Spring Newsletter 2009

Raising children can be very difficult when you have concerns about not having enough money to take care of your family.  As a parent, you may become anxious, depressed or develop other emotional problems.  Often this makes it even more difficult for parents and other caregivers to take care of their own health and their children's health.  Here are some tips for coping with hard times...

• Take care of yourself.  Remember that children depend on the adults around them to feel secure, so it's important that you take care of yourself.  If you are worried or upset, your children will be too.  Even very young children can tell when something is wrong.
• Limit TV and other media time.  When children overhear news coverage or adults talking about America's money problems, job cuts and people losing their homes, they may become worried, especially because they don't really understand what is happening.  Try to limit your own exposure to the media (especailly when you are with children).
• Choose your words carefully.  Comments like "We just lost your college savings" or "I might lose my job" or "We can't afford that" can be very upsetting to children.  In times of uncertainty, try to focus on what you do know and offer reassuring words, such as "We have enough money to pay for food and our house, but we may need to spend less on eating out" or "We saved money for times like these".
• Be sensitive to each child's needs.  It is important to talk at each child's level.  In general, older children will want and benefit from more detailed information and younger children or those children with develoopmental delays or intellectual disabilities will benefit from brief, simple information.
• Let your pediatircian know if you think your children are showing signs of stress.
• Plan family meetings.  Family meetings are a very effective way for families to encourage healthy communicaiton.  It can be a time when families to encourage healthy communicaiton.  It can be a time when family members learn how to get along with each other better.  Parents can also use the eime to share family values and beliefs.

Reading books aloud is one of the best ways you can help your child to read.  This can be fun for you, too.  The more excitement you show when you read a book, the more your child will enjoy it.  The most important thing to remember is to let your child set her own pace and have fun at whatever she is doing.  Do the following when reading to your child:

• Run your finger under the words as you read to show your child that the print carries the story.
• Use funny voices and animal noises and don't be afraid to ham it up!  This will help your child get excited about the story.
• Stop to look at the pictures and ask your child to name the things she sees in the pictures.  Talk about how the pictures relate to the story.
• Invite your child to join in whenever there is a repeated pharase in the text.
• Show your child how events in the book are similar to events in your child's life.
• If your child asks a question, stop and answer it.  The book may help your child express her thoughts and solve her own problems.
• Keep reading to your child even after she learns to read.  A child can listen and understand more difficult stories than she can read on her own.
  

Sunscreen can help protect the skin from sunburn and some skin cancers, but only if used correctly.  Keep in mind that sunscreen should be used for sun protection, not as a reason to stay in the sun longer.

• Use a sunscreen that says "broad spectrum" on the label, meaning it will screen out both UVB and UVA rays. 
• Use a sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15.  The higher the SPF, the more UVB protection the sunscreen has.
• Look for the new UVA "star" rating system on the label.
           One star is low UVA protection.
           Two stars is medium protection.
           Three stars is high protection.
           Four stars is the highest UVA protection available in an OTC product.
• For sensitive areas of the body, such as the nose, cheeks, tops of the ears and the shoulders, choose a sunscreen or sunblock with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.  While these products usually stay visible on the skin even after you rub them in, some now come in fun colors that kids enjoy.
• Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outside, and use sunscreen even on the cloudy days.
• Children should wear a hat with a large brim facing forward, sunglasses and tightly woven clothing.
• Reapply sunscreen every two hours, and after swimming or sweating.
• Use extra caution near water, snow or sand, as they reflect UV rays and may result in sunburn more quickly.

Our practice strongly advocates immunizations.  Because you come to our providers for scientific-based medical advice, it is important for you to know how well immunizations work and how millions of children have been protected from very serious illnesses with their use.  Vaccines are safe and severe reactions are very rare.  Immunizations are a vital component of your child's total health care and it is important to immunize your child on time, keeping them up-to-date.  The bacteria and viruses that cause disease are still present in our communities.  So although our generation does not often see the illnesses anymore, protection against them is more vital than ever.  We strongly encourage you to ask questions - and become better educated on this essential part of preventive medicine.

Q.  "Why are some of these vaccines still needed if the diseases are not as common anymore?"
A.   Because of vaccines, many of these diseases are not as common as they once were.  However, the bacteria and viruses that cause them still exist.  For example, before the Hib vaccine was developed in the 1980's, there were about 20,000 cases of Hib disease in the United States each year.  Today there are fewer than 100 cases a year.
Q.  "Do vaccines even work?  It seems like most people who get these diseases have been vaccinated."
A.   Yes. Vaccines wrok very well.  Millions of children have been portected against serious illnesses because they were immunized.  Most childhood vaccines are 90% to 99% effective in preventing disease.  When a large majority of children have been vaccinated, it is expected that most who get the disease will have been vaccinated.  And if a vaccinated child does get the disease, the symptoms are usually milder with less serious side effects or complications than in a child who hasn't been vaccinated.
Q.  "What side effects will my child have after getting a vaccine?  Are they serious?"
A.   There may be mild side effects, like swelling, redness or tenderness where the shot was given, but they do not last long.  Your child may also have a slight fever and be fussy for a short time afterward.  It is rare for side effects to be serious.  Call your pediatrician if your child has a very high fever (greater than 103 degrees F), has hives or black and blue areas at places where the injection was given, or has a seizure.