Dr. Stockton's Notes for Caregivers

📢 Over the past decade, there have been major breakthroughs  in food allergy prevention and treatment. What used to be considered “safe” advice— delaying the introduction of foods like peanuts and eggs —has now been replaced with strong evidence showing the opposite: Introducing allergenic foods early can actually help prevent allergies. We now have a large body of high-quality research (summarized below in plain english) showing that early and regular introduction  of comm

If you’re a parent, you’ve asked this question. If you work in healthcare, you’ve been asked this question. Often at 2 a.m. 😅 “How long will my child’s symptoms last?” Good news: a large, high-quality study set out to answer this exact question. The Study (In Plain English) Researchers reviewed nearly 50 studies looking at common respiratory infections in almost 9000 otherwise healthy children with non-severe illness in high-income countries who did not receive antibioti

Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency . Fast action saves lives. If you think it might be anaphylaxis (even if you're unsure), treat right away with epinephrine . Do not treat with Benadryl or other antihistamines. These 5 steps are based on another great infographic by Food Allergy Canada (see below). Note that these steps are identical in adults and children. 1️⃣ Give epinephrine — immediately If the child has an epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen Jr® or EpiPen® for children 5

There are few things as scary as anaphylaxis, especially when you’re caring for a baby or young child. This is why it’s so important to know what to watch for. Food Allergy Canada has an excellent, easy-to-understand infographic  that shows the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis, including how it can look in babies (hives, voice change, drooling, vomiting, irritability) and young children (may complain of an itchy, spicy, or funny-feeling tongue or mouth). It’s a great resourc

How an ER Doctor/Mom Survives a Viral Illness Like most humans with bills, children, and responsibilities that do not  respect my mucus production, I cannot simply spend the day(s) in bed when I get a cold or flu. So when the viral goblins strike, I rely on these adult-oriented remedies to get me through (sadly, I am not paid to endorse any of these things): 1. Water, water, water Hydration is my personality now. 2. Non-drowsy antihistamines Try cetirizine (Reactine), fexofen

Let’s face it — few things are worse than being woken up in the middle of the night by your child’s endless coughing. Not only are they miserable, but you're both running on fumes the next day. So, what actually works to help kids sleep better during a cold? Surprise: it might be something already in your kitchen — honey. 🧐 The Big Question: Honey or Cough Syrup? A group of researchers wanted to find out: Does honey help more than store-bought cough medicine (like dextrometh