Make It Fun!

To kick everyone into gear and add a little pizazz to your cleaning routine, turn on some kid-friendly tunes and blare them through the house. The music will get those cleaning juices flowing and keep their minds and bodies moving. Plus, it provides a sense of unity when everyone is dancing, singing and having fun.

Divide and Conquer

Before getting started, it makes sense to dole out assignments to each family member. Older kids can be responsible for an entire room at a time without too much guidance, but children four and under should be your personal helper and given one task at a time with some supervision on your part.

So, what are some of the tasks with which little hands can help?

• Window blinds - Take ‘em outside, and let your little guy spray those suckers down with a garden hose until his heart is content. It is a quick and easy way to remove months (or even years) of dust without using too much elbow grease. After all is said and done, you may only have to do a quick once-over to ensure the blinds are squeaky clean, but be sure to do this after you have given him lots of praise for his hard work.
• Dusting - Give her a dry cloth or handy-dandy microfiber duster and let her go to town on coffee tables, speakers, lamps, etc. From her unique perspective, she may spot dusty items that you hadn’t even considered. To make this a tag-team event, you can spray each surface and let her buff to a sparkling sine.
• Floorboards - Nobody, I repeat, nobody likes messing with these, but they attract dirt like it is going out of style. Wet a rag or sponge and challenge her to get each and every speck of dirt. Or, make it a game, and each of you start on a different end. Once you meet in the middle, see whose side is cleaner. You may have to go over her side again, but at least you’ll have a bit of a head start. Once again, be sure to heap lots of praise upon her before going over her side so her sense of accomplishment isn’t demeaned.
• Bedding - Removing each and every piece of bedding can be a pain the you-know-what, but after months of wear, it could use a good sudsing. Because he already has a love of tearing things apart, let him go at it. Pulling off sheets, pillow cases/shams, bed skirts, etc., lets him satisfy his sense of destruction while helping you out in the process. It’s a win-win.
• Laundry - She may not share your love of organization, but you can turn sorting loads of laundry into a game that even she cannot resist. Perhaps she gets a point for every item placed into the correct load. She may also enjoy adding the detergent and/or dryer sheets, pressing the start button, switching loads from washer to dryer and even folding smaller items such as wash clothes, hand towels, socks and undies.
• Floor care - He is probably not quite ready to run the vacuum or mop the kitchen floor, but he can help with the preparations. Allow him to move smaller items out of the way so your path is as uncluttered as possible. Once you are finished, he can help put things back in their proper places.
• Organization - You may be the only one who abides by the “rules” of organizing their toys and belongings, but getting them involved may set the standard going forward. Give him a general idea of which toys fit where, then let him go. Sprinkle some fun into this task by pulling out the timer and seeing how quickly he can get things finished. Nothing gets a kid moving like a sense of competition.
• Hand-me-downs - Helping to pick out clothing, household items and toys to hand down to family/friends or donate to your local charity can give her a sense of generosity. Not to mention, she won’t be so upset when she goes to find a toy missing, only to discover you donated it while she was at school. Giving her authority over what gets donated can take the guesswork out of this mundane process.

Now that you have finally finished spring-cleaning, it is payment time. Special treats, a fun outing or cold hard cash are perfect choices not just for rewarding your hard-working kids, but also to get them psyched for the next bout of seasonal cleaning. There is no need to go it alone when little hands can make a big difference.

Please contact us (859-525-8181) if you have any questions about when to introduce responsibility into your childs life.  If needed, Dr.  Sharon Schroeder is certified in pediatric medicine and psychiatry.

I will be leaving on Friday to go to Boston, so I will be out of the office on Monday and Tuesday.  Monday I will be running in the 116th running of the Boston Marathon.  I qualified to run in this race by running a marathon in 2010 in a time of 3 hours and 14 minutes.  I would love to have a great day in Boston and beat that personal best, but at this point it will be about the experience in competing in the oldest marathon in the world.

I’ve been training for months and months – finishing 26.2 miles should not be a problem.  Doing each of those miles in 7 minutes and 15 seconds will definitely be a challenge.  Please pray for good weather in Boston on Monday and wish me luck!

If you want to track me during my run you can TEXT the word RUNNER to the number 345678 and put in my bib number which is 7513.

I’ll let you know how it goes!

We take the puppy everywhere (“Gus” is the new official mascot of Pediatrics of Florence) and it never ceases to amaze me how he puts everyone in a good mood. All stresses and tensions ease when there is a puppy around. Hold the puppy and any human instinctively must give love and affection.

Instead of tax credits, improved health care, or a better national economy, I truly believe all families would be better off if they could just be given a puppy.

Cellulitis is a skin infection affecting the tissues beneath the skin. Different types of bacteria can cause cellulitis and the most common are group A streptococcus and staphylococcus. Cellulitis requires medical attention because short term it can cause fever, chills, and swollen glands and if it’s untreated, this infection can cause serious complications.

Symptoms of Cellulitis

The signs of cellulitis include redness, warmth, swelling, and pain in the affected skin tissues. As the red area enlarges, the affected person can develop a fever, chills and sweats and swollen lymph nodes near the infected skin. If it turns out to be cellulitis it can spread quickly and in some cases, red streaks may appear around the area.

You can get cellulitis on any part of your body, but it often occurs on the face and legs where there are skin wounds. People with morbid obesity can also develop cellulitis on their stomach or abdominal area.

Is it Contagious?

Cellulitis is not contagious because it is an infection of the skin’s deeper layers. As such cellulitis differs from impetigo, which is a superficial skin infection that can be contagious.

How is Cellulitis Diagnosed & What is The Treatment?

First, it is crucial that your doctor determine whether or not the inflammation is due to an infection. He or she will examine your child’s skin and ask questions about recent injuries and activities. If your child has cellulitis, a common treatment is antibiotics.

Preventing Cellulitis

Usually, when your child gets a scratch, the problem clears up on its own. However infection can happen when bacteria enters the body through cuts, scratches, animal and bites, etc. As such, what began as a simple scrape or insect bite can become cellulitis.

You can usually prevent cellulitis by protecting the skin from scrapes, cuts, and bites. Here are some things you can do:

• Remind your child to not scratch at scabs, insect bites or chickenpox sores.
• Have them wear a protective helmet when riding their bike, and additional elbow, knee, and wrist pads when they play hockey, ride their scooter, do sports, skateboard or skate.
• Keep your kids in shoes when they are outside.
• Attire them in long pants and long-sleeved shirts when they hike, rock climb, mountain bike, or play rough outside.

Of course, every kid falls, gets a few scrapes, and is bitten by bugs. When this happens, wash the broken skin immediately with soap and warm water, and continue to wash it once a day until it scabs over. If needed, apply antibiotic ointment and a bandage. For more serious cuts, please give us a call.

One type of cellulitis more commonly seen now is infection from Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus (MRSA). This infection that used to be found more commonly in hospitals is now commonly seen in the community. It looks like a large, painful red pimple that needs to be “popped.” It is common in areas that are warm and moist (like in the diaper area in young kids and under sporting equipment/pads in older kids). If you see anything like this, it may need to be tested (cultured) and treated, so please let us know.

Please contact us (859-525-8181) if you have any questions about this cellulitis or any others relating to your child’s health .

As I strive to run faster and improve my foot strength, I’ve tried to run and walk in shoes with less and less support.  This has included wearing “toe shoes” or Vibram Five Fingers while running or even running barefoot when the weather cooperates.  Since Vibram recently came out with a model that might be tolerated in the work environment, I’m giving them a shot.  I’m already getting comments from families, but overall the kids love them.  I’ll let you know if wearing these on a daily basis turns out just to be a fashion statement or if they indeed make my feet stronger.

On a different note, I have now started training for the Boston Marathon and am starting to do some longer distance running again.  This morning I did 17 miles – it was bitter cold but I still love to be out running for a couple hours at a time.  It is usually on a run that takes awhile that my mind finally “quiets down” and gives me any ideas to blog about.  So I should have plenty of material between now and April 16th in Boston.  Stay tuned!

Article By Jessica Ester, ARNP

Whether winter brings severe storms, light dustings or just cold temperatures, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has some valuable tips on how to keep your children safe and warm.

What to Wear

• Dress infants and children warmly for outdoor activities.  Several thin layers will keep them dry and warm. Don’t forget warm boots, gloves or mittens, and a hat.

• The rule of thumb for older babies and young children is to dress them in one more layer of clothing than an adult would wear in the same conditions.

• Blankets, quilts, pillows, sheepskins and other loose bedding may contribute to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and should be kept out of an infant’s sleeping environment.  Sleep clothing like one-piece sleepers is preferred.

• If a blanket must be used to keep a sleeping infant warm, it should be tucked in around the crib mattress, reaching only as far as your baby’s chest, so the infant’s face is less likely to become covered by bedding materials.

Hypothermia

• Hypothermia develops when a child’s temperature falls below normal due to exposure to colder temperatures. It often happens when a youngster is playing outdoors in extremely cold weather without wearing proper clothing or when clothes get wet. It can occur more quickly in children than in adults.

• As hypothermia sets in, the child may shiver and become lethargic and clumsy.  Speech may become slurred and body temperature will decline in more severe cases.

• If you suspect your child is hypothermic, call 911 at once. Until help arrives, take the child indoors, remove any wet clothing, and wrap him in blankets or warm clothes.

Frostbite

• Frostbite happens when the skin and outer tissues become frozen.  This condition tends to happen on extremities like the fingers, toes, ears and nose.  They may become pale, gray and blistered. At the same time, the child may complain that his/her skin burns or has become numb.

• If frostbite occurs, bring the child indoors and place the frostbitten parts of her body in warm (not hot) water.  104° Fahrenheit (about the temperature of most hot tubs) is recommended. Warm washcloths may be applied to frostbitten nose, ears and lips.

• Do not rub the frozen areas.

• After a few minutes, dry and cover the child with clothing or blankets. Give him/her something warm to drink.

• If the numbness continues for more than a few minutes, call your doctor.

Winter Health

• If your child suffers from winter nosebleeds, try using a cold air humidifier in the child’s room at night. Saline nose drops or petrolatum may help keep tissues moist. If bleeding is severe or recurrent, consult your pediatrician.

• Many pediatricians feel that bathing two or three times a week is enough for an infant’s first year. More frequent baths may dry out the skin, especially during the winter.

• Cold weather does not cause colds or flu.  But the viruses that cause colds and flu tend to be more common in the winter, when children are in school and are in closer contact with each other.  Frequent hand washing and teaching your child to sneeze or cough into the bend of her elbow may help reduce the spread of colds and flu.
• Children 6 months of age and up should get the influenza vaccine to reduce their risk of catching the flu.

Winter Sports and Activities

• Set reasonable time limits on outdoor play to prevent hypothermia and frostbite.  Have children come inside periodically to warm up.

Ice Skating

• Allow children to skate only on approved surfaces.  Check for signs posted by local police or recreation departments, or call your local police department to find out which areas have been approved.

• Advise your child to:
• Skate in the same direction as the crowd
• Avoid darting across the ice
• Never skate alone
• Not chew gum or eat candy while skating.
• Consider having your child wear a helmet while ice skating.

Sledding

• Keep sledders away from motor vehicles.
• Children should be supervised while sledding.
• Keep young children separated from older children.
• Sledding feet first or sitting up, instead of lying down head-first, may prevent head injuries.
• Consider having your child wear a helmet while sledding.
• Use steerable sleds, not snow disks or inner tubes.
• Sleds should be structurally sound and free of sharp edges and splinters, and the steering mechanism should be well lubricated.
• Sled slopes should be free of obstructions like trees or fences, be covered in snow not ice, not be too steep (slope of less than 30º), and end with a flat runoff.
• Avoid sledding in crowded areas.

Snow Skiing and Snowboarding

• Children should be taught to ski or snowboard by a qualified instructor in a program designed for children.
• Never ski or snowboard alone.
• Young children should always be supervised by an adult.  Older children’s need for adult supervision depends on their maturity and skill.  If older children are not with an adult, they should always at least be accompanied by a friend.
• Consider wearing a helmet.
• Equipment should fit the child.  Skiers should wear safety bindings that are adjusted at least every year.  Snowboarders should wear gloves with built-in wrist guards. Eye protection or goggles should also be used.
• Slopes should fit the ability and experience of the skier or snowboarder.  Avoid crowded slopes.
• Avoid skiing in areas with trees and other obstacles.

Sun Protection

The sun’s rays can still cause sunburn in the winter, especially when they reflect off snow.  Make sure to cover your child’s exposed skin with sunscreen.

Fire Protection

Winter is a time when household fires occur. It is a good time to remember to:

• Buy and install smoke alarms on every floor of your home
• Test smoke alarms monthly
• Practice fire drills with your children
• Install a carbon monoxide detector outside bedrooms

American Academy of Pediatrics, 12/10
SafeKids,  11/105

What Does 5-2-1-0 Healthy Mean?

This easy to remember message stands for the following healthy habits:

5              Eating fruits and vegetables at least 5 times a day. Limit 100% fruit juice.

2              Cutting screen time to 2 hours or less a day.

1              Participating in at least one hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day.

0              Restricting soda and sugar-sweetened sports and fruit drinks. Drink water and 3-4 servings/day of fat-free/skim or 1% milk.

Helping Your Kids Learn Healthy Habits

As a gentle reminder, put this article on your fridge. Take a few minutes each week to sit down and talk about it with your children to help them become more aware of their eating and exercise habits. Take the snack lists below with you on grocery shopping trips.

No Prep “One Serving” Snacks

• Whole fruits
• Fruit salad: 1/2 cup store-bought, fresh fruit, unsweetened canned fruit, or snack cup
• Apple sauce: 1 snack cup (unsweetened)
• Nuts: 1/3 cup of nuts such as almonds, peanuts, cashews, or mixed nuts
• Cheese: Low fat string cheese, or 2 slices low fat cheese
• Granola/Fruit bar: 1 low fat, whole grain bar
• Cereal: 1 cup whole grain cereal (unsweetened)
• Fruit smoothies: Store-bought or homemade with fresh or frozen fruit and low fat milk or yogurt
  

Weekend & Evening Snacks (Some Prep)

• Veggies & dip such as baby carrots, red pepper slices, chopped broccoli, or cherry tomatoes served with hummus, low fat salad dressing, or other low fat dip
• Snack kabobs: veggie or fruit chunks skewered onto thin pretzel sticks
• Sweet potato fries: baked sweet potato wedges, tossed lightly with olive oil and salt
• Low fat cottage cheese or yogurt with fruit and/or granola
• Homemade Popsicles: made with 100% fruit juice or low fat yogurt
• Taco roll-up: small whole wheat tortilla rolled w/low fat cheese, beans and salsa
• Mini pizzas: toast pita bread or half of a whole wheat English muffin w/tomato sauce, cheese, and chopped vegetables
• Mini bagel with spread with 1 tablespoon light cream cheese, peanut butter, or hummus

Rewards & Celebrating a Job Well Done

Sometimes we’re tempted to reward good behavior with food. While your kids may enjoy this, invite them to suggest alternative rewards that are not food based. As you come up with ideas, create a list of inexpensive rewards and post it where the whole family can see it. You can also put together a separate list of special rewards to recognize fabulous achievements.

Potential “Healthy Habit” Rewards

• Give certificates or ribbons for healthy behaviors.
• Allow your child to have a few friends over after school to play sports.
• Invite a few of their friends to a sleepover.
• Have a family game night.
• Keep a box of special toys or art supplies that can only be used on special occasions.
• Attend a sports game.
• Camp out in the back yard.
• Encourage the use of electronics that support physical activity, like Dance Dance Revolution.
• Choose toys and games that promote physical activity like jump ropes, balls, or Skip-Its.

It takes time for eating and exercise habits to change and “stick.” Encouraging your kids to make those changes week by week with healthy snacks, gentle reminders and appropriate rewards, will help you and your family create your own ways of becoming healthier.

> More information about the Nutrition: 5-2-1-0 Program

If you have any questions about the Nutrition 5-2-1-0 program or anything else relating to your kids’ health please Contact Us  (859-525-8181) Today!

Pediatrics of Florence has a contract with 2 of the 3 MCO’s. We will be accepting WellCare of Kentucky and Coventry Cares. We will not be accepting Kentucky Spirit Health Plans. If you have been assigned to Kentucky Spirit Health Plan and wish to remain in the care of this practice you will need to contact your worker to have your plan changed to either WellCare of Kentucky or Coventry Cares..

Please contact us (859) 525-8181, if you have any questions about medicaid or any other matter relating to your child’s health.

Simply pull up to the office and get your child’s flu mist without having to get the kids out of the car. The clinic will be for flu mist only.

Eligibility Requirements

In order to be eligible to receive the mist, your child must be over the age of 2 years, not have an allergy to egg, and not have
a history of wheezing or asthma.   If you are not sure if your child can receive the mist, please contact (859) 525-8181 the office prior to the clinic to determine if they are eligible.

Drive Up Flu Clinic Dates

• Wednesday, October 5^th from 3:00pm – 5:00pm
• Saturday, October 15^th 9:00an- 12:00pm
• Wednesday, October 19^th from 3:00pm-5:00on

If we are experiencing severe weather please call the office to verify that we are still holding the clinic. Please be sure to follow the step by step instructions in order to make the clinic flow smoothly for both our patients and our staff.

Drive up Flu Mist Clinic Instructions

1. When you arrive in the office parking lot, please call 525-8181 to let us know that you are here.
2. You may park anywhere in the parking lot, but please turn on your hazard lights so you can be easily identified.
3. Please provide the name of each child that you wish to receive the flu mist.
4. A nurse or medical assistant will be out shortly with the immunization.

Please contact us (859) 525-8181, if you have any questions about flu vacinnes or any other matter relating to your child’s health.