Ask Doctor Cory.

Dear Dr. Cory

Why do my teeth fall out?

Karen Rosenblatt Notch Road, Connecticut

Dear Karen:

Your first set of teeth, often called baby teeth, are designed to be used only for the first few years of life. They are not large enough or strong enough to be useful to you as an adult. But those baby teeth are still very important. They guide the second set of teeth, called permanent teeth, into their proper position.

Babies are born with both sets of teeth already growing in their jaws (twenty baby teeth and thirty-two permanent teeth). The baby teeth start to push through the gums at about four to six months of age and are all in at about age two. Between the ages of six and twelve, the baby teeth will be pushed out by the permanent teeth. The new teeth that grow in are larger and stronger, and are much more useful to a child on his way to becoming an adult.

Dear Dr. Cory:

I am afraid of needles. I can't help it. What should I do?

Madeline Story Charleston, Missouri 

Dear Madeline:

I can't think of anyone who likes getting a shot or being stuck with a needle. However, to help prevent many serious diseases and to sometimes give important medicines, shots and needles are necessary. The good news is that doctors are coming up with easier ways of giving medicines and vaccines (also called immunizations, these are given to help prevent diseases). We already have the oral polio vaccine that is taken by mouth. Researchers are hoping that a new influenza, or flu, vaccine will be available to the public soon which can be given by spraying the vaccine in a patient's nose.

The other good thing about vaccine, or immunization, shots is that the older you get, the fewer you need. But for those times when you do need a shot, try blowing through your mouth (like you are blowing a bubble) as the shot is being given. Researchers have found that blowing makes shots less painful. It also seems to be helpful for other periods of short pain. You might even try it the next time you are having a splinter removed.

Dear Dr. Cory:

Why do I get mosquito bites?

Elizabeth Herr Lincoln, Nebraska 

Dear Elizabeth:

The female mosquito bites humans and animals to have a blood meal. She must feed before she can lay eggs.

When a mosquito lands on you, it pokes through your skin with its needlelike nose, searching for a blood vessel. It then sucks blood directly from a tiny capillary (a very small blood vessel). Saliva from the mosquito keeps the blood from clotting, so she can feed easily. Your body reacts to the saliva by releasing a chemical called histamine. Histamine causes blood vessels near the bite to enlarge, causing a hive (a red, swollen area) to form. Histamine also irritates nerve endings and makes you itch.

Mosquitoes usually attack exposed parts of the body, such as the face, neck, arms, and legs. But they can also bite through thin clothing.

Mosquitoes are attracted by the carbon dioxide we give off in our breath and through our skin, and the warmth and moisture of our skin, including sweat.

If you know that you will be outside when mosquitoes might be biting, use an insect repellent that is safe for children. Avoid dressing in clothing with bright colors or flowery prints. These can attract insects. So do perfumes, scented lotions or soaps, and hair sprays. And stay away from areas where water stands (stagnant water). This is where mosquitoes like to lay their eggs.

Send your health questions to: "Ask Doctor Cory" Children's Playmate P.O. Box 567 Indianapolis, IN 46206 This column does not replace your doctor's advice.