician today.

How your pediatricians in Sacramento, CA, can help when your child has ADHD

It’s natural for children to act out occasionally. It’s often a sign of boundary testing and asserting independence, which are both normal milestones. If your child is acting out often, it could be a sign of something else–ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The pediatricians at Timberlake Pediatrics in Sacramento, CA, provide a wide range of children’s medical care, including diagnosis and treatment of ADHD.

If you think your child might have ADHD, you need to know the facts. These are some of the frequently asked questions and answers about ADHD.

What is ADHD?

ADHD is a developmental and behavioral disorder that can be treated by a pediatrician.

What are the signs and symptoms of ADHD?

According to the Child Development Institute, these are some of the most common signs and symptoms of ADHD:

• Difficulty staying still for a long period of time
• Frequently fidgeting or squirming around
• Difficulty getting and staying organized
• Often losing or forgetting things
• Frequently not listening or following directions
• Difficulty paying attention to details
• Excessively talking or blurting out comments
• Running or climbing at inappropriate times

Does ADHD need to be treated?

Yes. If ADHD goes untreated, problems can progress into adulthood, creating serious consequences, including:

• Problems learning and poor grades
• Poor performance at school or work
• Destructive, aggressive behaviors
• Problems forming friendships
• Problems having relationships
• Severe mood swings and depression
• Sleep disorders and insomnia

How can a pediatrician treat ADHD?

There are several ways your pediatrician can treat ADHD including:

Medication therapy, to improve brain function, enhance ability to focus, and increase self-control.

Behavioral therapy with both child and parents, focusing on education and techniques to limit inappropriate behaviors.

Lifestyle modifications, including increasing vitamin and nutrient intake and decreasing sugar intake. Increased exercise may also be recommended.

Your pediatrician can help when your child has ADHD. To find out more about the signs, symptoms, and treatment of ADHD, call the pediatricians at Timberlake Pediatrics in Sacramento, CA. You can reach them in the office by calling (916) 688-5040, so call today.

It’s normal for children to act out. You want your child to test boundaries and show independence, which are both normal milestones in a child’s development. If your child is demonstrating inattentiveness, fidgeting, not listening, and other behaviors on a regular basis, your child could have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD.

The Child Development Institute lists the characteristics of ADHD as:

• Inattention
• Hyperactivity
• Impulsivity

These characteristics can contribute to some noticeable signs and symptoms, including:

• Repetitive motions, like clapping hands
• Continuous fidgeting and squirming
• Inability to remain seated for an extended period of time
• Running or climbing at inappropriate times
• Excessive talking and blurting out comments
• Inability to focus on details
• Problems listening and following directions
• Difficulty getting and staying organized
• Frequently losing or forgetting things

ADHD can be difficult to recognize and can easily go untreated, which is why an ADHD screening from your pediatrician is so important. Your pediatrician has effective screening tools to help identify ADHD. If your child has ADHD, there are several therapies your pediatrician may recommend, including:

Behavioral Therapy, which involves both child and parents; this type of therapy can help establish techniques to limit destructive, aggressive, and inappropriate behaviors.

Lifestyle Modification, which involves dietary and exercise alterations; sugar intake is reduced, and vitamin and nutrient intake is increased. Exercise is increased, to help focus on healthy behaviors.

Medication Therapy, which involves using medications to increase focus, improve brain function, and increase self-control. Medications may include Adderall and Ritalin, among others.

If ADHD goes untreated, it can lead to problems when your child becomes an adult. Some of the ways ADHD can affect an adult include:

• Destructive and harmful behaviors
• Poor grades in school
• Poor performance at work
• Inability to form friendships
• Aggressive, belligerent behaviors
• Moodiness, depression, and frustration
• Physical growth issues
• Difficulty sleeping

If you are worried about your child having ADHD, you need to consult with your pediatrician. An ADHD screening is easy, and can help identify ADHD, so it can be treated. To find out more about the signs, symptoms, and treatment of ADHD, call your pediatrician today.

When your child is sick, it’s comforting to know that help and advice from your pediatrician are just a phone call away. So, what happens when your child is very ill and is getting worse? Your pediatrician has a special option for you. It’s called a sick child visit.

A sick child visit can help your child feel better and recover more quickly. You need to schedule a sick child visit with the pediatrician if your child has a fever which:

• Has lasted longer than 2 days
• Is higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit for children under 2 months
• Is at least 104 degrees Fahrenheit in older children

You also need to schedule a sick child visit if your child has:

• An ear infection
• A bacterial or viral infection
• Difficulty swallowing
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea and constipation
• Headaches and sinus problems
• Allergies or asthma
• Abdominal pain
• Rashes and other skin irritations
• Fractured or broken bones
• Injuries from an accident or sport

When you bring your child in for a sick child visit, your pediatrician will:

• Record your child’s symptoms and health history
• Perform a complete physical examination
• Measure and record your child’s vital signs

Your pediatrician may also order laboratory testing and x-rays to help determine the cause or extent of an injury or illness.

Your pediatrician will also prescribe any necessary medications to make your child more comfortable and eliminate the illness. Medications may include:

• Antibiotics, to eliminate bacteria causing the infection
• Antivirals, to kill the virus causing illness
• Anti-inflammatory medication, to reduce swelling
• Pain medication, to make your child more comfortable
• Specialized medications to treat asthma, allergies, and other conditions

When you bring your child in for a sick child visit with the pediatrician, you can be assured of excellent, compassionate care. A sick child visit can help your child heal and recover more quickly, and be more comfortable.