Pediatric Pulse · Daily local signal
What North Dallas pediatric families are bringing in today.
A morning snapshot of air quality, pollen, respiratory illness, vaccine-preventable activity, and pediatric medication signals — so the clinic can plan triage, staffing, and prescribing with confidence.
Refreshed Sunday, May 31 · 3:22 AM CT · McKinney · Melissa · Anna · Prosper · Frisco · Celina · Van Alstyne · North DFW
Today at a glance
Elevated clinic readiness: vaccine-preventable disease and VPD outbreak signals active
Air quality is currently good (AQI 44) across the North Dallas area. Tree pollen is low and grass pollen is high. Regional respiratory illness activity is stable. Consider keeping allergy, asthma, and same-day sick visit workflows ready.
Do this today
Operational playbook
- Verify MMR/DTaP/varicella/HepA status at every visit and run catch-up checks during well visits.
- Review measles/pertussis isolation, masking, and notification protocols with clinical staff.
- 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.
- Prepare a simple fever/cough triage script for front desk and MAs.
Built for provider, MA, and front-desk triage decisions — not a diagnosis tool.
Air quality
Source: EPA AirNow
Primary pollutant: O3
3-day forecast
Air quality is in the Good range. No additional asthma precautions indicated beyond routine asthma action plan use.
Pollen
Source: Google Pollen API
Dominant allergens: Grasses
Pollen is high (Grasses prominent). Expect more allergy-symptom and wheezing-related calls.
Respiratory illness activity
Source: CDC / Texas DSHS
Regional respiratory activity is stable across RSV, flu, and COVID.
Some signals are regional rather than ZIP-level; interpret with local context.
Community virus watch
Source: CDC NREVSS / NoroSTAT / Texas DSHS
Respiratory viruses
CDC NREVSS (HHS Region 6 weekly % positivity) — week ending 2026-05-23: 1.9% positivity, stable vs. prior weeks.
CDC national clinical-lab surveillance — week ending 2026-05-23: 1.7% positivity for influenza overall (Type A/B subtypes not separated in this feed), decreasing vs. prior weeks.
CDC national clinical-lab surveillance — week ending 2026-05-23: 1.7% positivity for influenza overall (Type A/B subtypes not separated in this feed), decreasing vs. prior weeks.
CDC NREVSS (HHS Region 6 weekly % positivity) — week ending 2026-05-23: 0.8% positivity, stable vs. prior weeks.
CDC NREVSS (HHS Region 6 weekly % positivity) — week ending 2026-05-23: 22.9% positivity, stable vs. prior weeks.
CDC NREVSS (HHS Region 6 weekly % positivity) — week ending 2026-05-23: 2.8% positivity, stable vs. prior weeks.
CDC NREVSS (HHS Region 6 weekly % positivity) — week ending 2026-05-23: 5.0% positivity, stable vs. prior weeks.
CDC NREVSS (HHS Region 6 weekly % positivity) — week ending 2026-05-23: 1.9% positivity, decreasing vs. prior weeks.
Gastrointestinal viruses
No public live regional surveillance feed for Norovirus. CDC NoroSTAT and Texas DSHS bulletins update episodically; check those manually for outbreak alerts.
No public live regional surveillance feed for Rotavirus. CDC NoroSTAT and Texas DSHS bulletins update episodically; check those manually for outbreak alerts.
Other common pediatric viral illnesses
No public live regional surveillance feed for Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease. CDC NoroSTAT and Texas DSHS bulletins update episodically; check those manually for outbreak alerts.
No public live regional surveillance feed for Fifth Disease (Parvovirus B19). CDC NoroSTAT and Texas DSHS bulletins update episodically; check those manually for outbreak alerts.
Latest CDC NREVSS / FluView data for week ending 2026-05-23.
Levels reflect regional surveillance (HHS Region 6 / Texas DSHS); local ZIP-level data is not yet broken out for most signals.
Vaccine-preventable disease watch
Source: CDC NNDSS Weekly Data (Texas)
CDC defines a measles outbreak as 3 or more epidemiologically-linked cases (CDC Manual for the Surveillance of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, Ch. 7).
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 cases YTD vs 1460 same period last year (at or below historical baseline).
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.
5 cases YTD vs 40 same period last year (at or below historical baseline).
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.
75 cases YTD vs 199 same period last year (at or below historical baseline).
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.
2 case(s) year-to-date — below the threshold (5) at which year-over-year comparison is statistically meaningful.
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.
10 cases YTD vs 32 same period last year (at or below historical baseline).
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.
State-level surveillance signal. ZIP-level outbreak detail is generally not published publicly; coordinate with your local health department for confirmed exposures or cluster reports.
Methodology: Status is derived from CDC NNDSS observed-vs-expected comparison — current-year YTD cases vs the same MMWR week in the prior year (NNDSS field m4). "Active outbreak" = current YTD > 2× prior YTD (CDC epidemic-threshold convention) or, for measles, ≥3 cases (per CDC's Manual for the Surveillance of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, Ch. 7). No invented thresholds.
Pediatric medication watchlist
Source: FDA Drug Shortages / openFDA
Pediatric relevance: First-line for AOM, strep pharyngitis, CAP in many pediatric patients.
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.
Suggested action: Verify availability with local pharmacy before sending; have alternate regimens ready.
Pediatric relevance: Common penicillin alternative for AOM and sinusitis.
Suggested action: Monitor for changes if amoxicillin demand surges.
Pediatric relevance: Core rescue therapy for pediatric asthma and reactive airway disease.
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.
Suggested action: Track on-hand clinic stock; prefer MDI + spacer when clinically appropriate.
Pediatric relevance: Influenza treatment in eligible pediatric patients during flu season.
Suggested action: Revisit if regional flu activity rises.
Pediatric relevance: Common ADHD therapy; shortages affect refill workflows and family planning.
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.
Suggested action: Plan refill timing carefully; consider documented alternative regimens per family.
Provider-only reference. Verify with pharmacy or wholesaler reality before changing prescribing workflows. This list is informational, not a clinical guideline.
Sources & disclaimer
Data sources
- EPA AirNow (air quality)
- Google Pollen API (tree, grass, weed pollen levels)
- CDC / Texas DSHS (respiratory illness surveillance)
- CDC NREVSS / NoroSTAT / Texas DSHS (community virus watch)
- FDA Drug Shortages / openFDA (medication availability)
- CDC NNDSS / Texas DSHS (vaccine-preventable disease surveillance)
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.