Pediatricians San Diego

There are so many good reasons for children of all ages to get moving. Physical activity can help promote important movement skills, coordination, balance, and strength. In addition, active children will experience improved concentration and school performance, mental health, bone density, and more. Unfortunately, a 2020 report on physical activity from the American Academy of Pediatrics indicates only about 8% of adolescents and 25% of kids meet current activity guidelines. With this news, CPCMG encourages all families to increase their physical activity. Even babies and toddlers will benefit as fundamental movement skills start to development in infancy and early childhood, and progress throughout adolescence. Early confidence gained in physical skills (like balancing, riding a bike, or learning swim) can make it easier for kids to continue to be active throughout adolescence and teenage years. Parents play an important role as well. Not only do they provide opportunities for phys...

Being grateful is a skill and conscious choice – it’s about feeling thankful for what we have (without wanting more) and appreciating the small moments that makes us smile. Gratitude can help adults and children live happy, satisfying lives while finding increased self-esteem, hope, empathy and optimism. Children learn by watching your behaviors and attitudes, so how do you teach them gratitude? Dr. Sheila Cason, pediatrician at CPCMG Redhawk, shares five ways to encourage your family to embrace gratitude: Keep a gratitude journal: write down what makes you thankful and share with your children. Ask what makes them happy. Model gratitude: say “please” and “thank you” to show appreciation and encourage them to do the same. Speak positively: watch your complaining and negative words. It’s hard to be grateful and complain at the same time. Look for the upside: demonstrate how to get through tough moments and find the “good” that’s in every the situation. Laugh and relax: loosen up...

The annual wellness exam is an important part of your child’s life, even when they enter their teen years. Not only do regular check-ups allow us to monitor your child’s physical and emotional development which will change drastically during puberty, but we have the chance to get to know your teen and his or her specific needs. Furthermore, if your teen needs a last minute sports clearance form filled out, their annual physical exam should work. Here are six more reasons to make sure your teen sees their CPCMG pediatrician for an annual wellness exam: 1. Height and weight check: Monitoring your teen’s growth allows us to identify any concerns with growth velocity or potential abnormalities in growth and pubertal development. We will also talk to your teen about getting regular exercise and eating healthy meals to ensure healthy growth. Furthermore, on their physical exam we will check for scoliosis, a curve in the spine that can develop in adolescence and progress during rapid growth ...