Breezy Mama

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vaccinations

Whooping Cough: Why You Need to be Concerned

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If you’ve listened to the news lately, you’ve heard about whooping cough. Everyone, from babies to grandmas, has gotten it–no one is immune. Whooping cough–one of those diseases that seems like it should’ve been eradicated long ago–is back. And it’s scary. Breezy Mama turned to Pediatrician Dr. Jon Conti for the low-down on this infectious disease.

What exactly is Whooping Cough?
‘Whooping Cough’ is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable bacterial disease caused by Bordetella pertussis. It lasts for many weeks and typically manifests in children as raging spasms of severe coughing,  or ‘whooping’, and vomiting after the coughing episode has completed.

Why are we suddenly hearing about so many cases in the news?
For many people, pertussis (commonly known as Whooping Cough) is old news—a once-feared disease long controlled by vaccination. The perception that pertussis is something we don’t have to worry about obscures the fact that, despite effective vaccines and generally high coverage, pertussis remains a stubborn public health threat, more prevalent and severe than [Read more…] about Whooping Cough: Why You Need to be Concerned

Autism vs. Aspergers Syndrome: Signs Your Child Might Have Either and Why Jenny McCarthy Upsets the Autistic Community

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quirky

What are the signs of Asperger’s Syndrome and how do they differ from Autism? What should moms do if they suspect their child has either? And how does the Autism Society of America REALLY feel about Jenny McCarthy? Dr. Cynthia La Brie Norall and Beth Brust, authors of “Quirky, Yes, Hopeless No” answer Breezy Mama‘s questions.

Your new book, “Quirky, Yes, Hopeless, No” talks about Asperger’s Syndrome—can you explain exactly what this is?  How does it differ from other forms of Autism?
Asperger’s Syndrome is a form of autism. Often called High Functioning because those with Asperger’s (named after an Austrian psychiatrist in the 1940’s who recognized a group of males that had verbal language and seemingly normal intelligence but significant social delays and behaviors similar to autism) can be very articulate and bright. It’s on one side of the “autistic spectrum” where more classic autism (perhaps someone who doesn’t talk and is very stereotypical in their mannerisms) would be. The spectrum has grown considerably over the past 10 years and the numbers that are growing the most are in this range. A child can get an early diagnosis of autism but when language comes and true measures of intellectual ability are noted they can move into the “high functioning range” and appear very much like a person with Asperger’s Syndrome. However, based on the diagnostic criteria, if they haven’t spoken language at the age of [Read more…] about Autism vs. Aspergers Syndrome: Signs Your Child Might Have Either and Why Jenny McCarthy Upsets the Autistic Community

My Son Had the Swine Flu: Learn from My Experience & Advice from a Pediatrician

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Kieran on his first big outing after recovring from the Swine Flu. Can you say happy?
Kieran on his first big outing after recovering from the Swine Flu. Can you say happy?

My Story:

Yes, it’s true; we were able to celebrate summer with my son coming down with the Swine Flu. This past July, Kieran woke up one morning with a runny nose. It was clear, so I didn’t think much about it and we went to our scheduled playdate. At it, he was acting tired, and would rather sit in my lap than play with his friends. When he opted to not have cake I knew something was up. That night, I put him to bed early figuring he just needed a good night’s sleep. The next day we headed up to Santa Barbara to see some family—it was a big trip, I hadn’t seen them in years so I didn’t think about canceling. Besides, Kieran seemed fine—he did just need a good night’s sleep.

After running around on the beach all day, Kieran started to [Read more…] about My Son Had the Swine Flu: Learn from My Experience & Advice from a Pediatrician