There are new vaccine requirements for the 2014-2015 school year. Schedule your school and sports physicals now to avoid the rush!.
Welcome to Pediatric Health Associates!Did you know that you do not have to wait until the hectic summer is here to get your child's yearly physical? School and sports physicals are valid for 1 year from the date they are completed. This means at any point your child can be seen for their kindergarten, sixth grade and ninth grade checkup and get their school forms completed. Checkups are not only a time to approve school and sports exams--- they are far more-- following up on past development and growth issues, as well as re-assessing any ongoing medical issues that your child may have. Further...
Source: Pediatric Health Associates - February 21, 2014 Category: Pediatrics Tags: Healthy Habits Vaccination Information Source Type: news
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Happy Valentine's Day! (Source: Pediatric Health Associates)
Source: Pediatric Health Associates - February 14, 2014 Category: Pediatrics Source Type: news
Raw Milk
The trend towards using organic foods to feed our families is something we really can put our support behind. Feeding our families preservative free, antibiotic free and non-genetically altered food reduces the body’s need to process potentially harmful substances. But not every “raw” food is necessarily a good thing. Take unpasteurized raw milk. Unpasteurized milk can contain bacteria and germs such as salmonella, E. coli and listeria. Whether raw milk comes from cows, sheep, or goats, the bacteria is especially dangerous to children. Of all outbreaks that were caused by food sour...
Source: Pediatric Health Associates - February 14, 2014 Category: Pediatrics Tags: Healthy Habits Source Type: news
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Tomorrow, Friday January 31st at 9:00 pm Central Time, ABC's 20/20 program with Diane Sawyer has a special titled "Young Guns". The program will look at how safe children are with a gun in the home. Whether you own a gun or there is a possibility of a neighbor, friend or acquaintance owning a gun, we believe this program is important for parents to watch.Romina Gieseman, CPNPPHA Nurse Practitioner Romina Gieseman will present a free obesity and nutrition presentation on Monday, February 3rd at 6:30 pm at the Carol Stream School District 93 office located at 230 Covington Drive in Blooming...
Source: Pediatric Health Associates - January 30, 2014 Category: Pediatrics Tags: Healthy Habits Source Type: news
You're Invited
E X P OThe American Academy of Pediatrics will host the “Healthy Children” conference and expo March 8-9 at the DonaldE. StevensConvention Center in Rosemont, Illinois.Each day’s admission is $8 per adult; kids are free. Daily parkin...
Source: Pediatric Health Associates - January 24, 2014 Category: Pediatrics Tags: Healthy Habits Source Type: news
Fever
Tara Doman, MDFrom the desk of Tara Doman, MDFlu and cold season has arrived! One of the most common symptoms of illness in children is fever. It can also be one of the scariest symptoms for parents. If your child is less than 3 months of age and has a fever of 100.4 or higher (under the arm or rectally), you should contact our office right away. For children over the age of 3 months, here are a few fever facts.Fever is a symptom of illness, not a disease itself.The height of the fever does not correlate to the severity of the illness. Just because a child has a higher fever, does not me...
Source: Pediatric Health Associates - January 13, 2014 Category: Pediatrics Tags: Healthy Habits Source Type: news
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We Wish You A Very Happy New Year 2014! (Source: Pediatric Health Associates)
Source: Pediatric Health Associates - December 30, 2013 Category: Pediatrics Source Type: news
Will the flu cost you vacation days from work?
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 vir...
Source: Pediatric Health Associates - December 27, 2013 Category: Pediatrics Source Type: news
We wish you the very best this holiday season!
During the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, remember to step back and take a moment to give thanks for our families and your 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! ...
Source: Pediatric Health Associates - December 23, 2013 Category: Pediatrics Source Type: news
iPads for babies????
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 b...
Source: Pediatric Health Associates - December 18, 2013 Category: Pediatrics Tags: Healthy Habits Source Type: news
Are your school-aged kids getting enough sleep?
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 WHYthis 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...
Source: Pediatric Health Associates - December 11, 2013 Category: Pediatrics Tags: Healthy Habits Source Type: news
Buying new insurance? Check to make sure we're in-network!
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 ...
Source: Pediatric Health Associates - December 5, 2013 Category: Pediatrics Tags: Insurance Benefits Source Type: news
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We wish each of you a very Happy Thanksgiving and may the blessings of the holiday season fill your heart with joy.Media Time…How to devise a family media planKimberly Gubbins, CPNP From the desk of Nurse PractitionerKimberly GubbinsAll of us can agree that technology can be both helpful and harmful. We can also agree that our children can be influenced by technology both positively and negatively. Let us start by outlining some facts and figures. 1. Families who own tablets (Ipads, etc.) have increased from 8% in 2011 to 40% in 2013. &nb...
Source: Pediatric Health Associates - November 27, 2013 Category: Pediatrics Tags: Healthy Habits Source Type: news
Family Mealtime
From the desk of Brittany Jimenez, RN Brittany Jimenez, RN Being a working Mom myself, I often struggle with keeping the fridge stocked and making healthy meals for my family. Luckily, websites like Pinterest and Facebook are loaded with quick and nutritious meal ideas. Now to just get everyone to the table for dinner! Sitting down as a family and eating with one another is just as important as the quality of the food that is served. So what exactly are some of the benefits of family mealtimes? Family mealtime offers a platform for children to...
Source: Pediatric Health Associates - November 21, 2013 Category: Pediatrics Tags: Healthy Habits Source Type: news
Annual Turkey Drive
Every year Drs. Shoshara and Shakir help co-coordinate a Turkey Drive - they raise funds in a grass roots effort to provide Thanksgiving turkeys to families in need on Chicago's South Side, in the Jackson Park, Woodlawn, and Marquette Park neighborhoods. According to school statistics, over 99% of the student population in these areas live on incomes below the federal poverty line. The drive is an all-volunteer effort that is run through the Sabeel Food Pantry, which is part of the not-for-profit that is run by Dr. Shakir's father.Last year a record 846 turkeys were donated to families who would otherwise not have...
Source: Pediatric Health Associates - November 11, 2013 Category: Pediatrics Tags: Volunteer Opportunities Source Type: news
