Happy 24th of July!!

We hope you all have a wonderful and safe 24th of July. Our office will be open for SICK patients on Wednesday.  You may start calling at 9:00 am and we will be there for urgent sick patients for a few hours. We will resume our regular office hours Thursday starting at 8:00 am. Happy 24th of July!

HOT?...How to protect your kids in this heat!!

Protecting Children from Extreme Heat: Information for Parents

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Extreme heat can cause children to become sick in several ways. Make sure to protect your child from the heat as much as possible, watch for symptoms, and call your doctor if you see any develop.

Preventing Effects of Extreme Heat:

There are several steps you can take to protect your child from heat-related illness: 

• Plan to have a cool, air-conditioned space for your child. If your home does not have air-conditioning, find a nearby building that does. Libraries can be a great place for a cool retreat from the heat. 
• Make sure your child stays hydrated. Encourage her to drink water regularly, even before she asks for it.
• Plan for more time to rest than usual; heat can often make children feel tired.
• When your child is feeling hot, give him a cool bath or water mist to cool down.
• Don’t forget about the effects of sun exposure.
• Never leave children in a car or other closed motor vehicle, especially when temperatures are high. The temperature inside the car can become much higher than the outside temperature, and can rise to temperatures that cause death.

Potential Health Effects:

Extreme heat can make children sick in many ways, including:

• Dehydration
• Heat exhaustion
• Heat cramps
• Heat stroke

When to Call Your Child’s Doctor:

Call your child’s doctor immediately if he or she develops any of the following symptoms. Your child’s doctor can advise you on the next best course of action and whether an immediate evaluation is needed. 

• Faintness
• Extreme tiredness
• Headache
• Fever
• Intense thirst
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Breathing faster or deeper than normal
• Skin numbness or tingling
• Muscle aches
• Muscle spasms

For more information on how recognize and treat these heat related illnesses, click here.

Psychological Effects:

Don’t forget about your child’s mental health, as well. Children may become anxious or restless from being kept indoors. Plan ahead for entertainment with indoor activities and games, and limit the amount of time spent watching television.
Children may become fearful or stressed from effects of the heat. For example, seeing dead animals or wildlife may be distressing. Reassure your child that many people are working to resolve the situation and keep them safe. Children take their cues from their parents and the environment, so remember to keep calm and answer their questions openly and honestly. Keep in mind not to share more than is appropriate for their age.

--Thanks to healthychildren.org CLICK here for the full article

Happy Fourth of July!!

We hope you all have a safe and wonderful 4th of July! We will be in the clinic seeing children for urgent sick issues. Please contact our office after 9:00 am on Thursday July 4th--We will also be available Friday and our usual weekend clinic. Enjoy your holiday weekend--From Everyone at Willow Creek Pediatrics

Free Passes to The Living Planet Aquarium

Do you want to know a really easy way to earn 2 passes to The Living Planet Aquarium?....Just refer a friend or family member to our office! It is that easy! Make sure your friend tells us when they book a new appointment that YOU referred them and we will send you 2 adult admission passes. This will expire 8/31/2013 so make sure you do it soon. We have 20 sets to give away so now is the time to refer your friends! Good LUCK!!

June is Internet Safety month

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The Internet can connect you and your family to all types of resources. At your computer, you and your family can read the latest news, look up information, listen to music, play games, buy things, or e-mail friends. The possibilities for learning and exploring on the Internet are endless. However, not all information and resources are safe and reliable. Read more about how to make sure you and your family's experience on the Internet is safe, educational, and fun.

When you and your family surf the Web it's important to keep the following in mind:

• Online information is usually not private.
• People online are not always who they say they are.
• Anyone can put information online.
• You can't trust everything you read online.
• You and your family may unexpectedly and unintentionally find material on the Web that is offensive, pornographic (including child pornography), obscene, violent, or racist.

Setting the rules

It's important to have a set of rules when your children use the Internet. Make sure your children understand what you consider appropriate and what areas are off limits. Let them know that the rules are for their safety.

Safety first

The following are tips you can teach your children about online safety:

• NEVER give out personal information unless a parent says it's OK. This includes your name, address, phone number, age, race, school name or location, or friends' names.
• NEVER share passwords, even with friends.
• NEVER meet a friend you only know online in person unless a parent says it's OK. It's best if a parent goes along and to meet in a public place. (Older teens that may choose not to tell a parent and go alone should at least go with a friend and meet in a public place.)
• NEVER respond to messages that make you feel uncomfortable or hurt your feelings. Ignore these messages, stop all communication, and tell a parent or another adult you trust right away.

Good behavior

The following is what you can teach your children about how they should act online:

• NEVER send mean messages online. NEVER say something online that you wouldn't say to someone in person. Bullying is wrong whether it's done in person or online.
• NEVER use the Internet to make someone look bad. For example, never send messages from another person's e-mail that could get that person into trouble.
• NEVER plagiarize. It's illegal to copy online information and say that you wrote it.

Time limits

Surfing the Web should not take the place of other important activities, including homework, playing outside, or spending time with friends. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting total screen time in front of a TV or computer to no more than 1 to 2 hours a day for children older than 2 years. An alarm clock or timer can help you keep track of time.

For Other steps you can take and some great tips by age group click HERE for the full article. Thanks to the AAP for a great article.

 

 

How do your kids like their veggies?

How do your kids like their vegetables? We have given you ideas before on sneaking them in to sauces or a puree--Here is another great article that helps get those very needed vegetables in our kids bodies:)....

Children eat more veggies when flavored dips are offered (Click for full article)
A small study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics showed that 64% of preschoolers said they liked a vegetable when it was served with a low-fat dip, while only 31% of participants said they liked the vegetable by itself. Researchers also found that pairing celery or squash with a flavored dip resulted in greater intake among children, compared with serving the vegetables alone.

(You can try to use any flavoring and wean down the caloric value over time.)

--Thanks Dr. Jopling for the link

Utah Public Health warns of Hep A infection in food

We wanted you to be aware of a recent outbreak sent out by the Utah Public Health Department:

Utah Public Health has identified three cases of hepatitis A infection associated with consumption of a contaminated product sold in Costco stores. The contaminated food has been identified as Townsend Farms Organic Anti-oxidant Blend frozen berry mix that contained pomegranate seeds and other produce from the U.S., Argentina, Chile and Turkey. Costco is notifying its members who purchased this product since late February 2013, and has removed this product from its shelves. Consumers are advised not to eat ‘Townsend Farms Organic Anti-Oxidant Blend’ and discard any remaining product from freezers. Even if some of the product has been eaten without anyone in the home becoming ill, the rest of the product should be discarded. For current information on this outbreak, visit http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/Outbreaks/2013/A1b-03-31/index.html.


Confirmed cases in Utah have been reported in Davis County, Kane County and Utah County. Onset dates range from mid-April to mid-May. As of June 3, 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 34 people ill with acute hepatitis A that may be linked to the same outbreak in five states: Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, and California. These numbers are expected to change as the investigation continues. Investigation by state health departments, FDA, and the CDC is ongoing.


Providers are asked to contact the Utah Department of Health at 801-538-6191 or your local health department regarding any patients who may have been exposed to the contaminated food and exhibit the following symptoms: jaundice, abdominal pain, pale stools and dark urine. Contact your local health department for information about hepatitis A IG. You can find local health department information at http://www.ualhd.org/lhds.html.



    •   Hepatitis A vaccine can be given to persons between one year and 40 years of age.
    

If you feel like your child has been exposed or is having symptoms please call our office today to get an appointment with your doctor.