Guidelines for Using Appointment Requests

• Appointment requests are meant for consults or well checks only. No sick appointments please.
• Appointment requests are REQUESTS, not actual confirmed appointments times. You must receive a confirmation email from the office verifying that appointment time is available.
• Please do not request patient information or ask medical questions though appointment requests.  Please use or signup for our Patient Portal to send us secure messages that ensure your privacy.

Our Patient Portal

Pediatrics of Florence has a patient portal called Next MD. It is similar to a student portal that you may use through your child’s school to access grades but now you can use Next MD to communicate with our office. Next MD will allow you to enter the world of Pediatrics of Florence through a patient portal to request things of our office without having to ever pick up a phone. After signing up your child for the patient portal you will be able to request Immunization certificates, school or sports physical forms and request medication refills. You will also be able to contact someone in our office with a billing question or a problem/question regarding your account or insurance.
>> Login to the Patient Portal

Sign Up Now if you Haven’t Already Registered!

If you wish to set up your patient portal now please fill-in the form below. The information will then be emailed to you so you can set up your child’s account.

Office Hours for the week of July 1-6, 2013…

8:30am – 6:30pm Monday-Thursday
8:30am – 6:00pm Friday
9:00am – 12:00pm Saturday

>> Normal Office Hours

40% of mothers start their infants on solid food earlier than medical experts recommend.  This especially happens to babies who are formula-fed.  Experts recommend a minimum age of 4 months old says a new study in the April 2013 issue of Pediatrics. 

53% of infants who were formula-fed and 24% of breast-fed were started on solids before the recommended 4 months.

Mothers who started their baby’s too early on solids cited reasons such as ” My baby was old enough,” and, “It would help my baby sleep longer at night.”

There are multiple reasons why you should wait 4 months to give your infant solids.  The American Academy of Pediatrics states that the head and neck control and overall coordination that an infant needs to safely eat solids does not develop until around 4 months. Also the study notes that feeding infants solids early could increase the risk of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, eczema and celiac disease.

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends recommends exclusive breast feeding first 6 months because of numerous health benefits for infants such as reduced risk of respiratory and ear infections, diarrhea, diabetes, obesity and sudden infant death syndrome.

1,334 mothers provided information for the new study.

Key Findings…

• Mothers who introduced solid food before 4 months were more likely to be younger, unmarried, have less education or be participating in the federal Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program.
• 8% said they introduced solid food as early as 1 month or younger, including 11% who formula-fed only and 5% who breast-fed only.
• 89% of moms who introduced solid food early said they did so because their baby was old enough to begin eating solids; 71% said the baby seemed hungry a lot; 67% said the baby wanted the food I ate or showed interest in solid food; 8% said the baby had a medical condition that might be helped by eating solid food.

Contact Us (859-525-8181) if you have any question about this subject.  We would be happy to discuss this with you.

Click to go to www.RunandSlug.com

For those of you who want to have some fun on the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend, please consider signing up to participate in the 5th Annual Memorial Run and Slug 13K.  This takes place on May 26th at 10 am at Shakey’s Pub at the corner of US 42 and Ewing.  This is a family friendly event in which participants run or walk 4 or 8 miles, or just come eat on Shakey’s patio while the “racers” are coming in.  The race is free to participate in.

Simply go to www.runandslug.com to sign up.

You can email me at rob.tagher@gmail.com if  you have any questions.

Select the correct car seat for your child based on child’s age and size as well as your particular vehicle.

If unclear about what is the appropriate seat for your child, please call the Comprehensive Children’s Injury Center at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital at 513-636-7865.  For a list of fitting stations in the area visit www.cincinnatichildrens.org/ccic

• Ages 0-2: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends this child to be rear facing.  There are different types of rear-facing seats such as infant-only seats (pumpkin seats) and convertible and 3-in-1 car seats. The convertible seat allows for typically higher height and weight limits so can be used rear facing and then may be turned front facing when appropriate.
• Ages 2-4: After the age of two, your child can ride in a forward facing car seat with a five point harness. He/she should remain in such a seat until they are four years old and weighs at least 40 pounds
• Ages 4-8: Keep your child in a forward-facing car seat with a harness until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat’s manufacturer.  Once your child outgrows the forward-facing car seat with a harness, transition to a booster seat, but the child should still remain in the back seat.
• Ages 8-12: Keep your child in a booster seat until they are big enough to fit in a seat belt properly. The recommended size is until they are 4’9”.  For a seat belt to fit properly the lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should lie snug across the shoulder and chest and not cross the neck or face
• REMEMBER: You child should ride in the back seat because it is safer there!

Tips for restraining your child in the car seat (infant seats/rear-facing or forward-facing with harness)

• Place baby or child in the seat with the hips and back against the back of the seat.
• Position the shoulder straps so they are at or below shoulder level for infant seats or rear-facing and position the shoulder straps at or above the level of child’s shoulders if in forward facing with harness
• Make sure the shoulder straps are snug with no slack. You should not be able to pinch excess harness webbing together lengthwise at the top of the shoulders.
• Place the harness clip so it is in the middle of your child’s chest, at armpit or nipple level.
• Avoid thick layer of clothing under the harness
• Do not place blankets beneath or wrap blankets around your baby. You may place a blanket over them once the harness is fastened.

Tips for belt-positioning booster seats

• Make sure the lap belt is snug and positioned low enough to fit over the top of your child’s thighs.
• Check to be sure the shoulder belt stays on your child’s shoulder and lies flat across the chest
• Never put a shoulder belt under your child’s arm so it crosses over the lower chest or behind the back. This could cause serious injury.

Contact Us (859-525-8181) if you have any question about this subject.  We would be happy to discuss this with you.

A new study has been done concerning children’s television habits and how it effects their behavior.  The study was facilitated by the Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development at Seattle Children’s Hospital.

The study concludes that if you can swap out violent TV programming for educational shows with healthy behavioral messages, you will see a change for the better in your child’s behavior. Researchers found  that after 6 months of replacing a preschooler’s exposure to violent programming with educational television that they showed declines in aggression and/or being difficult.  These preschoolers also showed more empathy and helpfulness.  The amount of television watching was not changed for the preschoolers but low income boys, who watch the most television, had the most improved results.

The average preschooler in the United States watches 4-5 hours of television a day! The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages TV and other media use by children under age 2 and says it should be limited to less than 2 hours a day for older children.

Contact Us (859-525-8181) if you have any question about this subject.  We would be happy to discuss this with you.

>> Checkout this Cincinnati Enquirer article about my participation in the race: Florence doctor finishes 100-mile race for children’s advocacy center

As my body continues to recover and I am able to reflect on all that took place on race day, I have to say, I could have never finished without the support of my friends, family and patients who contributed to my success.  So consider this a huge thank you to anyone who encouraged me, prayed for me or donated to the Northern Kentucky Child Advocacy Center on my behalf.  We ended up raising over $18,000 for abused children and families and they are still getting donations on my behalf until the end of the month.  This has been a life changing experience for me and I’m glad you were able to support me in my efforts.

When I think about all the miles I ran in training for the race, or the 100 miles on race day, I like to think of the ultra runners’ motto:  “we don’t have to, we get to.”  I agree with this quote, as I consider it a privilege to be able to run at all, and especially to do it for a good cause.

A few small stories…

• I am overwhelmed by the amount of giving and thoughtfulness.  Monetary donations aside, I am receiving support and words of wisdom from people I have never met.
• I had one family in our practice personally donate $1000 to this cause.  Unbelievable.
• Last week Bethany Hanser, our lactation consultant, planned to donate funds and brought $100 bill to our office, but when she arrived she could not find it.  A week went by and it wasn’t found.  Unaware of this loss, this past Tuesday, Shirley Pieper who takes care of our landscaping at the office brought in a $100 bill that she found out in the grass.  The fact that this bill was found after all the wind  we’ve had over the last week, and then that it was TURNED IN, is truly amazing.
• I have seen some of my patients give $5-10 dollars when I know that they don’t have money to give.

After some of the horrific things that happen and that we see on TV, it is comforting to know that the human spirit is inherently good and that we mostly just want to help each other.

Tomorrow I will take all of this inherently good karma and shove it into my waist pack and take it on a 100 mile run around Indiana.  When I’m tired or in pain I will walk for awhile, drink some sports drink and think of all the people who supported my run.

Thank you.
Dr. Rob

P.S.  If you want to track me you can go to http://www.runrace.net/findarace.php?id=13110IN&tab=a5&lstpart=4029#lPrt and click on my bib number which is 158.

And if you haven’t given yet and want to, no donation is too small.  Go to www.giveforward.com/nkycac and give now.

I am running this 100 mile race in April because it is Child Abuse Awareness Month and I am trying to raise money for the Northern Kentucky Child Advocacy Center. The Advocacy Center works for prevention, evaluation and treatment of children of abuse. It does this in a child friendly environment and is a great resource here in Northern Kentucky.

Click to View Larger

I’m hoping to run the 100 miles in 20-24 hours. If you want to learn more about this 100 mile race or see the results when it is over, you can go to this website… www.indianatrail100.com

I want to give a huge THANK YOU to all of you that may be getting this who have already given money to support me in this run. If you haven’t already given, and you are able (no donation is too small!!!), please go to the following site to give… www.giveforward.com/nkycac

Please pray I have good weather on race day and thanks again for any donations,
Dr. Rob