Bloom kids Summer 2017

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6071 E. Woodmen Road, Suite 225 Colorado Springs, CO 80923 719-571-7130

BEYOND THE WAITING ROOM Go behind the scenes of the Pediatric ER at St. Francis Medical Center in this 23-minute documentary that follows real patients, physicians, and nurses. Visit penrosestfrancis.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 1-303-673-8166 (TTY: 711). Copyright © Centura Health, 2017. ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-719-776-5370 (TTY: 711). CHÚ Ý: Nếu bạn nói Tiếng Việt, có các dịch vụ hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ miễn phí dành cho bạn. Gọi số 1-719-776-5370 (TTY: 711).

STAY

ACTIVE Avoiding child obesity over summer

Also inside:

SIGNS OF A SPEECH PROBLEM SUMMER 2017

TIPS TO INTRODUCE SOLID FOODS

Helping parents raise healthy toddlers, tots, and teens

WHAT SHOULD PARENTS POST ONLINE?

Volume 2, Issue 3

adding

SOLID GROUND:

FOOD TO BABY’S DIET

For the first six months, breast milk is all your baby

needs. But around 6 months old, pediatricians say it’s OK to introduce solid foods.

Melaina Bjorklund, MS, RD, clinical dietitian at Penrose-St. Francis Health Services, says to watch for clues your baby is ready for solids: • Is she watching you eat or reaching for your food?

• Can she hold her head up well?

• Does she open her mouth to take food?

• Can she move food with her tongue to the back of her mouth?

Rice cereal was a go-to first solid food, but fear of arsenic has convinced many moms, Bjorklund included, to find alternatives, like oatmeal cereal.

“Typically, the progression of solid food introduction is grains, vegetables, fruits, meats and finally, dairy,” she says.

AVOID GIVING HONEY OR COW’S MILK TO CHILDREN UNDER 1 YEAR.

Download a tracker at bloomkidshealth.org to record when you introduce foods, and to learn signs of food allergies.

Q

bloomkidshealth.org

FOLLOWING, POSTING, AND PARENTING

Social media has made it easy to share

milestones in your child’s life. But oversharing and “competitive parenting” can make parents feel like failures, and harm kids, too.

“There’s a lot of pressure on parents” … to show they’re doing everything perfectly, says Thomas Caughlan, LCSW, supervisor at Centura Health Physician Group Behavioral Health.

Before you despair over a FacebookTM friend’s perfect parenting, remember: Just because you don’t see video of her toddler’s meltdown, doesn’t mean it never happened. “People only post the best aspects of their lives,” Caughlan says.

He cautions parents that videoing their child playing isn’t the same as playing with their child.

“When you’re posting on social media, you’re not necessarily present.”

Before you post, think about it from your child’s perspective. Would he be embarrassed by it later?

A good rule of thumb, Caughlan says: “If it’s not about the kid but about you, then maybe posting it is a bad idea.”

ARE SPORTS AND ENERGY DRINKS OK?

A

“Sports drinks are full of carbohydrates — sugar — and are not recommended unless a child is participating in vigorous exercise for more than an hour,” says Pennie Schultz, MD, a pediatrician at Centura Health Physician Group Pediatrics NorthCare. “Sports drinks can contribute to obesity and tooth decay. Energy drinks contain large amounts of caffeine and can damage the nervous and cardiovascular systems, so children and teens should avoid them. Water is best. If your child doesn’t like water, try adding a splash of juice, or infusing it with berries, orange, or lemon.”

Juice versus soda?

Learn what to consider by watching a video at bloomkidshealth.org.

CHPG Pediatrics NorthCare

POUNDS OF prevention

TIPS TO HELP KIDS AVOID SUMMER VACATION WEIGHT GAIN

O

besity in kids is rising, and studies show kids actually gain weight over summer vacation, when they should be more active.

Possible explanations are numerous, says Sarah Amoroso, DO, of Centura Health Physician Group Pediatrics NorthCare. Summer can mean no regular bedtime and insufficient sleep, along with ready access to junk food.

Although we’re halfway through summer, it’s not too late to make changes that help kids stay healthier. Amoroso, who has three kids of her own, suggests incorporating these three tips: • Limit, but don’t ban, electronics. “We have to have a realistic view of the society we live in,” she says. Create enforceable rules for screen time. Experts recommend a max of two hours a day. Try a device like Circle™ with Disney that allows you to set time and content controls across all devices.

• Try making activity a family event. “Try to incorporate active family time when parents get home from work. Allow children to play supervised in the yard, take a walk together after dinner as a family, or play games like hide and seek.”

• Limit sugary drinks, including soda, fruit juice, sports drinks, and flavored milks. “Children who routinely consume high-sugar drinks tend to put on more weight than their peers,” Amoroso says.

Learn how to use the glycemic index, how to measure your child’s body mass index, and more nutrition tips at bloomkidshealth.org.

UT O B A K L A SMALL T

SPEECH PROBL EMS

GET TO KNOW THE CENTURA HEALTH PHYSICIAN GROUP PEDIATRICS NORTHCARE PHYSICIANS

WHAT TASTE, SMELL, SOUND, OR ACTIVITY MOST SAYS “SUMMER” TO YOU? More daylight hours mean more family fun for Sarah Amoroso, DO. “My favorite part about summer is that the sun is out later and I can go on a family walk with my husband and children each night after dinner.” The smell of freshly cut grass and a rainstorm rolling in signal that summer is here.

FEETS OF STRENGTH

ATHLETIC SHOE SUPPORT NOW CAN PREVENT FOOT PROBLEMS LATER

K

ids outgrow shoes so fast that parents may look no further than fit when buying athletic shoes. But if your child’s gait changes, or she complains of aching feet, she may need custom orthotics, says Kenneth Gavin, CO, director of orthotics and prosthetics, Centura Health Orthotics and Prosthetics. Gavin, who treats kids and adults, advises getting orthotics from a clinician who understands how children’s feet develop.

“I prefer custom orthotics made specifically for the child’s feet to assist with a wide range of mobility issues, anatomy, and medical conditions,” Gavin says.

Signs your child might need orthotics: • Chronic pain in feet, knees, or legs • Abnormal gait • Limited flexibility • Abnormal alignment • Deformity To make an appointment to have your child checked for orthotics, call 719-776-4840.

W

hen your toddler proudly announces, “I’m free years old!” it’s adorable, and fairly normal. But if he still can’t make the “Th” or “R” sound at 4 or 5, that might be a concern, says Megan Miller, speech language pathologist at Penrose Hospital’s outpatient rehabilitation clinic.

Every child develops at his own pace, Miller says. “But parents know best. If you’re concerned, talk to a speech therapist.”

Therapists work with children to practice making sounds and repeating them to build muscle memory.

Day to day, parents can reinforce progress by gently encouraging children to pronounce words correctly, she says.

Learn about speech milestones to help evaluate your child’s development at bloomkidshealth.org. Or talk to a speech therapist at 719-776-5200.

The childhood home of Mikhal Gold Schiffer, MD, was full of sun and fun. “The smell that says summer to me most is sunscreen. I grew up in Arizona, so that was heavily needed!”

For Pennie Schultz, MD, summer is all about outdoor eating and activities. “Summer is here when we can grill dinner, toast marshmallows and make s’mores, and sit outside at night and gaze at the stars.”

CHPG Pediatrics NorthCare is located at 6071 E. Woodmen Road, Suite 225, in Colorado Springs. We are accepting new patients. Call 719-571-7130 for an appointment, or come to our office for a FREE meet and greet on the third Thursday of the month at 4:30 p.m.

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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