Safety and Injury Prevention

Did you know that injuries are the number one cause of death for children and adolescents ages 1 to 21?  There are many important steps parents, pediatricians, and communities can take to prevent injuries from happening.  When an injury does happen, it is important to take quick action to reduce the consequences of the injury.  The following is a link for numerous resources about safety and first aid:

http://www.aap.org/healthtopics/safety.cfm

The AAP also does "The Injury Prevention Program".  You can visit http://www.aap.org/family/tippmain.htm for handouts and recommendations on injury prevention.  We also have these handouts available in the office!

As always, if you ever have any questions, feel free to contact your physician!

Utah Air Quality

As you may know, the air quality in Utah this time of year tends to be pretty atrocious!  An inversion is when normal conditions are inverted and a layer of warm air traps a layer of cold air in the valley.  The warm air is like a lid and traps polluted air near the valley floor.  This will stick around until wind or a storm come through to clear it out.  The longer the inversion stays, the more polluted the air become.  This usually happens in Utah between December and February.

While there are not laws requiring schools to keep kids inside during air action days, the health department has set up guidelines or recommendations for schools on these days. 

Here is the link that shows the recommendations for schools:
http://www.health.utah.gov/asthma/pdf_files/Air_Quality/guidance_jan08.pdf

This link will show you the current air quality conditions by county:
http://www.airquality.utah.gov/aqp/slc-currentconditions.html

There is also a local group called Utah Moms for Clean Air who are advocates for the quality of air for children.  They are hosting a hands-on workshop "How to Grow Clean Air" for both kids and adults.  They will have Dr. Brian Moence (Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment) and Cherise Udell (Utah Moms for Clean Air).  It will be held this Thursday, February 3rd from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at Cactus and Tropicals (2735 S 2000 E).  You can get more information on this workshop, as well as other information on air quality:
http://blog.utahmomsforcleanair.org/  

As you can see, there are many great resource for you to get information regarding the air quality in Utah!  If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact your physician. 

Fact Friday: Children's eye sight

This week I had a mom ask me, "I am concerned about my child's vision. What should I be looking for and what are signs of bad vision or eye issues?" I gave her what I thought was a pretty good answer and told her to discuss it with the pediatrician, but it did make me think, so I did some research and found some great suggestions by the AAP. Here is a portion of the article or click on the link below. Thanks AAP for being such a great resource for our parents.

How do I know if my child has a vision problem?Vision screening is a very important way to identify vision problems. During an exam the doctor looks for eye disease and checks to see if the eyes are working properly. Children with a family history of childhood vision problems are more likely to have eye problems themselves.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that children have their eyes checked by a pediatrician at the following ages:

Newborn. All infants before discharge from the hospital should have their eyes checked in the newborn nursery for infections, defects, cataracts, or glaucoma. This is especially true for premature infants, infants who were given oxygen, and infants with multiple medical problems.

By 6 months of age. Pediatricians should screen infants at their well-baby visits to check for proper eye health, vision development, and alignment of the eyes.

At 3 to 4 years of age. All children should have their eyes and vision checked for any abnormalities that may cause problems with later development.

At 5 years of age and older. Your pediatrician should check your child's vision in each eye separately every year. If a problem is found during routine eye exams, your pediatrician may have your child see a pediatric ophthalmologist, an eye doctor trained and experienced in the care of children's eye problems. Your pediatrician can advise you on eye doctors in your area.

Warning signs of a vision problem in infants (up to 1 year of age)Babies older than 3 months should be able to follow or "track" an object, like a toy or ball, with their eyes as it moves across their field of vision.

If your baby can't make steady eye contact by this time or seems unable to see, let your pediatrician know. Before 4 months of age most infants occasionally cross their eyes. However, eyes that cross all the time or one eye that turns out is usually abnormal and is another reason to seek your pediatrician's advice.

Warning signs of a vision problem in preschool childrenIf your child's eyes become misaligned (strabismus), let your pediatrician know right away. However, vision problems such as a lazy eye (amblyopia) may have no warning signs, and your child may not complain of vision problems. Thus, it's important at this time to have your child's vision checked. There are special tests to check your child's vision.

Warning signs of a vision problem at any ageNo matter how old your child is, if you spot any one of the following, let your pediatrician know:

•Eyes that look crossed, turn out, or don't focus together
•White, grayish-white, or yellow-colored material in the pupil
•Eyes that flutter quickly from side-to-side or up-and-down
•Bulging eye(s)
•Persistent eye pain, itching, or discomfort
•Redness in either eye that doesn't go away in a few days
•Pus or crust in either eye
•Eyes that are always watery
•Drooping eyelid(s)
•Excessive rubbing or squinting of the eyes
•Eyes that are always sensitive to light
•Any change in the eyes from how they usually look.

If you are concerned or have any questions, please call our office and schedule and appointment to discuss it with your pediatrician. Have a wonderful Friday!

**info from www.aap.org

**picture of "Sophia"-- Mykio's little girl

Introducing the Willow Creek Front Staff!

We have such a wonderful front office staff here at Willow Creek! Here is a chance for you to get to know them all and know who you are talking to on the phone and when you come in!

Shaylyn and Kari

Shaylyn - Shaylyn is our awesome front office manager! She has worked here for 6 years, starting out as one of our night staff and went full time during the day a couple years later. She loves to read and play volleyball. She loves working at Willow Creek and thinks the doctors here are GREAT!

Kari - Kari has worked here for 4 years. She loves it here and thinks it is definitely the best place she has ever worked! She enjoys playing games with her 5 kids, reading, and the occassional long craft session (when time permits!). She also loves any spare second she gets to spend with her husband because those times are few and far between!

Natalie and Trishell

Trishell - Trishell has been working here for 3 years. She LOVES her job and everyone she works with! She has been married to her high school sweetheart, Brad, for 31 years. They have two daughters; her oldest, Christina, who is dating a very nice man named Jake, and her youngest, Amanda, just married her cute husband, Peter, this past August! Life is good for Trishell!

Natalie - Natalie has worked for Willow Creek for 4 years. She is the mother of 2 adorable kids! Her daughter is 4 years old, and her son is 18 months old. She loves going to concerts when she gets a chance. She also used to raise seeing-eye dogs for the blind before her kids took over all of her free time!

Nicole and Traci R

Nicole - Nicole has been here for 6 years! She has two beautiful twin daughters. Nicole spends much of her free time taking her girls to their basketball games and watching them play!

Traci R. - Traci has been working at Willow Creek for 3 years. She loves being a mom and spending time with her 3 awesome children and her husband!

Tricia and Kim

Tricia - Tricia has worked for Wasatch Pediatrics for 8 years. She spent 6 years in our billing office and has been working in the Willow Creek office at night for the past 2 years. Tricia loves running marathons and ALWAYS has her nose buried in a book! She has 2 handsome little boys and has baby boy number 3 on the way!

Kim - Kim has worked nights at Willow Creek for almost 2 years. She has 2 beautiful little girls and her and her husband have their own little photography business on the side!

Irina, Mykio and Jan

Jan - Jan has worked for Willow Creek for 7 years! In her spare time, she love spending time with all of her grandkids and her family!

Irina - Irina is the newest addition to the Willow Creek staff! She has been working here for a little over 3 months now. The most interesting fact about Irina is that she is 100% Danish and she became a U.S. citizen when she was 18 years old!

Mykio - Mykio has been working for Wasatch Pediatrics for almost 10 years. She started out as a file clerk at the St. Mark's office, and then slowly migrated over to the Willow Creek office about 6 years ago. She has an adorable 1 year old little girl that consumes most of her time. She also just went back to school to finish up her bachelor's degree in Business Administration at Weber State!

Hip Dysplasia

Many infants suffer from hip dysplasia. The following is an article provided by Dr. Jopling from the National Institutes of Health.

Developmental dysplasia of the hipURL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000971.htm

Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a dislocation of the hip joint that is present at birth. The condition is found in babies or young children.

Causes

The hip is a ball and socket joint. The ball, called the femoral head, forms the top part of the thigh bone (femur) and the socket (acetabulum) forms in the pelvis.

The hip may be all the way out of the joint or the socket may be a little shallow. One or both hips may be involved.

The cause is unknown, but genetic factors may play a role. Low levels of amniotic fluid in the womb during pregnancy can increase a baby's risk of DDH. Other risk factors include:

* Being the first child

* Being female

* Breech delivery

* Family history of the disorder

DDH occurs in about 1 out of 1,000 births.

Symptoms

There may be no symptoms. Symptoms that may occur can include:

* Different (asymmetric) leg positions

* Reduced movement on the side of the body with the dislocation

* Shorter leg on the side with the dislocation

* Uneven folds of thigh fat

Ultrasound of the hip can be helpful to determine the diagnosis in the first several months of life.

Please talk to your doctor if you have questions or concerns.

This article was provided as a request from one of our patient's moms! We love any feedback that we can get! If there is ever anything that you would like us to post about, please let us know and we will make our best effort to get the most up-to-date information from our doctors! Big thanks to the mom who requested we bring awareness of this to other parents!

Phi & Ted Jogging Stroller Recall

Around 30,000 strollers in the United States and Canada are being recalled over potential amputation and laceration hazards by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

-This recall involves sport v2 and classic v1 model single-seat jogging strollers. The three-wheel strollers have a metal frame, cloth seat and a canopy. The sport v2 model stroller was sold in red, orange, green, black, charcoal, navy and in graffiti print. Sport v2 serial numbers included in the recall are 0308/0001 to 0510/0840. The classic v1 model strollers were only sold in red. Serial numbers for the classic v1 are 0308/0001 to 0510/0906. The first four digits of the serial number is a month/year date code and the last four digits are for the individual stroller. Serial numbers are printed on the inside of the folding hinge. The phil&teds logo is located on the crotch piece of the harness on both models.

-Stop using strollers immediately

-Here is a link for more information
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml11/11106.html?tab=recalls

**Info from CPSC

Fact Friday: WInter Safety Tips

Whether winter brings severe storms, light dustings or just cold temperatures, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has some valuable tips on how to keep your children safe and warm.

What to Wear
-Dress infants and children warmly for outdoor activities. Several thin layers will keep them dry and warm. Don’t forget warm boots, gloves or mittens, and a hat.
-The rule of thumb for older babies and young children is to dress them in one more layer of clothing than an adult would wear in the same conditions.
-Blankets, quilts, pillows, sheepskins and other loose bedding may contribute to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and should be kept out of an infant’s sleeping environment. Sleep clothing like one-piece sleepers is preferred.
-If a blanket must be used to keep a sleeping infant warm, it should be tucked in around the crib mattress, reaching only as far as your baby’s chest, so the infant's face is less likely to become covered by bedding materials.
Hypothermia
-Hypothermia develops when a child's temperature falls below normal due to exposure to colder temperatures. It often happens when a youngster is playing outdoors in extremely cold weather without wearing proper clothing or when clothes get wet. It can occur more quickly in children than in adults.
-As hypothermia sets in, the child may shiver and become lethargic and clumsy. Speech may become slurred and body temperature will decline in more severe cases.
-If you suspect your child is hypothermic, call 911 at once. Until help arrives, take the child indoors, remove any wet clothing, and wrap him in blankets or warm clothes.
Frostbite
-Frostbite happens when the skin and outer tissues become frozen. This condition tends to happen on extremities like the fingers, toes, ears and nose. They may become pale, gray and blistered. At the same time, the child may complain that his/her skin burns or has become numb.
-If frostbite occurs, bring the child indoors and place the frostbitten parts of her body in warm (not hot) water. 104° Fahrenheit (about the temperature of most hot tubs) is recommended. -Warm washcloths may be applied to frostbitten nose, ears and lips.
-Do not rub the frozen areas.
-After a few minutes, dry and cover the child with clothing or blankets. Give him/her something warm to drink.
-If the numbness continues for more than a few minutes, call your doctor.
Winter Health
-If your child suffers from winter nosebleeds, try using a cold air humidifier in the child's room at night. Saline nose drops or petrolatum may help keep tissues moist. If bleeding is severe or recurrent, consult your pediatrician.
-Many pediatricians feel that bathing two or three times a week is enough for an infant’s first year. More frequent baths may dry out the skin, especially during the winter.
-Cold weather does not cause colds or flu. But the viruses that cause colds and flu tend to be more common in the winter, when children are in school and are in closer contact with each other. Frequent hand washing and teaching your child to sneeze or cough into the bend of her elbow may help reduce the spread of colds and flu.
-Children 6 months of age and up should get the influenza vaccine to reduce their risk of catching the flu.
Winter Sports and Activities
-Set reasonable time limits on outdoor play to prevent hypothermia and frostbite. Have children come inside periodically to warm up.
Ice Skating
-Allow children to skate only on approved surfaces. Check for signs posted by local police or recreation departments, or call your local police department to find out which areas have been approved.
-Advise your child to:
Skate in the same direction as the crowd
Avoid darting across the ice
Never skate alone
Not chew gum or eat candy while skating.
Consider having your child wear a helmet while ice skating.
Sledding
-Keep sledders away from motor vehicles.
-Children should be supervised while sledding.
-Keep young children separated from older children.
-Sledding feet first or sitting up, instead of lying down head-first, may prevent head injuries.
-Consider having your child wear a helmet while sledding.
-Use steerable sleds, not snow disks or inner tubes.
-Sleds should be structurally sound and free of sharp edges and splinters, and the steering mechanism should be well lubricated.
-Sled slopes should be free of obstructions like trees or fences, be covered in snow not ice, not be too steep (slope of less than 30º), and end with a flat runoff.
-Avoid sledding in crowded areas.
Snow Skiing and Snowboarding
-Children should be taught to ski or snowboard by a qualified instructor in a program designed for children.
-Never ski or snowboard alone.
-Young children should always be supervised by an adult. Older children’s need for adult supervision depends on their maturity and skill. If older children are not with an adult, they should always at least be accompanied by a friend.
-Consider wearing a helmet.
-Equipment should fit the child. Skiers should wear safety bindings that are adjusted at least every year. Snowboarders should wear gloves with built-in wrist guards. Eye protection or goggles should also be used.
-Slopes should fit the ability and experience of the skier or snowboarder. Avoid crowded slopes.
-Avoid skiing in areas with trees and other obstacles.
Snowmobiling
-The AAP recommends that children under age 16 not operate snowmobiles and that children under age 6 never ride on snowmobiles.
-Do not use a snowmobile to pull a sled or skiers.
-Wear goggles and a safety helmet approved for use on motorized vehicles like motorcycles.
-Travel at safe speeds.
-Never use alcohol or other drugs before or during snowmobiling.
-Never snowmobile alone or at night.
-Stay on marked trails, away from roads, water, railroads and pedestrians.
Sun Protection
-The sun’s rays can still cause sunburn in the winter, especially when they reflect off snow. -Make sure to cover your child’s exposed skin with sunscreen.
Fire Protection
-Winter is a time when household fires occur. It is a good time to remember to:
-Buy and install smoke alarms on every floor of your home
-Test smoke alarms monthly
-Practice fire drills with your children
-Install a carbon monoxide detector outside bedrooms

arcticle by AAP http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/decwintertips.cfm