Summer Edition - July 2021
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Is Your Child Up-To-Date on Their Vaccinations?
Brought to you by
Dr. Stephanie Haridopolos, Board Chair,
Florida Healthy Kids Corporation
It’s hard to believe another school year starts in less than a month! As the mother of three great kids, I know there is so much to consider when preparing for your children to go back to the classroom. Parents have to think of everything from new clothes to supplies to sports, and it can be stressful!
As a board-certified family medicine doctor, I also want to remind you know how important it is that your children see their doctor during the summer to catch up on any vaccines they may have missed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you’re not sure which vaccines your child needs, here’s the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) recommended vaccines by age list. These vaccines are essential to helping keep your child healthy, and many children have fallen behind during the last year even though vaccines are free with Florida KidCare!
For children 12 and older, the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine is also now available. The CDC has the following information to share with parents if you choose to get your child this vaccination:
- You will not be charged for your child to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
- Your child cannot get COVID-19 from the COVID-19 vaccine because there is no live virus in the vaccine.
- Your child will need a second shot of the COVID-19 vaccine 3 weeks after their first shot.
Talk to your child’s doctor about whether the COVID-19 vaccine is right for your child. Ask them any questions you have. I always encourage all of my patients to talk openly with me during every appointment. The more information we have as doctors, the more we can help families. For some additional information, click here to view a CDC flyer about the COVID-19 vaccine for children and teens.
If you are concerned about taking your child to see their doctor, I encourage you to call them and find out what safety procedures they have in place to protect you and your child, or other potential options, like a telehealth visit, that they may be able to offer you.
A healthy child is better prepared to learn and succeed in the classroom. I wish all Florida KidCare families a healthy and happy school year.
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Find A COVID-19 Vaccine Near You
Text your zip code to: GETVAX (for English) or VACUNA (for Spanish) to receive a message with three possible vaccination sites, with phone numbers to call for an appointment
Call the COVID-19 Call Center:
1-866-779-6121 (open 24/7)
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Oral Health Matters for the Whole Family
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There is no shortage of thoughts and emotions that run through the minds of expecting parents: joy, anticipation, fear and anxiety to name a few. For many, access to dental care is a big factor in that mix of fear and anxiety. It is important to make sure you visit the dentist during pregnancy, as a lack of dental care can impact the health of both mom and baby.
Pregnancy can increase the likelihood of getting periodontal (gum) disease and cavities. Poor dental health during pregnancy may increase low birth weight or premature birth. Also, not properly brushing can cause bacteria. The type of bacteria that causes dental caries can be contagious. If you have active dental bacteria in your mouth, you can transfer the bacteria to your children when doing simple things like kissing or sharing food.
A mother who has good dental health habits and visits the dentist regularly is more likely to teach their children good dental health habits. Teaching dental health behaviors like brushing and flossing daily sets up the whole family for better dental health habits and a healthy, pain-free smile for life.
Authored by: Kelly Schroeder, RDH, MS, Senior National Outreach Specialist
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The Benefits of Getting a Flu Shot
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Want to reduce the risk of you and your family getting the flu this year? It’s simple: Get a flu shot.
Though the effectiveness varies from year to year, the flu vaccine can reduce the risk of getting the flu by up to 60%.
The flu vaccine also helps to:
- Lower the risk of going to the hospital due to the flu
- Lower kids’ risk of death from the flu
- Protect pregnant women and their babies from the flu
- Protect those around you from the flu
Get the vaccine once a year. It is the best way to protect you and your family against the flu.
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Celebrate Parent's Day with Good Behavior
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Besides Mother’s and Father’s Day, there is another holiday to celebrate, Parent’s Day. Established in 1994 by President Clinton, National Parent’s Day is observed on the fourth Sunday in July. The day was introduced with the aim of “uplifting and supporting the role of parents in the rearing of children”.
Kids do not come with instructions and parenting might just be the hardest job you will ever have, but here is one important thing to remember: children learn through watching how others, most often their parents, behave around them. Kids are great imitators. That means as a parent or guardian, modeling the behavior you want to see in your children is key. As role models, parents can teach kids good manners and ways to cope with life’s little and big challenges.
Here are some tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics to support and celebrate the role of parents in raising the next generation:
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Children aren’t the only ones who need to learn to share. Whether it is sharing a snack or taking turns doing chores, show how you take turns. When adults in the family share, make sure to point it out to the kids. Say things like, “thanks dad for doing the dishes tonight” or “great job grandma on sharing your snack with mom”.
- Feeling angry or frustrated? That’s okay. It happens to every parent. But you can show kids positive ways to cope with stress by talking about your feelings. It is important for kids to know that it is okay to express feelings in words without making hurtful statements.
- You can also model helpful ways to deal with anger or stress by doing some deep breathing or taking a short walk around the block and letting them know this helps you.
- Another suggestion for modeling good behavior is having a family dinner (or breakfast or lunch) at least four times per week. Studies show that children are less likely to engage in drugs or alcohol when families share mealtimes. These mealtimes give everyone in the family a chance to share their thoughts and feelings!
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Weight Matters:
Causes and Consequences of Obesity in Children
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The prevalence of overweight and obese children is high in the United States. Childhood obesity is a serious problem that puts children and adolescents at risk of poor health. Being overweight or obese in childhood are known to have a significant impact on both physical and psychological health. Children who have a body mass index (BMI) at or higher than 95 percent of their peers are considered to be obese. Listed below are some of the causes of childhood obesity, the consequences to a child's health and some prevention tips to help parents:
Causes - The following are some of the ways children may become obese:
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Eating habits - Eating high calorie and low nutrient foods, sugary snacks, and beverages, all provide excessive calories that can lead to increased weight.
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Physical exercise - Spending time performing sedentary activities, such as video games and watching television or any other screen increases the risk of weight gain.
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Genetics - Some genetic factors have also been found to cause obesity.
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Socio-cultural factors - Society tends to use food as a reward, these kinds of behaviors can lead to development of unhealthy relationships with food.
Consequences - Childhood obesity can lead to:
- High blood pressure and high cholesterol.
- Type 2 diabetes.
- Breathing problems, such as sleep apnea.
- Psychological problems, such as anxiety, depression and a low self-esteem.
- Children who are obese may also face problems, such as bullying.
Prevention: Parents can help their children stay health by:
- Starting good food habits early in life.
- Encouraging physical exercise, such as walking or other sports.
- Decreasing a child's screen time as much as possible.
Children with obesity in childhood may grow up to be adults with obesity. Obesity causes many chronic health problems. The best approach to a healthier life is prevention.
Authored by: Olunwa Ikpeazu, MD
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Car Seats Through the Ages and Stages
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Child passenger safety is an important issue as motor vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of death and serious injury in children ages 0-19, but there are steps families can take to help protect their children when riding in a vehicle.
Children should always be restrained in an appropriate, properly installed car seat and should ride facing the rear of the car for as long as possible. The limits on most convertible seats allow children to be rear- facing for two years or more. Babies and toddlers are at greater risk for head and spinal cord injuries if they are forward-facing. Once they have outgrown the height and weight limits, children should move to a position facing the front of the car, but remain in a harnessed car seat for as long as possible.
Many forward-facing car seats have weight limits up to 65 pounds. Next, children need to ride in a booster seat until they are about 4 feet 9 inches in height and weigh between 80 and 100 pounds, as seat belts do not properly fit children until then.
Wolfson Children’s Hospital provides education and resources to reduce the risk of preventable injuries and has certified child passenger safety technicians that can help families ensure the safest ride for every child.
For a free car seat check or reduced cost options for car seats, Florida KidCare families located in Northeast Florida can call us at 904-202-4302 or visit Wolfsonchildrens.com/safekids.
For Florida KidCare families in other areas of the state, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has a website where you can enter your city, state or zip code and find a car seat inspection station near you – visit https://bit.ly/2TjOmpi.
Authored by: Jessica Winberry, Prevention Coordinator, Safe Kids Northeast Florida, THE PLAYERS Center for Child Health at Wolfson Children’s Hospital
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Playing It Safe with Fireworks
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There’s nothing like summer for family memories. Backyard barbecues with neighbors and friends. Cool watermelon dripping down your chin. The thrill of red, white and blue fireworks lighting up a warm summer night.
While fireworks are pretty, they can also be dangerous. If your family wants to put on a firework show for the neighbors this year, there are some things you should know.
First off, fireworks are made to explode. Packed with chemicals, fireworks burn at nearly 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough to melt some metals. That makes them an accident waiting to happen. In fact, during the summer months, over 2,600 kids under the age of 15 are taken to emergency rooms each year for burns to hands, fingers and eyes.
And don’t forget firework sparks landing in dried brush. That can start a wildfire.
So, enjoy fireworks safely this year with these rules:
- Have an adult present at all times.
- Never let young children light fireworks.
- Never place any part of your body over a firework when lighting it.
- Don’t touch fireworks that didn’t fully light.
- Point fireworks away from homes
- Keep fireworks away from leaves, brush and flammable liquids.
- Keep a garden hose or water bucket nearby.
- Never point or throw fireworks at a person.
Follow these rules to help keep you and your loved ones safe this summer.
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Keeping Your Child's Teeth Safe: Dental
Mouthguards
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Dental injuries are common in childhood and teenage contact sports and recreational activities. Protecting your child with an orofacial protector, such as a mouthguard, can help prevent and reduce injuries to the teeth, lips or tongue.
Chipped or broken teeth, as well as tooth loss, can also be avoided with the use of a mouthguard. A properly fitted mouthguard is the best available device to help prevent sports-related dental injuries.
According to the American Dental Association, an ideal mouthguard should be:
- Properly fitted and stable.
- Made of a strong material that covers all teeth on one arch, typically the upper arch.
- Easy to clean.
- Able to absorb high impact energy.
Mouth guards are available in several forms. Stock or ready-made mouthguards are available in retail stores and are the least expensive mouthguard. However, this type of protector is not customized to your child’s mouth and tends to be less effective.
Boil and bite mouthguards are designed to soften in hot water and cool when placed in the mouth and molded. This type of mouthguard may offer a better fit than stock mouthguards. They can also be found in retail stores. Custom mouthguards are made in a dental office or dental lab. This type of protector is customized specifically to your child’s mouth.
A custom mouthguard is the most effective and the most expensive type of mouthguard. Be sure to discuss the use of a mouthguard with your child’s dentist. They can help you decide on the most appropriate option.
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With Florida KidCare, your child gets a FREE annual well-child visit. Your child's primary care physician will do a physical exam and talk with you about your child's diet, health, sleep, vision, hearing, immunizations, dental care and growth, along with other important health and safety issues.
Call your child's primary care physician today and make an appointment before school starts.
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1-888-540-KIDS (5437)
Monday – Friday
7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (ET)
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