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Vitamin & Mineral Supplements: 
We now understand that preventing chronic illness in adulthood may have roots in childhood. For example, calcium and vitamin D to prevent osteoporosis, antioxidants to prevent atherosclerosis and strokes, among many others, and folate to prevent Spina Bifida.
We now recommend all children receive a supplemental Multivitamin with Iron daily. This may start as early as two weeks of age. Any of the standard OTC brands (Poly-vi-sol, Centrum, Flintstones 'with Iron') are acceptable as long as you follow the package guidelines for age and dosing. Usually this will be drops for infants and toddlers and chewable tablets for preschool and school age kids. Middle schoolers may begin taking adult or teen one-a-day vitamins. All of these products will provide adequate amounts of the necessary vitamins and minerals (except Fluoride) for all children, with the exception of girls >9y.
Girls in the teen and pre-teen years need more Calcium than the standard multivitamin will provide. We recommend that in addition to a multivitamin, they also take a separate Calcium Supplement (Citracal, Caltrate, many others) in a dose of 800mg daily.
Fluoride is best given alone, at bedtime, separate from the multivitamin (which should be given with a meal earlier in the day). Therefore, we prefer Dentists prescribe Fluoride as a separate medication.
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Around 700 million children - almost half of the world's children - breathe air polluted by tobacco smoke.
Second-hand smoke, also called environmental tobacco smoke, is a combination of two forms of smoke that come from burning tobacco products.
- Sidestream smoke: the smoke that comes from the end of a lit tobacco product
- Mainstream smoke: the smoke that a smoker exhales
Second hand smoke is made up of particles and gases containing thousands of chemicals, including carcinogens and toxic chemicals.
Certain harmful health effects of second-hand smoke are specific to infants and children. Babies born to smoking mothers have on average lower birth weight than those whose mothers do not smoke during pregnancy. Infants exposed to second-hand smoke are at increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and both infants and older children exposed have increased rate of respiratory infections, asthma, cough, wheeze,and middle-ear infections.
Children are exposed involuntarily to second-hand smoke because adults smoke in the places where they live, work, and play. While more and more countries are banning smoking in public places and workplaces, children remain unprotected from exposure in homes, cars, and other locations where they spend their time.
Please do not expose your children to second-hand smoke.
Need Help Quitting?
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Cell Phones
Cell phones are an integral part of kids' lives. According to research, 22 percent of young children own a cell phone (ages 6-9), 60 percent of tweens (ages 10-14), and 84 percent of teens (ages 15-18. And cell phone companies are now marketing to younger children with colorful kid-friendly phones and easy-to-use features. According to market research firm the Yankee Group, 54 percent of 8 to12 year olds will have cell phones within the next three years. What can parents do? Check out Center on Media & Child Health
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International Travel Please Plan Ahead!
Many of our patients come from and travel to all parts of the globe. Just as our goal is to keep your child healthy on US soil, we are happy to provide you with travel safety information, preventative vaccines, and appropriate medications for international travel as well, through a visit with Dr. Summers.
Many vaccines appropriate for international travel require several months "lead-time" between administration and efficacy. Furthermore, when traveling with an infant, we can often give standard vaccinations slightly earlier than the normal schedule in order to provide maximum protection.
For these reasons, we encourage you to plan ahead, and consult with us about your travel plans as far ahead of time as possible.
Want more information? Check out the CDC travel website
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Traveling with a Sick or Injured Child?
Ask relatives or your hotel for the name of a board-certified pediatrician, or the ER of a Children's Hospital or major teaching hospital.
Click here for Children's Hospitals Listed Geographically by State (Also try the more complete listing at the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI).
Any hospital in this list is going to be much better for children than a
random community general hospital. Hospitals marked by an asterisk (*) are well known by us and recommended by our CMO providers.
(Insurance note: Call your insurer within 24 hours of a visit, if required) |
