Dr. Hitchcock is one of only five physicians chosen nationwide to head up a Childhood Immunization Support Advisory Group. This program, funded by the CDC, will review immunization recommendations and educate providers and parents. The committee will also look at barriers to vaccine uptake and address parents concerns regarding vaccine safety. Congratulations Dr.Bill!

A number of Over The Counter children's and infant's liquid medications have been recall by the manufacturer because some of the products may not meet quality standards. McNeil Consumer Healthcare has recalled Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec and Benedryl products. For more information on lot numbers and more specific details of the recall, visit: http://www.mcneilproductrecall.com and http://www.fda.gov/medwatch. Dr. Hitchcock says the generic forms of these medications are OK to give to your children.

You may have heard about some recent outbreaks in measles, chicken pox and pertussis in children in San Diego and North County. These cases are mainly occurring among non-immunized or not-fully immunized children. It is a reminder to keep up-to-date on vaccines. Parents and caretakers of young infants six months of age and under ALSO need to be current on their pertussis booster vaccine. Please ask for this vaccine in our office if you fall into this category.

Once a child is exposed to and infected with the measles virus, his first symptoms will not appear for 8 to 12 days (the incubation period). Infected children tend to be contagious for 1 to 2 days before symptoms finally emerge and 3 to 5 days before the rash breaks out. This contagious period continues for 4 days after the rash appears.

Prior to the appearance of the rash, children with measles develop cold-like symptoms, including a cough, runny nose, fever, and inflamed eye or pinkeye (conjunctivitis). These symptoms tend to get worse during the first 1 to 3 days of the illness. In some children, the cough can become quite severe.

After a child has been ill for about 2 to 3 days, the rash will finally become visible, first as tiny red bumps that form larger patches of red. The rash usually begins on the face and neck and then spreads to the torso, arms, and legs. It lasts for 5 to 8 days before it begins to go away. Young children with measles may develop other symptoms, including an ear infection, pneumonia, croup, and diarrhea.

What You Can Do
If your child has contracted the measles, keep him home from school or child care. In particular, be sure he stays away from others who may not have been immunized against the disease. As part of your home care, give your child plenty of liquids to drink. Some pediatricians recommend that you treat him with over-the-counter acetaminophen if a fever is making him uncomfortable.

When to Call Our Office
If your child develops symptoms commonly associated with measles, contact our office right away. The doctor will want to examine your child to diagnose the illness. We have a separate rash entrance for any child suspected of having measles. If your pediatrician diagnoses measles, your pediatrician will call the local health department, which will take steps to prevent the spread of measles in the community.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is advising these groups of people to make sure they have a current Tdap (diptheria-tetanus-pertussis) booster. This vaccine is licensed for patients 10-64 years old and can be given to any family member or caregiver (except pregnant women) at any time. It is recommended that pregnant women receive it at the time of hospital discharge or as soon as possible after leaving the hospital. These recommendations are to protect infants during the first months of life when they haven't received their first pertussis vaccine. In the past few months, RADY Children's Hospital has seen several infants less than 2 months of age admitted to the NICU and PICU with pertussis. Many of these newborns experienced respiratory failure. In most cases the source of pertussis is one of the parents. If you haven't had a Dtap booster in 10 years, it's time to get one! Contact our office for more information.