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Updated: May 18, 2023 Over the weekend the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Monkeypox a Global Emergency; with more than 16,000 cases in 75 countries. There are several cases; including those involving children, in the Atlanta area. Here are some quick facts: Rare The first human case was in 1970 but first discovered in 1958 in a colony of monkeys Monkeypox virus is in the same family as SmallPox Symptoms are similar to SmallPox but milder—>rarely fatal How is it spr

Recently, during a well-child visit, a parent's concern was about night terrors.  After chatting, I realized this little one was having nightmares and not night terrors.  Do you know the difference? What Are Night Terrors? Now, personally, I believe a night terror would be scary for a parent to see.  Imagine running into your child's room because you heard a scream. You reach their room, and they are sitting up and screaming. But the kicker is that they seem asleep. Night ter

Supervision! Supervision! Supervision! The summer months are here, so it is time to start supervising our children when they are in or near water. This is because drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4 and the third leading cause of unintentional injury death among U.S. children and adolescents 5 to 19 years of age. Other Summer tips: Enroll in Swim Lessons: The AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) recommends swim lessons for kids starting at age 1. B

Have you ever noticed a rash on your child's foot? Did you know there are only two known causes of rashes on the feet? Well.... one is Hand, Foot and Mouth (HFMD), and now it's the season! HFMD is a viral infection caused mainly by Coxsackievirus, and it is highly contagious. The hallmark symptoms of HFMD include: Fever Sore throat Painful sores or blisters in the mouth Rash or red spots on the hands, feet, and sometimes buttocks HFMD, like any other virus-caused disease, has

My favorite apple juice, S Martinelli & Company, was voluntarily recalled last month. The Watsonville, California-based juice maker sounded an alarm about a "single lot" of Martinelli's Gold Medal Apple Juice because it contains elevated levels of inorganic arsenic. Arsenic has been all over the news lately, so let's talk about it! Arsenic is a naturally occurring element found in soil and groundwater, which plants and crops can absorb. It can be found in rice, apple juice, c

Updated: Oct 29, 2024 First Case of Sexually Transmitted Fungal Infection Reported in US It continues to be essential for parents to cultivate an environment for open communication because something is new. Recently, we have reported the first case of a sexually transmitted fungal infection (Trichophyton Mentagrophytes genotype VII (TMVII)) in the US. This discovery has brought significant attention from the medical community. Unlike bacterial or viral sexually transmitted in

I will tell everyone who will listen about my little garden.  I finally became a homeowner, so now I can continue the Work's family tradition of farming.  I have garlic, onions, kale, peppers, beef tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, eggplants, romaine red lettuce, squash, and cucumbers.  I grow entirely too much, so my friends get the benefits of my labor.  Recently, I saw one colossal cucumber (photo attached). Then, a few hours later, I saw an IG post from ABCNEWS:  "Whole, fresh c

The pollen count is rising!! Hopefully, you are not suffering, but if you are, do you want to know about a natural remedy? Local honey! Local honey is produced by bees in your area, using nectar from local flowers. (I have added links on how bees make honey because you know I am a nerd at heart, lol !) Unlike commercially processed honey, local honey retains trace amounts of pollen from these flowers. It's believed that consuming small amounts of this local pollen through hon

As we transition to more sunny days, I want to remind you that we should apply sunscreen daily, regardless of the season. We must protect...

Have you heard of Zyn? I certainly haven't until recently. Zyn is a brand of nicotine pouches that have gained popularity, among young teens, as an alternative to traditional tobacco products like cigarettes. These pouches contain nicotine but are tobacco-free, making them appealing to individuals looking for a smoke-free way to consume nicotine. They are placed between the gum and lip and are slowly absorbed. On social media, "Zynfluencers " can be seen popping the little wh

Raise your hand if you apply sunscreen every day. Raise your hand if you reapply your sunscreen every two hours as directed. I can personally say that neither of my hands are raised. I may apply my Facial Moisturizing Lotion with SPF 30 in the mornings but I never reapply. And I definitely do not apply anything stronger on the weekends when I am out hiking running or biking. Never. Yes, I need to do much better. As we transition to more sunny days, I wanted to give you (and m

Updated: May 18, 2023 Let’s talk about “stomach bugs” or Acute Gastroenteritis (AGE). Over the last week, a few of my kiddos have had the dreaded stomach bug. AGE is defined as diarrhea (2 or more episodes), with OR without vomiting or fever. Nausea can also be involved. It is self-limited but anything over two weeks needs to be evaluated. RED flags for AGE include blood in stool, blood or greenish color in vomit, concerns of dehydration, a change of mental status, or other s

Updated: Oct 8, 2022 It has been less than one month since our children returned to virtual / in-class instruction / hybrid / “we have no...

Updated: Oct 8, 2022 I realize there is a lot of hesitancy about receiving the Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. Trust me, I understand. I...

Last week the CDC and FDA approved the Moderna and Pfizer COVID bivalent booster vaccines for children. The bivalent COVID-19 vaccines...

Updated: Oct 8, 2022 Recently I lost my best friend and the love of my life, Lola “Bear” Works. She was a 58-pound happy, spontaneous...

Updated: Oct 8, 2022 Yeah! It is time for kids to “step up and show out” because it is now their time to shine! The FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) has given emergency use authorization (EUA) of the Pfzier-BioNTech vaccine for children ages 12-15. (They plan to seek clearance in September for the vaccine to be used in children aged 2 to 11.) This is exciting news because it marks the first step in getting our kids back in school and allowing them to see their friends.

Good Morning! If you haven’t seen on the news; measles has made a comeback. According to the CDC; as of January 25; cases have been found in Georgia, Missouri, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Measles is a highly contagious viral infection caused by the measles virus. It spreads through tiny droplets in the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can survive on surfaces for several hours, making it easy to contract by touching contaminated objects and then touch

Updated: May 18, 2023 Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. As you may already know, the COVID-19 Omicron variant is the dominant strain circulating in the US. Currently, in GA, our numbers have jumped up 50 percent. According to the Georgia Department of Health, as of the latest update, we have: 1,313,529 Confirmed Cases 26,120 Confirmed Deaths 91,881 Hospitalizations 14,242 ICU Admissions 23,0303 new cases in the last two weeks Before you see family later this week, I would l

RSV season is here! Hospitals in at least 36 states are already feeling the crush, and 71% of 40,000 US pediatric hospitals are filled. What’s scarier than these statistics is that we are still early in the season. Why is this happening? Well, for the last two years we stayed away from everyone, wore masks, and kids did not attend daycare or school. This means children were NOT introduced to common viruses like RSV, Influenza (Flu), Coronavirus, COVID, Parainfluenza, Enterovi