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As the weather is getting colder we all want to make sure our kids are cozy warm when we leave the house.  Something to keep in mind, however, is that puffy coats and car seats don’t mix!  Car seat straps are intended to lay against your child’s body with little space between the strap and the child.  Any extra bulk or padding will compress a great deal from the extreme forces of a car crash, leaving extra space under the harness a child can then slip through the straps and be thrown from the seat.

These tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) will help parents strike that perfect balance between keeping little ones warm as well as safely buckled in their car seats.

• Store the carrier portion of infant seats inside the house when not in use.
• Get an early start
• Dress your child in thin layers
• Don’t forget hats, mittens, and socks or booties
• Use a coat or blanket over the straps
• Use a car seat cover ONLY if it does not have a layer under the baby
• Remember, if the item did not come with the car seat, it has not been crash tested and may interfere with the protection provided in a crash
• Pack an emergency bag for your car

​​​​​​​​​​Sleep is just as important to your children’s development and well-being as nutrition and physical activity. The amount and quality of sleep we have can affect our safety, how alert we are, as well as our memories, moods, behavior, and learning abilities. Establishing good sleep practices while your children are young will not only benefit you, but it will help them for many years to come.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) provides some helpful guidelines regarding just how much sleep children need at different stages in their development.  Children thrive on a regular bedtime routine. Regular sleep deprivation often leads to some pretty difficult behaviors and health problems—irritability, difficulty concentrating, hypertension, obesity, headaches, and depression. Children who get enough sleep have a healthier immune system, and better school performance, behavior, memory, and mental health. Keep in mind that these numbers reflect total sleep hours in a 24-hour period. So if your son or daughter still naps, you’ll need to take that into account when you add up his or her typical sleep hours.

• Newborns (0-3 months ): Sleep range narrowed to 14-17 hours each day (previously it was 12-18)
• Infants (4-11 months): Sleep range widened two hours to 12-15 hours (previously it was 14-15)
• Toddlers (1-2 years): Sleep range widened by one hour to 11-14 hours (previously it was 12-14)
• Preschoolers (3-5): Sleep range widened by one hour to 10-13 hours (previously it was 11-13)
• School age children (6-13): Sleep range widened by one hour to 9-11 hours (previously it was 10-11)
• Teenagers (14-17): Sleep range widened by one hour to 8-10 hours (previously it was 8.5-9.5)
• Younger adults (18-25): Sleep range is 7-9 hours (new age category)
• Adults (26-64): Sleep range did not change and remains 7-9 hours
• Older adults (65+): Sleep range is 7-8 hours (new age category)

During the months of June, July, and August, we are happy to offer to an established patient a wellness check or sports physical during walk-in clinic or by appointment from Monday to Friday.
Our walk-in clinic is staffed by board certified pediatricians and pediatric trained nurse practitioners daily. There unfortunately is no ability to pick which provider you will see in walk-in. If you would like to be seen by a specific provider, please call our clinic at 935-6012 to schedule an appointment.

During puberty, a person goes through many physical, emotional and social changes. Boys usually begin puberty between the ages of 9 and 15, and it may take five to seven years for all of the changes to occur. The most obvious of these changes include a growth spurt; the voice becoming deeper; shoulders becoming broader; hair growth on the face, around the genitals and underarms; and the genitals growing larger. Some boys may experience acne, and their sweat may develop a strong odor. Some may also experience slight breast growth that can be embarrassing but usually resolves on its own.

The changes of puberty enable people to physically reproduce. During puberty, testosterone triggers the testicles to start making sperm, so the penis can now ejaculate. During puberty, some boys experience wet dreams or nocturnal emissions, when ejaculation occurs spontaneously during sleep. Wet dreams are normal, though not everyone has them. Many boys also experience spontaneous erections during puberty. Again, it’s normal if they do, and normal if they don’t.

The emotional changes associated with puberty may include having intense mood swings and new sexual and/or romantic feelings. Boys’ relationships with their parents, siblings and friends may also change during this time. They may express the desire for more privacy and want to spend more time with their friends. Young men going through puberty may feel embarrassed, nervous, self-conscious and/or excited by all of the changes they are experiencing. Having a wide range of feelings about puberty is completely normal.

It is important for caring adults to explain the changes of puberty to young men before and while they are going through them. It is also essential to assure them that these changes are normal. Helping young people identify ways to cope with these changes can make this stage of life less stressful. Talking about these changes with the young people in your life lets them know that they are not alone and that they can come to their parents or guardians if they have questions or need support.