Fact Friday - Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween is such an exciting time of the year for kids and we all want to make sure that children have a safe holiday with the following tips from the AAP. Dr Lynch found this article and asked we share it with our "blogging" friends!

"13 Halloween Safety Tips for Little Ghost and Goblins"

ALL DRESSED UP

1- Because they can obstruct a child's vision, mask are not recommended. If a child wears makeup, parents should look for non-toxic, hypoallergenic kits.

2- Costumes should be flame-retardant and fit properly. Avoid oversized shoes, high heels and long skirts or pants that could cause a child to fall.

3- Children who will be trick-or-treating after dusk should have reflective tape on their costumes and carry a flashlight.

CARVING A NICHE

4- Small children should never carve pumpkins. Children can draw a face with markers, then parents can do the cutting. Under parents' supervision, children ages 5-10 can carve a pumpkin with cutters equipped with safety bars.

5- Battery operated lights or votives are best for candlelit pumpkins.

6- Lighted pumpkins should be placed on a sturdy table, away from curtains and other flammable objects and should never be left unattended.

(....blogger note, my children are small so we carved orange peppers and it was great because they have a softer skin and look very similar to a pumpkin)

SWEET TREATS

7- Children shouldn't snack while they're trick-o-treating. Parents should check treats at home.

8- Watch for signs of tampering, such as small pink holes in wrappers and torn or loose packages.

9- Parents of young children should get rid of choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies or small toys.

HOME SAFE HOME

10- To keep their home safe for visiting trick-or-treaters, parents should remove anything a child could trip over such as a garden house, toys, bikes or lawn decorations.

11- Parents should check outdoor lights and replace burned-out bulbs.

12- Wet leaves should be swept from sidewalks and steps.

13- Remember that Halloween is for children all ages....so get involved with your little ghost or goblin!!

Have a safe and Happy Halloween from all of us at Willow Creek Pediatrics

**www.aap.org

Halloween Candy Solutions

Ever wonder what to do with all of that extra Halloween candy that you don't want to keep around your house?  Maybe we can help with that!  There are numerous dental and orthodontic offices around the valley that will pay you for your leftover Halloween candy!  Most of the offices who participate in this will donate the candy to a charitable cause.  There is even a dentist in our building that is paying people for their Halloween candy for the entire week after Halloween!  This particular office is donating all of the candy they collect to our troops overseas.  So if you are wanting to get rid of some of those mountains of candy, call up your dentist office and see if this is something they do!

UFAN Annual Halloween Party!

Utah Food Allergy Network is gearing up for their annual "food-free" Halloween party!  This is a great opportunity for children and families with food allergies to enjoy some Halloween festivities without worrying about possibly being exposed to something they are allergic to!  There will be many activities to participate in, including a costume parade, creative holiday crafts, and many festive Halloween games!

The party is this coming Friday, October 29th from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm.  It will be held at the Carmen B. Pingree School, on 780 South Guardsman Way. 

**For more information and a detailed map, you can visit the UFAN website at http://www.utahfoodallergy.org/.

Teething Tablets Recall

Today we received word on a current recall that we wanted you to be aware of. The FDA states that Hylands Teething Tablets are being recalled because they contain a small amount of belladona which is a substance that can cause harm in large doses.

To read more about this current recall click on this link

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm230762.htm It is a great idea to check http://www.fda.gov/ for other updates and recalls on a weekly or monthly bases. It has several tips and great ideas. If you have any other questions please call our office.

Fact Friday--The World's Largest Puzzle!

If you have been in the office recently (within the past year or so!), you more than likely have seen the large jigsaw puzzle hanging in the main hallway!  The puzzle was put together mostly by Trishell, who works in our front office, and Amber, who works in the back with Dr. Memmott.  The puzzle took a little over 2 years for them to complete!  Here are some statistics on the puzzle:

• The puzzle consists of 24,000 pieces 
• It comes in 4 individual packages, which are divided up into 4 vertical sections
• The puzzle comes in a smaller, 3,000 piece version...but, what fun is that???
• This puzzle was released and put on store shelves on March 10, 2007.  The one that hangs on the Willow Creek wall was start in April, 2007.  We don't waste much time! 
• The box that the puzzle comes in is 22.5 inches wide, 13.5 inches deep, and 10 inches tall and weight approximately 26 pounds! 
• Once assembled, the puzzle measures 15 feet in lenght and 5 feet in height!

We are so proud of this puzzle hanging in our hallway!  It definitely adds character to our office and we are so proud of Amber and Trishell for sticking it out so we can have something fun for our little patients to look at!

**For more information on "The World's Largest Jigsaw Puzzle", click here

Introducing Dr. Kathy O'Mara!

This week's spotlight is Dr. Kathy O'Mara!

Dr. O'Mara was born and raised in Philadelphia. She has been practicing medicine for 18 years. She loves being a pediatrician because it is a great way to be around kids a lot!

Dr O'Mara has been married for 13 years and has two very active boys. One of her favorite things to do is to camp with her family.

Dr. O'Mara's favorite food is sushi! Her favorite book.....is the next one that keeps her up all night! Her hobbies and interests include running, biking, skiing and camping. One thing on Dr. O'Mara's "bucket list" is to do more international travel.

Dr. O'Mara is a huge asset to Willow Creek Pediatrics and if you can't find her in the office, check the mountains...that is where she will be! We love Dr O'Mara and know that all her patients would agree!

Facebook Contest!

Are you needing a little help with the upcoming holiday season?  Maybe we can be that help! 

Click here and "Like" us on Facebook!  Once have done that, post a comment on our wall and tell us what you LOVE about Willow Creek Pediatrics!  Everyone who follows us and posts on our wall by October 30th will be entered in a drawing to win a $50 Target gift card!

Continue to follow us because there will be prizes given monthly through the holidays, including a big holiday gift basket!

**Employees of Willow Creek Pediatrics are not eligible!

Fact Friday!

Did you know that children under age 5 make up the bulk of the more than 100,000 Americans treated in emergency rooms each year after accidentally swallowing medications? The following article provided by Dr. Jopling, by Liz Szabo from USA Today provides some interesting statistics and gives some great pointers to help prevent this from happening to your child!

Most ER cases for swallowing pills involve kids
By Liz Szabo, USA TODAY

Most such poisonings occur in 1 and 2 year olds — an age group whose curiosity and climbing skills often outstrip their judgment — according to a new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Clean out your medicine cabinet to keep kids safe

While 85% of children were treated and released from the ER, about 10% had more serious injuries and required hospital admission, the study says.

About 90% of child poisonings happen in the home, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Thanks partly to better caps and packaging, child poisoning deaths have fallen by 80% since 1972. More than 30 children a year now die from poisoning.

"It's easy to see why toddlers and preschoolers get into trouble", says pediatrician Ari Brown, author of Expecting 411. "Young children explore by putting things in their mouths, but they don't really understand the dangers of medications until about age 6", says Marcel Casavant, a pediatrics professor at Ohio State University School of Medicine.  "And most people don't store medications properly", says Lara McKenzie of Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. When people are sick with colds, they often leave cough syrups and other drugs by the sink.  "More and more people also now request "easy open" caps on bottles or day-of-the-week pill organizers", Casavant says. That can be especially dangerous when children get into a grandparent's open purse or begin exploring her house.

Experts offer these tips to keep children safe:

•Properly dispose of unneeded or expired medications, advises the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

•Don't take medications in front of children, which may inspire them to try to imitate you, Casavant says. Tell children never to take medication unless you give it to them.

•Never refer to pills as candy.

•Because children can sometimes open child-resistant caps, keep medications out of sight, out of reach and in a locked container, Casavant says.

•Keep the national poison control center number — 800-222-1222 — on or next to all of your phones.

Croup

Fall is here and I am sure everyone is loving this wonderful weather we are having! Hopefully it will last awhile--In our office we are seeing a lot of croup right now. Croup is defined by a viral infection of the voice box. The croupy cough is tight, low pitched and barky (like a barking seal). Most children with croup just have a barky cough. Some develop a tight breathing called stridor (raspy sound heard with breathing in). Other children will also have a fever with the cough. Usually it starts with cold symptoms and progressively gets worse at night.

Some things to do from home are to have the child inhale a warm mist in a foggy bathroom with the hot shower running (Caution: always be with child and never leave alone in bathroom with water running). If that is not effective, have your child inhale cool air from outside or a freezer. Some children need to be seen for further help. Treat fever with appropriate dosage of ibuprofen or acetaminophen and push fluids. If child is having stridor or is not improving after 2-3 days we should see your child. We should also see your child if he or she is having noisy or labored breathing, or if at-home measures do not help the child. Please don't hesitate to call our office and speak to a nurse for any further question.

**Information from the Pediatric Telephone Protocols--Barton D. Schmitt, MD

Introducing Dr. Jim Memmott!

This week's spotlight is Dr. Jim Memmott!

Dr. Memmott was born in Hawaii and raised in Salt Lake City.  He has been practicing medicine for 12 years.  He loves being a pediatrician because he thinks children are fun and they usually get feeling better!

Dr. Memmott has been married to his wife for 18 years.  They have 4 beautiful children that keep them very busy.   Their favorite place to travel as a family is Newport, California. 

Dr. Memmott's favorite thing to eat is ice cream!  His favorite book is The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck.  His favorite activities include snowboarding, reading, and watching his kids' little league games.  One thing Dr. Memmott still has on his "bucket list" is to run on time ALL DAY!

Dr. Memmott is a great asset to the Willow Creek office and we are sure his patients would agree!

Introducing Margie!

Margie and 2 of her granddaughters after a good hike!

Margie Tilley is the office coordinator for Willow Creek Pediatrics. She has been a registered nurse for 26 years! She started out working in labor and delivery in the hospital prior to working in pediatrics. She started at Willow Creek as the nursing supervisor in 1990. She worked with Dr. Jopling for 12 years and she misses seeing his darling patients everyday! Margie chose nursing as her profession because she loved working in the medical field. She changed her major 3 times in college! She love working in pediatrics because she loves children!
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Margie was born in the VERY small town of McGill, Nevada. She has been married to her husband, John, for 37 years! Their favorite place to vacation is definitely Hawaii, but they also love traveling to Jackson Hole and the Tetons. Margie's favorite foods are pasta, homemade chocolate chip cookies and DIET COKE! Her favorite book is The Firm by John Grisham. She loves the outdoors and just being busy! Her favorite things to do are boating, skiing, hiking, snorkeling and spending time with her family, grandkids and friends. One thing still on Margie's "bucket list": She would like to fly an airplane and learn to scuba dive!

Margie has 4 children. Her oldest daughter, Monica, is married with 2 amazing children, Kaelin, 14 years old, and Tyler, 12 years old. Her oldest son, Nathan, is married with 2 darling little girls, Nikayla and Brooklyn. Her son Ryan lives in Salt Lake City. Her youngest son, Justin, is attending the University of Utah and still lives at home. They also have a cute dog named Gizmo!

Margie does an awesome job as our office coordinator! Everyone who knows Margie, loves her and we wouldn't trade her for the world!

Introducing Dr. Joe Jopling!

Every week we will be spotlighting one of our doctors to give you a chance to get to know them better!  This week we would like you to get to know Dr. Joe Jopling!

Dr. Jopling was born and raised in Lubbock, Texas.  He has been practicing medicine for 27 years.  Dr. Jopling has been married to his wife, Marty, for 34 years.  They have 2 wonderful children.  Jeff, who is 28 years old, is currently in medical school at Emory.  His daughter Jenn, who is 25 years old, currently works for the Major League Baseball team, the Nationals, in Washington DC.  They also have Mocha, their chocolate lab!

Dr. Jopling's favorite things to eat are fresh fruit and nuts.  His favorite books are Complexity by Mitchell Waldrop and Deep Survival by Laurence Gonzales.  He also loves hiking, snowshoeing, and reading.

Dr. Jopling became a pediatrician because he loves children and feels that it is a privelege to help families.  He also says that he will always try his best to work in partnership with parents and to work with his patients themselves as it is appropriate for their age.

Dr. Jopling's patients absolutely love him!  He is a great asset to our office and we love having him around!

Dr. Jopling with his family

  

Flu Shot Madness!

As you may or may not know, the seasonal flu vaccine and the H1N1 vaccine are combined this year.  This will make getting flu shots so much easier!  It also makes things a little bit complicated because some children may require 2 flu vaccines this year. 

• If your child is under 9 years of age and has never received ANY flu vaccine before, they will need 2 doses of flu vaccine, at least 30 days apart. 
• If your child is under 9 years of age and received one dose of H1N1 last season, and HAS received 2 doses of flu vaccine in the past, they will only require one dose this season.
• If your child is under 9 years of age and did not receive any of the H1N1 vaccine last season, they will need to get 2 doses of flu vaccine, at least 30 days apart. 
• If your child is over 9 years of age, they will only need one dose of flu vaccine.

Hopefully, this will help clear up any confusion!  For a details diagram of these recommendations made by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, click here.

Just a reminder, we are doing flu shots by appointments only this year.  The appointments are filling up fast, so call in today to schedule!  We have a very limited supply of flu shots for children over 3 years of age, but have plenty of FluMist to go around!  Because the appointments have filled up so quickly, we have added some Thursday evening appointments, as well as a couple of Saturday morning appointments so we can accomodate everyone as much as we can.  Please check with your insurance company to find out your flu vaccine coverage.  If you are not sure of your coverage when you come in for your appointment, you will be asked to pay your regular copay.

**Flu vaccine recommendations provided by the AAP and the CDC

Introducing Mandy!

My name is Mandy and I am a MA at Willow Creek Pediatrics. Mykio and I will be updating the blog several times each week and wanted to give you the chance to know who we are. I love my job! The only thing I love more is being a mom to two little boys and my amazing family and friends. I have worked for Wasatch Pediatrics since 2001. I took time off for a while to raise my little boy and to have another baby. I have been back at Willow Creek the past three years and LOVE my job! I work with Dr. O'Mara and Dr. Memmott. I also work some nights and weekends so I get to work with all the other great doctors at Willow Creek. I am very passionate about my job and love that I get to work so much with children. I love Willow Creek patients--They truly are the best!! I attended Utah State Universtiy (many years ago) and met my husband of almost 12 years. We raise our two very active boys in West Jordan. My first son was born at 28 1/2 weeks and my second son was born at 32 weeks, so I understand a lot about preemies, asthma, lung issues, development issues and food allergies. I love to read, shop, cook, and do anything with my family outdoors. I love to learn how to be a "better" mom and hope that we can all learn and grow together. If I can't be at home with my children, there is no other place I would rather be than at Willow Creek. I love working with the doctors and I see every day, night and weekend how much they CARE about each one of their patients. I am proud to be a part of this team and hope that this blog will help give information to our patients in a small way!