Catholic Health Initiatives NON-PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE
PAID
TRUNK OR TREAT
DENVER, CO PERMIT NO. 4033
6071 E. Woodmen Road, Suite 225 Colorado Springs, CO 80923 719-571-7130
Saturday, Oct. 14 • 10 a.m.-1 p.m. St. Francis Medical Center • 6001 E. Woodmen Road A FREE and safe Halloween event for kids and parents. Wear your favorite costume and stop by more than 30 stations to collect candy and trinkets, play games, and pick up kids’ health information.
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).
LOTS OF
LOVE
Dealing with your child’s anxiety
Also inside:
COULD TONSILS BE THE CULPRIT? FALL 2017
Helping parents raise healthy toddlers, tots, and teens
Volume 2, Issue 4
Diet
RIGHT
HEALTHY EATING MEANS YOU CAN TAKE SUPPLEMENTS OFF THE TABLE
I
t’s a parent worry that’s been around as long as picky eaters have existed: Is my child getting the right nutrition? Does he need vitamin supplements? Breastfed infants may need a vitamin D boost — administered through a dropper — but otherwise most children can get by without the jar of gummy vitamins, says Pennie Schultz, MD, of Centura Health Physician Group Pediatrics NorthCare. “If they’re eating a good, well-balanced diet, most kids don’t need a multivitamin,” she says. That’s especially true if your child’s diet includes eggs, raisins, and iron-fortified cereals. In fact, Schultz says, some megadose vitamins can actually deliver too much of a good thing. “And that can be dangerous.” Shultz says she often recommends that children with food allergies, or chronic diseases, or those whose diet is restricted by autism, see a nutritionist who can evaluate their individualized nutrition needs. For those children, adding supplements is an individualized decision.
Q
bloomkidshealth.org
DOES MY CHILD NEED VITAMINS? WHEN SHOULD I HAVE MY FIRST MAMMOGRAM?
IS IT CHECKOUT TIME?
CONFLICTING RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT MAMMOGRAMS CAN LEAVE WOMEN CONFUSED AND MAYBE EVEN MISINFORMED.
Dee Patterson, certified imaging patient navigator at Penrose Hospital’s Center for Women’s Imaging, has answers. “Between 40 and 44 a woman should have the choice to start annual screening,” she says, and should have her first mammogram no later than age 45. To decide when to start and how often to be screened, talk with your physician about risk factors, including family history, childbirth history, breast density, age at first period, age at menopause, and body mass index. No matter your risk, all women need regular mammograms, Patterson says. “The best defense against breast cancer is early detection, when it is easiest to treat. Mammograms can show cancer early, before you can feel it.” And women of every age should be aware of changes in their breasts, particularly lumps, and have them evaluated by a physician, Patterson says.
You are diligent about getting your child’s annual checkup and keeping vaccinations up to date, but do you know what you need to stay healthy? Download a FREE chart of adult screenings at bloomkidshealth.org.
DOES MY CHILD NEED A FLU VACCINE EVERY YEAR?
A
If your child is 6 months or older, the answer is yes, with very rare exceptions, says Pennie Schultz, MD, of Centura Health Physician Group Pediatrics NorthCare. She recommends getting the vaccine in October, because it takes two weeks to develop immunity. The vaccine formula changes each year, to protect against whatever flu strains are circulating. So yes, your child, and you, do need a shot every year. Unfortunately, your child can’t avoid the needle when it comes to the flu vaccine — flu mist is no longer recommended for kids, Schultz says.
It’s the season for sickness. Watch a video to know when your kid is too sick for school at bloomkidshealth.org. CHPG Pediatrics NorthCare
worry
NOT TO T
he dark, the first day of school, a piano recital, can all be scary for kids.
A little anxiety is normal in young children. But when anxiety is persistent or interferes with normal activities, it might need attention, says clinical psychotherapist Nancy L. Bader, LCSW. Persistent anxiety can cause headaches, stomachaches, and trouble sleeping. But don’t let your child’s anxiety cause you to fret. Bader has some practical tips for calming kiddos: > Don’t be dismissive. Instead of saying, “It’ll be fine,” listen to their fears, and discuss ways to handle the frightening situation. > Redirect thoughts. If a birthday party is scary because new kids will be there, remind them that fun things will happen, too. > Be a role model. When we’re always fretting and anxious, we teach kids to worry. Try to project calm confidence. > Let them succeed. If going to school is frightening, address their fears. But they still have to go to school, and face that stressor. Give them the chance to overcome their fears and succeed. > Love unconditionally. Let them know you’ll still love them if they don’t get all As or aren’t perfect. If those strategies don’t work, though, it might be time to call a professional.
Anxiety in teens can develop suddenly and can be more serious. Learn more about teen anxiety and what to do at bloomkidshealth.org.
GET TO KNOW
REMOVING TONSILS OR ADENOIDS MAY HELP KIDS BREATHE EASY
MEET THE CENTURA HEALTH PHYSICIAN GROUP PEDIATRICS NORTHCARE PHYSICIANS Halloween is one day of the year when even the most health-conscious parent — or physician — may relax rules about sweet treats a bit, and might even indulge a bit themselves. If Sarah Amoroso, DO, were to look into a trick-or-treat bag, the treat she’d most like to find there would be the chewy, fruity goodness known as Mike & Ike. “They are my favorite candy by far,” she says. “Those or the old-school Tootsie Roll.”
T
onsils and adenoids trap germs and help keep kids from getting sick. But sometimes they can cause problems. Enlarged tonsils or adenoids can cause difficulty breathing, and sleep apnea or interrupted sleep, says Mikhal Gold Schiffer, MD, of Centura Health Physician Group Pediatrics NorthCare. That lack of sleep, Schiffer says, “can result in misbehavior at school, and can be misdiagnosed as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.” If your child has chronic congestion or frequent colds, ask for a referral to an ear, nose, and throat specialist, who can determine if tonsils, which are at the back of the throat, or adenoids, which can restrict nasal passages, or both, should be surgically removed. Is it a cold, sinus infection, allergies, or something else? Learn the difference by downloading a FREE chart at bloomkidshealth.org.
FIGHTING FOOD R
FEARS
efusing carrots and hurling peas are normal, if exasperating, toddler behaviors. But if picky eating persists past toddler years, your child may have a selective eating disorder, says Mikhal Gold Schiffer, MD, of Centura Health Physician Group Pediatrics NorthCare. Some food aversion results from trauma, Schiffer says. But often anxiety, or a heightened sense of smell, is the culprit. Most kids will eventually grow out of it, but you can speed the process by encouraging your child to talk about why he or she fears trying a particular food. If that doesn’t succeed, a therapist may help.
Mikhal Gold Schiffer, MD, would find delight in the iconic triangular Toblerone. “It seems so exotic, and Swiss,” she says. Pennie Schultz, MD, isn’t picky about what she’d like to see in a Halloween haul. “Anything that’s dark chocolate,” she says.
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. 719-571-7130
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