News & Announcements

Staying Safe in the Time of COVID-19: What’s a Parent to Do?

We hope you are all staying safe during this unpredictable season.  As we return to more of a sense of normalcy, like this return of the Pediatric Associates Courier, questions about what you can and should do become more confusing.  The order to “stay home” is easier to follow than our current grey zone of constant decision-making and risk assessment.

We only have a few brief announcements for this week.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced the recall of the following products. Consumers should stop using recalled products unless otherwise instructed. Consumers can submit reports of harm to CPSC’s searchable online product safety database atwww.SaferProducts.gov. A searchable food and medical product recall database is available at www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/default.htm.

See below some links to fun activities courtesy of Cincinnati Children's Hospital





 Entertainment/Exercise Resources

• ArtsWave: visual art experiences  
• Cincinnati Children’s HealthWorks!: Youth Fitness Videos; nutrition and healthy living tips
• Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens: join the Cincinnati Zoo for an online safari and learning adventure; 3 pm, daily
• Cosmic Kids Yoga: yoga, mindfulness and relaxation designed for kids
• Go Noodle: free website and app to get kids up and moving
• Great Parks of Hamilton County: an online hub for nature activities you can do from home
• Imago Rangers: daily outdoor activities
• Lunch Time Doodles with Mo Willems: online art sessions with artist Mo Willems
• Melodic Connections: lunchtime live musical session; noon, daily
• Misson2Move: live physical education classes; weekdays; 2 pm
• PBS Kids: free online games and videos
• YMCA: online workout videos

Click on this link to see instructions on how to make a face mask.  Also there is a video here.

Kerry McPhail and the team at Beech Acres is offering parenting advice.  They can help with a variety of concerns like behavior, toilet training, picky eating, sleep problems, anxiety and much more! The first visit is free. Check out this flyer for more information.

We are seeing a lot of Influenza A and B now as well as strep throat and other viruses.  If you get a flu test in the office you will see a bill for 2 tests - one for A, and one for B. Insurance requires us to bill this way.  Thank you for your understanding and hopefully everyone stays healthy!

Travel Medicine
We want to help ensure all of your travels are safe and fun. Staying healthy during your trip and upon your return can help. We now offer travel medicine visits and some travel vaccines in the office such as Typhoid and Rabies. We like to have as much notice before travel as possible in case your child needs a series. Call our office to schedule an appointment.  We will work with you based on your itinerary to determine what vaccines are needed.  We will also provide other helpful tips about safety while traveling to your particular destination.

We are excited to announce that Redwood NKY is our 2020 Community Partner!  For over fifty years Redwood has been providing education and health services to some of the most fragile children and adults in the area. They offer a wide variety of services including preschool, after school care, summer programs, electronic assistance devices and much more! Please check out their website or call if you need a referral.

Some children will develop redness and swelling after vaccines.  This soft tissue reaction can be a small area, but sometimes it is a larger area. This can happen with any vaccine and is not considered an infection or allergic reaction. Many children are not symptomatic from this (it looks worse than it feels).  Simple measures to help relieve pain or itching include cold compresses, acetaminophen or ibuprofen, and children's Benadryl. 

Elise Seibt, one of our long time nurses, has obtained training in lactation.  She is available at the Crestview Hills office Down Under location on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.  Please call 341-5400 for an appointment.

Measles--Vaccine Recommendations
With the recent reports of measles outbreaks across the USA, we have been receiving many questions about when to get the MMR Vaccine and also if there are special circumstances to get the vaccine early for your child.  Here are the current recommendations from the CDC:

1.  Routine MMR vaccination should be given at 12-15 months of age and again at 4-6 years of age. 
2.  If you are traveling internationally, then infants 6-11 months old need one dose prior to travel.  Also, any child 12 months and older, who has had 1 MMR, should get a 2nd dose 28days after the first dose if traveling internationally. 
3.  If your child does get an MMR shot early (between 6-11 months) he/she will still need the 2 routine doses at 12 months and 4 years to meet all recommendations for immunity to the diseases. 
For more info, here is a link to the CDC site currently focused on measles and vaccination:  
https://www.cdc.gov/features/measles/index.html

If you need more information, you can call our nurse line for more specific guidance for your child. 

KET is hosting a series on mental health called "You Are Not Alone". Check it out online.
 

Schools will only accept the official certificate with the Kentucky state seal on them. They will not accept a printed list. Follow these simple steps to print it at home. You can also save it to your desktop and email it to the school.

Dr. Bolling interviewed by CBS News regarding the chicken pox outbreak.

Dr. Deis interviewed at Cincinnati Edition public radio program regarding vaccinations. Listen to Chickenpox Outbreak At Northern Kentucky School, Student Sues from Cincinnati Edition in Podcasts. 

Did you know you can request an ill or well visit on our online patient portal?
Ill appointment requests can be sent in after hours for a call back the next morning. When the office is open please continue to call for appointments for quicker scheduling. Well appointments can be requested in advance and your call will be returned the following day.

We have recently launched our new Instagram Account. Now stay up-to-date with all things happening with Pediatric Associates. Be our friends and follow us today.
https://www.instagram.com/pediatricassociatesnky/?hl=en

Kentucky HEALTH is Governor Bevin’s signature Medicaid program that stands for “Helping to
Engage and Achieve Long Term Health.” Also called an “1115 Medicaid Waiver,” this program is an
alternative to traditional Medicaid, meaning that the federal government has “waived” certain
rules, allowing Kentucky to make changes to the way Medicaid is administered.

It’s official!  The efforts to create an awareness campaign for parents, caregivers, and anyone looking for an easy way to find programs before entering Kindergarten is LIVE!  If you have not visited thier website, you can check it out now at www.mypre-k.com.  Also, check out the attached image of the billboard currently sharing their message on 71/75 S near the cut in the hill.     

The attached video details why we recommend the HPV vaccine for all boys and girls age 11 to 26 years. 

We now have in stock the Meningitis B vaccine. This is different from the 4 strain meningitis vaccine we give at age 11 and again at age 16. It is currently not required in Kentucky. There have been Meningitis B outbreaks at a few colleges in the U.S.

 

We are pleased to announce that Whitney Rich is now offering her services to our patients.