All posts by Kate D. Shand, PA-C, IBCLC

Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby

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Yup, we are going there. A subject that makes a lot of parents (and their teenagers, too!) squirm. But, it’s a fact of life, and you should be talking to them about it. Because like it or not, there’s information everywhere. Good AND bad. And just like we talked to them about staying away from strangers, it’s our job as parents, to give them the right information so they can make the right decisions when it comes to sex. So, let’s delve into it.

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Teaching Kids the Giving Spirit

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holiday-joyIt’s that time of year again!!!  Let the snow fly and the frantic trips to the mall start!!!  My house has already been bombarded with holiday gift catalogs WAY before November even hit.  It all seems too soon.

So how do we manage the gift craze as parents? Limit the number of presents they get every year? Limit the amount we spend? But then how do we tell family and friends to reign it in (pun intended). Sometimes it seems like the craziness is just too much to try to control.
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Are You and Your Family “Fed Up?”

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With the New Year in full swing, many of you either are happily into your New Years resolutions or have woefully abandoned them. Or, you may be like me, and just never made one to begin with. Regardless, this time of year brings up a lot of talk about diet for those young and old.  And, as this is not physical season at Legacy Pediatrics when we tend to talk the most about proper nutrition and eating habits, it does tend to be the time of year when it is on people’s minds. So here are some of my thoughts and conversations that I end up having with parents and children when talking about nutrition.

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Sleep Training

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Baby Sleeping at Night

Photo By Seth Baur

“Are they sleeping thru the night?”

This is the age old question that is asked of new parents by family, friends, and healthcare providers alike.  Up to 45% of mothers reported infant sleep problems over the age of 6 months.   So what can you do about it?   This is usually when the conversation turns to sleep training.  How do you do it?  Will it work?  Is it ok to put my child (and myself) thru it?  Will it do any long term damage to let them “cry it out”?

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Enterovirus D68

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There has been a lot of press recently on Enterovirus D68 causing severe respiratory illness in children.  It seems to present like a normal cold, without a fever, but tends to produce more severe respiratory symptoms and can hit asthmatics particularly hard.  Just like with any other virus, stopping the spread can be tricky and the only solution at this stage is good hand washing.  Most importantly, parents need to know what to watch out for.  Parents should keep an eye out for trouble breathing.  This can show up in different ways for different aged kids.  Babies will eat less (take less bottles) because it will become hard for them to drink a bottle when they are working so hard to breathe.  They will choose breathing over the bottle.  Also, keep an eye out for chest retractions.

Any aged child may also have shortness of breath, faster breathing, bluish appearance of lips, persistent cough, or vomiting after a coughing fit.   And as always, if you suspect your child may be having trouble breathing, make sure to call our office and make an appointment, or bring them in to our walk-in hour Monday–Friday, 8am-9am.

Cough Cough, Sneeze Sneeze, No Antibiotics Please

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Cough and Sneeze

Photo Credit: Hygiene Matters

It’s September which means back to school, and also back to germs and illness season.  Although we certainly see virus’s and colds thru out the summer, it pales in comparison to the amount we see in the fall and winter months.  With these illnesses comes the age old question that parents and clinicians alike battle with:  Does this child need an antibiotic?  The overwhelming answer is usually no and it’s important for parents and prescribers alike, to understand what we are doing by over-prescribing antibiotics when they are not necessary.

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Getting Ready For Your Summer Physical

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Physical season is upon us!  To ensure a proper full examination, we ask that when you bring your child in please have them wear loose fitting pants/shorts. If they are wearing tight pants/shorts we will ask them to change into a gown. Thank you in advance for making the appointment go smoother.

Also, new this year at your child’s physical, we will be handing out a form listing multiple different over-the-counter and nonprescription medications that the school nurse may need permission to administer.  We will sign the bottom of the form, and it will be the parents’ responsibility to cross out any of the listed medications that you would prefer that your child NOT have while at school.  We are hoping this will help both our office and you by cutting down on unnecessary phone calls and trips to the school/office.

Download the Form

A Breastfeeding Guide for a Realistic World

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By Kate D. Shand, PA-C, CBS (Certified Breastfeeding Specialist)

Everyone knows “Breast is Best” for your baby. Any quick Google search will show a bevy of information (some good and some bad) for new moms to read when preparing to breastfeed their child. And let’s not forget the friends and family members who will chime in with their experiences and opinions as well (again, some good and some bad). Here at Legacy Pediatrics, we have seen and heard it all from new moms with what works and what doesn’t. I’ve compiled a list of what I think is the most important “rules” (a term I use lightly) when trying to breastfeed your newborn. I’d like to think this is a less strict/realistic approach than what you will read elsewhere while taking into account everything that is going on in those stressful first few weeks home with your new baby.

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