If your child has not urinated in over 8 hours, is having bloody diarrhea, vomiting blood or something that looks like coffee grounds please contact our office at (301) 279-6750.

If yes. They can return to daycare/ school when they are fever and vomit free for 24 hours and having less than 4 bowel movements each day.

The most important of treating viral gastroenteritis in children and adults is to prevent severe loss of fluids (dehydration). This treatment should begin at home.
Stay Hydrated. The best fluid to use to treat/prevent dehydration is an oral rehydration solution like Pedialyte.
Count wet diapers or frequency of urination.
The goal is to offer enough fluid so that the child urinates 3-4x in a 24h period. They do not need to produce a large quantity of urine, so the diapers don’t have to be saturated. Urine just has to be produced.
Food.
When your child is expressing interest in food start with a bland, starchy carb diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast- the BRAT diet). Start with small frequent meals and do not pressure your child to eat.
Skin Care.
The anus and buttocks can become quite irritated if exposed to very acidic stool. Clean the buttocks and anus after bowel movements with water. Alternatively, soak the child in a bathtub of warm water with baking soda (1/4 cup) sprinkled in. Apply a thick barrier ointment to the skin such as Desitin Original.

Plagiocephaly aka “flat head syndrome” sounds scary but is quite common! Most babies respond very well to re-positioning techniques. If their head shape doesn’t improve by 3-4 months give us a call at (301) 279-6750 to schedule an appointment with their primary care doctor.

Medication dosing is weight specific. Please utilize our dosing charts by clicking here to determine the dosage for your child. If you’re unsure, please call our office at (301) 279-6750 and speak with one of our advice nurses.

Medication dosing is weight specific. Please utilize our dosing charts by clicking here to determine the dosage for your child. If you’re unsure, please call our office at (301) 279-6750 and speak with one of our advice nurses.

Medication dosing is weight specific. Please utilize our dosing charts by clicking here to determine the dosage for your child. If you’re unsure, please call our office at (301) 279-6750 and speak with one of our advice nurses.

Click here to read our handout on Tick Bites.

If your child is older than 8 years of age and the tick has been attached for 36 hours or longer contact our office at (301) 279-6750.

Contact our office at (301) 279-6750. Your child may need antibiotic eye drops, which we can often (but not always) prescribe over the phone.

Cleanse the eyes with a warm damp washcloth or cotton balls. Use a soothing eye drop such as Tearsol. Encourage your child to frequently wash their hands and keep them away from their eyes to prevent it from spreading to other people.

Avoid going out during the hottest part of the day. Have your child wear a hat. Stay in the shade as much as possible. Reapply sunscreen throughout the day if you’re going to be outside for prolonged period of times.

Sunscreen can be applied at any age. Always use at least SPF 45-50. Apply prior to going out and wash off after coming inside.

It is very normal for people on pure liquid diets (babies) to be gassy because they swallow a lot of air while sucking/gulping. It usually is not an indication that they are sensitive to something in mom’s milk or their formula. Good burping is the most important first step. If you cannot get a good burp out. Try to change position- lay them down for 1-2 min and then return them to an upright position. Often this position change will result in “self-burping”. If the infant is gulping, try to slow the flow by either changing to a lower number nipple. If your breastfeeding, try pumping for 45 seconds prior to nursing to release your fast let-down. It is perfectly fine to try mylicon (simethicone) 0.3 mL up to every 2-3 hours to help relieve gas. 

There are several OTC medications you can use to help your child’s symptoms. To treat all your child’s symptoms, you can use a nasal spray, eye drops, and oral allergy medicine all at once. Click here to review our handout on recommended over-the-counter products.

If your child is experience allergy symptoms have them:

• Wear a hat when playing outside
• Wash their hands and face immediately when they come back inside
• Wash and rinse their hair each night
• Keeping a sheet over your child’s bed if you have windows open in your house. Remove this sheet when they got to bed at night.

Seasonal allergies occur once the healthy body mounts an immune response to an allergen that your child has been exposed to. Your child may have many symptoms including itchy, watery eyes, runny nose, itchy ears, sneezing, post nasal drip, and mild cough. Remember: the ears, nose, throat, and eyes are all connected, so if your child has symptoms in one place they may have symptoms everywhere.