Introducing our new monthly feature, Ask the Doctor. Our healthcare partners will be answering your questions. To submit a question, please email editor@parentmagazineflorida.com.
Dr. Meredith Brazell, DO
Dr. Brazell is a Pediatrician at Flagler Health+ Primary Care and Pediatrics at Palencia, 120 Palencia Village Drive, Suite 107, (904) 819-3200
How can parents tell if their child has allergies? What course of action should they take?
Allergies can have a variety of signs. One sign is our “salute” sign – if a child is constantly sneezing or having an itchy nose, they will push up constantly on their nose to rub it and create a dark crease above the nose and we call that the “salute” sign. Another sign is what we call “allergic shiners”– dark circles under the eyes that can be caused by pooling of blood or fluid under the eyes. This is actually coming from swelling of the tissue around the nose. Red, watery, or itchy eyes are also another sign of allergies. Sometimes, drainage goes back to our throat and we get tickling in our throat or a constant cough trying to clear that drainage. Even the ears can get itchy or feel full. Allergies usually correspond with a season – some children have them in the winter and some in the summer or some flare every time a season changes. We know they are allergies verses a cold due to their mild symptoms and no fever. Either way, parents should bring their child in to be evaluated by their doctor because there are some ways to help allergies, such as a cold mist humidifier at night, saline nose sprays, changing pillow cases or allergy medications like Zyrtec, Claritin or others. It is also important to have a doctor help decide between symptoms caused by allergies versus an illness. Allergies can also cause a child that has asthma to have flare ups so a doctor will also want to discuss how to handle this.
Does my child have asthma? What should I be looking for? Can I treat this myself?
Asthma can be a hard diagnosis to make and should be determined by the pediatrician or sometimes an asthma/allergy specialist. It can be present in obvious ways such as wheezing or difficulty breathing but it can also be present as fatigue, tight chest, or even trouble with feeding. There is cough-variant asthma and exercise-induced asthma as well. The best thing to do is to keep a diary of your child’s symptoms, when it started, what was happening when it started, how long it lasts, and what made it better or worse. Present this diary to your physician. Treatment usually requires medication that only a physician can prescribe.
Carey Smith, RRT, registered respiratory therapist and lead asthma educator for THE PLAYERS Center for Child Health at Wolfson Children’s Hospital.
Asthma is the number-one reason children miss school and the third leading cause of pediatric hospitalizations. It is important to know if your child has asthma.
Asthma is a chronic disease of the airways characterized by inflammation, tightness in the chest and increased mucus production. Scientists do not know what causes asthma, but it is likely due to a combination of genetics and environmental factors. Asthma cannot be cured, but it can be controlled.
Common warning signs and symptoms of asthma include:
• Coughing at night
• Wheezing
• Shortness of breath
• Tummy aches
• Sneezing
A child can go for weeks, months or even years with no warning signs and then have an episode. Even when a child is not having symptoms, he or she still has asthma. It is important to know your child’s warning signs.
Every child is different, so their signs and symptoms may be different as well. Always have an updated asthma action plan. These action plans should be discussed with your child’s doctor and an updated plan should be provided to your child’s school.
Find your flu vaccine:
Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by flu viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu vaccine each fall. Find your flu vaccine at your doctor’s office or these locations:
Publix Pharmacy:
1500 Beville Rd Ste 300, Daytona Beach, FL 32114
2400 South Ridge Wood, South Daytona, FL 32119
1850 Ridgewood Ave., Holly Hill, FL 32117
2595 N Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach, FL 32118
3044 S Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118
3821 S. Nova Rd., Port Orange, FL 32127
1478 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach, FL 32174
1930 State Road 44, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168
1660 Taylor Road, Port Orange, FL 32128
2970 S Ridgewood Ave, Edgewater, FL 32141
709 East Third Ave., New Smyrna Beach, FL 32169
2431 S. Woodland Blvd, Deland, FL 32720
299 E. Intl. SPDWY. Blvd., Deland, FL 32724
915 Doyle Road, Deltona, FL 32725
2100 Saxon Blvd., Deltona, FL 32725
2783 Elkcam Blvd., Deltona, FL 32738
605 Courtland Blvd, Deltona, FL 32738
2556 Enterprise Rd, Suite 100, Orange City, FL 32763
Walgreens:
1348 W International Speedway Blvd, Daytona Beach, FL 32114
100 S Ridgewood Ave, Daytona Beach, FL 32114-4316
1420 Beville Rd, Daytona Beach, FL 32114-5622
1600 N Nova Rd, Holly Hill, FL 32117-2405
1829 Ridgewood Ave, Holly Hill, FL 32117-1737
600 Seabreeze Blvd, Daytona Beach, FL 32118-3921
2620 S Nova Rd, Daytona Beach, FL 32119-6585
2679 N Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach, FL 32118-3205
3004 S Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach, FL 32118-6102
3805 S Nova Rd, Port Orange, FL 32129-4201
1650 Dunlawton Ave, Port Orange, FL 32127-4754
790 W Granada Blvd, Ormond Beach, FL 32174-5178
205 E Granada Blvd, Ormond Beach, FL 32176-6632
1625 Taylor Rd, Port Orange, FL 32128-6925
2001 W Granada Blvd, Ormond Beach, FL 32174-2532
1800 State Road 44, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168-8341
3010 S Ridgewood Ave, Edgewater, FL 32141-5903
800 A1A, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32169-2800
15 N Charles Richard Beall Blvd, Debary, FL 32713-3341
1700 N Normandy Blvd, Deltona, FL 32725-4504
1925 Providence Blvd, Deltona, FL 32725-3945
500 Howland Blvd, Deltona, FL 32738-9205
897 Saxon Blvd, Orange City, FL 32763-8204
Kmart Pharmacy:
1300 International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL 32114
CVS/pharmacy:
101 S Ridgewood Ave, Daytona Beach, FL 32114
1891 Lpga Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32117
2300 S Ridgewood Ave, South Daytona, FL 32119
3771 Clyde Morris Blvd., Port Orange, FL 32129
1001 Dunlawton Ave., Port Orange, FL 32127
3422 S Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118
795 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach, FL 32174
1816 Dunlawton Ave, Port Orange, FL 32127
250 E Granada Blvd, Ormond Beach, FL 32176
1806 S Ridgewood Ave, Edgewater, FL 32132
615 E 3rd Ave, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32169
901 N Woodland Blvd, Deland, FL 32720
2497 S. Woodland Blvd., Deland, FL 32720
1250 Providence Blvd, Deltona, FL 32725
2187 Howland Blvd., Deltona, FL 32738
2400 Enterprise Rd., Orange City, FL 32763
Walmart:
1101 Beville Rd, Daytona Beach, FL 32119
1905 N Nova Rd, Daytona Beach, FL 32117
3811 Clyde Morris Blvd, Port Orange, FL 32129
1590 Dunlawton Ave, Port Orange, FL 32127
1521 W Granada Blvd, Ormond Beach, FL 32174
185 N Charles Richard Beall Boulevard, Debary, FL 32713
1699 N Woodland Blvd, Deland, FL 32720
955 S Woodland Boulevard, Deland, FL 32724
1569 Saxon Boulevard, Deltona, FL 32725
2400 Veterans Memorial Pkwy, Orange City, FL 32763
101 Howland Blvd, Deltona, FL 32738
Sam’s Club Pharmacy:
1460 Cornerstone Blvd, Daytona Beach, FL 32117
Volusia County Health Dept.-Daytona Beach Health Center:
1845 Holsonback Dr., Daytona Beach, FL 32117
CVS/pharmacy in Target Store:
2380 W International Speedway Blvd, Daytona Beach, FL 32114
Winn-Dixie:
1541 N. Nova Rd., Holly Hill, FL 32117
352 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach, FL 32174
1835 State Road #44, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168
2 North Us Hwy 17-92, Debary, FL 32713
1050 W New York Ave, Deland, FL 32720
2701 South Woodland Blvd, Deland, FL 32720
2880 Howland Blvd., Deltona, FL 32725
PrimeCare Urgent Care Centers:
1890 Lpga Blvd, Ste 130, Daytona Beach, FL 32117
740 Dunlawton Ave., Suite 100, Port Orange, FL 32127
CVS/pharmacy in Target Store:
1771 Dunlawton Ave, Port Orange, FL 32127
2575 Enterprise Rd, Orange City, FL 32763
Volusia County Health Dept.-New Smyrna Beach Health Center:
717 W. Canal St., New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168 • 386-424-2065
MinuteClinic:
901 N Woodland Blvd, Deland, FL 32720
2187 Howland Blvd., Deltona, FL 32738
2400 Enterprise Rd, Orange City, FL 32763
MedExpress – DeLand:
1328 N. Woodland Blvd., Deland, FL 32720
Accardi Clinical Pharmacy:
2583 S. Volusia Ave Suite 100, Orange City, FL 32763
Volusia County Health Department-Orange City Clinic:
775 Harley Strickland Blvd., Orange City, FL 32763 • 386-274-0825