Preventing Your Child’s Ear Infections There are steps that you can take to protect your child from dealing with ear infections. Often, ear infections happen as a result of a previous sickness. The sickness can cause your child to have a buildup of fluid in the ears, which causes bacteria to grow. By making sure that your child is up to date on their vaccinations, you can prevent your child from being sick in the first place. This can help lower their chance of ear infections. You should always make sure that you wash your hands before handling your child, especially when they’re young. Bacteria can be on your hands and it’s important not to spread that to your child, especially when their immune system is still developing. Breastfeeding for the first 6 months of your child’s life can also help strengthen their immune system and help them fight off infections. Certain irritants can also cause ear infections. This includes cigarette smoke. You should never expose your child to secondhand smoke. If your child deals with constant ear infections, you may want to talk to your pediatrician about getting tubes installed in your child’s ears to help with drainage. Contact Our Pediatrician Today Keep your child safe and healthy. Contact your pediatrician to learn more about preventing ear infections in your child.
What You Need To Know About Child Development There are a lot of developmental milestones your child will achieve. A pediatrician can help determine if your child is achieving them at a normal rate, or if there is some delay in development. When a developmental delay is identified, treatment and management can begin. American Pediatric Association guidelines state that children should have developmental assessments at 9, 18, and 30 months, as part of a routine well-child visit. The pediatrician will also screen your child for autism at 18 and 24 months, during a routine well-child visit. A developmental assessment can happen earlier if your child is: Not talking or began talking late Having problems remembering things Not able to roll over, sit up, crawl, or walk Having difficulty with fine motor skills Not understanding what others are saying Having difficulty problem-solving Having difficulty being social with other children If you notice any of the signs listed above, you should schedule a developmental assessment with the pediatrician. Early identification of developmental issues can lead to earlier treatment and a better outcome for your child. There are several steps which happen during a developmental assessment. Your pediatrician will: Perform a comprehensive review of your child’s illnesses, medications and hospitalizations Observe your child’s behaviors, mannerisms, cognitive abilities, emotional, and physical delays Provide questionnaires, checklists, and surveys to gather important baseline developmental information Interview you and members of your household, your child’s teachers, and others close to your child Your pediatrician will develop a treatment plan based on the assessment. Your pediatrician may recommend a combination of treatments, including: Cognitive exercises Medication therapy Physical therapy Occupational therapy. To review the American Pediatric Association guidelines for developmental assessment, please click here. Want To Know More? To discover more about the role of a pediatrician in early childhood development, call our pediatrician today.
Mental Health Tips So, what can you do to help your child enjoy great mental health? These are some useful tips from Mental Health America: Make sure your child receives unconditional love from your family. This ensures a high level of self-confidence and self-esteem. Make sure to praise your child. Compliments and attention from you help instill a desire to achieve milestones. Make sure your child has an opportunity to interact and play with other children. This gives your child a sense of belonging. Make sure your child is in a safe and secure environment at all times . You should also carefully monitor what your child watches on TV and put limits on time spent watching TV. Make sure to encourage your child’s caregivers and teachers , so they know they are part of an important group who takes care of your child. Make sure you show your child appropriate guidance and discipline to help your child develop new skills. You want your child to learn self-control. These are just a few helpful tips to promote great mental health in your child. To read more in-depth information from Mental Health America, please click here. Even with th e best parenting, children can still suffer from mental health issues like anxiety or depression. Life events like a divorce, the death of someone close to your child, or moving to a new school can all cause unease in your child. It’s important to seek out the services of your pediatrician when your family is going through a major life event. Your pediatrician offers family and individual counseling and other services to help guide you and your child through tough times and beyond. Want To Know More? To find out more about how you can promote great mental health in your child, talk with your pediatrician today.
Nutrition Tips for Children When your child has a proper diet, it can help manage their energy and improve their minds and how they function. The diet also helps your child maintain a healthy weight and can help prevent mental health struggles. Nutrition can be hard, even as an adult, but by making small choices to improve your child’s nutrition, you can even improve your own and set a good example. It’s important that your child starts each day with a balanced breakfast. While going to school, it can be difficult to have time for breakfast, so it’s important that you give your child choices that can easily be made each morning. You can provide them with on-the-go options like Greek yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, or peanut butter and toast. This can also help your child focus in class and stay full throughout the morning. It’s also important that you discuss meals with your child so that they can feel included in these choices. This helps get your child excited about mealtimes and the food that they’re eating. It can be helpful to encourage your child to go grocery shopping so that they can understand their choices and make the best decisions. You can also start switching certain snacks and options to healthier choices. Limit the amount of sweets and sugars that your child has each day and offer healthier solutions. Contact Our Pediatrician Today Nutrition doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Contact your pediatrician to learn more about making healthy diet choices for your child.
Symptoms of child sports injuries vary, but they typically include pain, swelling, limited range of motion, and sometimes bruising. You might notice your child limping or favoring an injured limb, complaining of discomfort, or displaying signs of distress. It's crucial to consult a pediatrician when your child experiences a sports-related injury. The doctor can assess the severity of the injury, provide appropriate treatment or referrals, and offer guidance for recovery. Early intervention is vital to prevent long-term complications and ensure a safe return to sports. If your child fractures a bone, prompt medical attention can help prevent misalignment during healing. So, whether it's a minor twist or a more risky injury, don't hesitate to seek professional medical advice when your child gets hurt during sports activities. Sports Injuries in Kids: Prevention and Treatment Sports injuries in kids can be a concerning issue. We encourage you to understand how to prevent and treat these injuries to keep your child safe and active. Prevention starts with proper equipment. Ensure your child wears helmets, pads, and appropriate footwear for their sport, reducing the risk of head injuries, fractures, and sprains. Always make sure the playing surface is safe and well-maintained. Warm-up exercises are essential. Teach your child to stretch and warm up before any physical activity. These help prevent muscle strains and tears. Proper technique is also crucial. For instance, teach them to tackle or land safely to avoid dislocations and fractures. In the event of an injury, remember RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. If your child suffers a minor injury, like a sprained ankle, encourage rest and ice it to reduce swelling. Compression with a bandage and elevation of the affected limb can also aid recovery. For more severe injuries, consult a medical professional immediately. A broken bone, concussion, or torn ligament may require surgery or specialized treatment. Prioritizing prevention and proper treatment can ensure your child enjoys sports while minimizing the risks of injuries to keep them happy, healthy, and active. How Our Pediatrician Can Help A pediatrician plays a crucial role in managing child sports injuries. They possess expertise in diagnosing and treating various sports-related issues, ensuring the child's safety and well-being. Initially, they assess the injury's severity, order necessary tests like X-rays or MRIs, and create a customized treatment plan. The healing strategy may include rest, physical therapy, or, in rare cases, surgical intervention. Pediatricians also educate parents and athletes on injury prevention and safe training practices. Their guidance fosters a child's recovery, minimizes long-term consequences, and promotes a healthy return to sports, prioritizing physical and emotional health.
Does My Teen Need Well-Child Visits? These checkups aren’t just for children. Teens also benefit from coming in once a year for a comprehensive evaluation with our pediatrician. These visits are important, especially for teens, because they also provide a safe space to ask about everything from depression and birth control to substance use and eating disorders. What Do Well-Child Visits Entail for Teens? Preventive health care is for everyone, no matter your age. So, we welcome all tweens and teens to our practice for these annual checkups. Not only are these visits good for monitoring your child’s physical health but also for supporting their mental and emotional health. Through these checkups, our team can establish a healthy baseline for your teen. During regular monitoring, tracking and testing we can also catch issues such as high blood sugar levels, hormonal imbalances or thyroid dysfunction. By bringing your teen in once a year, we can also catch problems early on when you may not notice symptoms right away. Catching health issues during the early stages is critical for reducing the chance of long-term complications. Along with tracking your teen’s pulse, blood pressure, temperature and height and weight, we will also perform a comprehensive physical examination to make sure that everything is functioning properly and looks healthy. Bloodwork may also be performed to check for possible issues that we may not be able to see on the surface. These visits are also a time for your teen to bring up any questions or concerns they may have about their health. Sensitive subjects such as sexual health may make teens feel uncomfortable talking with their parents, but they can address these subjects with our team in a safe, welcoming environment. Contact Us Today We understand that the teen years are a sensitive time full of new challenges and changes, and you want a pediatrician that understands the complexities of adolescent medicine. Schedule an appointment today with our pediatrician.
