What Every Parent Should Know; Dispelling the Myths of Common Childhood Illnesses

I know it's unrelated to Half-Life or mapping, but I am also a pediatrician and I am authoring a book on children's health. If there are any young parents out there, please leave a comment to offer ideas for the book.

I am trying to dispell all the myths in those old wife's tales about high fever causing seizures and gas causing colic (both untrue). I will post the outline for the book below. If you can think of any topic that you want me to include in the book, let me know. Thanks in advance.

Chapter 1: Why Read This Book?
- What got me started
- My mission
- Who would benefit from this book
- What the lawyers made me do

Chapter 2: The Fever Fear
- Introduction
- What Causes Fever
- What is a Fever?
- How High is Too High?
- What is the Best Way to Take a Temperature
- Origin of fever fear
- Teething fever
- Fever causing seizures
- When to worry about a fever
- Comforting a fever
- Fever reducers

Chapter 3: The Spiel on Sputum
- Introduction
- It?s a virus
- Drugs Against Viruses and Parental Expectations
- ?Catching? a cold
- Wet hair and cold feet
- Vitamins C and Your Immune System
- The Case of the Weak Immune System
- The notorious green mucus
- Mucousy milk
- Cold remedies for infants (and the pharmaceutical conspiracy)
- The Warning about promethazine

Chapter 4: Newborn Myths
- Introduction
- The newborn quarantine
- Eye discharge
- Dry skin
- Belly button care
- Feeding frenzy
- Soft spot
- To cut or not to cut (the circumcision decision)
- Diaper rashes and snake oils

Chapter 5: Cry Babies
- Introduction
- Why babies cry
- Colic
- It?s not the gas
- The ineffective gas-reducer
- Protecting your sanity

Chapter 6: Ears Truly
- Introduction
- Allergy and anatomy
- The role of antibiotics
- Shooting pain (the myth of the miracle injection)
- The role of surgery
- Hearing loss

Chapter 7: Tossing Cookies
- Introduction
- Dairy products
- Juices
- Rice water and other home brews
- The widely practiced but ineffective BRAT diet
- Medications for relief

Chapter 8: The Shot Heard ?Round the World
- Introduction
- Autism fears
- Mercury in shots
- Seizures
- Overlooked benefit of vaccines

Chapter 9: Scrapes and Cuts
- Introduction
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Scarface
- Does it need to be sutured?
- Bruised ego

Chapter 10: The Fat Lady Sings
- Introduction
- The danger of acceptance
- Dieting in children and the danger of weight-loss
- Healthy lifestyle
- Young diabetics

Chapter 11: Debunking Head Bonking
- Introduction
- The role of x-rays and scans
- Toddler?s attention catcher
- Effect on development and mental acuity
- When to worry

Chapter 12: These are Some of My Favorite Things?
- Introduction
- When the dog bites
- When the bee stings
- Of lice and men
- Bumps behind the head
- Headaches (?it?s not a tumor?)

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"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." -- Toulouse-Lautre, Moulin Rouge

I love the playful chapter names Satchmo. Unfortunately ( or
fortunately ) I'm not a parent at this time, so I can't really help
you. Good luck with this project! :smile:

a question satch, if i may.....being a pediatrician, what is your target age bracket?....young kids, like to age 5, mids, like 5 to ten, preteens, teens, adolecants, etc?? my youngest is now 12, and alot has changed in the med profession since i was dealing with colic, serious fevers, etc....

Doc B... :dodgy:

Sounds like it will be a good book Satchmo. When it's published I'll buy a copy even though I'm not a parent. Should be a good read.

By the way, I was thinking about you today when I was reading an article in Newsweek today about pediatricians. I also read an article about promethizine and the use of mercury in vaccines, and how some people might think it leads to certain autisms.

Pediatricians cover from birth to age 18. But occasionally, I still see patients who are over 25 years old.

I already wrote a section on promethazine, and I am working on the chapter about vaccination and mercury.

Thanks.

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"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." -- Toulouse-Lautre, Moulin Rouge

Maybe include some small section on hepititus, since vaccinations (or a statement of nonbelief in vaccinations) are required for enrollment at most public schools, as well as the UC system.

When I think of pediatricians I think of Chicken Pox. Do you
think you should address that? I feel like there are questiongs
about the pros and cons of vaccination you could answer.

Which autisms do you plan to talk about in your book? Are you going to stuff like apergers, HFA, ADD, ADHD, etc? I think it's important because parents these days are really paranoid about that stuff. Most people remember the paranoya over ADD and all the misdiagnosis because parents wanted a quick fix or some kind of easy answer to their kids.

Thanks Spartan. I changed an entire chapter because of your suggestion.

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"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." -- Toulouse-Lautre, Moulin Rouge

satchmo said:
If there are any young parents out there, please leave a comment to offer ideas for the book.

I am trying to dispell all the myths in those old wife's tales about high fever causing seizures and gas causing colic (both untrue).

First off, why does it have to be young parents? Most young parents are to stupid to be parents let alone know how or where they need help enough to have an oppinion about it. Many of this generation should be castrated/spaded so they won't become parents.

Secondly, I have a son who suffered severe high fever seizures. Now I admit, it could have been 100% coincidental that the dozen or so times that he had seizures was when he had a fever of over 105.. It would be one hell of a coincidence considering that it ONLY happened when his temp was up.

I may be reading more into your comment, but I take insult with the thinking that old=dumb. Many a generation did just fine until the youth decided that they no longer needed "old"

If I misinterpreted your words I apologize humbly, but.. I don't think I did.

One thing you need to understand Doctor.. It was a Doctor that said it was "High Fever Seizures" now, what are us stupid people supposed to think?

/rant.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

No offense to you, Orph, but most SnarkPitters are young. That's why I said "young parents".

Your son had febrile seizure. It's a common condition affecting 4% of all children. But 96% of children do not have seizures when they have fevers.

You haven't read my book yet, Orph. Buy it when it comes out at your local bookstore. I specifically wrote in the introductory chapter that it's not just for young or new parents.

And thanks, AtM. I already have a section on chickenpox and hepatitis.

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"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." -- Toulouse-Lautre, Moulin Rouge

I would like to read said book.

I am just really grouchy today is all.

Perhaps, we had a Doctor who felt the need to tell us what we could understand when he said "High Fever Seizure"

I do know, that seizures run in my family. My daughter has "Grand mawl seizures" (not sure of the spelling here)

I know that she has almost died several times due to the severity and in many cases its associated with fevers too.

My son, out grew them. but.. the damage from the fever/seizure combination left him with mild disorders. We assume.

He has mild dyslexia, I assume from my side as well since I do some. Mine however was due to ... my teenage years. I smoked something slightly illegal. (yeah I wasn't perfect either guys)

Anyway, it was an only once deal but the guy had the thing spiked with some sort of a horse tranquilizer. I was literally paralyzed for a few hours.. So much so that, I messed my britches.

sighs

I am glad I survived it, but at the time.. I was scared.

Anyway, I am not sure if the effect of the questionable smoke caused my troubles but, I had no problems prior. I just assumed that since not one of my predecessors have seizures and I do that it was then that did it.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

You're actually making a valuable contribution to my book. These assumptions and myths are the exact ones I will be addressing in the book.

Your son's learning problem did not result from the seizurse, I can assure you of that. Febrile seizures never cause any permanent brain damage.

But dyslexia is hereditary...

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"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." -- Toulouse-Lautre, Moulin Rouge

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting satchmo</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>Your son's learning problem did not result from the seizurse, I can assure you of that.
...</DIV></DIV>

Break it to me gently Doc. I throw defective pups. I know this already.

Anyway.. When you are watching your child twitch on the floor in a twisted agony of seizures, your not to apt to doubt a Doctor who just informed you of his condition... Which at the time was "high fever seizure"

So, be sure to put in your book that some of the myth, is based on misinformation, not stupid people like me.

[edit]

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quote:</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>

<A name=57743111></A>What are febrile seizures?

<DIV class=rxbodyfield xmlns:o="urn:www.microsoft.com/office" xmlns:st1="urn:www.microsoft.com/smarttags" xmlns:w="urn:www.microsoft.com/word">
Febrile seizures are convulsions brought on by a fever in infants or small children

</DIV></DIV>

I found this after a quick google search. Now I ask, how can a Febrile seizure be brought on by temperature, and yet not be a temperature related seizure?

See, I don't doubt you Doc, but when one sentence contains all the words and yet not be its how MYTHS are created.

When you tell us dumb people that there are no such things as "High Fever Seizures" and then say its "Febrile seizure" and yet, the definition of "Febrile seizure" is a seizure brought on by high temperatures, what are we supposed to do?

</DIV>

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Febrile seizures are convulsions brought on by a fever in infants or small children

The statement should have said "fever in some infants or small children".

To be exact, 4% of the healthy children. It does not happen to everyone. Most children will not have seizures, no matter how high the fever.

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"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." -- Toulouse-Lautre, Moulin Rouge

satchmo said:
<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quote:</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>Febrile seizures are convulsions brought on by a fever in infants or small children

The statement should have said "fever in some infants or small children".

To be exact, 4% of the healthy children. It does not happen to everyone. Most children will not have seizures, no matter how high the fever.</div></div>

You're splitting hairs Doc.

.. No, nevermind, I don't wanna know. I know my son no longer has them.

The point, at least in my case is moot.

For all I know, my son was in the 96% and was faking.. as if a 2 year old had that much incentive.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Don't forget to include a thank you in your book to your favorite Snarkpitters. lol

satchmo said:
<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quote:</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>Febrile seizures are convulsions brought on by a fever in infants or small children

The statement should have said "fever in some infants or small children".

</div></div>

what percentage would the incidence of this condition in infants need to be, before it was considered more than an old wives tale or myth? almost like saying decompression sickness is an old wives tale, because less than 4% of divers die from it.

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i eat paint

tell ya what fishman, as recently as 30 years ago, the average was one in three divers had at least some signs of "the bends", simply because the technology was not up to snuff.....ive spent a few hours in decompression, and it sux0rs quite badly....voice goes up 5 octives, breathing is painful, yer whole damn body aches after awhile, and the lingering effects last for hours....but that was a long time ago....

....but i never heard it called "an old wives tale..."...meh.... :razz:

Doc B... :dodgy:

I think it's a great idea to write this book.

I think that some of the most important things to talk to parents about for thier kids is ADD and Autism. Autism is on the rise on a steep curve and ADD is so overdiagnosed that any child who needs discipline "has" it. But as far as dispelling myths about illnesses, will you be talking about sayings like "starve a fever, feed a cold?" and stuff like that.

good stuff nickel....ive always wondered about that very thing...i usually end up "sweating" out a fever, via mucho physical stuff....dispell this "wives tale" for us, would ya satch?

Doc B... :dodgy:

will you be talking about sayings like "starve a fever, feed a cold?"

Thanks for the reminder. I do plan to discuss it, but I forgot to include it in the fever chapter. Good call.

I now have an entire chapter on ADD, called "Untamed Heart".

And it is a myth that all children will have seizures if the fever goes up too high. Most people believe that.

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"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." -- Toulouse-Lautre, Moulin Rouge

Well, I thought of it because I had a week's worth of a cold, WHICH I STILL HAVE. lol I was not hungry all week and so I accidentally starved a cold. It didn't work.

Nickelplate said:
Autism is on the rise on a steep curve and ADD is so overdiagnosed that any child who needs discipline "has" it

I know a guy who wanted to be tested to see if he had ADD, and then he
purposely answered the questions in a way that would indicate he had
the disorder, just so he could get a perscription of Ritalin to
snort. That was his only goal. I don't think a tale like
that necessarily has a place in your book satchmo, but it definitely
happens.

It just seemed like there for a while:

parent says "Man, I can't control this kid... he must have ADD because I do not want to discipline him."

I am considering an alternate title:

"Brain Damage and Green Mucus; A Pediatrician Dispells Myths from Old Wife's Tales"

What do you guys think?

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"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." -- Toulouse-Lautre, Moulin Rouge

naw....a little....mm...tacky ....for a proffesional, that is.....imho sir

Doc B... :dodgy:

I have 3 kids.. 13 10 7.. I dont need a book any longer. If its not squirting blood, bent someway it should not be.. then they are fine. =)

I dont see anything in there that can be of use to me.. but good luck with it Satch.

I like the wording of the original title better. "Old Wife's Tales" is just kinda clunky, doncha think?

Good to hear you guys' opinion.

I want something that's catchy...something that doesn't sound too boring.

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"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." -- Toulouse-Lautre, Moulin Rouge

I'm no good with catchy titles, and I dont have kids, so I cant really contribute anything...

But when the time comes, can I get a signed copy? :biggrin:

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"If you talk at all during this lesson, you have detention. Do you understand?"

• My yr11 Economics teacher

satchmo said:
And it is a myth that all children will have seizures if the fever goes up too high. Most people believe that.

Well, I may be a dumb old person, but has never been a myth in my neck of the woods.

This book is all fine and Jim Dandy, but if you are going to write it with the assumption that everyone thinks like California does, you may need to stick to publishing it strictly in Ca.

I have noticed that you make many assumptions that everyone thinks like Ca. does. You may not notice, but I am sure that I am not the only one who does.

One thing you need to keep uppermost in your noggin while writing, most of the readers are going to catch the hair splitting you did last night and wonder, how much of the book is "opinion" and how much is... "opinion"

You goals are noble, but if your writing isn't up to clarity, then all you are going to do is release yet another "Know It All" thing that the yuppies will buy but no intelligent person would touch.

When it was all said and done, I finally figured out what point you were making with reference to the seizures, but your path to my comprehension was scenic. Thats not a preferred method when writing a book to dispel "MY" illusions.

I may be dumb, but I am characteristic of the general public in these neck of the woods and, you took way to long in your method of dispelling my myth.

Unless your target group is the gullible, I'd think hard about "how" to convey.

good luck, you may not need it, but I am saying it anyway.

/2 cents

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Lol Orph. I don't think Satchmo is trying to cater to one group of people. I've lived in both California and Arkansas and people from Cal are just as dumb as poeple from any other state. It's more liberal of course but I think Satchmo is trying his best to stay neutral. He simply wants to inform parents about all the myths and such that come along with parenting.

Oh by the way Satch. I was reading another article today that talked about schooling and the differences between boys and girls in school. You might want to include a little something in their about that too. Just try not to get too deep into politics or psychology, or else it my deligitimize your book. Your a pediatrician after all not a psychologists. Unless of course your hiding that from us.

Anyways good luck. I wish I could get my thoughts and ideas onto paper as easily as you. Or else I might've written 50 books by now. lol

Thanks.

What may seem clear to me doesn't necessarily mean that it's clear for everyone else. I sent the manuscript to a bunch of my friends, and some of them had difficulty understanding some parts of it.

So I re-wrote those sections until they are clear to everyone.

And Orph, I think what made it more difficult for you to understand the cnodition of febrile seizure through this thread is that I didn't write a whole paragraph to express what I was trying to say. A sentence here, a couple of phrases there...it's enough to confuse anybody.

I specifically try not to cater to any specific demographics. Certainly not just Californians. In fact, I had in mind an international audience (like the SnarkPit).

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"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." -- Toulouse-Lautre, Moulin Rouge

Doc, if theres one thing I have learned with my advent upon the net, its that text sucks where conveyance of meaning and intent is concerned. So, with that said, I am not accusing you of anything malicious.

That said however, there are things with writing a book that "Must be done" "Cannot be done" and "Should be done"

1st, you cannot assume that a myth exists, just because it happens to be a popular view where you live, or in the circles you travel. It may seem as if I am concentrating on this one point because we happened to disagree on it but thats not the case. It just happens to be the only commonality that we CAN discuss since I am not a doctor and have a son who had this problem.

2nd, you cannot say that something "is not", then give an example of "what is" that corroborates "what I said", that is in "opposite of your claim".. Most especially when your MAIN point was something only marginally related.. In this case, the myth about high fevers "CAUSE" sezures... Even I know that this is not the case. Especially since, as I stated, its NOT a myth in my experiences.

3rd, you must take it upon yourself to NOT assume that because its clear to you, that the topic is resolved with your simply stating "There is no such thing as...." You book is destined to failure with that thinking.

satchmo said:
Thanks.

What are you thanking anyone for? This wasn't an attack on you, or anyone. It was a simple observation and comment concerning my point of view on the subject. If I were attacking you, there would have been much less facts, and much more heart felt vulgarity since you repeatedly told me the same thing when all along, your goal was totally unrelated to our debate.

In the end, I DID understand you but as I said, you took way to long in centering your words on that point and you simply cannot do that with a book.. PERIOD!

Now, as for the topic at hand..

IF you could dispel two myths I would forever be thankful to you. I do not overstate the fact that I feel that with one simple book that you will revolutionize the worlds views on them but if you could mention them and drive the subject home with your POWERFUL words, I would be in your debt.

1) The myth that a baby has to have something in its mouth to suck on at all times. The myth that a pacifier is a good thing is horrible. It causes physical and psychological damage that extends far into adulthood in some rare cases. At the very least it can cause damage that extends into school age children.

2) The myth that hyper-active children need medication to assist in their learning abilities. Children in very few cases need any medication what so ever for "Learning". In many cases, children on these drugs, transform from simply hyper children to violent ones. Especially as the meds grow less effective and the strength of the drug is increased to compensate.

Now, thats about all I will say on the 2 topics. You may chose to ignore them but please try NOT to discount them in this thread. They are real concerns and as such are not open for debating. I would rather that the book not comment on them than have them actively discounted as irrelevant.

Thanx.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

I'm not satchmo, but I think he was thanking Spartan for his well wishes.

Addicted to Morphine said:
I'm not satchmo, but I think he was thanking Spartan for his well wishes.

Yeah, I thought of that as well, but I am leaning more toward... Spartan support over my observations. Since in light of he did actually support.

shrugs

Anyway, it will all come out in the wash.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

guns don't kill people, peanuts do.

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i eat paint

So true.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

2) The myth that hyper-active children need medication to assist in their learning abilities. Children in very few cases need any medication what so ever for "Learning". In many cases, children on these drugs, transform from simply hyper children to violent ones. Especially as the meds grow less effective and the strength of the drug is increased to compensate.

I hope you meant that as a myth. Children who are properly evaluated for ADHD and diagnosed with the condition will improve their learning and behavior. Some people think it's a conspiracy by the drug company.

But as parents, they have two options. They can either believe the myth and refuse to do anything about their kids' condition, and just have them failing through life and have low self-esteem, or they can allow their kids to reach their true potential by helping them to focus better with these medications.

The choice is theirs.

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"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." -- Toulouse-Lautre, Moulin Rouge

Again, we are back to wordplay. The myth is, all children need drugs.

Children are misdiagnosed all to frequently. Todays society allows people, not educated Doctors to talk parents into "Chemical baby sitting"

I have two nephews on drugs. Both were encouraged to be so by their teachers. My stupid brother and sister allowed their children to become life time drug addicts.

Hyperactivity, is not easy to deal with, but drug induced semi-comas should never be the option.

On another note, I do not trust most doctors to diagnose ADHD properly. Most are general practitioners and their ability to do so is hampered by their lack of education. If thats offensive to a pediatrician, get over it because its a condition thats getting increasingly more common.

ADHD is bad, misdiagnosing it.. Worse by many leagues.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Satchmo: what about "back in the day" when nobody had heard of hyperactivity, when a kid just got discipline for his misbehavior? Why is medicine better than a good old fashioned swat on the bum?

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I tried sniffing coke, but the ice cubes kept getting stuck in my nose.
http://www.dimebowl.com

Allow me to be very clear. I am sure that ADHD exists. I am not sure that every child on drugs who was diagnosed with ADHD is a true patient of the condition.

The children I have seen on these drugs, are just little more than slobbering idiots while on them. Sure thing, now you HAVE to have the drugs because they are very violent now whenever they come down, but they didn't used to be so. They were happy, but energetic children.

If ADHD is the real issue, I have no problems. Its the increasingly desire to have chemical baby sitters that bothers me.

The current generation of addicts is NOW reaching adulthood. These children will be on their own soon. What will we do with them then?

Again, the myth I mention is "All children need drugs to learn if they are unmanageably hyper"

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Maybe the ones of those who truly did have ADHD, never had those "good old fashioned" techniques work for them.

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[img]http://card.mygamercard.net/sig/Default/reno84.png[/img]
Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net

ReNo said:
Maybe the ones of those who truly did have ADHD, never had those "good old fashioned" techniques work for them.

Duncan, I don't want this to degrade into a "Spare the rod spoil the child" threads.

I do feel that some need a whippin. I more feel that they need dedicated parenting. A parent willing to invest the time it takes to teach a hyper active child will succeed. I am a living example of such.

Course, my education is far and away beneath most here, but I didn't require drugs to achieve it.

I am not sure how Scotland approves of drugs on children, but in the States its all to easy to get a doctor to issue them to children.

Neither of my nephews required them, and yet they have them. Easy as pie it was.... The teachers were "under staffed" and didn't have the time to invest in hyper children. They talked to the parents, the parents in turn told the doctor the situation as the TEACHER saw it and guess what???

Anyway, its becoming all to frequent. Much so.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Oh I agree mate, I think its shocking how frequently parents seem to jump on the "ADHD" bandwagon, and I also think it probably is fairly simple to get the drugs if you try hard enough to do so. However, my point was simply a reply to Nickel's comment that when drugs weren't available, good old fashioned disciplining worked in their place. In most cases, I believe that is probably true and also believe that it still works today. On the other hand, I don't think it would work if the problem actually is ADHD - maybe back in those days, the people who had ADHD never did "succeed" in getting over their hyperactivity, even with the best disciplining efforts of their parents.

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[img]http://card.mygamercard.net/sig/Default/reno84.png[/img]
Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net

Problem: Boys are not designed to sit still in a classroom for hours a time.

Solution: Pump them full of drugs.

Anyone else see a problem here?

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http://maze5.net

There's a lot to debate here regarding child discipline and behaviour
patterns, and I too lean toward the thinking that all too often,
hyperactivity or ADHDesque problems are used as an excuse for failed
parenting.

I just wanted to voice my vocal support for this, mainly:

1) The myth that a baby has to have something in its mouth to suck on
at all times. The myth that a pacifier is a good thing is horrible. It
causes physical and psychological damage that extends far into
adulthood in some rare cases. At the very least it can cause damage
that extends into school age children.

Amen. Pacifiers should be outlawed.

I would also like to point out, this is not an attack on Satchmo. I think his book is a wonderful idea and I would support any book of the type.

My replies seem argumentative but in reality I am angry at the system, NOT Satchmo.

I do feel however that on some level, or correspondence is getting skewed and we seem to be arguing. :sad:

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The best things in life, aren't things.

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting mazemaster</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>Problem: Boys are not designed to sit still in a classroom for hours a time.

Solution: Pump them full of drugs.

Anyone else see a problem here?</DIV></DIV>

Boys are meant to think about sex all the time. Just have the classes be about sex.

and seriously... anything named "Pacifier" could probably be substituted with something named "A whuppin'"

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I tried sniffing coke, but the ice cubes kept getting stuck in my nose.
http://www.dimebowl.com