Children and Food Allergies

About 5 percent of children under the age of 18 in the United States are subject to food allergies, an abnormal immune reaction to certain things in the diet. While most children outgrow food sensitivities, some are at great risk for anaphylaxis if exposed to allergens in their younger years.

Our team of pediatric doctors at Orange County’s Newport Children’s Medical Group takes food allergies seriously. We work hard to educate parents about symptoms and the importance of early diagnosis and timely intervention.

Anyone can develop food allergies, but children under age 3 and those with a family history of allergies and asthma may have an increased risk. Elevated blood levels of serum immunoglobulin often point to problem foods such as eggs, wheat, peanuts, shellfish, soy, cow’s milk, and tree nuts such as pecans, almonds, walnuts and pistachios.

Reactions may be mild or sudden and dramatic. In severe cases, parents should seek medical care immediately – even calling 911. The onset of anaphylaxis is typically characterized by facial swelling, itching, compromised breathing or a sudden drop in blood pressure. It can be deadly. In mild cases where symptoms subside quickly, parents should note possible contributing factors and schedule a doctor’s appointment as soon as possible.

We Offer Appointments 7 Days per Week, Including Holidays
Same Day Appointments for Acutely Ill Patients

Food Allergy Symptom List

• Itchy hives or rash
• Abdominal cramps
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Coughing, wheezing or facial swelling
• Difficulty breathing
• Dizziness or loss of consciousness

Most children outgrow milk, egg, soy and wheat allergies by the time they are 10 years old; however, nut, fish and shellfish allergies may be life-long problems. Studies have shown that about one in five children outgrow their allergy to peanuts, and about one in 10 outgrow their allergy to tree nuts, but the rest need to exercise caution their whole lives.

At Newport Children’s Medical Group, we guarantee same-day appointments for acutely ill children, but kids experiencing severe allergic reactions need to be seen in the emergency room. We are open seven days a week and offer extended evening hours for the convenience of parents who work away from the home. A help line staffed by highly trained pediatric nurses is available off hours, and a doctor is on call around the clock – holidays included.

We care deeply about the kids of Orange County and value high-quality, accessible health services. It’s been our calling for 40 years. And now with three clinics, you can pick the location that suits you the best.

• The Hoag office: (949) 642-7332
• The Fashion Island office: (949) 644-0970
• The Huntington Beach office: (714) 698-1648; (714) 848-0023; or (714) 848-1136.

Newport Children’s Medical Group’s highly credentialed physicians include: Dr. Zacharia Reda, a specialist in pulmonary and primary pediatric care; Dr. Angela Gagliardi, sports medicine; Dr. Elsa Fernandez; Dr. William Holm, endocrinology;  Dr. Christine Kornu, ADHD and adolescent medicine; Dr. Ferdinand Del Mundo; Dr. Jay Rothman; and Dr. Michael Feingold.   

For more information, click through our website: NewportChildren.com.

The team at California’s Newport Children’s Medical Group takes a holistic approach to caring for Orange County’s youngest residents. The whole child’s wellbeing is considered, not just isolated conditions. We try to educate parents in a way that helps them encourage their children to make healthy lifestyle choices every day. We’ve been doing that for 40 years.

We Offer Appointments 7 Days per Week, Including Holidays
Same Day Appointments for Acutely Ill Patients

So, when a recent study by MetLife showed a disconnect between optimal pediatric oral health guidelines and actual compliance, we took notice. The “Parental Oral Health Literacy: Equipping Parents with Important Information about Children’s Oral Health” study indicated:

• Only 16% of children get their Year One dental checkup.
• 45% of parents do not floss their children’s teeth.
• 42% of parents say their kids brush once a day or less.
• 23% of surveyed parents have been told their children are at risk for tooth decay.
• Nearly half of surveyed parents hadn’t discussed their children’s oral health with their pediatrician or a pediatric dentist.

While this is a national study and may not represent the state of healthcare in Orange County, the award-winning doctors at Newport Children’s Medical Group can’t stress enough the importance of good dental hygiene. Tooth and gum care should begin at birth and be the norm for the rest of the child’s life.

Infants’ gums should be wiped with a moist cloth after feeding, according to the American Dental Association. Once baby teeth erupt, gentle brushing with water should be added to the daily routine. Once a child can spit out toothpaste, it can be added to the routine.

“The health of baby teeth affect the condition of permanent tooth, so it’s important to instill good oral hygiene habits early,” says Dr. Zacharia Reda, a specialist in primary pediatric care at Newport Children’s Medical Group.  “Oral health affects the whole body. Bad teeth and gum disease are linked to all sorts of serious long-term health issues.”

According to the office of the Surgeon General, tooth decay is the single most common childhood disease – five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever. That’s why it’s imperative that parents start their children on a gentle brushing and flossing routine to remove food particles and plaque from teeth and below the gum line, says Dr. Reda.

If it’s been a while since your child’s seen a pediatrician, a well-check is in order. With offices in Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa (Hoag) and at Newport’s Fashion Island and appointments available seven days a week, we’ve made it convenient for you. Call us today.

• Hoag Office: (949) 642-7332
• Fashion Island: (949) 644-0970
• Huntington Beach: (714) 698-1648; (714) 848-0023; or (714) 848-1136

FYI: Same Day Appointments for Kids Who Are Acutely Ill

Acutely ill patients are guaranteed same-day appointments. We offer extended evening office hours and around-the-clock access to pediatric nurses and board-certified pediatricians. A physician is on call 24 hours a day – even during the holidays. For more information, visit our website: NewportChildren.com

Pediatric Fundamental Critical Care Support Course

Certificate of Successful Completion – awarded to Zacharia Y Reda MD in recognition of successful completion of the Pediatric Fundamental Critical Care Support Provider Course, presented by the Society of Critical Care Medicine on January 9, 2010.

At CHOC Children’s, we know that some of the finest pediatric experts in the nation help us care for
the 2,000,000 children who depend on us. But it is always nice to have someone else recognize them.
Congratulations to the extraordinary doctors who were named by the Orange County Medical Association
to Orange Coast Magazine’s 2012 Physicians of Excellence.

Nichole Matlick

Dr. Matlick has extensive experience in inpatient care including Newborns, circumcisions, and hospitalized children.  Her special interests include newborn care, preventative care, infectious diseases and adolescent medicine.  She enjoys traveling with her husband, hiking, tennis, horseback riding, and cooking.

Dr. Matlick is Available at our Fashion Island and Hoag Locations

As Reported in Fountain Valley View – Dec 29, 2011

On Christmas Eve, Santa Claus visited children admitted to Fountain Valley Regional Hospital with a promise of something special for them to wake up to in the morning.

Nearly 70 stockings were filled with toys and gifts for the young patients who had to spend Christmas Day in the hospital. “Santa told me this is the first place he stops because it’s sadder here,” said Zachary Gelvezon, a 12-year-old Fountain Valley resident who was admitted to the hospital after a severe asthma attack. “I was sad I couldn’t be home.”

The nurses and doctors in the pediatrics unit said everyone wants to be home with their families on Christmas, but of course hospitals don’t close for the holidays. “Someone has to be here all-yearround,” said Dr. Zacharia Reda, pediatrics chairman. “(The staff) knows it’s their duty to serve the community and take care of the kids.”

Nearly 50 giant stockings were filled this year plus 25 smaller stockings for the babies in the neonatal intensive-care unit.

Children in the hospital woke up to find stockings at their bedside filled with gifts Christmas morning.

Gifts were donated by hospital employees, Pacific Ambulance, the Fountain Valley Firefighters Association, Monarch HealthCare and other groups in the community, according to hospital officials.

The Christmas-stockings program was created five years ago with the help of Joni’s Angels, a volunteer organization that collects donations for the event on the hospital’s behalf.

Story and photos by ANNIE KIM for The Register

Zacharia Reda, MD FAAP

CME/CPD Award by the American Academy of Pediatrics in recognition of 150 or more CME credits earned on AAP sponsored or approved CME activities. The exemplifies commitment to self-directed learning in pediatrics.

Pediatric Critical Care

Zacharia Reda, MD, FCCP, FAAP – Voted by his peers in the Orange County Medical Association as one of the Top Doctors in the field of Pediatric Critical Care.

Self-image is very important to children, from early childhood and up, and the need to be beautiful, “in”, and accepted plays a very important part in why kids and adolescents want to be tan.

The most at-risk group for sunburn and related health problems later on in life is adolescence.  Researcher and lead author of the Sloan Kettering study, Stephen Dusza, stated that although he expected to see some decline in sunscreen use by adolescents, “… I was struck by the magnitude of the reduction in the use of sunscreen — a 50 percent drop.”

The survey asked 360 Massachusetts fifth graders about their tanning attitudes: how much time they spent in the sun, and how often they used sun protection when outdoors, and many times they got sunburned. The survey asked the same questions three years later in a follow-up.

Sunscreen survey results

The purpose of the Sloan-Kettering survey was to assess children’s and adolescents’ attitudes and behavior patterns related to tanning, sunburn, and sunscreen protection since exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun are associated with melanoma later in life. Melanoma is the most deadly of skin cancers.

The results:

• In 2004, 53 percent experienced getting sunburned at least once. In 2007, this percentage didn’t change. (The reason for this is not clear, but Dusza thinks it could be how children reported sunburns as they got older.)
• In 2004, 50 percent “often or always” used sunscreen outside. By 2007, 25 percent said they didn’t use sun protection outdoors.
• By 2007, there was a significant increase within the group who liked a tan and went outside specifically to get tanned.

What can parents do to protect their children from sunburn?

We all know how difficult it is to change a teenager’s attitude once it sets in, but it is very important to try. This underscores how important it is to teach your children at a young age why sun protection is so important.

Here are some tips to help keep your children from getting sunburned.

• Put sunscreen on your children before they go to school, even in winter.
• Pack a small tube of sunscreen in your children’s backpacks or lunches and remind them to apply it before they go to play outside.
• Be sure your children have sunglasses and hats to wear, and try to limit their time outdoors when UV rays are strongest, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• For older children, do the same, but look for nifty devices, like key chains that have a small tube of sunscreen attached.
• Educate your children, no matter the age, how sunburns can affect their skin later on in life.

It would be a great help if the media and educators did more to promote educational messages and public health campaigns regarding the need for sun protection and skin cancer prevention. However, parents must do their part to shore up the lack of information on the dangers of sunburns and make their children’s time in the sun enjoyable, healthy, and safe.

SOURCE: Pediatrics, online January 23, 2012.