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Please consider contacting Congress about health care access
Dear Parents, As you are aware the Affordable Care Act (ACA) may soon be dismantled. President Trump has said that this will be replaced by something better but he indicated it may or may not happen simultaneously potentially leaving millions of people without health insurance in the meantime. Should this happen, anyone who has a health crisis during that time will find themselves facing considerable hospital bills that they personally will be responsible for. The ACA expansion has allowed access to healthcare to many children through the Medicaid program so they will no longer be eligible to receive benefits. These children may lose access to school entry if they cannot be vaccinated or participate in sports because they cannot afford a sports physical. While children can receive vaccines at the local health department, there is a nominal fee for each vaccine. For many, even a nominal c...
From the desk of Shelly Flais, MD In the past 2 decades, food allergies have more than tripled. The most common food allergies are peanuts (in the legume family), tree nuts (such as walnuts and pecans), egg, shellfish, soy, wheat, and fish. Due to this growing food allergy epidemic, continued research is investigating what can be done to prevent or treat food allergies. New studies show that children who consume peanuts at earlier ages are less likely to develop a peanut allergy. It is important to note that recommendations vary depending on if your child has severe eczema, asthma, or allergies; if this is the case, talk to your PHA provider first to determine the best course of action. Keep in mind that the introduction of peanut is taken in the broader context of introducing new solid foods in general, which also includes pureed vegetables and fruits, fortified infant cereal mixed with the infant's usual breastmilk or formula, and other foods. As always, wait 3 days after offerin...