Dr. Patrick L. Carolan, MD

Bacterial pneumonia would be treated with antibiotics.

The answer to this question is very dependent on the cause. In most cases, the cause of an isolated anemia can be easily identified and treated. Anemias can range from mild to severe, so contact with your health care provider will help to sort out the possible causes and potential treatments.

Every medication and medical intervention has potential side or adverse effects. You should address this question to the anesthesia team that will be providing your care. Your primary health care provider can also be a source of information given knowledge of your specific health history.

Reasons to seek care in the ED would include progressive worsening bleeding, significant and progressive abdominal pain, high fever, signs of dehydration, history of inflammatory bowel disease or history of colorectal cancer. Age isn't specified here, but an infant or toddler with blood in the stool should be evaluated for a condition called intussusception. If you suspect that this is a foodborne illness, an evaluation with a primary care or urgent care provider would often start with a stool culture to evaluate for infectious causes.

There are many reasons for an elevated platelet count, including viral and bacterial infections. It is best to discuss this with your primary care provider who can provide an assessment that is appropriate to the context of your current health status.

In most cases, No. Emergency care should be sought for breathing difficulty, chest pain or prolonged fever (more than 4-5 days). Otherwise, home-based supportive care is all that is needed.

The symptoms that you describe are typical for a viral upper respiratory infection. The trajectory of symptoms that you describe sounds like he is slowly getting better as he approaches the end of the first week of illness which is what is usually seen. Week two is usually marked by continued improvement in symptoms and with return of both appetite and energy levels. You are doing everything correctly in terms of providing supportive care. Increasing his oral fluid intake may help - about an ounce of fluid per pound of body weight per day is advised to maintain overall hydration. If nasal congestion is clogging the nose and making it difficult to drink/swallow comfortably, use of saline nose drops and suctioning can help greatly. He does not need to be seen in an UC or ER at this point in time. If he were to develop fever beyond 5-7 days of illness or experiences rapid or labored breathing then he should be checked. Good luck.

In most cases, a swollen lymph node in the neck in a 4 year old represents a response to infection. If it is associated with fever, localized pain or tenderness when pressed or if the overylying skin is red, then your child should be evaluated as a bacterial infection may be present. Many times, this evaluation can be performed by his primary care provider. I would escalate this to evaluation in an urgent care or emergency department if there is high fever or any difficulty with swallowing or breathing.

Yes. If you believe that you are suffering serious symptoms related to a drug overdose you should go immediately to your local ED. If you have some symptoms, but are not sure of the source you can call your local Poison Control Center ((800) 222-1222) to seek their help. They may ultimately refer you to the ED if there are concerns.

Hi,

The abdominal symptoms that you describe could reflect a component of constipation, especially if the dark stools are hard or difficult to pass. If that is the case, a trial of Miralax which is available over the counter may help. The dosing that you would take would follow the recommended doses for an adult. If your symptoms persist, a visit with your primary care provider is a very reasonable next step. Fever, vomiting or progressive pain would all be reasons to be seen sooner rather than later.

Shortness of breath that includes persistent cough, chest tightness, chest pain or fever should be evaluated. The severity of these symptoms would direct whether you should seek care in an urgent care setting or in an emergency department.

Simple sugar-based items are usually rapidly absorbed and should raise blood glucose levels within 5-15 minutes. These could include fruit juice - orange, apple, pineapple, cranberry. Honey is another option. Also candies like gummys are concentrated sugar and will also work quickly.

Dependent on your symptoms, treatments might include injectable epinephrine, antihistamines, inhaled medications and in some cases steroid medications.

Yes. If your blood oxygen saturation is low you should be evaluated.

It depends on what symptoms you have. If you have known allergies and are experiencing hives alone you can take antihistamine (Zyrtec; cetirizine) and see if that helps to resolve symptoms. If you are experiencing any airway symptoms (lip, tongue or throat swelling or tightness, wheezing or chest tightness) if you are dizzy or lightheaded, you should self-administer your Epi pen and seek emergency care.

An elevated WBC can be a marker for acute infection, inflammation or stress. It always has to interpreted within a context of clinical symptoms. By itself, it may not have much meaning e.g. obtained as part of a screen for anemia or some other reason to check a CBC.

If you are experiencing high fever, vomiting or signs of dehydration (light headedness when walking, dry lips/tongue, decreased urine output) you should seek care in an emergency department. If you are having pain with urination alone, an urgent care or telehealth visit may be all that is needed to evaluate your symptoms or receive a prescription for an antibiotic.

This is a complicated question for which you should touch base with your anesthesia and surgical teams for guidance. From the anesthesia perspective (https://www.asahq.org/madeforthismoment/preparing-for-surgery/risks/smoking/#:~:text=It's%20no%20secret%20that%20smoking,that%20makes%20you%20lose%20consciousness.), smoking does alter lung function but the anesthesiologists who will be monitoring you during the procedure can make adjustments in your anesthesia if needed. Knowing ahead of time will help them provide the best care for you. In terms of addressing when to stop, there is a balance between the benefit of stopping and the physiologic effects of cannabis withdrawal syndrome, should you stop completely. This would also be worth running by your anesthesia team. In terms of when to start back after your surgery, the surgical site from where the adenoids are removed takes time to heal. I would ask your ENT surgical team about how long you should refrain from smoking after surgery. These time frame guidelines will help you to decide if you need to have an alternative short-term plan available to manage your panic attacks. Good luck.
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Smoking: Surgery Risks & Anesthesia Complications - Made for This Moment - American Society of Anesthesiologists<https://www.asahq.org/madeforthismoment/preparing-for-surgery/risks/smoking/#:~:text=It's%20no%20secret%20that%20smoking,that%20makes%20you%20lose%20consciousness.>
Smoking. It’s no secret that smoking causes serious health problems, including heart disease, asthma, and lung cancer. If you are having surgery, you also may experience complications related to smoking and anesthesia.
www.asahq.org

Thank you for checking in regarding your concerns following COVID immunization. While vaccines (any) can cause achiness local to the injection site or achiness generally, no vaccine would result in structural changes in your hips, other bones or in your joints. Feeling feverish or achy following an immunization is a sign that your immune system is responding to the vaccine. Use of medication like Tylenol or Ibuprofen can help reduce the discomfort.

You should have your daughter seen by a primary care provider. Weight loss with the symptoms that you describe is always a concern. Persistent diarrhea could be an indicator of food sensitivity (gluten-celiac) or other factor leading to malabsorption. Young children who drink excessive amounts of milk can have iron deficiency and anemia. An evaluation by a primary care provider will help to sort out whether a medical problem exists as well as provide guidance on approaches to diet.