Bloom Kids Fall 2016

Catholic Health Initiatives Non-Profit Org US POSTAGE

PAID

Denver, CO Permit No. 4773

Trunk or Treat 6071 E. Woodmen Road, Suite 225 Colorado Springs, CO 80923

Saturday, Oct. 22 • 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

St. Francis Medical Center • 6001 East Woodmen Road A FREE and safe Halloween event for kids and parents.

Wear your favorite costume and stop by more than 50 stations to collect candy, trinkets, play games, and pick up kids health information. Learn more at bloomkidshealth.org.

Centura Health Physician Group Pediatrics NorthCare is part of Centura Health, the region’s leading health care network. Centura Health does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, religion, creed, ancestry, sexual orientation, and marital status in admission, treatment, or participation in its programs, services and activities, or in employment. For further information about this policy, contact Centura Health’s Office of the General Counsel at 303-804-8166.

Copyright © Centura Health, 2016.

peanut ALLERGIES An ounce of prevention might just work

Also inside:

New approach to treating asthma FALL 2016

Helping parents raise healthy toddlers, tots, and teens

Volume 1, Issue 2

Know when to head for the ER

Obey Your

Allergy

prevention in a nutshell

Peanut allergies are on the rise. In fact, the percentage of children with peanut allergies has quadrupled since 1997. And most won’t outgrow it.

Fortunately, researchers say peanut allergies can be prevented through early, careful exposure.

“Research shows introducing peanuts earlier can give your child’s immune system a better chance of avoiding a peanut allergy,” says Melaina Bjorklund, MS, RD, a clinical dietitian at PenroseSt. Francis Health Services. “If you don’t have a family history of nut allergies, you can actually start to experiment with peanuts and peanut butter around 9 months. Put a little on the skin below the bottom lip. If there’s no reaction, give your kiddo a little bit to taste.” Always check with your pediatrician if you have concerns.

Get tips for spotting food allergies and their triggers, and for introducing new foods at bloomkidshealth.org.

Fighting lice right

(AND BABY’S) When baby drinks breast milk, mom should drink water. A good rule of thumb: 8 ounces of water every time you breastfeed. But it’s even more important to listen to your body.

“We tell mothers to drink to thirst,” says Brenda Schmidt, a lactation consultant at the Birth Center at St. Francis Medical Center. “When most mothers breastfeed, they get very thirsty.”

• The average 6-month-old consumes about 32 ounces of breast milk a day, of which 90 percent is water.

• Studies show a mom’s fluid intake has no direct link to milk production.

• If you’re dehydrated, milk-making hormones help your body conserve water for baby’s milk. But it will cause you to feel tired, constipated, and fuzzy-headed.

Call 719-571-3100 for information.

Is it OK to let my baby sleep in her car seat?

A: Car seats are an age-old favorite to get a fussy baby to sleep. But they aren’t the safest spots,

especially for premature babies whose heads can tilt forward and have this interfere with breathing.

“The safest place for baby to sleep is on its back in its crib — on a firm mattress without pillows, blankets, or bumpers — and never propped up,” Mikhal Schiffer, MD, a pediatrician at Centura Health Physician Group Pediatrics NorthCare. “Most robust, full-term babies can handle a car seat nap, but parents need to put the baby on its back in a crib as soon as they get home.”

bloomkidshealth.org

Join other breastfeeding mothers and a lactation consultant in a special support group at St. Francis Medical Center on Tuesdays from 1-2 p.m.

Learn how to select and correctly use car seats at a FREE class on Saturday, Oct. 15, or Nov. 12, noon-2:30 p.m. Register at bloomkidshealth.org.

CHPG Pediatrics NorthCare

Sarah Amoroso, DO, uses osteopathic manipulative treatments as a complement to asthma therapies.

breath

How It Works

A Fresh

Osteopathic asthma treatment can help children breathe easier

early one in 10 children struggles with asthma. Most have been prescribed medications and taught techniques to help manage attacks, but one treatment that parents may not have considered is osteopathic manipulation.

Osteopathic manipulative treatment, or OMT, uses techniques on the chest and back, which may feel like a light massage or pressure, to loosen up the muscles to allow better movement of the rib cage for easier breathing.

“If there’s any sort of restriction to taking a full deep breath in and letting it out, we can help that,” says Sarah Amoroso, DO, an osteopathic pediatrician at Centura Health Physician Group Pediatrics NorthCare. “It’s not a preventive or rescue treatment; it’s an in-office treatment that should only be used in addition to medical therapy.”

Osteopathic treatment of asthma has had mixed reviews from researchers. But a study published in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association showed significant improvement in peak expiratory flow rates. The study reported an average increase to 9 L per minute from 7 L per minute in the patients who received osteopathic manipulation. “Osteopathic manipulative treatment is an underutilized, noninvasive treatment method for patients with asthma,” the study authors concluded.

ow n K o Get t

the Centura Health Physician Group Pediatrics NorthCare

physicians

For Sarah Amoroso, DO, Thanksgiving tradition is all about gathering her large extended family. “We always get together for a huge meal, and it is just so fun to be around so many people who love each other!”

Mikhal Schiffer, MD, loves coordinating Halloween costumes with friends and family. This year, the mom-to-be plans to take advantage of her temporary physical expansion. “I’ll dress as a big pumpkin!”

OMT sometimes is equated to massage or energy work, but it is a proven medical treatment taught in medical schools, Amoroso emphasizes. OMT works in several ways: It can stimulate the body to release chemicals that cause dilation of the bronchioles in the lung the same way dilator medications work It improves blood circulation, which helps the lungs work more effectively by moving oxygen more efficiently By loosening the tissue around the ribs, it frees up the chest to enable deeper breaths It also improves drainage of the lymph nodes, which helps strengthen the immune system Download a school asthma emergency plan for your child by visiting bloomkidshealth.org.

Halloween is a favorite holiday for Pennie Schultz, MD, and her family. While mom crafts the homemade costumes — Disney Princess Jasmine for her oldest daughter, and a raven for her youngest—her girls handle the decorating and cooking up special “Halloween foods.”

We are conveniently located at 6071 E. Woodmen Road, Suite 225, in Colorado Springs. CHPG Pediatrics NorthCare is accepting new patients.

Call 719-571-7130 for an appointment.

Head lice not so nice It’s getting to be hat

weather, and that means lice weather. And yes, your child is just as likely as the next to be infected.

“Lice could happen to your child. It’s not about cleanliness or socioeconomics,” says Mikhal Schiffer, MD, a pediatrician at Centura Health Physician Group Pediatrics NorthCare in Colorado Springs.

Here are a few louse-y facts you might not know:

✦ Itching is the most common symptom, but it might not start until weeks after lice move in. ✦ Lice don’t transmit diseases but can produce an allergic reaction or, if left untreated, sores and infections. ✦ The American Academy of Pediatrics says a healthy child doesn’t have to stay home from school because of lice but should avoid head contact with others.

Learn to separate fact from fiction when it comes to fighting lice at bloomkidshealth.org.

Winter

Mishaps

Caring for three common cold-weather complaints

Winter’s just around the corner and that means sledding, cider, and snuggling by the fire. Unfortunately, it also means bumps, burns, and boogers. Here are three common winter ailments and when they should have you heading for the ER:

1

Germs galore. “With everyone inside, we see a lot more pneumonia, respiratory virus, fevers, and sore throats,” says Pennie Schultz, MD, a pediatrician at Centura Health Physician Group Pediatrics NorthCare.

When to go to the ER: Infants under 3 months if they have a fever over 100.4 F; infants 3 to 12 months need to be seen for fevers over 102.2 F. Older kids should go if they have a fever of 105 F or if they have stiffness in the neck, or aren’t breathing normally.

2

Too-cold kiddos. Children are more susceptible to frostbite and hypothermia. If a child is chilled, dry him off and wrap him in a blanket. For frostbite, apply a warm compress — not hot.

When to go to the ER: “If your child is clumsy, sleepy, has slurred speech, or stops breathing, get him to the emergency room,” Schultz says.

3 Head injuries. Sledding accidents can cause concussions. “Adult

supervision is the key to prevention,” Schultz says. “Don’t let kids go down hills that are too big. And make sure the bottom of the hill is safe.”

When to go to the ER: Children need to be seen when head injury includes severe headache, slurred speech, dizziness, abnormal behavior, vomiting, or sluggishness.

NOW OPEN! The Pediatric ER at St. Francis Medical Center is northeast El Paso County’s only emergency room designed specifically for kids. Learn more and download an emergency contact sheet at bloomkidshealth.org.

bloom kids is published four times annually by Penrose-St. Francis Health Services. As part of Centura Health, our mission is to nurture the health of the people in our community. The information herein is meant to complement and not replace advice provided by a licensed health care professional. For comments or to unsubscribe to this publication, please email us at bloomkids@centura.org. bloom kids is produced by Clementine Healthcare Marketing. Executive editor is Jill Woodford.

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