Annual Physicals - Scheduling Them Now

School is not quite over yet. But we've begun to schedule school physical appointments for the summer months.

Keep in mind that many camps require physicals as well. And if you child is participating in sports this summer, they may also require a a sports physical.

But more important, here at Salud Pediatrics, we believe that yearly wellness examinations are an important part of what we do.

During these visits, providers have the opportunity to do a complete head-to-toe health exam that may not be possible during acute type visits.

Give us a call: 847-854-9402 

You can change it later if you want. But put it on the books and we will give you a call the day before to remind you.

Summer Safety Series - Sun Safety

As the summer months are starting to creep in, it is important to start thinking about sun safety, heat stress related conditions, pool safety, bug safety and playground safety. 

 In the next few blog post, I'm going to be addressing these topics with the hope that you all get a basic overview of what to watch out for. 

 Although I suspect that many of things I'm going to be talking about you already know, I think there is value in being reminded. Sometimes, we forget. Especially those of us that spend half of the year hibernating (except during this past crazy winter season). 

 For this post, I'd like to begin with "sun safety." 

 Depending on your child's age, you will want to consider different things. For example, babies under 6-months old will require different tactics to avoid sunburn that children that are older. Naturally, older children are far more active and have the liberty to play out in the sun for longer period of time. So you'll want to keep that into consideration.

So let's look at the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations for each age group: 

Babies under 6 months:

The two main recommendations from the AAP to prevent sunburn are to avoid sun exposure, and dress infants in lightweight long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and brimmed hats that shade the neck to prevent sunburn. 

However when adequate clothing and shade are not available, parents can apply a minimal amount of sunscreen with at least 15 SPF (sun protection factor) to small areas, such as the infant's face and the back of the hands. 

If an infant gets sunburn, apply cold compresses to the affected area.

For Young Children:

Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outside, and use sunscreen even on cloudy days. The SPF should be at least 15 and protect against UVA and UVB rays. 

Wearing adequate clothing and a hat or cap ( I know, sometimes it is hard to keep them on; littles ones especially don't like things on their heads, but at least try) goes a lot way in protecting your child from the sun. 

For Older Children:

The first, and best, line of defense against the sun is covering up. Make sure your child wears a hat with a three-inch brim or a bill facing forward, sunglasses (look for sunglasses that block 99-100% of ultraviolet rays), and cotton clothing with a tight weave.

As many of you know, the hours of between 10 am and 4 pm are the most intense, thus during that time, it is best to stay in the shade whenever possible and minimize exposure during those times. 

For my children, I don't use anything less than 50 SPF, but the recommendations from the AAP is to use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or greater. 

Be sure to apply enough sunscreen - about one ounce per sitting for a young adult and reapply sunscreen every two hours, or after swimming or sweating.

Lastly, use extra caution near water and sand as they reflect UV rays and may result in sunburn more quickly. Just because you are in the shade, doesn't mean your child won't' get sun burned. The reflection of the water and sand can cause sunburn as well. 

Written by Joanna E. Betancourt MD, FAAP