Volume 11, Issue 8
AUGUST 2009   

 

 
   One of the best ways we can serve our patients is
   to maintain a schedule and stay on-time. We are
   very proud of our accomplishments in this area...
   but it is not only up to us to make this happen - our
   patients need to be on-time as well. Our schedule,
   staffing and general operations are designed to
   make the most efficient use of your time and ours,
   so please plan ahead for an on-time arrival. We
   greatly appreciate your business and cooperation.
 
 
   Our online library for patient
   families is now available and
 
   has been utilized with great success! All of the
   documents you used to receive during your child's
   routine check-up are now available online to view
   and print. In addition, we have made documents
   from other common categories accessible. This
   resource link is located on our main page and 
   on our new library page. Be sure to check it out!

   
        The following health and safety tips are from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP):

     MAKING THE FIRST DAY EASIER

  • Remind your child that she is not the only student who is a bit uneasy about the first day of school. Teachers know that students are anxious and will make an extra effort to make sure everyone feels
    as comfortable as possible.
  • Point out the positive aspects of starting school: It will be fun. She'll see old friends and meet new ones. Refresh her positive memories about previous years, when she may have returned home
    after the first day with high spirits because she had a good time.
  • Find another child in the neighborhood with whom your youngster can walk to school or ride with
    on the bus.
  • If you feel it is appropriate, drive your child (or walk with her) to school and pick her up on the first
    day.

     EATING DURING THE SCHOOL DAY

  • Most schools regularly send schedules of cafeteria menus home. With this advance information, you can plan on packing lunch on the days when the main course is one your child prefers not to eat.
  • Try to get your child's school to stock healthy choices such as fresh fruit,
    low-fat dairy products and water in the vending machines.

  

          
          Each 12-ounce soft drink contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar and 150 calories. Drinking
          just one can of soda a day increases a child's risk of obesity by 60%. Restrict your child's soft drink
          consumption.

      DEVELOPING GOOD HOMEWORK AND STUDY HABITS
  • Create an environment that is conducive to doing homework. Youngsters need a permanent work space in their bedroom or another part of the home that offers privacy.
  • Set aside ample time for homework.
  • Establish a household rule that the TV set stays off during homework time.
  • Supervise computer and internet use.
  • Be available to answer questions and offer assistance, but never do a child's homework for her.
  • Take steps to help alleviate eye fatigue, neck fatigue and brain fatigue while studying. It may be
    helpful to close the books for a few minutes, stretch, and take a break periodically when it will not
    be too disruptive.

          If your child is struggling with a particular subject, and you aren't able to help her yourself, a tutor can
          be a good solution. Talk it over with your child's teacher first.

          If you would like to find out more "back to school" tips, please visit the AAP site by clicking here.
 

At APL, no question is too silly and remember the first five-thousand are free.


   M. Medaline Santiago, M.D.
 
     Immunizations are a safe and effective way to protect against dangerous
     diseases and have helped children remain healthy for more than 50 years. 
     Despite this there have been very highly publicized cases of severe adverse
     effects that some feel may be a consequence to vaccination. Many of these
     unfortunate outcomes are not only rare, but through extensive research have
     not been found to be conclusively linked to immunizations. Underneath all the
     debate and likely good intentions, there are some solid facts about the
     benefits of vaccines that cannot and should not be ignored. The following
     addresses some of the more common misconceptions regarding vaccines
     and facts that will help to dispel these myths.

     Vaccines are not necessary because the diseases they protect against are no longer common.
 
     Fact:  Vaccines are needed because the bacteria and viruses that cause these diseases still exist.
     They may not be as common in the United States anymore mainly due to better nutrition, improved
     sanitation and most importantly vaccinations. However vaccines are also needed to protect children
     from diseases that may be brought into the United States from people who have visited or are visiting
     from other countries where vaccine –preventable diseases are still very common. These travelers may
     be carriers of these diseases without even showing signs of sickness.  An example of this is when an
     unvaccinated child who traveled abroad contracted measles and brought back the disease which
     caused an outbreak in California in 2008.

     It’s healthier to contract some diseases naturally, like the chicken pox or measles.
 
     Fact:  While it is true that the immunity one develops after having the illness itself may offer more
     complete protection than the vaccines, the potential complications of  these diseases are more
     dangerous than any posed by the vaccinations themselves. Some children who get chicken pox, for
     example, develop severe bacterial skin infections from staph or strep that enters the body through the
     pox sores. Also, either the chicken pox or the measles disease may also lead to seizures, pneumonia,
     brain damage and even death. So please think twice before intentionally exposing your child to any
     of the vaccine-preventable diseases…chicken pox parties should become a thing of the past.

     Vaccines can cause autism.
  
      Fact:  Many studies involving thousands of children have failed to find any connection between   
      vaccinations and autism. It was thought that thimerisol, a mercury-based preservative that used to be
      found in some vaccines, is partly or totally to blame for the autism link. Although mercury can cause
      severe nerve damage, the trace amounts and type of mercury that’s in thimerisol does not accumulate
      in the body and has not been shown to cause any health problems. Also, autism rates continue to rise
      despite the voluntary elimination of thimerisol from almost all vaccines since 2001. Some of this
      perception may also be due to the fact that autism is often detected in children from 18 to 30 months
      of age- around the same time that such vaccines like the MMR are given. Nobody knows what causes
      autism, but there is increasing evidence that shows that autistic children may have been predisposed
      since birth.
  
      It is harmful to give multiple shots and at so young an age.
 
      Fact:  Getting more than one shot at a time does not increase the likelihood of side effects when
      compared to spacing the vaccines on separate occasions. The bacteria and viruses used in vaccines
      are either killed or altered so that it has just enough power to induce immunity, but not enough to cause
      illness, let alone overwhelm a healthy child’s immune system. Moreover, a young infant and child’s
      immune system can handle an even greater threat from everyday exposure to germs found in their
      environment like from toys and playroom mats.  Know that by delaying or spacing immunizations, a
      young child is left unprotected and susceptible to catching a very serious disease at a vulnerable time
      when complications are most common.
 
      The benefits of immunizations by far outweigh the risks of the diseases as well as the risks of the
      vaccines themselves. Be sure to ask your doctor about what to expect after the immunizations are
      given and contact them if you have any concerns regarding an adverse reaction. By immunizing your
      child on time and keeping your child’s immunization record up to date, you are taking responsibility
      for a critical part of your child’s total health care.
 

 

 
We have made it easy for you by
centralizing calls for both offices.
To make an appointment, talk to
a nurse or to contact a physician,
dial our main office number.
 
(847) 398-0400 Main Number
(847) 398-9590 Fax
 
algonquinpediatrics.com
arlingtonpediatrics.com
 

   Dr. "B" was born in Chicago
   and grew up in Schaumburg,
   Illinois. He attended medical
   school at Loyola Stritch School
   of Medicine in Maywood and
   received his residency training
   at The Children's Hospital of

 
   Michigan in Detroit. He was also on faculty at The
   University of Chicago Wyler's Children's Hospital.
  
   And now you know a bit more about Dr. Brottman.
 

Our motto: "We treat our patients like our own children and grandchildren."

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