whether you're a new parent learning to navigate with a newborn or how to deal with a toddler having a tantrum using tips and tricks from taking temperatures to fighting fevers and potty training to training teens about proper hygiene we've got you covered so grab your notepad and number two pencil because school's in session today we're going to highlight the symptoms discuss some of the treatments and answer any questions you may have on this episode of ask the doc send in your questions to questions allhealth tv.com or allhealth go on Facebook or YouTube or visit the askthe do page on our website allhealth tv.com welcome everyone to ask the doc the show where we encourage our viewers to send in their health questions I'm nurse Katie and today's lesson is learning how to keep your kids healthy and safe from infant to teen and everything else in between let's kick things off with a YouTube question from Bri hi nurse Katie our beautiful baby girl is almost a year old now and we're trying to figure out the best way to take her temperature the next time she is a fever is she old enough for us to put it under her tongue Bri I am so glad you asked me this question thanks for reaching out the well-being of your child is important and understanding how to take their temperature can be valuable skill and provide valuable insights into their health I understand that taking your child's temperature can be confusing at times there are different methods for taking your child's temperature and the right method depends on your child's age it's important to ensure the measurement is accurate for children under 2 years of age taking a rectal temperature provides the most precise reading although it may not be the most comfortable for the child if you are not comfortable taking a rectal temperature you can take the child's auxiliary temperature which is under the armpit while taking a temperature under the armpit is less accurate it can still indicate whether your child has a fever between ages 2 to 5 years of age you can take the til temperature by route of rectal AR pit or to panic in the ear if you choose to take the child's temperature via the ear it is important to remember to gently pull back and up on the ear to get the correct position and the most accurate reading for children older than five years old you can now take their temperature orally as long as they can follow directions to hold the temper the thermometer under their tongue if not continue to take it via the armpit or the ear this chart will help you decide which method to use so to answer your question three it is not time to take your your child's temperature by mou while we are on the subject let's go through some guidelines for fevers for all ages if your child is younger than three months old and has a rectal temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher it's best to call the doctor if you can't reach your doctor it is advisable to go to the emergency department as soon as possible if your child has a fever of one 5 degrees fhe or higher regardless of the age including teens it's important to seek medical attention immediately if you can't reach your doctor it's best to go to the emergency department if your infant usually less than about one years old has a fever of 102 degrees Fahrenheit for more than two days without a clear reason it's important to consult your pediatrician and if your child has a fever you can give Tylenol also known as as a camopan if they're older than two the dose will be listed on the label according to their weight if they're younger than two please ask your doctor how to give it another option is Motrin or Ibuprofen however you can only give this if the child is at least six months old again the dose will be listed on the label according to their weight in addition to medications there are other things you can do to help your child feel better if they have a fever you can put put a cool compress on their head and keep the room at a moderate temperature give them a lukewarm bath not too hot and not too cold dress your child in one layer of light clothing and make sure they drink plenty of fluids you can also give them Popsicle or C cold fluids and that will help bring their temperature down as well all right our next question is incredibly important and comes to us from Pablo who reached out to us on our very own website allhealth tv.com Pablo asks hi nurse Katie my brother's kid got into the medicine cabinet last week thankfully he couldn't open anything because of the childproof tops but it got me thinking what should I do if my boy swallow something harmful Pablo first off thanks for reaching out to us with your question and speaking of questions this is a really really good one before I answer let's check out this video from The Good Old Folks at the Cleveland Clinic kids will put just about anything in their mouths so obvious poisons are typically locked up but some things may look harmless but can make a child very sick Dr Ellen Rome is a pediatrician at Cleveland Clinic children's hospital she says kids and even some adults can confuse medications with candy lots of pills can look just like candy the notorious offender is iron pills which literally looked like M&M's and kids can swallow a lot that can cause vomiting diarrhea and death baby powder can cause serious breathing problems when inhaled by a child also some house plants and outdoor flowers or shrubs are poisonous so kids need to understand why they should only sniff the flowers things like mouthwash facial cleansers and perfumes are a danger because of the alcohol accid accidental poisoning is common especially among Toddlers and anybody aged one to three years old children explore their environment as part of their normal natural development they learn about new things from playing with them trying to open containers mimicking what they see siblings or even adults do and by putting things in their mouth swallowing a poisonous substance spilling it on the skin spraying or splashing it in the eye and it can all lead to poisoning a child may also be poisoned if they are given the wrong medicine or a wrong dose of the medicine always make sure to double check the age and dosage of the instructions before giving medicine to Children young children do not know the difference between what is safe and what is dangerous it is your responsibility to make your home safe for your children do not assume that your child can understand safety messages telling a child to telling a child a product is dangerous is not enough to protect them from po poisoning most poisoning involving children do happen at home home but they can also occur while visiting friends family or even being on vacation poison may be swallowed spilt on the skin sprayed or splashed in the eye or even inhaled children are often poisoned by substance left unattended and easily accessed in places such as on a bench or a table in a visitor's bag or somebody's purse or even in bedside tables but don't assume that high cbbs provide safe storage as children learn to climb to get to things if your child has had a significant poisoning any symptoms that develop will depend on a number of factors such as Which medicine or chemical is involved and how much the child has been exposed to symptoms of poisoning may include nausea vomiting drowsiness falling over and even sometimes abdominal pain do not wait for poisoning symptoms to occur before getting help the best prevention against poisoning is to make sure that children do not have access to any poisons or medicines some safety tips include checking your home to make sure that all poisoning risks have been removed ask other people who care for your child such as grandparents to do the same store all medicines in a locked cabinet if you carry medicines in your handbag make sure the bag is kept Out Of Reach of children store household chemicals such as cleaning or gardening products out of children's reach preferably locked away avoid distractions while administering medicines and follow the dosing instructions on the label parents and people who care for your children should establish a checking system which with each other to avoid giving double doses of the same medicine to Children store poisons Out Of Reach and out of sight including those stored in the refrigerator particularly if it's brightly colored liquid don't estimate underestimate a child's ability to climb and reach them check the child resistant cap is working on medicine and cleaning containers and make sure the cap is shut properly after use avoid taking medicines in front of your children they may think that you're having something nice and try to copy you always keep your dishwasher door locked don't leave paintbrushes soaked in paint that that your children can get into keep your own and your visitors handbags Out Of Reach of your children and never trans for chemicals or cleaning products to another container especially food or drink containers because this is such an important topic I think we should put up a graph if poisoning does occur gather number one gather as much in information about the ingested substance as possible the name the quantity and the time of the incident number two call 911 if your child is experiencing chest pain difficulty breathing or loss of C ious number three call the Poison Center at 1 800 222222 for expert advice if there are visible poisoning substances in the mouth remove them if the child has inhaled something poisonous take them outside to get some fresh air and if poison is on the skin rinse the skin with water this next question is a little funky it's from Courtney on Facebook who's having some teen issues Courtney asks hi nurse Katie we love our tweet age daughter we sincerely do and I don't mean to sound indelicate but she's been smelling a little funky lately and her room looks like a war zone can you give us some tips on how to encourage her to make personal hygiene more of a priority tweenager messy and funky H I think I know what's going on but before I answer your question let's check out this video from our friends at the CDC hey parents want a tip to help improve your relationship with your teen understanding what's happening to them physically emotionally and socially can help roughly between the ages of 11 and 17 puberty raises hormone levels and changes the body meanwhile the brain's rational decision-making section is still developing leaving teens to rely mostly on the emotional section socially teens begin spending more time with Friends start dating and focusing on interests outside the home patience and understanding can help you adapt your parenting to these normal changes in a teen's life to learn more about adapting to the teen years visit Essentials for parenting teens www.cdc.gov [Music] partials when it comes to teen hygiene it's important to have open and understanding discussions with your kids here's a run down when it comes to showering most elementary school kids don't shower every day and they don't need to but once puberty hit daily showering becomes essential it's important to recommend that they use a mild soap which and wash all parts of their body including under their arms their genital area and between their toes also it's essential to ensure that their body is Thoroughly dry before they get dressed it's important to discuss the pros and cons of daily hair ha washing some teens may prefer to skip days to prevent their hair from drying out others may want to wash their hair daily especially if they have oily hair which can both look greasy and aggravate acne as your children goes through puberty their sweat glands become more active and the composition of their sweat changes leading to a stronger odor it's important to help them incorporate deodorant or antiperspirant into their daily routine many te teens may feel self-conscious that about sweating so it's important to offer reassurance and support before puberty your kid might have gotten away with wearing the same shirt or even the same underwear and same socks day after day without even noticing but after puberty that won't fly get your teen to understand that along with showering wearing clean clothes each day is an important part of their teen hygiene point out that cotton clothes may also absorb sweat better than other materials as your child enters their Preen years it's important to encourage them to establish a skincare routine encouraging them to wash their face twice a day even if there's no acne it can become a very helpful habit it's crucial to remind them to be gentle while washing especially if they're skin tends to be oily scrubbing too hard can potentially cause irritation and discomfort taking care of their oral hygiene is really important especially for teens it's crucial to make sure they brush and floss regularly especially if they enjoy coffee sugary drinks or even sports drinks these can all contribute to tooth decay and bed breath so it's important to stay on top of their oral care routine children should brush and floss their teeth twice a day in the morning and usually before they go to sleep they should brush with a p sized amount of children's toothpaste that contains fluoride you'll need to help your child brush their teeth until they're about seven years old all right in case you missed it the first time here's another opportunity to find out where to send in your questions send in your questions to questions at allhealth tv.com or allhealth go on Facebook or YouTube or visit the ask the do page on our website allhealth tv.com all right our next question comes from our Instagram page Monique's question is Nurse Katie I heard from another mother in our mommy and meet group that when infants get a fever they can quickly become dehydrated I never thought about that what are some of the signs to keep an eye out for and what's the best way to rehydrate your child Monique that is a very relevant question thanks for reaching out it's important to remember the signs and symptoms of dehydration in an infant or a young child such as dry mouth no dry tongue no tears in the cry nowh diapers for up to eight hours sunken eyes and cheeks a sunken soft spot which is in the back of their head and that's usually for children under one years of age and sometimes it can be very weak or irritable it can be worrying especially when dealing with a high fever diarrhea or vomiting as this can worsen dehydration to prevent dehydration it's crucial to drink plenty of fluids and eat foods high in water such as fruits and vegetables some examples may be cantaloupe watermelon or even celery if your child has mild dehydration and your doctor says it's okay you can start treatment at your house always remember to start slowly give your child small sips of oral rehydration solution as often as possible for babies give about one to two teaspoons which also is about 5 to 10 milliliters every few minutes for older children give about 1 to two tablespoons or 15 to 30 milliliters every few minutes babies can continue to breastfeed or take form meal as long as they're not vomiting repeatedly older children also can have electrolyte ice pops kids can keep their regular diet unless the doctor recommends a change they may not want to eat it first but as long as they are drinking it's okay if they aren't you can introduce clear liquids such as Jell-O or even some soup raw as your child starts to feel better and has a better appetite you can give less oral rehydration solution and more of their usual food and drink it's important to advance their diet slowly and start with aof s diet like applesauce or yogurt don't give sport strengths soda or full strength juice they have way too much sugar and can cause some symptoms to even worsen it's important to dilute these with water remember do not give medicines for diarrhea or vomiting unless your doctor recommends it if you are attempting these things and your child continues to have symptoms of dehydration or refuse as fluids for several hours please call your pediatrician immediately okay what do we have here this question is from Diego who reached out to us on allhealth tv.com you should really check it out when you get a chance it's chalk full of great information all right Diego asks nurse Katie I happen to catch the tail end of a local media show and they were talking about something called feal seizures which I guess has something to do with high fevers in children I'm a little concerned because my boy Stevie has had a high fever for a couple of times in the past few months what is it and what should I do if he has a seizure Diego Thank you so much for this question a lot of parents are not familiar with FBR seizures FBR seizures can be really scary for parents to witness they often happen when a child has a fever usually from an infection even though these seizures can be frightening they are usually harmless and short-lived and don't necessarily mean there's a serious health condition during a FBR seizure a child might Shake all over lose Consciousness or become very stiff or Twitch in just one area of the body it's really important to keep the child safe during the seizure and provide Comfort afterward after a fee seizure it's crucial to have the child evaluated by a doctor as soon as possible your child's health and well-being is your top priority I can understand that dealing with FBR seizures and children can be very concerning these Caesar usually occur within 24 hours of the onset of a fever fever and can be the first sign that a child is even ill it's important to see your child's doctor as soon as possible after your child's first feal seizure even if it only lasts only a few seconds if the seizure lasts longer than five minutes or is accompanied by certain symptoms please call an ambulance to take your child to the emergency room seeking medical attention is crucial in these situations okay we have another question from YouTube and this question is from Trey this one is a two two ailments for the price of one Trey asks hi nurse Katie our sweet little daughter Miranda got hit with a one two punch a couple weeks ago she came down with both pink eye and an ear infection at the same time her pediatrician put her on antibiotics and they both eventually went away what's the cause of each and how could we prevent it from happening again hi Trey thanks for reaching out let's address the pink eye first but before I share my wisdom with you let's watch a video from the good Folks at the Clinic conjunctivitis is actually an inflammation of the conjunctiva which is a thin layer of tissue that kind of covers the white of your eye as well as the underside of the lid that can lead to inflammation of the blood vessels which tends to lead to redness most cases are caused by a virus the virus that causes pink eye is essentially the same virus that's causing your common cold common symptoms include redness in one or both eyes itchiness or grittiness in the eyes and drainage treating pink eye no no longer includes the use of antibiotics viruses as we know don't respond to antibiotics use a cool compress on the eye and consider using artificial tears it also means you don't have to keep your child home from school you would send your child to school if they had a runny stuffy nose as long as they were able to participate in normal school activities pink eye or viral conjunctivitis is no different you can also manage and prevent the spread of the virus with good hand hygiene check with your healthcare provider if you have concerns for the Mayo Clinic News Network I'm Ian Roth so pink ey also knows as conjunctivitis is an irritation or infection of the conjuctiva which is the membrane that lines the inside of the eyelid and the whites of the eye symptoms of peak eye can vary depending on the cause of the irritation or infection which may include pink or red discoloration kind of a gritty feeling in one or both eyes itching irritation or a burning sensation you can have clear thin drainage of liquid stringy and or thick white or green discharge from the eyes sometimes your eyelids are matted together in the morning there could be swelling of the eyelids or even blurred vision pink eye has several causes sometimes a bacteria which can be transferred to one or both eyes through physical contact or poor hygiene or touching the eyes when you have unclean hands or use of contaminated makeup or face lotions viral pink eye can be caused by viruses associated with the common cold or an upper respiratory infection chemicals can cause it and also allergies or sensitivities pink eye is usually diagnosed based on the history and a comprehensive examination of the eye testing of the drainage or the discharge is usually not required treatment is is determined by the cause of the pink eye and the overall condition of the eye it is important to know that pink eye can be very contagious it is caused by a virus the risk of spread is higher when the is coming from the eye the virus can survive on surfaces for up to two weeks so to help prevent the spread of infection avoid touching your eyes with your hands wash your hands thoroughly and frequently if you do not have access to a sink use hand sanitizer change pillowcases often and do not share eye makeup or personal eye care products with anybody else and follow your eye doctor's instructions about proper contact lens care okay I'm all done with pink eye time to check the ear I understand that dealing with ear pain and children can be very concerning there are several potential causes for ear pain such as an ear infection swimmer's ear or pressure from a cold or sinus infection or teeth pain that's radiating to the ear it could be hard to distinguish between these causes without an in-office examination by your pediatrician if your child's ear pain is accompanied by a high fever affects both ears or if your child shows other symptoms of Stillness your pediatrician May recommend an antibiotic as best course of treatment it's important to note many true ear infections are caused by viruses and may not require antibiotics if your pediatrician suspects that your child's ear infection may be viral in nature they will discuss the best ways to help relieve your child's ear pain until the virus runs its course it's always best to seek professional medical advice and guidance when it comes to your child's Heth the symptoms of the ear infection may be hard to detect a child who constantly tugs or pulls at their ear May Simply Be exploring or so self- soothing but other symptoms can include more crying than usual especially when they lay down trouble sleeping or hearing I know my son whenever he gets an ear infection he always says that he can't hear me and I know right away to make a doctor's appointment about that they can also have fever or headache or fluid coming out of the ears all right well I hope that information regarding ear pain helps so let's do a little recap of what we learned today we went over febr seizures and spoke about that one of the very most important things was talking about poisoning and making sure that you keep medications away from children and even some chemicals we talked about teenagers going through puberty and proper hygiene of those teenagers we also talked about fevers and when to be able to take a temperature in a child remember you can do it usually around younger than two years you want to do rectal but you can also do the armpit all right well I think that's it for today we don't have time for any questions but thank you for listening and we'll see you next time on ask the doc send in your questions to questions at allhealth tv.com or allhealth go on Facebook or YouTube or visit the askthe dooc page on our website allhealth tv.com e