Pediatricians San Diego

Three short months from now voters across the country will head to the polls for the midterm elections, casting their votes on numerous important issues and proposals on the ballot. You have the opportunity let your voice be heard through the voting process. But are you ready to vote? The deadline to register to vote in the November 2018 elections is Monday, October 22. Don’t delay either registering or confirming your voter status! Check out these easy steps to prepare for this important civic responsibility: 1. Be an informed voter. Research the pros and cons of the propositions on the ballot. Learn about the candidates and their platforms. 2. Set an example for your children. If they’re old enough, discuss important issues and why voting is important. This helps them learn how voting can affect government and shows that every person’s opinion counts. 3. Register to vote by visiting the State of California’s voter website . You will be able to register to vote in California if y

Dr. Anna Mendenhall  from our Encinitas pediatric office shares her perspective on how our teens are coping in the face of unrealistic expectations from parents…in addition to growing up, learning new life skills, dealing with peer pressure and simply trying to be a kid. I look at my schedule…there is a 17-year-old in my office for fatigue, headache and stomach ache. “Junior year?” I ask as I see the stress and anxiety on my teenage patient’s face. “Yep,” he sighs and shrugs with a pained look. Sadly, this kind of interaction is more common every year. High schoolers are stressed beyond belief. In a 2014 report from the American Psychological Association (APA), teens ages 13 to 17 reported that their stress level during the school year exceeded what they believed to be healthy. Many reported feeling overwhelmed (31 percent) and depressed or sad (30 percent) as a result of stress. Granted, as a parent you want your child to do their best – but this doesn’t mean they have to be perfe

The back to school season is here and it’s time to start thinking about packing lunch boxes again. Snacking can sometimes get a bad rap, but nutrient-dense snacks are the perfect way to keep your child’s energy up during the school day and to avoid getting hungry between meals. The grocery store aisles would have you think it’s best to pack crackers, cookies, chips, and juice in your kid’s lunch boxes, but we recommend choosing snacks that help your kid feel full for longer. Carbohydrate-based processed snacks are easy to over-consume because they are low in fiber (and oftentimes high in sugar and/or salt).  In fact, you might notice your child feeling quite hungry soon after eating a “carb-y” snack or meal (like cereal or goldfish crackers, for example). Even “snack sized” bags can be high in calories compared to kid’s actual caloric needs. Choosing snacks with fiber (like fruit, veggies, and whole grains), protein, or healthy fats, will provide energy and satiety without having to

My kindergartner is complaining of a sore throat. How can I tell if they have strep throat? Every fall, school kids come into my office with strep throat or strep pharyngitis. The illness seems to happen when students return to classes and it is especially common in children ages 5-15 years old. The challenge is to determine if your child has a sore throat or strep throat, and if their illness is caused by a bacteria or a virus. Your child will usually report a sore throat as feeling scratchy or as having a burning sensation. They will likely not want to eat food because it just doesn’t feel good to have food go down a sore throat so you may want to assume that they will not be eating normally. However, it is very important that your child drink plenty of fluids when they are ill. Offer your child a small amount of fluids – one ounce every hour is a good general guideline for most children. In addition to having a sore throat, a child with strep throat will often also complain of a

The reality is that 5.6 million U.S. kids alive today will ultimately die from smoking. Currently in California, 5.4% of high schoolers smoke traditional cigarettes and 17.5% use e-cigarettes. What’s with the rise in the use of e-cigarettes? Let’s take a look at the myths and realities of this industry. Myth: e-cigarettes are safe. The reality: Research has now shown that the vast number of flavored e-cigarettes contain a toxic chemical (in addition to nicotine) that is known to cause a rare form of lung cancer. The popular Juul e-cigarette also contains an acid that can trigger cough, sore throat, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. In addition, the number of children under six, who were poisoned by nicotine in e-cigarettes, has risen nearly 1,500% over the past years. In addition, the “vape fluid” or “vape juice” used in e-cigarettes is  packaged in a way that is attractive to younger children. The flavors and smells, like bubblegum and cherry vanilla, sound like a sweet treat

It’s hard to believe the holidays are already here! Please note CPCMG’s holiday hours: Monday, December 24: CPCMG open 8am to 12pm; CPEC closed. Tuesday, December 25: CPCMG and CPEC are both closed. Monday, December 31: CPCMG open 8am to 12pm; CPEC closed. Tuesday, January 2, 2019: CPCMG and CPEC are both closed. Our nurse triage line will remain available 24 hours a day– please call your pediatrician’s office for more information. Happy Holidays! The post CPCMG Announces Holiday Hours appeared first on San Diego Pediatricians | Children's Primary Care Medical Group . * This article was originally published here

We all go through the steps, now that the year is over, and a new year begins. We reflect back on how quickly the time has gone by and what little time we might have left. What do we still have to do? How can we make the world better place? Have I done all that I should be doing? This certainly is a convenient time for new ideas, resolutions, and the age old “to do” list. Yet, some of us don’t really like resolutions.  Isn’t it better to have a year-long sense of doing all the above instead of just talking about them at the end of the year! Besides, the list could be endless, the tasks daunting, and making the world a better place seems so out of reach. But perhaps this year we can figure out a balance. Take some of the old ways, brush them up and revitalize them for the New Year and tackle some new ones. Here are some resolutions that show up on my list year after year: Make the hugs last a bit longer. Don’t be the first one to break a hug, be it of a child or a friend. Say hel

“I am so busy keeping track of an active three-year-old! How can I find time in my schedule for some exercise?” It’s true that you need to keep a close eye on toddlers, so it might feel like almost every minute of every day is spoken for. But I have a few suggestions for you! Embrace the closeness you have with your toddler and explore these ways you can exercise together: Host a Dance Party at Home: Toddlers love to dance, so turn up the music for 30 minutes and dance like no one is watching! Your toddler will love the music and it gives you a chance to really move and get your heart rate up. Adding a dance party to your daily routine will be something both you and your little one will look forward to. Old songs like the Hokey Pokey and The Chicken Dance and The Macarena will seem new again when you are dancing with your toddler. Walk Around Your Community: Use this time to take walks around your community. Explore small parks which have paved pathways around playgrounds. Toddler

Congratulations, you’re pregnant! In addition to setting up a nursery, baby-proofing your home, picking out the perfect name, getting ready for a baby shower or two and setting up your gift registry, oohing and aahing over cute baby clothes, find the right car seat and stroller – and just a few other million things on your to-do list – you don’t want to forget a very important task: selecting a pediatrician. As your baby grows and develops, he or she will have specific health care needs and it is vital you find a pediatrician who can provide that care. Pediatricians are doctors who have completed specialized training to diagnose and treat childhood illnesses, from minor health problems to serious disease. Pediatricians can answer any and all questions, including those related to weight and nutrition, breastfeeding, developmental milestones, sleeping tips and more. Your baby’s pediatrician will be an important person in her or her life as well as a terrific resource for you whether you

Healthy Chats is an educational forum that offers parent-child education focused on the physical and emotional changes associated with puberty, and age appropriate information regarding birth and conception. Healthy Chats was created by Dr. Chrystal de Freitas in 1991 who is a pediatrician with Children’s Primary Care Medical Group’s Carmel Valley office.  Dr. de Freitas presents vital information for parents of children ages 4 through 12 on this topic. The Birds and the Bees with Ease! Talking to young children about “the birds and the bees” can cause anxiety, even in the most confident parent. I know this well as I too have been there. We all procrastinate, making up excuses to delay the conversation. We think: “They are too young” or “I’ll do it later” or “The children will get that information at school” or “Why spoil their innocence?” The reality is that if we parents don’t initiate the conversation, it will be done for us. In fact, the process of your child’s sexual educatio