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  • The benefits of getting involved in team sports

    Summer is almost over and it’s already time to start thinking about the new school year! There seems to be many decisions parents are faced with as their child heads back to school- which classroom will he/she be in, what classes will my child be taking, what after-school activities will my child get involved in? While all these questions are important, there is one question that every parent should be asking their kids- “what sport do you want to play this year?”. Team sports can benefit your child in more ways than one: physically, socially, mentally, and behaviorally.

    The Physical Benefits

    The American Academy of Pediatrics recently released a study highlighting the benefits that team sports have on children’s physical health.  The study was used to compare weight status and the different forms of physical activity among teens. Researchers surveyed over 1,700 high school students and their parents, covering many areas associated with physical health including team sport participation, active commuting, physical education, recreational activity, screen time, diet quality, and demographics. What they found was that when compared with active commuting, such as walking or biking to school, participation in team sports had the strongest association to weight status. It was shown that participating in team sports could help decrease a child’s risk of being overweight or obese. As a result of this study, obesity prevention programs are encouraged to incorporate and increase team sport participation among all students.

  • Prepare Your Child for an Outpatient Procedure

    Children, like adults, get anxious about the unknown. When children learn they have an upcoming hospital procedure, they need -- and deserve -- developmentally appropriate information.

  • Choosing a pediatrician for your family

    After you process the initial joy of learning that you are pregnant, you will soon realize that you have many decisions to make for you and your baby. These choices may include picking baby names, finding an OB-GYN physician to take care of you during your pregnancy, deciding which hospital to deliver your baby, and choosing a pediatrician for your family. While many decisions can seem overwhelming, picking a pediatrician does not have to be if you know what you are looking for in a doctor.

    Talk to other parents about recommendations for a pediatrician.

    If you are beginning your search for a pediatrician, talk to your friends and family members that are parents. See if any particular names pop up repeatedly, either positively or negatively. Remember to keep an open mind, though. One person’s not-so-great experience with a pediatrician in the midst of many other positive recommendations may be a result from that particular family and pediatrician not being a good fit. The reverse is also true; one family’s amazing pediatrician may not be exactly what you are looking for. But at the very least, talking to other people is a starting point for your search.

    Plan to meet the pediatrician…before your baby is born.

    After you have made your list of potential pediatricians, the next step is to meet them in person. Many pediatric practices will host open houses for new parents, or will schedule prenatal consultations. By meeting with a pediatrician, you will be able to see if his/her beliefs, values, and attitudes regarding pediatric health care are in line with your own. You can decide if you like him/her or not…plain and simple! You and your baby will have at least 10 well-baby visits to the pediatrician in the first two years of life (not even counting sick visits!), so it helps if you like your pediatrician. Ask the pediatrician if he/she is pediatric board-certified (taken and passed the pediatric board exam) or board-eligible (preparing to take the pediatric board exam).

  • Caring for bumps, bruises and boo-boos

    Kids are invincible- or at least they think they are! They fearlessly jump into the air, ride a little too fast on their bikes, and like to play roughly with friends or siblings. It’s all fun and games, until someone gets hurt. Cuts, scrapes, and bruises are a regular occurrence in many family homes and it is important to be prepared when accidents do happen. Minor injuries are inevitable and can be cared for properly with the right tools and education.

    The ingredients of a first-aid kit

    Walking through the aisles at the pharmacy can be overwhelming and confusing when trying to decide what to include in your family’s at-home first-aid kit. Here are some basic essentials to help care for those future bumps and bruises: Adhesive tape Gauze pads Disposable gloves- for protection or to use as an ice pack Disposable instant cold packs Polysporin antibiotic cream Nonadhesive pads Adhesive bandages in different sizes Tweezers to get debris, dirt and grass out of open woundsKeep these items in a storage box that is easily accessible in case of an emergency. If an item is used, be sure to replace it to be prepared for the next accident.

    How to treat minor cuts and scrapes

    Not only is it important to have the necessities in your first-aid kit, it’s also important to know how to use them! Let’s use this scenario- your child has fallen off his/her bike and you hear screaming and crying outside- now what?

  • Report cards for your child's weight?

    It’s all over news headlines: childhood obesity. It now seems to be an issue that just won’t go away, despite all of the programs and campaigns to help encourage kids and families to become healthier. It’s just so hard with countless fast-food chains, ever-evolving technology that gives kids one more reason not to move from the couch, and school systems that have been resistant to change. However, the school system has been attacked hard, and slowly, schools are now making a greater effort to become healthier. Some schools have even taken it to the next level with what are called, “BMI report cards”.

    What on earth are BMI report cards?

    Let’s first start by defining BMI. Body mass index, or BMI, is the ratio of a person’s height and weight as a way to determine whether that person is overweight or obese. It is often used to help identify those who are at risk for weight-related health problems.

  • New Recommendations for Treatment of Ear Infections

    One of the most common illnesses in U.S. children is acute otitis media (AOM), which is a type of ear infection when the middle ear becomes infected. This type of ear infection is the most common condition for which antibiotics are prescribed for U.S. children. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has recently updated its recommendations to physicians taking care of uncomplicated ear infections in children ages 6 months to 12 years. This new clinical practice guideline will be published in the March 2013 Pediatrics journal. These new guidelines help provide a more specific and stringent definition of a middle ear infection, pain management guidelines, recommendations for initial observation versus immediate antibiotic therapy, and preventive measures.

    What is an ear infection?

    Usually, a child will get an upper respiratory infection or a cold, and the middle ear can become inflamed. Fluid may build up and become trapped in the middle part of the ear during an acute illness. The tube that helps drain fluid from the middle ear to the back of the nose is called the Eustachian tube, and this tube is smaller and more horizontal in children as compared to an adult’s. So when a child becomes ill with a cold, it is more difficult for this fluid to drain out and bacteria can possibly grow in this fluid that is trapped behind your child’s eardrum.

    How do I know if my child has an ear infection?

    Symptoms of an ear infection may include: Fever Headache Difficulty sleeping Difficulty hearing Crying more than usual Fluid draining from the earThese symptoms may be difficult to detect. If your child has a cold and any of the above symptoms, your doctor will be able to use an instrument called an otoscope to look at your child’s ear drums to diagnose an ear infection.

    If my child has an ear infection, do I need a prescription for antibiotics from my doctor?

    The surprising answer is that your child may not always need antibiotics for an ear infection. In treating non-severe ear infections, less may actually be more because our body’s immune systems can usually handle and take care of ear infections on its own. Studies have shown that children with ear infections usually report similar symptoms after about ten days, whether or not they received or did not receive antibiotics.

  • Asthma: Know the Risks for Your Child

    Seeing your child struggle to breathe can be scary for a parent, and there is no cure for asthma. Understanding and avoiding asthma triggers is key to helping your child have a life without limitations.

  • Help your kids get a healthy breakfast, even when short on time

    The morning alarm sounds as your sleepy teen rolls over and hits the snooze button for the third time, and then dozes off to sleep again. When the I-will-be-late alarm goes off, they are in a rush to shower, brush their teeth, get dressed, grab last night’s homework assignment and then make a beeline for the front door so they won’t be late for school. 

  • Should you give your kids dessert before dinner is done? A dietitian’s answer might surprise you.

    Like me, many children are fixated on that sweet treat after dinner. It can be that package of fruit snack gummies, chocolate chip cookie or that double fudge caramel brownie, pretty much anything sweet that catches their attention. During dinner, many kids wait impatiently for dessert to be available to the family, even when they feel full from dinner. Many kids have caught on to the idea of skipping dinner just because they know dessert is coming next. This is often when parents start making “dinner deals” with their kids, just so they can eat something on their plate. These deals can range anywhere from “you can have dessert if you eat your vegetables” or “if you do not try every food on your plate, you will not get a cookie”. When these “dinner deals” begin, it often gives kids the wrong impression – dinner is a punishment and dessert is the reward. 

  • When Is Your Child Ready for a Phone? Pediatrician Tips for Digital Safety

    The “digital street” presents just as many safety challenges for children as the physical one. That’s why it’s so important to help your child develop a healthy relationship with technology, starting with the responsible use of their first phone.