The CVS MinuteClinic in York reports some strep throat, upper respiratory infections, COVID and bacterial pink eye.
WellSpan Pediatric Medicine Physicians are seeing sore throats that are not because of strep. They're also seeing stomach bugs, colds and viral rashes.
Pediatricians at Penn State Health have been seeing a lot of colds this week, as well as some cases of stomach bug and COVID. They are still seeing some cases of RSV and flu, but the number of recent cases has decreased for both of those illnesses.
This week, the providers of UPMC Children's Community Pediatrics across the Midstate are seeing cases of hand, foot and mouth disease, flu, sore throats, strep throat and stomach bugs.
Hand, foot, and mouth disease has traditionally been a warm weather illness, and providers used to see it more in the summer months. But the seasonality of the virus has changed since COVID-19 isolation. It's now common throughout the year, they said.
Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health Physicians Roseville Pediatrics is seeing a lot of strep and a lot of viral illnesses. COVID is still making the rounds, although they are diagnosing that less than strep.
They are still seeing a lot of stomach bug cases. They're also treating ear infections as a result of back-to-back viral syndromes not allowing adequate drainage of the Eustacean tubes between illnesses.
Dr. Joan Thode offered the following advice about ear infections:
"Though the nasal passages and inner ear both empty into the throat, they do so at two separate locations. There is no connection between nasal drainage and the inner ear, so ear infections cannot be caused by a back-up of mucous into the ear. As the immune system responds to a virus or allergies, inflammation occurs in the tissues that line the throat. This inflammation can swell shut the exit tract of the inner ear, causing the fluid that would naturally drain to get stuck in the ear until the inflammation goes away.
The inner ears, sinuses and nasal passages are naturally lined with bacteria that live there without hurting us. Actually, it helps us that they are there, because they take up space that other bad bacteria can't colonize. The typically inactive bacteria start to use the accumulated fluid as a breeding ground. This is how an ear infection occurs. However, the immune system is quick to show up and fight the infection, and all ear infections will be cured by the body's own immune system.
The pain from ear infections occurs as a result of the eardrum stretching from all of the pressure of the accumulated fluid, along with the additional immune fighter cells. The eardrum has a nerve that can take only so much stretch before it sends pain signals to the brain.
Not every ear infection needs antibiotics; again, the immune system will typically clear an ear infection on its own. The pain is best treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, including ibuprofen, to decrease the pain of the inflammation."
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