Category: Children

It’s Back-to-School Immunization Time

Are your kids up to date on their back-to-school shots?

Trinity Health knows that vaccinations are a big part of your back-to-school preparation. Do you know which shots your child’s school requires?

Check out this handy vaccination checklist for some commonly required shots:

Kindergarten:

  • Polio
  • Chickenpox
  • Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis
  • Measles, mumps and rubella
  • Flu

Elementary School:

  • Flu

Middle School:

  • Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis
  • Flu
  • Meningococcal disease
  • Human papillomavirus

High School:

  • Meningococcal disease
  • Flu
  • Serogroup B meningococcal infection

And don’t forget to check if COVID-19 vaccines are required for your child’s school. Don’t wait any longer, schedule your child’s immunization appointment near you.

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Child Heatstroke: Keeping Your Kids Safe from Heat Injuries in Cars (Infographic)

Our little ones mean a lot to us and it’s tough to imagine forgetting them anywhere – but it happens. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the majority of child related hot car incidents happen because someone forgets a child in a car. Keep your children safe by:

  • Never leaving your child in a car, no matter what the weather is.
  • Teaching your children that cars are not play areas.
  • Placing a child’s item on the front seat and a personal item in the back seat.

When traveling with a child or infant, practice looking inside your car before locking it. Remember: Park. Look. Lock.

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5 Tips to Keep Kids Safe when Returning to Sports

1. Ease kids back into physical activity gradually before the sport season starts

Kids have been spending a lot more time at home and sitting at computers for school than in regular years. Relative inactivity leads to decreased cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength and endurance and loss of sport-specific skills. Parents should know, that increasing the load and demand on their child’s body without adequate time for conditioning and recovery, raises the risk of injury.

Before they start sports, all kids should have a pre-participation physical exam. At this pre-participation physical exam, ask the medical provider to discuss with you and your child a schedule to guide a gradual increase in activity. Children should return to sports at 25 to 50% of the volume and intensity at which they participated previously. Each week, volume should be increased by 10% so that, by 4-6 weeks, the student athlete is back in performance shape.

“I’ve been seeing a lot of sports injuries due to the rapid escalation of sports intensity. We can prevent these injuries.” said, Dr. Corey Dean, Pediatrician and Sports Medicine Specialist at St. Joe’s and IHA.

  1. Be COVID-19 safe during practice and games

In March, 2021, the spread of COVID-19 has risen 105% among persons aged 10 to 19 in Michigan. Additionally, there are 135 identified outbreaks among minors participating in school and club sports in Michigan.

To prevent COVID-19 during sports participation, athletes should maintain physical distance as much as possible. Wear cloth face coverings at all times during group training and competition, especially on the sideline, in dugouts, and during team chats. Due to possible safety concerns, masks can be removed while participating in some sports, such as water sports, gymnastics and wrestling. However, a mask should still be worn when the athlete is not actively engaged in competition or is on the sidelines.

All kids with a history of a positive COVID-19 test, regardless of whether they had symptoms, should be screened for chest pain, shortness of breath, syncope (fainting), and palpitations during a physical exam by there primary care physician. Children who have had moderate or severe symptoms of COVID-19, like fever greater than three days, hypoxia needing oxygen in the hospital, etc. should be referred to a cardiologist per the American Academy of pediatricians.

Avoid behaviors like huddles, high-fives, fist bumps, handshakes, sharing food or drink with teammates, cheering, chanting, or spitting. Store personal equipment 6 to 8 feet away from other teammates equipment. Make sure to bring your own water bottle and your own towel to be used only by you. Sanitize hands before and after using shared equipment like balls, bats etc. Do not got to practice or a game if you are not feeling well. Make sure to tell the coach if you’re not feeling well and leave practice or the game as soon as safely possible.

Avoid large group gathering after sporting events or practices. If you do gather after a sporting event or practice, remember to wear your mask, socially distance and don’t share food or drink with others.

3. Clean up after practice and games.

Sanitize with 60% alcohol based hand sanitizer or wash hands for 20 seconds. Be Sure to wash practice clothes and towel thoroughly and replace facemasks. Clean sports equipment and water bottle.

4. Get tested for COVID-19 regularly.

All middle school and high school athletes aged 13 to 19 must be tested for COVID-19 on a weekly basis as required by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Testing is recommended before any inter-team competition, especially before players come in to close contact with players from outside the local community. Regular testing allows for better understanding of the risk to student athletes and supports contact tracing of COVID-19 cases in sports.

5. Where are the facemasks?

Athletes, coaches and other team personnel must wear a face mask at all times unless participating in a sport in which masks may pose a safety concern (wrestling, water sports, gymnastics, etc.). Face masks must be worn by all individuals while not engaged in active participation. Facemasks must cover the nose and the mouth at all times to be fully protective. Any cloth face covering that becomes saturated with sweat or water should be changed immediately. Having a back up cloth mask is helpful. You are your child’s best advocate. If you see other athletes or coaches not wearing masks or wearing masks improperly speak up and kindly remind them to wear a mask or make sure their mask is properly covering their mouth and nose. Parents and spectators should always wear a facemask while at sporting events. Wearing masks minimizes the spread of COVID-19 and is critical for safe participation in sports.

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How Brady Got His Groove Back with the Help of Probility’s Pediatric Program

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ANN ARBOR – Brady, a happy, energetic five-year-old boy, does not fit the image of a stereotypical physical therapy patient. However, physical therapy is helping Brady attain a life with less pain, less obstacles, and more mobility.

Brady has Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, a condition that leads to avascular necrosis of the proximal femoral head. In layman’s terms, the top of Brady’s femur is not receiving an adequate blood supply, causing that portion of his bone to slowly die. While most people affected only have the disease in one hip, both of Brady’s femurs are deteriorating.

Many of Brady’s family members have this condition, including his father, Josh, a colleague at Saint Joseph Mercy Health System.

While Legg-Calve-Perthes disease is not life-threatening, it does cause severe pain and mobility issues. For Brady, he was in so much pain that it became a struggle for him to walk. His left foot was tilting in, and he couldn’t bear pressure on that leg.

He was referred for physical therapy, with a choice of going to the University of Michigan or to Probility’s pediatric clinic in Ypsilanti. His parents chose Probility because they had heard such positive things about pediatric physical therapist Dan Santioni, and because the clinic was closer to home.

Probility Physical Therapy has 15 locations throughout Washtenaw, Livingston, and Lenawee Counties. The pediatric clinic opened in June 2018, and added occupational therapy and speech therapy services in February 2019.

Brady was extremely anxious about physical therapy, which was scheduled for three times a week to start. This was heightened by Brady’s fear of new people, common for a child of his age. Thankfully though, Dan was able to form a deep connection with him. Brady’s mother Nicole shared, “Dan made physical therapy fun and interactive for him. He incorporated games, and Brady started to actually look forward to his sessions.”

Through the use of massage, stretches, and drills, Brady has made incredible strides forward. He is able to walk with ease again, and is learning how to manage his condition outside of physical therapy. When he is in pain, he’s able to use the stretches from physical therapy to help ease it.

Brady has grown attached to Dan, so his parents were worried when a new physical therapist assistant, Kathryn Perry, joined Brady’s care team. Fortunately, she too was able to bond with Brady. According to Nicole, “That office is filled with people who are there for the right reasons, and they all provide wonderful care.”

As Brady ages and the disease progresses, the pain will lessen. He will still require “Mr. Dan tune-ups” occasionally, to help him maintain his flexibility. It is also possible that he will need surgery in the future, but his parents hope that through physical therapy and the lifestyle changes Dan and Kathryn have taught Brady, he may be able to avoid it.

Nicole expressed her gratitude for Probility’s pediatric program, stating, “I really feel Probility was brought to St. Joe’s for a reason. It’s been a great help to our family.”

Looking for a Physical Therapist?
Visit Probility Physical Therapy or call 734-712-1589 and we will guide you through the process.

8 Tips for Going Back to School with ADHD

This article was originally published on Sharecare.

Closing the book on summer break and heading back to school can be a struggle for any child. But back-to-school time can be particularly stressful for kids with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), says Charan Cheema, DO, a family medicine specialist at Saint Joseph Mercy Health System in Saline, Michigan.

Why is it so important to start on the right foot? Doing so can mean the difference between a year filled with good grades and social success versus a year of anguish, poor school performance, and behavioral problems. Here are eight ways parents of kids with ADHD can help ensure a smooth and successful transition to school—and help them stay on track all year long.

Set up a calendar
At the start of school, your child may be making resolutions that this is the year they’ll get—and stay—organized. Several well-thought-out calendars can help them get there.

Look for one organizer that is large enough for them to write down all their assignments, plus a second one where they can log after-school programs and events, along with social activities like parties or playdates, advises Cheema.

Kids who are old enough to have their own smartphones or tablets may also benefit from a digital calendar, since these offer reminders and pop-up notifications. Have your child share their digital calendar with you to keep you in the loop.

Create an ‘out-the-door’ checklist
You probably know that a clear, rigid morning routine is crucial to helping your kid with ADHD make it to the bus on time. And it goes without saying that a morning spent searching for lost socks, homework, and lunch boxes can make anyone crabby.

That’s why it’s a good idea to have a checklist your child can use to itemize tasks like making their bed, getting dressed, eating breakfast, brushing their teeth, and gathering their homework and lunch box before they head out the door, says Cheema.

Make sure you have backups at the ready, like hats, mittens, or pairs of shoes. These have a tendency to mysteriously disappear in households, so having extras will help guarantee you and your kid keep moving forward.

Touch base with your teacher
If your child has ADHD, you may already have an IEP (individualized education program), a written plan of goals and accommodations that help ensure a student makes progress. But there are other strategies you can employ to help make sure your child’s doing okay.

A communication binder that goes between school and home will allow you and your child’s teacher to share notes about daily behavior and progress, explains Cheema. This sort of regular contact also helps make sure the teacher is following through on needed accommodations, like giving your child breaks or extra time to complete their work.

Teachers can also seat your child in a part of the classroom where they’re least likely to get distracted, like up in front. If your child is older (say, middle or high school), consider asking if they can record lectures on their smartphone. This way, they can re-listen at their own pace and review any missed information at home.

Create a set homework routine
Kids with ADHD thrive on consistency, so it often helps to start and finish homework at the same time and place every evening, advises Cheema. Choose a part of your home that’s relatively distraction-free, and ideally somewhere where you can easily keep an eye on your child.

Allow frequent breaks, and imbue those breaks with a reward. For example, after finishing their spelling worksheet, let your child have a five-minute break to grab a snack and run around for a few moments. Make sure you offer positive reinforcement. Anytime they notch a success—even something small like sitting down at the table voluntarily to do their homework—praise them and explain exactly what they did well. Ignore negative behaviors, like whining.

You can also reward kids once homework is completely done by letting them play on their tablet or going outside. If they have a lot of trouble concentrating, you might try using a white noise machine or the sounds available from a relaxation program like Sharecare Windows (available on the Sharecare app for iOS and Android). Sounds like rainfall, waves, and soothing music may help maintain attention. Of course, if these add stress or distraction, it’s best to set them aside.

Carve out time for exercise
Physical activity is important for all kids but may be especially valuable for those with ADHD. Some studies suggest that regular exercise can improve attention, behavior, and motor control in young people with ADHD. The research isn’t yet definitive, but getting exercise is pretty low-risk, so it may be worth a try to work movement into your child’s afternoon routine.

Just remember that structured team sports can be challenging for some kids with ADHD, since they may have trouble following multi-step directions and/or coordination, points out Cheema. Other options include running, swimming, marital arts, or even just going on a family walk.

Help them stay focused
It can be hard for a child with ADHD to figure out which assignments take priority. You can make it easier for them by ensuring they have an assignment notebook to help organize their work.

Another good idea: color code everything. Colored folders can help your child organize work for different subjects like reading, math and writing, while highlighters will help them rank assignments by priority level. For example, use red to indicate a task due the next day, yellow for one due later in the week, and green for longer-term projects.

Clutter can also get in the way of staying organized, so it’s a good idea to do a clean sweep of backpacks, desks, and workspaces on a regular basis.

Set up some play dates
Establishing and maintaining friendships can be tough for kids with ADHD, since they often struggle with social skills. If your child has trouble making and keeping friends, setting up some structured play dates—where you can prep in advance for what’s expected—can help ease anxiety. Try to organize some outings with another child in class as early in the year as possible, and ideally before the first day of school.

“It can be easier those first few days if there’s a familiar face there with them,” says Cheema.

Ease back into medication
Some kids with ADHD take a “drug holiday” over the summer, especially if they’re experiencing side effects such as weight loss from decreased appetite due to stimulant meds. While most of these drugs have an immediate effect, it’s a good idea to start kids back on their regular dosage about a week before school resumes, says Cheema. This way, they have a chance to get used to the medication before the first day of class.

After that, you can follow your kids closely and speak to your physician about tweaking dosage as needed. Some kids may also need a “booster” dose after the school day to help them get through homework and after-school activities—and set them up for a successful next day.

Looking for a doctor? Visit stjoeshealth.org to find a doctor near you, or call 1-800-231-2211, and we can guide you through the process.

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