Pollen Pointers
(Photo Courtesy of Leo Rivas/Unsplash) With spring in full bloom, here’s what families should know about this year’s OC allergy season. Watery eyes, itchy skin,...
Stay Sniffle-Free All Year Round
When your child is ill with seasonal colds, the flu, or allergies we offer the best steps you can take to consult experts and home treatments.
Editor's Picks
Seasonal Allergy Tips for Pets
Help keep your pet itch-free with these natural strategies for allergy season. As we fully embrace the sights and sounds of spring—birds singing, bees buzzing,...
Fearsome Flu
Steps to Take Today to Protect Your Family. By this point in the flu season, pretty much everyone knows at least a few people who...
Recent Articles
Dealing with Spring Allergies
Do you find yourself constantly wiping your child’s runny nose, soothing their persistent cough, or noticing red, itchy skin? It common for parents to worry
Ear Infection FAQ
What parents should know about ear infections in young children. Middle ear infections are the most common cause of earaches in children. Nearly five out of
What to Know About RSV
(Photo Courtesy of Canva) What do I need to know about RSV to protect my kids? 0 to 2 Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is common, and one of the many viruses that cause respiratory illness — illnesses of the nose, throat and lungs. For healthy children, RSV symptoms resemble a common cold, but it may lead some immunosuppressed and young babies to develop lower respiratory illnesses like bronchiolitis and pneumonia. RSV is spread from respiratory secretions through close contact with infected people or contact with contaminated surfaces or objects. Its typical peak season of transmission is from October to March. ...
Pollen Pointers
(Photo Courtesy of Leo Rivas/Unsplash) With spring in full bloom, here’s what families should know about this year’s OC allergy season. Watery eyes, itchy skin, sniffly nose … sounds like allergy season is here. But in a time when a scratchy throat and the sniffles can mean something more than hay fever, we thought it best to seek out the advice of a medical professional to help us figure out what we can expect locally this allergy season as well as learn the common symptoms. “There's no cure for allergies, but symptoms can be managed,” said Dr. Cory Spurlock, chief...
Make Your Own Face Mask
Q: [Adults] I need face masks for my family. Is this something I can do myself? When this crisis started, I knew I wanted to put my hands to work to make a difference. I watched a lot of video tutorials on mask-making since my sewing knowledge was limited to say the least! This step-by-step guide combines ideas and tips I picked up from each of them to create what I hope is an easy-to-follow guide to mask-making. I wanted to make a mask for myself, my family and others that would protect us as much as possible from this...
What Parents Should Know About COVID-19
It all starts with clean hands and cool heads. Wash your hands. Don’t touch your face. Cough into a tissue that you immediately discard. Stay home. By now, we’ve all heard the advice from government and health officials regarding COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus, but when it comes to safeguarding yourself and your children, proper hygiene — and a sense of calm — go a long way. This is a fast-moving and ever-changing challenge, so I have been telling parents to check in with cdc.gov for updated information. In addition, there are some pieces of universal advice that I...
Keeping Allergic Kids Safe at School
Q: [All Ages] My young child is starting school and has food allergies. How do I make sure he stays safe and healthy while at school? A: Having an action plan in place, and discussing it with your child, his teacher and school staff before school begins, is key. Develop a written plan to share with your child’s teacher, nurse and any other adults who regularly care for your child. Consult your pediatrician and/or allergist for help in developing the plan. Include information on your child’s allergen(s), and on how to prevent accidental exposure. Above all, explain how to recognize...
Seasonal Allergy Tips for Pets
Help keep your pet itch-free with these natural strategies for allergy season. As we fully embrace the sights and sounds of spring—birds singing, bees buzzing, butterflies migrating and the super blooms that recently overtook Southern California—there’s another bit of imagery that pet owners are less happy about: seeing our pets itch. Spring often brings with it a set of less desirable symptoms for allergic pets, which is why spring is often known as allergy season for our pets (and many of us). “Pollens, plants and grasses are more abundant,” said Dr. Kathy Wentworth, holistic veterinarian at PetPoint Medical Center &...
Tips for When Your Child Has a Fever
Generally speaking, fevers are not dangerous. While they are uncomfortable, most fevers that parents encounter are manageable and benign. Even many of the high ones. A fever is caused when our immune system is activated by a virus or bacterial infection. The fever itself tells us nothing about the severity of the illness causing it, only that an illness is present. A child could have a temperature of 101 and pneumonia, while another could have 104 and a cold. Even so, it is good to know how high a fever is. Unfortunately, most thermometers that parents use don’t accurately tell...
Keep Healthy During the Holiday Season
Q: [All Ages] What are some tips for keeping my family healthy during holiday stress and flu season? A: The winter months are known for spreading happy holiday cheer, but also unhappy colds and other infections. Viruses like influenza thrive in colder environments. So when large groups of people come together, as with holiday parties and gatherings, germs are highly likely to spread. Keep the following tips in mind to make your winter months more healthy and happy: Keep those hands clean—washing hands after contact with sick people has been shown to be one of the best ways to reduce...
Fearsome Flu
Steps to Take Today to Protect Your Family. By this point in the flu season, pretty much everyone knows at least a few people who have fallen ill with a nasty case. The flu arrived early and has been more severe than usual as well. Public-health experts aren’t surprised. Australia, which gets its flu season before ours in the Northern Hemisphere, was hit hard and doctors have been bracing ever since. It’s a mistake in any year to confuse influenza with the generic “colds and flu” that people talk about each winter. Influenza can be a serious disease; each year...
SoCal Flu Season
Q [Whole Family]: It seems like I hear commercials for the flu shot three times a day, but is this even something we have to worry about in sunny Cali? Isn’t that more of an issue for cold weather places where people are cooped up together? A: Yes, there absolutely is a flu season in Southern California! Even though we experience milder winters than other states, it’s imperative to take the steps necessary to protect ourselves and our loved ones from the flu. That said, the timing of flu season is very unpredictable and can vary from season to season....
Blame It On the Rain?
Allergies or Sinus Infections, Explained. With this marking the wettest year in California’s history, blooms cover the once arid landscape and suddenly the hills are alive with the sound of…sneezing. But when heads gets stuffed up and those sniffles start; is it allergies, a simple change-of-season cold or sinus infection? One way to tell is the timing. If the discomfort and symptoms predates the blooms and pollen in the air, you probably can’t blame it on the rain. If you or your child has ever had a sinus infection, you know how miserable it can make you both feel. Your...
CalOptima: Keeping Indoor Allergies at Bay
A large number of Orange County’s young and old are sniffling, sneezing or wheezing their way through spring’s allergy triggers. Allergies are the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the U.S. with a cost of $18 billion, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). With increasing amounts of money being spent on treatment against outdoor allergens, we often forget about the small changes indoors that can collectively make a difference for our family. According to Dr. Miles Masatsugu, Medical Director at CalOptima, the health insurance provider for thousands of adults and children throughout Orange County, it’s...
Dealing With Airborne Allergies
The number of people in Orange County who are affected by airborne allergies is much higher than you might think. In general, around 30% of adults and 40% of children live with respiratory allergies. In terms of other widespread respiratory issues, asthma is the most common chronic disease in children, and is the number reason why children miss school. Because of the wonderful climate, Orange County is covered in pollen year-round. Since there is no severe winter frost to kill off pollen, we are at a disadvantage compared to northeastern America. It’s usually worse in spring and fall, but it’s...