Car Seat Basics
All children under the age of 2 years should be in a full, 5-point restraint car seat facing backwards. Even if your 18-month-old is tall and looks uncomfortable facing backwards, a rear-facing car seat is the absolute safest position for them in the car and they should remain rear-facing until 2 years of age. At […]
Vaccines: Why does South Lake Pediatrics care?
When you bring your infant in for their regular health exams, forms are filled out, questions are asked, the little one is examined and then comes the vaccines. Vaccines are a difficult thing for some parents to accept. There is much misinformation out there regarding the dangers of vaccines. There is little information about the […]
Rising Rates of Overweight and Obese Children
Today, about one in three American kids and teens is overweight or obese. The prevalence of obesity in children more than tripled from 1971 to 2011. With good reason, childhood obesity is now the No. 1 health concern among parents in the United States, topping drug abuse and smoking. What does “overweight” and “obese” mean […]
Common Colds
This time of year we expect colds to come fast and furious to daycares and elementary schools. It is not at all uncommon for a child’s first winter in daycare or school to catch 10–12 colds. Each of the colds tend to last 10–14 days. That means that your child’s first winter exposed to other […]
Screen Time Recommendations
•For children younger than 18 months, avoid use of screen media other than video-chatting. Parents of children 18 to 24 months of age who want to introduce digital media should choose high-quality programming and watch it with their children to help them understand what they’re seeing. •For children ages 2 to 5 years, limit screen […]
Probiotics: The Good Bacteria
Probiotics are known as the “good bacteria” that are normally found in our intestines. They preserve a healthy balance of intestinal organisms and form a line of defense protecting us from “bad” bacteria, viruses, and/or parasites. Good bacteria help to improve digestion and stimulate the immune system. Stress, changes in your diet, and antibiotic use […]
Button Batteries
Every year in the United States, more than 3,500 people of all ages swallow button batteries. Swallowed batteries can burn through a child’s esophagus in just 2 hours! Emergency surgery is required to remove the battery and the child will have a long road to recovery. Lithium coin cell batteries are the most hazardous as […]
Laundry Detergent Pods
Highly concentrated “single-load liquid laundry pods” can cause serious harm to young children. These laundry pods are attractive to children because they look like candy or something fun to play with. Poison centers receive many calls each year about children getting into laundry detergent. Swallowing it often causes mild stomach upset, if there are any […]
The Opioid Epidemic: Impact on Our Children
Our kids are at risk. A young brain starts with the basic instinct to seek pleasure and avoid pain. That’s it. If the process of developing executive functions to think through consequences and plan long term is interfered with early on, it is far less likely it is for those executive functions to develop properly. […]
Understanding Cost Sharing: Deductibles, Copayments & Coinsurance
All health insurance requires consumers to pay some of the cost of covered health care services. This is called “cost sharing” or “out-of-pocket” costs. Cost sharing varies with different types of health plans, but most will have a copayment, coinsurance or deductible amount. Cost Sharing Requirements Your plan may require you to pay before the plan begins […]