Warts are common, benign bumps that develop on the skin as a result of a viral infection known as the human papillomavirus (HPV). Warts are pretty common in children and can develop just about anywhere on the body; however, they are most often found on the face, feet, and hands. Generally, warts usually don’t cause any problems and will go away on their own, but if you don’t want to wait a pediatrician can offer effective wart removal options.

Types of Warts

There are different kinds of warts that can develop. These warts include:

• Common warts: these rough bumps are often found on the elbows, fingers, and hands and are usually gray in appearance. If you look closely at the bump you may also notice small black dots.
• Flat warts: these smooth warts are often pink or light brown and most often develop on the face
• Plantar warts: these warts develop on the soles of the feet, which can be very uncomfortable for your child, especially when walking
• Palmar warts: just as plantar warts develop on feet, palmar warts develop on the hands

Treating Warts

While warts will go away without treatment it can take months or even years. If your child is embarrassed by the wart, if your child is dealing with multiple warts or if the wart is causing discomfort or pain then this warrants seeing a pediatrician. There are many ways in which a pediatrician can remove the wart.

Your child’s best treatment option will depend on the size, location, type, and number of warts. While there are certainly over-the-counter medications that you can try (these medications should not be used on certain areas of the body including the face), a pediatrician will be able to provide you with safe, effective treatment under proper medical supervision.

Common wart removal options include:

• Cryotherapy: freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen (a very common wart removal technique)
• Salicylic acid: a doctor can also provide a strong prescription solution that contains salicylic acid (this can be applied at home as per your pediatrician’s instructions)
• Laser: sometimes laser therapy is used to target and destroy the wart

Usually the wart will fall off within a few days after treatment, but sometimes more than one treatment session is necessary to successful remove the growth.

If your child has plantar warts or warts in embarrassing places then they will most likely need to turn to their pediatrician to treat the problem. Call your children’s doctor today and let them know that you want to discuss wart removal options for your child or teen.

As soon as your baby is born but before they leave the hospital, they will need to undergo a hearing screening (most hospitals perform a hearing screening but it’s also a good idea to ask). Congenital hearing loss, which occurs at birth, affects less than 1 percent of newborns; however, it is also possible for hearing loss to develop later during a child’s life, which is why routine hearing screenings are necessary for all children.

Once they leave the hospital, it’s now your pediatrician’s responsibility to provide hearing screenings and other tests and treatments that your child will need until they turn 18 years old. Your pediatrician will be an asset to your child’s health and you will work closely with them, so it’s important that you choose a pediatrician that you trust and value.

Why are hearing screenings necessary for newborns?

As soon as your child is born one of the ways in which they will receive and interpret information is through what they hear; therefore, if they have problems hearing then they may also deal with other problems including delays in language development and speech problems.

By detecting hearing problems early on your pediatrician can provide early interventions including hearing aids or other treatment options to ensure that your child reaches these important and necessary developmental milestones.

Of course, if your child responds to your voice or responds to noises then you may think that their hearing is fine, but this isn’t always the case. There may still be certain noises that they can’t hear properly and sometimes even these minor hearing issues can still affect language and speech.

Should my child’s hearing be assessed regularly?

Even if your baby passes their first hearing screening it’s still important that you turn to a pediatrician for routine checkups. Most hearing screenings usually don’t warrant a separate trip to the office, which means that your child’s hearing will be assessed during regular wellness visits.

Of course, if your newborn has certain risk factors that could affect their hearing it’s important that you share these factors with your pediatrician. These factors include:

• A family history of hearing loss
• Facial deformities
• Postnatal infections
• Premature birth

Finding a knowledgeable and trustworthy pediatrician before your baby is born is one of the most important things soon-to-be parents can do. Let our team provide your little one with the quality care they need to grow up healthy and strong.

Sneezing. Watery eyes. Stuffy nose. These could just be symptoms of a cold or these could be signs that your child has allergies. If you notice that your child’s symptoms flare-up during certain times of the year then this could definitely be a sign of seasonal allergies. Unfortunately, allergies can impact everything from performance in school to participating in outdoor activities such as school sports. If you suspect that your child may have allergies it’s important to talk with your pediatrician.

Childhood Allergy Symptoms

Allergy symptoms can also seem a lot like a cold or other upper respiratory problems. Common symptoms associated with allergies include:

• Watery, red, and itchy eyes
• Itchy nose
• Dark circles under the eyes or puffy eyelids
• Ear pain and chronic ear problems
• Nasal congestion
• Facial pain and pressure
• Headaches
• Sneezing
• Persistent cough
• Chest tightness

So, how can you tell that your child is dealing with allergies and not an infection? Some telltale signs include itchy eyes and nose, which are classic signs of allergies. If your child has a fever this is usually a sign of an infection and not allergies. Unlike a cold, allergy symptoms can last for weeks. You may also notice that your child’s symptoms come and go, appearing more often during the spring and fall months. Again, this is a trademark of childhood allergies.

Treating Childhood Allergy

There are many ways in which a pediatrician can help your child manage their allergy symptoms, and the treatments that are recommended will depend on the type and severity of your child’s symptoms. Most treatment plans include a variety of lifestyle changes and medication. Children with minor symptoms may find relief through over-the-counter antihistamines and decongestants, while other children may require a prescription-strength allergy medication to tackle more moderate to severe symptoms.

Lifestyle modifications may include using a dehumidifier in your child’s bedroom, wearing glasses instead of contacts during allergy seasons, bathing immediately after being outdoors, limiting outdoor activities during high pollen counts, and keeping pets out of bedrooms (if your child suffers from pet dander allergies).

For severe or unresponsive allergies, your pediatrician may recommend immunotherapy, or allergy shots. Allergy shots may be a good option for your child when other treatment options and medications have not been successful.

Are your child’s allergy symptoms impacting their daily routine? If so, our pediatricians can help them manage their symptoms so they can get back to enjoying days on the playground and time spent with family.

Your pediatrician can help prevent infections and keep your child healthy through simple checkups.

It’s only natural to bring your child in to visit one of our Fairfax, VA, pediatricians when they are dealing with a high fever, sports injuries or stomach problems; however, it’s also a good idea to make sure that your child is visiting their pediatrician regularly even when there aren’t experiencing any problems. Making sure that your child visits the doctor annually (as well as comes in for school and sports physicals each year) is an important measure for every parent and child to take to pinpoint certain health problems and implement preventive measures to reduce their risk.

What is involved in a well-child checkup?

Whether you are bringing your baby into our office for the first time or your child has been coming to us for years, there are certain aspects that you can expect every time you visit our children’s doctors. These elements include,

• A full physical examination
• Going through and updating your child’s medical history
• Monitoring vital signs (e.g. heart rate; blood pressure; temperature)
• Documenting height and weight
• Administering appropriate immunizations
• Discussing your child’s diet, exercise, sleep habits and overall lifestyle
• Making sure that your child is reaching certain developmental milestones

As your child gets older there are other screenings and preventive care that may occur during their routine checkups. Some of these include,

• Blood pressure screenings
• Hearing and vision screening (usually around the age of 3 years old)
• Blood tests to rule out certain diseases

When should I bring my child in for well-child visits?

It’s best to follow the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommended schedule, which includes visiting the pediatrician at

• 2-5 days old
• 1 & 2 months
• 4 months
• 6 months
• 9 months
• 12 months
• 18 months
• 2 years
• Every year until age 21

By staying up-to-date on your child’s checkups you can prevent illnesses and injuries, pinpoint problems early on when they are easier to treat and help your child lead a healthier life.

Let the pediatric team at Virginia Pediatric Group in Fairfax, Herndon, Great Falls, and Aldie, VA, provide your growing child with the gentle, tailored and compassionate care they need to grow up big and strong. Schedule their next routine checkup today at (703) 573-2432.

Know the telltale signs and symptoms of childhood asthma.

Asthma is one of the most common chronic childhood diseases and it’s characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways. Certain irritants and pollutants can trigger a respiratory response. Our Fairfax, VA, pediatricians are experts at diagnosing and treating asthma in children and teens. Know the signs of asthma so that you know when to seek medical attention.

What are the symptoms of asthma?

While symptoms may develop at any age most symptoms will appear by the time a child turns 5 years old. Symptoms include:

• Wheezing
• Chest tightness
• Chronic coughing that gets worse at night or with exercise
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue, particularly with exercise
• Trouble breathing
• Rapid or shallow breathing

Any of these symptoms are disconcerting and it’s important that you turn to a pediatrician for a proper diagnosis. Not only can our Fairfax, VA, children’s doctors diagnose asthma but they can also help you and your child manage symptoms. Since asthma isn’t curable we can work with you to find the right medications to reduce asthma attacks and to get your child’s symptoms under control.

What triggers asthma?

One of the most major triggers of asthma is weather changes; therefore, you may find that springtime kicks up your child’s asthma symptoms, particularly if they are prone to allergies. Other triggers include:

• Indoor allergies such as pet dander and dust mites
• Cigarette smoke
• Household cleaners, bug sprays, colognes, or scented lotions
• Stress
• Exercise
• Cold, windy weather

How is asthma treated?

It’s important to understand what triggers your child’s asthma so that you can avoid it as much as necessary. When you know what triggers your child’s symptoms you can take actionable steps and create an effective treatment plan. This is something that our pediatricians can also help with. Along with an action plan we will often prescribe two medications: a long-term controlled medication and a quick-relief medication. Long-term medication is taken daily to control symptoms to prevent attacks, while quick-relief medications are used for rapid relief of symptoms when your child feels an attack coming on.

Virginia Pediatric Group located in Fairfax, VA, offers a full range of pediatric services, from immunizations and routine checkups to urgent medical care for children and teens. If you are concerned that your child may have asthma then call our office today at (703) 573-2432 to schedule an evaluation.