Expert Q&A: Returning to School Sports

This blog was originally published by The Philadelphia Inquirer  A 15-year-old girl was brought to the emergency department because she was not acting like herself at lacrosse practice. The coach called her mother to pick her up early from practice because she was having trouble walking and could not answer such simple questions as “What is your name?” and “Where are you?”  When they arrived at the emergency department, the teen’s skin was red, hot, and dry. She was leaning on her mother for support. She looked so ill that the nurse brought her into the triage room before other waiting patients. She had an extremely high fever of 104.6 degrees and a fast heart rate (tachycardia) of 130 beats per minute, and appeared to be going in and out of consciousness. She was rushed to a treatment room, where doctors and nurses began resuscitation.  Our patient exhibited altered mental […]

Does your child keep getting colds? Runny noses? A cough that just won’t go away? How can you tell if it’s COVID-19, the flu, or RSV? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, even healthy kids get about 6–10 colds each year.  There are a number of different viruses that make the rounds, especially during fall and winter months, and here are some things to watch for when it comes to making decisions about diagnosis, home care, and potential visits to the doctor. What are flu symptoms, COVID symptoms, and RSV symptoms? There is a lot of overlap between symptoms. This means some of the symptoms of flu, COVID, and RSV can appear similar to other respiratory illnesses, up to and including the common cold. It would require a test to confirm a diagnosis for flu, COVID, or RSV. Plus, it’s also possible to have more than one of the […]

It’s that time of year again: flu season. Thankfully, there are some steps you can take to help you and your kids avoid spending the winter feeling terrible and curled up with a box of tissues. Just ask your child to follow these five tips from our medical experts: Wash Your Hands Washing your hands is the single most effective method of preventing respiratory illnesses, including the flu. Keep in mind, when washing your hands, make sure to scrub for at least 20 seconds. (Just tell your kids that’s about the time it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice.) Always make sure to wash your hands before and after eating food, after contact with frequently touched surfaces, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. If you don’t have access to soap and water, make sure to use hand sanitizer. Cover Your Coughs (and Sneezes) When you cough or sneeze, […]