Arbor Pediatrics provides high-quality, personalized medical care for infants, children, and adolescents in Southlake, TX.

Petechiae are tiny, flat red, purple, or brown spots caused by bleeding beneath the skin.

Unlike many common rashes, they do not fade when pressed.

Petechiae can sometimes appear around the face or neck after forceful coughing, vomiting, or crying. They may also be associated with viral or bacterial infections, low platelets, clotting problems, medications, or other conditions. Because the spots can look similar even when the causes are very different, a photo alone may not provide the answer.

Contact your child’s pediatric provider promptly for new, unexplained, or widespread petechiae. Seek urgent medical care if the spots are rapidly spreading or occur with fever, unusual bruising or bleeding, difficulty breathing, severe headache, neck stiffness, confusion, extreme sleepiness, or a child who appears very ill.

Tetanus was once a much greater threat in the United States.

Since routine childhood vaccination began, reported cases have fallen by more than 95 percent and deaths have fallen by more than 99 percent.

Tetanus bacteria are found in soil, dust, and manure. They can enter the body through cuts or puncture wounds and release a toxin that causes painful muscle stiffness, lockjaw, difficulty swallowing, breathing problems, and sometimes death. From 2009 through 2023, the United States reported 402 cases and 37 deaths.

Tetanus does not spread from person to person, so community immunity cannot protect an unvaccinated child. If vaccination rates fell, more people would be left vulnerable to bacteria that remain present in our environment, and serious cases would likely increase.

Staying current on recommended DTaP and Tdap vaccines protects children before an unexpected injury occurs. Contact Arbor if you have questions about your child’s vaccine record or whether tetanus protection is needed after a wound.

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month, a time to connect families with information, services, and community support.

Families raising a child with Down syndrome can ask their pediatric provider about early intervention, developmental therapies, school-based services, and trusted parent support organizations.

Connecting with other families can also provide encouragement, practical guidance, and a sense of community.

Everyone can offer support by learning more about Down syndrome, using respectful language, including children in school and community activities, and listening to families about what they need.

Small actions can help create a community where every child and family feels welcomed and supported.

Cold and flu season is here, but simple habits can help limit the spread of germs.

Encourage frequent handwashing, cover coughs and sneezes, clean high-touch surfaces, and keep children home when they are sick.

Adequate sleep, good hydration, and balanced meals also help support their overall health.

Annual flu vaccination is recommended for most children ages 6 months and older.

Contact Arbor to discuss vaccination or if your child develops concerning symptoms, has trouble breathing, shows signs of dehydration, or is getting worse instead of better.

Cooler weather is the perfect time for warm, comforting meals, and healthy does not have to mean complicated.

Try turkey and bean chili, chicken and vegetable soup, sheet-pan chicken with roasted sweet potatoes, or pumpkin oatmeal topped with apples and cinnamon. Frozen vegetables, canned beans, precut squash, and rotisserie chicken can make fall meals even easier on busy nights.

What is your family’s favorite fall recipe? Share it with us in the comments.

Turn your fall pumpkin into a fun, hands-on learning activity! 🎃

Try one or more of these ideas together:
• Predict how many seeds are inside, then count them
• Measure the pumpkin’s height and circumference
• See whether it sinks or floats
• Explore and describe the different textures
• Compare the sizes, shapes, colors, and weights of several pumpkins
• Use the pumpkin to bake muffins, bread, or another fall treat

Younger children can practice counting, sorting, and describing. Older children can record their predictions, measurements, and results.

A little curiosity can turn an ordinary pumpkin into a family science experiment, and a whole lot of fun.