Many children go through phases of food preferences. They want to eat the same food as often as possible, even at every meal, and completely refuse other foods. Studies show that up to 50% of children become picky eaters for a while, peaking at about 2 years old. For a smaller group of children, eating does not become easier, and they do not become open to more foods. This group includes children up to 11 years of age and older. For up to 40% of these children, the problem lasts 2 years or more, and isn’t as simple as a phase. Scientific American[Read more...]
Chilblains, also known as pernio, are a condition that is most common in the cold winter months. They are a painful reaction to warming the skin too quickly after being exposed to cold temperatures. What causes chilblains? The exact reason why chilblains occur is not known. The common thought is that they occur in response to warming the skin after being exposed to extreme cold. When you are exposed to cold, the tiny blood vessels in your skin narrow. Warming the skin after cold exposure can cause these tiny vessels to expand back to their normal size more quickly than[Read more...]
Pinkeye, also called conjunctivitis, is the inflammation of a membrane of the eye. This membrane, or conjunctiva, covers the white part of your eyeball. In your eye you have tiny blood vessels that usually are not easily seen, but when these blood vessels become inflamed or irritated, they are more easily visible. When they are more visible, the whites of your eye (the sclera) become pink or red, giving pinkeye its characteristic name. What causes pinkeye? Pinkeye can be caused by a number of different things, like viruses, bacteria, allergens, getting something in your eye, or a blocked tear duct.[Read more...]
What do we know? Loose stools, tummy ache, and decreased appetite are fairly common after gastroenteritis, or stomach flu, and sometimes persist for as long as six weeks. Unfortunately, tummy ache after the flu is usually caused by gas, and gas pain is one of the most intense pains children feel. This can be a very uncomfortable and disruptive problem, but will get better. Why does this happen? Loose stools and gas are caused by inflammation of the bowel, in the stomach. During the acute infection, the inside of the bowel becomes irritated, and sometimes diarrhea causes the villae which[Read more...]
In every conversation about viruses, bacteria and infections, there is one message that remains clear: proper preventive hygiene is the best way to help prevent the virus from spreading. What do we mean when we say preventative hygiene? We’re talking about any personal practice that helps to stop germs from spreading. This goes for your standard cold, flu, or any other viral illness too. Stopping the spread of germs doesn’t have to be difficult, but it does require practice and consistency. Here are the top four things you and your family can do to prevent the transmission of infections: Wash your[Read more...]
A big story in the news in 2012 was that pertussis, more commonly known as whooping cough, had been making a troublesome return across North America. Whooping cough is an infectious disease that can be especially dangerous for infants and young children. Word of its recent resurgence is certainly worrisome and naturally you, members of the QPAM community, had a number of questions. The most common questions we received had been about the pertussis vaccination schedule. The immunization schedule gives pertussis (the vaccine is grouped with tetanus and diphtheria) at 2, 4, 6, and 15-18 months, as well as 4-5 years of[Read more...]
