PEDIATRIC HEALTH ASSOCIATES

W e W i s h Y o u A V e r y   H a p p y N e w  Y e a r  2 0 1 4 !

January beings the peak season for the flu.    We have ample supply of the vaccine and urge parents to schedule an appointment to get their children immunized.     This can be done in our “shots only” clinic or if you have a regularly scheduled   appointment, just ask the nurse or physician about getting the flu shot while you are in the office. Flu season can be mild one year and awful the next.    The influenza A strain is the most prevalent virus this year although there are over 200 different strains of the virus that have been identified this season.    For some, the virus can be serious enough to cause hospitalization.    Flu is especially hard on babies and the elderly.     The vaccine is recommended for anyone over 6 months of age. While we recommend everyone consider influenza vaccination this year,   children with underlying medical conditions such as asthma or seizures should get vaccinated as the...

During the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, remember to step back and take a moment to give thanks for our families and y our health. Your children won't remember what dishes were prepared or a special meal, nor how clean your home was, but they'll remember spending quality time with you. As we turn the calendar to a new year, we realize how quickly time passes; take advantage of every single day to tell your kids "I love you."    --- Shelly Flais , MD    Warm wishes for a holiday season filled with joy and peace! Cherish this opportunity to spend time with   loved ones and count your blessings! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!          --- Dr. Thomas and family "Hark!   Unto you a child is born..."  May God's gifts of love and hope, grace and peace fill your hearts in this holy season. Thank you for allowing me the great privilege of caring for your children!          --- Reb...

Please consider signing an online petition to stop the sale of Fisher-Price’s newborn-to-Toddler Apptivity Seat for iPad.    This seat and others like it position babies, including newborns, to sit with an iPad screen directly in their face. Babies need human interaction.   They need to be held and have eye contact. They need to touch, feel, hear and see the faces of their parents, siblings and extended family members.   Putting a baby in front of an iPad or any other electronic device forces their brains to absorb rapidly changing images on the screen.   This is a crucial time for their brains to be developing synapses – connections between neurons giving our brains the ability to learn a variety of functions.    Whether the brain is busy putting together memories, reactions to emotions or releasing chemicals in the brain such as serotonin, these are all critical areas of brain development.   Exposing a baby or toddler to rapid image changes o...

Erica Jannisch, CPNP     From the desk of Nurse Practitioner Erica Jannisch   School and activities are in full swing by this time of year.   Increasing school obligations (e.g. homework), evening activities and, later bedtimes make getting the recommended 10-11 hours of sleep a difficult task.   We all know that getting enough sleep is important, but most don’t know WHY this rest/recuperation is so important and HOW it affects your child’s health and ability to function mentally, physically and emotionally.   Mood :   Not getting enough sleep can cause your child to be moody, irritable, and cranky.   He/she may also have a difficult time regulating his/her mood, such as getting frustrated or upset more frequently. Behavior :   School-aged children who do not get enough sleep are more likely to have behavior problems, such as noncompliance and hyperactivity. Cognitive ability :   Inadequate sleep may result in problems with atte...

For most Americans the Affordable Care Act plans are confusing.  Many new plans are being offered and it is difficult to know whether your preferred physicians are participating providers in those networks.   We want you to be able to continue seeing our pediatricians and nurse practitioners so we recommend that you check with the insurance plans that you are considering and ask if we are in-network providers.  If not, you may want to look at another plan. It is also important for you to be aware of what is covered under your policy.  Each plan can have different coverage.  Depending on what you choose, your plan may cover 60% of allowed charges.  Other plans may cover 90%.  While ALL plans MUST provide preventative care, not all plans cover things like physical therapy.   So if you have an injury prone person in your family, you may want that kind of coverage. We are in many insurance plans that are PPO, HMO, POS or EPO prod...