TRAVELING BY AIR
“There are plenty of germs flying with you in that airplane. People should bring waterless, alcohol-based hand sanitizers or wipes with them on the plane. Use them before eating or drinking and after using the bathroom and washing your hands, because the water on airplanes has a dirty track record,” says Dr. Felice Adler, a CHOC infectious diseases specialist. She adds that children (and their parents) also should have a flu vaccine, especially if they are flying in wintertime.
VISITING FOREIGN COUNTRIES
“Make sure your child is up to date on routine vaccinations and ask your pediatrician about any additional vaccines your child might need. It’s also important to check if there is malaria where you are visiting as you might need anti-malaria medication,” says Dr. Adler. She noted that diarrhea is common when traveling abroad, especially in developing countries, so it’s best to use bottled water for drinking and teeth brushing – and no ice in drinks. Finally, says Dr. Adler, “One of the rules we always tell families is when eating fruits and vegetables, you boil it, cook it, peel it, or forget it.”
HEALTHY TRAVEL PACKING LIST
Dr. Felice C. Adler has been working at CHOC since 2008 and is the director of outpatient services for the Division of Infectious Diseases. Dr. Adler completed her internship and residency training at the Vanderbilt University Children’s Hospital in Nashville, Tenn. She completed her fellowship training in pediatric infectious diseases at Miller Children’s Hospital, Long Beach, and the University of California, Irvine College of Medicine. Her main areas of interest include travel medicine, recurrent fevers, skin infections and bone and joint infections. Dr. Adler started a bone and joint infection clinic at CHOC in conjunction with the Orthopedic Surgery department.
Dr. Adler’s philosophy of care: “I listen very closely, respond to families’ concerns, and treat every child as I would want my own child to be treated.”
EDUCATION:
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tenn.
BOARD CERTIFICATIONS:
Pediatric Infectious Disease
The holidays are finally upon us! This means a lot more gatherings with friends and family. To ensure you and your kids have a pleasant – and safe – holiday season, check out these tips when visiting over the holidays, from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
It’s important to understand the difference between viral and bacterial infections because the treatments for them differ.
Most seasonal illnesses like respiratory infections, the flu and the common cold are viral infections, for which antibiotics have no effect. Antibiotics may be used to treat bacterial infections such as urinary tract infections, blood stream infections and cellulitis, a common skin infection.
What Is Colic?
Colic is the term used to describe uncontrollable crying in an otherwise healthy infant during its first three to four months of life. Typically colic is diagnosed if the baby is crying at least three hours a day, for three or more days per week and for three weeks or more.
Screen Time Insomnia
Screens, including TVs, computers, tablets, iPhones and video games, can emit a blue light that can be a strong signal to your brain that it’s daytime or wake time. If the screen is being used at night, it can send your body a signal that makes it difficult to know it’s nighttime and sleep time.
Identifying Child Abuse
"If a baby isn’t cruising, crawling or getting around, a bruise would be worrisome unless there is an explanation,” says CHOC pediatrician and child abuse expert Dr. Wong. Another sign of abuse may be bruises in unusual places, like the abdomen or buttocks.
