Pediatric Pulse · Daily source check
What current public-health signals relevant to North Texas show.
A morning snapshot of air quality, pollen, respiratory hospitalizations, laboratory surveillance, provisional disease reports, and pediatric medication signals. Each section identifies the geography it actually represents.
Checked Sunday, Sep 27 · 4:52 PM CT · source reporting schedules vary
Today at a glance
Elevated clinic readiness: pollen and respiratory illness signals active
Air quality is currently moderate (AQI 53) for Dallas-Fort Worth. Tree pollen is very high and grass pollen is high. Regional respiratory illness activity is trending up, so the clinic may see more cough, congestion, wheezing, and fever-related calls. Some pediatric medications remain limited or in shortage; verify availability before sending high-volume prescriptions. Consider keeping allergy, asthma, and same-day sick visit workflows ready.
Do this today
Operational playbook
- Keep allergy and asthma guidance ready for cough, congestion, and wheeze-related calls.
- Hold a few same-day sick visit slots and prepare a fever/cough triage script for front desk and MAs.
- Check pharmacy availability before prescribing constrained medications and prepare alternative regimens.
- Hold a few same-day sick visit slots if call volume rises this week.
- Keep allergy and asthma guidance materials ready for families calling about cough or wheeze.
- Reinforce asthma action plan use during visits for wheezing or asthma-history patients.
Built for provider, MA, and front-desk triage decisions — not a diagnosis tool.
Air quality
Source: EPA AirNow
Dallas-Fort Worth
Primary pollutant: PM2.5
Available forecast
Air quality is in the Moderate range. Sensitive patients may notice mild symptoms.
Observation date: 2026-09-27
Pollen
Source: Google Pollen API
Dominant allergens: Elm, Ragweed, Grasses
Pollen is very high (Elm, Ragweed, Grasses prominent). Expect more allergy-symptom and wheezing-related calls.
Respiratory hospitalization activity
Source: Texas DSHS respiratory hospitalization surveillance
PHR 2/3 hospitalization signals: RSV rising, flu rising, combined hospital admission rate rising. Rates are weekly new laboratory-confirmed admissions per 100,000.
These are hospitalization rates for the full Texas DSHS Public Health Region 2/3, not McKinney or Collin County counts.
Community virus watch
Source: CDC NREVSS and CDC national respiratory laboratory surveillance
Respiratory viruses
CDC NREVSS, Texas, week ending 2026-09-19: 0.7% of reported tests were positive.
CDC NREVSS · Texas · 2026-09-19
CDC national respiratory laboratory surveillance, United States, week ending 2026-09-19: 2.7% of reported tests were positive.
CDC national respiratory laboratory surveillance · United States · 2026-09-19
CDC NREVSS, Texas, week ending 2026-09-19: 9.7% of reported tests were positive.
CDC NREVSS · Texas · 2026-09-19
CDC NREVSS, HHS Region 6 (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX), week ending 2026-09-19: 33.1% of reported tests were positive.
CDC NREVSS · HHS Region 6 (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX) · 2026-09-19
CDC NREVSS, HHS Region 6 (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX), week ending 2026-09-19: 0.6% of reported tests were positive.
CDC NREVSS · HHS Region 6 (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX) · 2026-09-19
CDC NREVSS, HHS Region 6 (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX), week ending 2026-09-19: 0.8% of reported tests were positive.
CDC NREVSS · HHS Region 6 (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX) · 2026-09-19
CDC NREVSS, HHS Region 6 (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX), week ending 2026-09-19: 5.4% of reported tests were positive.
CDC NREVSS · HHS Region 6 (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX) · 2026-09-19
Gastrointestinal viruses
CDC NREVSS, Southern U.S. Census Region, centered three-week average ending 2026-08-29: 4.9% positive. CDC displayed 854 tests for the specified week; dashboard updated 2026-09-04.
CDC NREVSS (controlled weekly import) · Southern U.S. Census Region · 2026-08-29 · showing last-known-good value
CDC NREVSS, Southern U.S. Census Region, centered three-week average ending 2026-08-29: 3.2% positive. CDC displayed 791 tests for the specified week; dashboard updated 2026-09-04.
CDC NREVSS (controlled weekly import) · Southern U.S. Census Region · 2026-08-29 · showing last-known-good value
Other common pediatric viral illnesses
Seasonal watch only. Do not infer a local outbreak without an official Texas DSHS or local health department notice.
CDC and Texas DSHS guidance · Seasonal context; not a local activity estimate
Parvovirus B19 is not nationally notifiable and has no routine U.S. surveillance feed. Use official health advisories only when issued.
CDC · No routine local surveillance
Each quantitative value identifies its source geography and reporting week. Non-quantitative cards do not imply current local activity.
Quantitative cards use laboratory test positivity. The display bands are Luma-defined summaries, not CDC risk levels. Geography varies by card.
Vaccine-preventable disease watch
Source: CDC NNDSS Weekly Data (Texas)
178 provisional Texas cases YTD vs 803 in the same period last year. An official advisory is required to label an outbreak.
Vaccine relevance: MMR-preventable. Highly contagious; airborne. Confirm MMR1 (12-15 mo) and MMR2 (4-6 yr) at every visit.
Suggested action: Verify MMR status, prompt catch-up doses, and review measles isolation/notification protocol with staff.
183 provisional Texas cases YTD vs 3159 in the same period last year. An official advisory is required to label an outbreak.
Vaccine relevance: DTaP/Tdap-preventable. Infants under 2 mo are highest-risk. Confirm caregiver Tdap (cocooning).
Suggested action: Low threshold for testing prolonged paroxysmal cough; confirm DTaP series and Tdap for adolescents.
39 provisional Texas cases YTD vs 72 in the same period last year. An official advisory is required to label an outbreak.
Vaccine relevance: HepA-preventable. Two-dose series starting at 12 mo.
Suggested action: Confirm HepA series at well visits; emphasize for travel to endemic regions.
301 provisional Texas cases YTD vs 362 in the same period last year. An official advisory is required to label an outbreak.
Vaccine relevance: Varicella-preventable. Two-dose series (12-15 mo, 4-6 yr).
Suggested action: Confirm two-dose varicella status at school-age visits; counsel on rash isolation.
8 provisional Texas cases YTD vs 26 in the same period last year. An official advisory is required to label an outbreak.
Vaccine relevance: MMR-preventable. Outbreaks often occur in close-contact settings (camps, schools).
Suggested action: Confirm MMR2 in school-age and adolescents; review parotitis differential during outbreaks.
53 provisional Texas cases YTD vs 58 in the same period last year. An official advisory is required to label an outbreak.
Vaccine relevance: PCV15/PCV20-preventable. Series at 2, 4, 6, 12-15 mo.
Suggested action: Confirm PCV series; review post-splenectomy and high-risk indications.
These are provisional Texas case reports, not local case counts or official outbreak determinations. Consult CDC, Texas DSHS, or the local health department for confirmed outbreak notices.
Methodology: Labels compare current-year provisional Texas totals with the same MMWR week in the prior year. They do not infer epidemiologic linkage or declare an outbreak.
Pediatric medication watchlist
Source: FDA Drug Shortages / openFDA
Pediatric relevance: First-line for AOM, strep pharyngitis, CAP in many pediatric patients.
Not listed in FDA's current or resolved shortage records; this does not confirm local availability.
Suggested action: Confirm pharmacy availability before prescribing high-volume liquid formulations; consider alternative concentrations.
Pediatric relevance: Common second-line for AOM and sinusitis when amoxicillin is insufficient.
Not listed in FDA's current or resolved shortage records; this does not confirm local availability.
Suggested action: Verify availability with local pharmacy before sending; have alternate regimens ready.
Pediatric relevance: Common penicillin alternative for AOM and sinusitis.
Not listed in FDA's current or resolved shortage records; this does not confirm local availability.
Suggested action: Monitor for changes if amoxicillin demand surges.
Pediatric relevance: Core rescue therapy for pediatric asthma and reactive airway disease.
Not listed in FDA's current or resolved shortage records; this does not confirm local availability.
Suggested action: Reinforce spacer use and asthma action plans; remind families to refill before respiratory season peaks.
Pediatric relevance: Used for in-clinic nebulizer treatments and home neb therapy in younger children.
FDA records found, with no current shortage entries.
Suggested action: Track on-hand clinic stock; prefer MDI + spacer when clinically appropriate.
Pediatric relevance: Influenza treatment in eligible pediatric patients during flu season.
Not listed in FDA's current or resolved shortage records; this does not confirm local availability.
Suggested action: Revisit if regional flu activity rises.
Pediatric relevance: Common ADHD therapy; shortages affect refill workflows and family planning.
38 current FDA presentation record(s); 4 unavailable and 11 limited. Local pharmacy supply may differ.
Suggested action: Discuss formulation alternatives with family; coordinate with pharmacy before changing dose or product.
Pediatric relevance: Alternate ADHD therapy; shortages affect refill and switching options.
73 current FDA presentation record(s); 19 unavailable and 10 limited. Local pharmacy supply may differ.
Suggested action: Plan refill timing carefully; consider documented alternative regimens per family.
FDA status is national and presentation-specific, not local pharmacy inventory. "Unknown" means the product was not listed in the queried FDA records; it does not confirm availability.
Sources & disclaimer
Data sources
- EPA AirNow (air quality)
- Google Pollen API (modeled tree, grass, and weed forecast near McKinney)
- Texas DSHS Public Health Region 2/3 (respiratory hospitalization rates)
- CDC NREVSS and CDC national respiratory laboratory surveillance
- FDA Drug Shortages / openFDA (national product status)
- CDC NNDSS Weekly Data (Texas provisional counts)
Data checked daily; source reporting schedules vary. Each quantitative signal retains its source geography and reporting date.
Internal operational dashboard for Luma Pediatrics. Public health data is used for awareness and planning only. Clinical decisions should be based on provider judgment and patient-specific evaluation. Do not use this dashboard as a diagnosis tool.