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With the holidays are fast approaching, our
staff
"anxiously await" for the mail to see all the cards
and pictures from our patient families. This gives
us the opportunity to see how your child(ren) have
grown and since we love our patients...we'll be
sure to post it on the bulletin board at your primary
office location. If you want to save a stamp you
can certainly drop off copies of your holiday
pictures at one of your next visits. See you then! |
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We
understand many people are
concerned about the novel H1N1 |
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swine flu virus. This is why we continue to post any
and all updates from the CDC, which are available
to you 24 / 7, via our
website.
We will advise you, if and when, our vaccine order
is delivered and how we will administer the shots.
Thank you again for your continued patience. |
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The following
physical activity advice comes from the American
Academy of Pediatrics (AAP):
With
participation in all types of physical activity declining dramatically as a
child's age and grade in
school increases, it is important that physical activity be a
regular part of family life. Studies have shown
that lifestyles learned as children are much more likely to
stay with a person into adulthood. If sports and
physical activities are a family priority, they will provide
children and parents with a strong foundation for
a lifetime of health.
Parents can play a key role in helping their child become
more physically active. Following are 11 ways
to get started:
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1.
Talk
to your pediatrician. Your pediatrician can help your
child understand
why physical activity is important.
Your pediatrician also can suggest a sport
or activity that is best for your
child.
2.
Find a fun activity. Help your child find a sport
that she enjoys. The more
she enjoys the activity, the more
likely it is that she will continue. Get the
entire
family involved. It is a great way to spend time together.
3.
Choose an activity that is developmentally appropriate.
For example,
a 7- or 8- year-old child is not
ready for weight lifting or a 3-mile run, but
soccer, bicycle riding, and swimming
are all appropriate activities.
4. Plan
ahead. Make sure your child has a convenient time and
place to |
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exercise.
5.
Provide a safe environment. Make sure your child's
equipment and chosen site for the sport or
activity are safe. Make sure your
child's clothing is comfortable and appropriate.
6.
Provide active toys. Young children especially need
easy access to balls, jump ropes, and other
active toys.
7.
Be a model for your child. Children who regularly see
their parents enjoying sports and physical
activity are more likely to do so
themselves.
8.
Play with your child. Help her learn a new sport.
9.
Turn off the TV. Limit television watching and
computer use. The American Academy of Pediatrics
recommends no more than 1 to 2 hours
of total screen time, including TV, videos, and computers
and
video games, each day. Use the free
time for more physical activities.
10. Make time for exercise. Some children are so overscheduled
with homework, music lessons, and
other planned activities that they do
not have time for exercise.
11. Do not
overdo it. When your child is ready to start, remember
to tell her to listen to her body.
Exercise and physical activity should
not hurt. If this occurs, your child should slow down or try
a less
vigorous activity. As with any
activity, it is important not to overdo it. If your child's
weight drops below
an average, acceptable level, or if
exercise starts to interfere with school or other
activities, talk with
your pediatrician.
Remember
There is a powerful relationship
between childhood obesity and lifelong weight and related
medical
problems.
Exercise along with a balanced
diet provides the foundation for a healthy, active life. One
of the most
important things parents can do is
encourage healthy habits in their children early on in life.
It is not
too late to start. Ask your
pediatrician about tools for healthy living today.
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At
APL, no question is too silly and remember the first five-thousand are free. |
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Food allergies occur when your child becomes hypersensitive
to specific
foods. Ingestion of an offending food may trigger the
sudden release of
chemicals, including histamine, that result in an
allergic reaction. Food
allergies affect about 6% of children from birth to 3
years. Many children can
“outgrow” food allergies while others remain allergic
throughout their lives.
The most common food allergens include cow’s milk or
soy milk, egg, peanut,
wheat and fish.
Food allergy symptoms typically appear within minutes to two
hours after the |
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food ingestion. The reactions can sometimes be serious and
even life-threatening and may include one
or more of the following:
Gastrointestinal reactions - vomiting, diarrhea,
bloody stools, tingling in the mouth, swollen tongue
Skin reactions - itchy rash,
hives, swelling (urticaria and angioedema)
Respiratory reactions - stuffy nose, sneezing,
wheezing, shortness of breath, tightness of the throat
Anaphylaxis - combination of difficulty breathing,
chest and throat tightness, hives and fainting
Not all reactions to food are allergic reactions. In some
cases there may be a “food intolerance” rather
than a “food allergy”. Food intolerance does not
involve the immune system and is not life-threatening.
For example, some people have trouble tolerating milk
due to lactose intolerance which mainly presents
as abdominal cramps, diarrhea and bloating. These
people are not “allergic” to milk. The best way to
determine what your child may be allergic to is to keep
a food diary of what is eaten, the symptoms that
occur after the ingestion, and how long after eating
the symptoms occur.
Food allergies are definitively diagnosed by a skin
prick test or a blood test, such as the RAST
(radioallergosorbent test). Both tests are reliable
although there are instances when one is better than
the other. Many doctors, for example, perform RAST for
young children or for patients who have eczema
or other skin problems that would make it difficult to
read the results of a skin prick test. The results of
either test are combined with the history of symptoms
and sometimes a food challenge to determine
whether a food allergy exists.
Once your child has been diagnosed with a food allergy,
strict avoidance of the allergy-causing food is
the only way to avoid a reaction. Reading ingredient
labels of all foods is essential. Families must be
vigilant about verifying ingredients and preparation
methods when dining away from home. Some
manufacturers currently use scientific terms to
indicate an allergy-causing ingredient such as “albumin”
and “lysozyme” for egg-containing products or “casein”
and “whey” for milk products. Since it may take
some time before all products have simple language on
their labels (e.g. “egg” and “milk”), be sure to
learn the scientific names for the food your child is
allergic to and call manufacturers to ask about
unfamiliar ingredients. Also be sure that when cooking
to avoid “cross-contact” of foods which can
occur when using the same utensil to prepare an
allergy-containing food and an allergy-free food.
Although there is no medication to “cure” food
allergies, prompt treatment with certain medications are
available for when an allergic reaction occurs. If your
child has had anaphylaxis or other serious food
reactions, be sure to keep a self-injectable
epinephrine kit (eg. EpiPen, Twinject) handy at all times.
You and your child will be taught how to inject this
medication to interrupt severe reactions. Be sure to
also go to the closest emergency department or call 911
after a serious reaction has occurred, even if
you have already treated your child with epinephrine.
For less severe reactions (hives but no signs of
anaphylaxis), or if your child accidentally ingests a
known allergen but shows no signs of a reaction, you
may also give an antihistamine and then call your
doctor or 911 if symptoms occur or do not improve.
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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 |
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Thanks to everyone who took
the time to fill out our online
survey! There was such a huge
response we are just finishing
up with reviewing the results.
We will provide you with some |
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insight into what we've
discovered and what may
come in the near future. Be sure to watch for our
December issue to see what's in store for APL.
Thanks again for your feedback, it is appreciated! |
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Our
motto: "We treat our patients like our own children and
grandchildren." |
^ Top of Page |
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