By Christina Tanguay, DO
Special to the Times
(408) 357-1030
PDF Version

Summer is Almost Over…Alas, as the summer camps are ending, the vacation time dwindling, and as Labor Day draws near we suddenly realize…school is just around the corner! Time seems to have just flown by.Before everything disappears completely into fall, now is the best time to take your children to see your Pediatrician. Here’s why…

It’s More than Just Shots
Pediatricians care foremost about the physical, mental, and social health of all children. By partnering with families, we can provide guidance and strategies to help prevent illness and injury before they happen. You can start by simply taking charge of your children’s health and becoming knowledgeable about their health history. When was the last time they saw a doctor for a complete physical exam? If it has been so long that you do not remember, it is important to make that appointment now before your schedule becomes too hectic. We encourage well-child visits every one to two years after the age of two, particularly before school starts.

Think back. Has your child been to the ER or Urgent Care clinic multiple times for asthma flare-ups? It may be time to come in for a review of you child’s medications, asthma triggers, and care plan to prevent future flare-ups. It’s best to have your care plan and medicines ready so that you can prevent those late night visits to the ER and absences from school during the winter. Does your child have allergy symptoms that don’t seem to go away? Is she constantly coughing and clearing the throat? Maybe it’s time to review the allergens, medications, and triggers in the household with your physician so that the sniffling, sneezing, and itchy eyes don’t distract her from doing her best in school and PE. Is your teenager complaining about her acne and nothing seems to work? Make an appointment, and we will start a treatment now. She will worry less about her appearance at school, especially for the Winter Formal. Together we can keep your child in good health so that she can concentrate on her academic experiences in school.

Surveillance
Even if your child is healthy as can be and has never been sick, it is important to make sure that your child is growing and gaining weight appropriately. Obesity is an epidemic that begins in childhood. We can review your child’s growth and weight charts to see if there is a need for intervention. We review diet, exercise, and family histories. We can help overweight children only if the entire family is involved. Children usually adhere to a plan if the parents, grandparents, siblings, and all caregivers participate as well. We can all watch less TV, make healthier food choices, and exercise more. Being overweight also has profound effects on a child’s mental health. Many children are stigmatized, bullied, and isolated for their condition. They cannot keep up with the other kids in PE. This can have profound effects on one’s self-esteem where there is so much pressure to fit in. We can intervene now to manage one’s weight and to help emphasize good habits that will last a lifetime.

Prevention is Key
During your visit, we can also review safety issues at home, in the car, on the street, and at school. Do you have a working smoke detector and an escape plan in case of a fire or an earthquake? Do you have a swimming pool and a secure fence surrounding it? Do your children know what to do in case of an emergency? Do they know their home address, your contact information at work, and your cell phone number? Now is the time to review and prepare. If you haven’t had a talk about a disaster plan, it’s important to discuss that now. It’s a good idea to have a laminated card listing your child’s medications, drug allergies, doctor’s phone number, and any chronic conditions. Keep one in your wallet and one at school so that it can be easily referenced in the event of an emergency. We can make sure the information you have is current. The last thing you want to do in an emergency is to be fumbling through papers and to be guessing vital information that could save her life.

Hazards abound not only at home but also on the way to school. Do you have a car seat appropriate for the weight of your child? We can review those guidelines to prevent serious injuries in an auto accident. I’ve seen far too many children killed or permanently disabled since they were not properly secured in a child safety seat! Avoid the temptation of packing as many children as you can into a vehicle without enough seatbelts and safety seats. Not only is it against the law, it is a fatal mistake in a collision! Sadly, I’ve seen many fatalities involving children who were not properly secured during an accident.

We also encourage dialogue regarding crossing the street, avoiding contact with strangers, and other personal safety issues. Make sure your children never walk alone even for a few blocks to the bus stop or school. What would she do if a stranger approached her? Does she know where to go and what to do? Is your child home alone at the end of the day? Does she know what to do if the doorbell rings or a fire erupts? Ask your child about bullying. Is she a victim or has seen other classmates victimized? Maybe she is the victimizer? Words can hurt more deeply than physical wounds. A lowered self-esteem can lead to high-risk behaviors such as alcohol, drug use, suicide, and the use of firearms. Be open to discussing this with your child so that together you can address these issues and come up with a plan for zero tolerance.

By taking your children to see their doctor, we can find ways to optimize their physical and mental health both now and in the future.

Dr. Christina Tanguay is a Candidate Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and is a Pediatrician for the
San Jose Medical Group,
2585 Samaritan Drive,
San Jose, CA 95124.
The phone number is (408) 357-1030.