If you’re scheduling pre-camp or summer checkups for your tweens, chances are your pediatrician is going to talk to you about the HPV vaccine.
It helps prevent certain types of cancer that are caused by the human papillomavirus, including cervical, vulvar, vaginal, penile, anal, and some oral cancers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Because HPV is spread through sexual contact, the ideal time to get the vaccine is before kids become sexually active.
Because vaccines of any nature have been the topic of much anxiety for parents, BocaParent talked to a local pediatric infectious disease specialist, Dr. Jose R. Mateo, about why we should consider this one – for girls and boys.
For him, it comes down to the severity of the disease the vaccine aims to prevent – in this case, cervical cancer, of which HPV is the main cause.
“It should be used in every adolescent because there is a lot to prevent here,” Mateo said.
Cervical cancer causes about 4,000 deaths in women each year in the United States, according to the CDC. There are about 15,000 HPV-associated cancers in the United States that may be prevented by vaccines each year in women.
Beyond that, the vaccine can also prevent some oral cancers in men – and genital warts. Mateo says billions are spent every year to treat genital warts, which can also be transmitted to babies during birth and cause serious respiratory problems.
The vaccine is underused, with about 32 percent of eligible girls getting it in 2010. Mateo attributes that to its newness and the fact that it isn’t required by schools or other organizations.
There are two HPV vaccines: Gardasil, approved in 2007, and Cervarix, approved in 2009. Mateo said there are no significant side effects with either. Gardasil protects against four strains of the virus and is the only one approved for use in boys.
Mateo said the HPV vaccine, which is not a live virus, is safe to get alongside the other immunizations required for entry into seventh-grade: Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis and Meningococcal Conjugate.
Some insurers do cover Gardasil and Cervarix.
GETTING THE HPV For girls and boys age 11-12, the CDC recommends three shots over six months.
Mateo recommends bringing the kids in well-hydrated and having them sit in the doctor’s office a few minutes after receiving any shots, to avoid any faintness.
LEARN MORE
The CDC website has more details.
Dr. Jose R. Mateo is in private practice in Boca Raton and Coral Springs and is affiliated with West Boca Medical Center. You can reach him at 561-997-7686.
Find more on medical issues from local experts on our Kids’ Health page. - CHARLENE PACENTI
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The flu season is on its way, and local pediatricians are urging parents to take kids for a flu shot – and to get one themselves.
Dr. Andrew Reiss, who practices at Pediatric Associates and West Boca Medical Center, said the good news is that this year’s flu shot is identical to last year’s. So if your kids got one last year, they may only need one dose this year, instead of two.
Reiss recommends the flu mist over an injection if you can get it, just because it’s more comfortable for the kids. You don’t get sick from the vaccine, he said, but you can get some side effects from the mist like a runny nose and a cough two or three days later.
Palm Beach County Public Schools are not be offering the vaccine this year because of funding cuts. (Read more about that in The Palm Beach Post.)
But so far the vaccine is widely available at pediatrician’s offices and local drugstores, sometimes for free.
The flu vaccine is covered by most insurance.
“It’s all the same. It’s all very reliable,” Reiss said.
Himself a father of three – ages 7, 9 and 10, Reiss recommends that parents get the flu shot, too. Because once one person in the house gets it, “Everybody else in the house is going to get it.”
And because there are multiple strains out there, you can get it more than once. It’s typically a weeklong illness that brings a high fever, headache, sore throat, cough, congestion and body aches.
Flu season usually starts in early November. It hasn’t hit South Florida yet, but it takes a couple of weeks after the vaccine to develop immunity. The peak months for flu are usually January-March.
TIPS FOR AVOIDING THE FLU
Reiss offers some other tips for keeping the flu at bay:
TO LEARN MORE
For more on the flu vaccine, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention online.
Get more Kids’ Health news, tips and local resources at BocaParent.com.
RSV OUTBREAK Another local health trend: We seem to be having an outbreak of RSV, which is common for South Florida in the fall, Reiss said. It’s a highly contagious virus that causes infection of the respiratory tract. Read more about the outbreak in the Sun-Sentinel. Read more about RSV and how to prevent it in BocaParent’s 3-Minute Guru.
RSV OUTBREAK
Another local health trend: We seem to be having an outbreak of RSV, which is common for South Florida in the fall, Reiss said. It’s a highly contagious virus that causes infection of the respiratory tract.
- CHARLENE PACENTI
For moms-to-be trying to decide where to give birth, medical expertise and support is the first consideration. After that, it’s usually about comfort.
West Boca Medical Center’s Birthcare Pavilion, which delivers about 200 babies a month, strives to offer both.
Thirty-six obstetricians and midwives deliver at West Boca, and an anesthesiologist is there 24/7. The hospital’s maternity care has been rated among the top 5 percent in the nation for the past five years by HealthGrades.com.
In case the baby arrives with complications, West Boca has the highest-level neonatal intensive care unit in the area, with a staff of 50 to watch over as many as 34 beds, including micro-preemies weighing less than 2 pounds. The NICU was expanded just two years ago. HealthGrades rates the hospital as “better than expected” in the newborn survival category.
Louise Toby-Harris, director of labor & delivery, has experienced the hospital’s success with preemies firsthand. Three years ago, her daughter gave birth to a baby girl at only 25 weeks into the pregnancy. The baby stayed in the NICU for four months.
Now, she’s a smart, energetic little girl, Toby-Harris said.
West Boca’s well-baby nursery can hold 24 infants at once, but the newborns are often rooming in with their moms for most of their stay.
The labor and delivery rooms – all private, with private bathrooms – are decorated to look more like a home bedroom than a hospital room, with dark wood armoires, wood floors and nicely tiled bathrooms. Framed pictures on the wall slide up to reveal the medical equipment for when the big moment arrives.
“We try to make it as homey as possible,” said Doreen O’Boyle-Neary, clinical manager of labor & delivery.
For those delivering via C-section, West Boca has two dedicated operating rooms in the maternity unit.
For postpartum recovery, the hospital offers two private suites and two “Princess Suites.” The luxury Princess suites cost an extra $150 a night (not covered by insurance). They can be reserved in advance for scheduled births; otherwise, it’s first come, first served. All other postpartum rooms are semi-private.
A lactation consultant is also available to assist with breast feeding.
On their last night in the hospital, the mother and partner are treated to a gourmet dinner.
BOCA BIRTH TRENDS
West Boca maternity staff say they are seeing more moms-to-be come in with research under their belt, many using midwives and also trying alternatives to pain medication, like the birthing ball.
“It’s their body and we let them do what they have to do,” Toby-Harris said.
NICU RATINGS
Level 2 – Babies need a little observation, or maybe a course of antibiotics. They usually stay in the NICU less than 10 days.
Level 3 – Babies who need more medical intervention. (West Boca has the only Level 3 NICU in Boca and northwest Broward).
OTHER DETAILS
Siblings can visit, but they may not stay overnight.
You can order food (like stir-fry, ziti and creme brulee) from the hospital’s restaurant-style menu.
To schedule a tour, call 866-904-9262.
Watch a video tour of the Birthcare Pavilion on YouTube.
CLASSES
West Boca offers several classes to get ready for your new arrival, and to care for the baby afterward. Check the schedulefor classes on childbirth, breastfeeding, new baby care, prenatal yoga and more at the hospital’s website. Select “Maternity” from the “Search by Topic” menu.
No parent is a stranger to a lack of sleep at one time or another – for yourself, a child, or both at the same time.
It can make you cranky, tired, unable to focus and bring on other health problems.
But when does a bad night’s sleep become a medical disorder?
The Sleep Diagnostic Center at West Boca Medical Center works to help figure that out – and not just for adults. It has a pediatric sleep lab that treats premature infants through teenagers, with a doctor who specializes in pediatric sleep disorders.
The biggest groups of child patients are preemies and adolescents, said Chris Apergis, director of cardiopulmonary & the sleep center.
He gives a rundown of sleep disorders that can occur in various ages, and how they are treated:
Preemies
Some babies born prematurely may suffer from sleep apnea – and may not have the brain development to wake up when they stop breathing. They will be hooked to an apnea monitor in the hospital, and parents may even take one home. An alarm will sound if the baby stops breathing. Co-sleeping infants When Mom and Dad start out sleeping with the baby in their bed, then decide it’s time for baby to sleep in the crib, it can be a difficult transition.
If the baby is up all night crying – and the parents are, too – they may turn to the sleep lab for help. There, a parent will sleep in a recliner; the baby will be monitored in the crib – and the staff will keep the two apart, even if Mom tries to climb into the baby’s bed.
The “treatment” here is as much for the parents as the baby: “It’s OK for the baby to cry,” Apergis said.
Kids age 5-10 A big issue in this age group is “obstructive sleep apnea,” Apergis said.
Kids may have enlarged tonsils or sinus problems. They usually snore and sleep with their mouths open.
They wake up so much during the night that they don’t experience the four stages of sleep, so they don’t get the rest they need for the next day. They may be cranky and tired all the time.
In some cases, surgery may be recommended – removing the tonsils, for example.
In other cases, patients may wear a special mask at night to keep the airways open.
Adolescents
Sleep problems in adolescents are often behavioral. Kids may have trouble sleeping because they are overstimulated by electronics and may not follow a regular sleep schedule.
Not getting enough sleep – they still need eight hours at this age – can make them feel tired all the time, fall asleep in school, or experience falling grades.
One of the biggest ways for parents to help is make the child’s bedroom a comfortable, calm environment – no phones, no music, no TV. They can read, which is relaxing.
Children’s natural body clock starts to change at this age – and some of the Boca middle schools start classes later in the morning. Apergis recommends keeping them on a regular bedtime – even on the weekends. Don’t let them sleep in.
And keep them from doing strenuous exercises within two hours of bedtime. The hormones will keep them up. Ditto for caffeine.
Once you’ve tried all that and the child still has trouble sleeping, it may be time for a medical consultation. You will need a prescription to go to the sleep center, so start with your pediatrician. (Many insurance plans do pay for it).
Obesity
Overweight can also cause obstructive sleep apnea, Apergis said. Patients with large necks and tongues can experience obstructions when those muscles relax during sleep. A diet and fitness plan may be part of that treatment.
Sleep monitoring
To diagnose a sleep disorder, the child reports to a sleep lab (with a parent) around 8 p.m. Monitors are attached in several places, including the head, chest, abdomin and legs.
The parent stays in the room all night, while the monitors record breathing patterns, movement and other data from the sleeping child.
A diagnosis is usually made in the next couple of days.
UP ALL NIGHT – READ MORE
So, your kid has a broken arm. Maybe. You’re not quite sure. It seems to hurt a lot, but you can’t really tell if it’s swollen.
What do you do? And where do you go for help?
Emergency room? Pediatrician? Orthopedist?
BocaParent checked with a couple of local experts for some guidance.
(Of course, if an arm, leg, or any other bone is obviously broken, get to the nearest emergency room or call 911 for a severe injury.)
In other cases, it can be trickier.
Margaret Neddo, emergency department director at West Boca Medical Center, said children can often sustain more pain than adults, and their bones aren’t as hard as ours. So a bone break may not be as obvious.
The child may be able to move it at first and may not have swelling initially. It might get worse the next day.
It’s always best to get it checked out, said Neddo, a mom of three. “For me, it is about peace of mind.”
West Boca Medical Center has a pediatric emergency department, which sees about 30 kids a day, and has the area’s only pediatric orthopedist, Dr. Kenneth Jeffers.
How a broken bone is treated in the West Boca ER depends on the nature of the break. For a simple case, a child can get X-rayed, get a cast and you can be on your way. For a more serious break, the orthopedist will need to weigh in. Doctors are particularly concerned about breaks near a growth plate in the arm, knee or ankle – and that’s why it’s good to see a pediatric orthopedist, if possible, Neddo said.
If the injury is severe or requires surgery, the child will be admitted to the hospital. If he has a lot of swelling, it may only be splinted in the ER. Then you’ll need to see an orthopedist a day or two later for a cast.
West Boca also has a new call-ahead service for non-life-threatening injuries that allow you to reserve a time to come in and cut out some of the ER wait time.
Boca Raton Regional Hospital in East Boca doesn’t have a pediatric department, but they do treat children in the emergency room. They don’t, however, do casts.
If you go in with a suspected break, they will do the X-ray, splint it and refer you to an orthopedist.
For minor injuries, or if you’re just not sure what to do, you may start with your pediatrician. If he feels an X-ray is in order, he may send you to the ER or, during regular hours, a walk-in X-ray facility. Once a break is confirmed, you still may end up in the ER, or be sent to an orthopedist. If you cannot get in to see Jeffers, you will likely be referred to other practices in Broward.
No one we spoke to could say why there is only one pediatric orthopedist around Boca Raton. The number of bright pink and blue casts spotted around the school grounds this year – and the overflowing waiting rooms at the offices in Broward – indicate a demand for that specialty.
TO LEARN MORE Get some extensive information on broken bones at KidsHealth.org. Share your experiences and recommendations in the comments.
Get some extensive information on broken bones at KidsHealth.org.
Share your experiences and recommendations in the comments.
