Doctors' Pediatric - Wilton & Ridgefield Pediatrician Offices
Your Family is Our Family
Doctors’ Pediatric NewsWe hope that this message finds you all safe….and sane!
Knowing that we all need to find a new normal, we have adapted some changes related to the importance of separating children based on age and vulnerabilities. We will also continue to follow guidelines to keep you safe as we learn more about COVID 19. [Read more…] about Doctors’ Pediatric News
Doctors’ Pediatric is pleased to announce the start of our Open Air/Outdoor Well Visit. We remain committed to patient safety during this uncertain time. Not only does that include safety from COVID-19 exposure, but it also means keeping up with well child exams and appropriate vaccines. Now, more than ever, we need to be diligent with vaccine schedules so that society does not see a rise in vaccine preventable diseases while we do our best to tamp down COVID-19. The first wave of patients (besides children 2 and under) that we will target for well child visits/vaccines include 4/5 years old, 11 years old, and college bound children. These patients have the most urgent vaccine needs at this time.
In keeping with the ever-changing guidelines during this pandemic, the newest recommendation is to continue to have well child checks for children 2 and under. This recommendation stems from the fact that these children are most at risk if not receiving vaccines in a timely manner. The recommendations state that older children should postpone their well check for the future.
The doctors at Doctors Pediatric feel strongly that this is the correct guidance to keep everyone as safe as possible. We are, however, equally concerned that we are going to miss some important health concerns for children over 2 years of age. Considering that the well child visit could be put off by several months, we are encouraging families to set up a Televisit to discuss pertinent issues. If nothing else, it will give the doctors a chance to ask some general health and mental health questions to make sure that we are not overlooking any preexisting or blooming problems.
Please call the front desk and reach out to us so that we may do an interim Televisit to make sure that your child is healthy and emotionally well. If you already have a well visit that we are postponing, we can honor that time slot with a Televisit.
STAY WELL AND STAY SAFE!
Although many of us are so fortunate to be isolated at home with heat/food/technology/loved ones, we can’t deny that our new normal is a challenge. We are balancing work and children in tight quarters. Emotions are running high, and it is easy to lose sight of any gratitude during the day. Please practice self care. Our Televisits are up and running. Please reach out to us. We are just as much “here” for you regarding your emotional health as your physical health.
[Read more…] about Answers to Frequently Asked COVID-19 Questions…….
In this time of uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus, we wanted to reassure you that we are being proactive in preparing for what may be ahead. We feel caution is prudent but there is no need for alarm.
The doctors and management of CPP are addressing this threat at multiple levels. Our primary concern is that of the health and safety of all our patients and our staff.
We will be implementing certain infection control protocols to keep everyone safe. [Read more…] about COVID-19 and Office Precautions
Winter is Here…. and so are the various illnesses! Coughs, colds, vomiting, diarrhea – you name it, it’s out there. In fact, many of you may be experiencing one or more of these in your own home. Often the most difficult thing for parents is knowing what whether to wait it out or get it checked out. Another common concern is whether an illness requires antibiotics or not.
[Read more…] about Winter is Here…. and so are the various illnesses!
Drowning vs. Dry DrowningAs the summer comes to a close, we thought that we would take a moment to discuss the topic of “Dry Drowning”. Every summer, this concept receives a lot of media attention and causes significant distress among many parents. We hope that the following discussion helps to debunk some of the misinformation in the media, as well as provide some evidence-based knowledge to allay fears.
The simplest place to start our discussion is with the medical definition for drowning. This medical definition is “the process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion/immersion in liquid”. (Definition of Drowning: A progress Report. Bierens J, Drowning 2e Berline: Springer, 2014) One of the following outcomes occurs from drowning. (1) death (2) injury without death (3) no injury or illness following drowning.
In the medical community, “dry drowning” is not considered an accepted medical condition. This would also include the terms “near drowning” or “secondary drowning”. The main issue is that the media and lay person associate drowning with death. It is important that we change our way of thinking so that we see drowning as a process where there is a spectrum of outcomes (which we listed above). An example that may make this more understandable is that a person may have a heart attack and still survive (with or without major consequences). This is the same way that a person could drown and still survive with or without major consequences.
Dry Drowning does not have an actual medical definition. The term came about when people described an aspect of drowning that found that the lungs of individuals who had drowned did not have water in them. 10-20% of the time, very little water every enters the lungs. This equates to about one ounce of water entering the lungs of a 30lb child.
The main issue when a child is submerged under water is the lack of oxygen. The treatment would be to start CPR immediately. If the CPR is successful, and the child starts breathing again, then the little amount of water that did enter the lung is absorbed by the body with no issue. It may also cause coughing that may get better or worse over the next few hours. There are instances where respiratory symptoms such as coughing and comfortable breathing may worsen after a drowning incident. These individuals should seek medical help. There is usually a 2-3 hour period where a person will either improve drastically or worsen.
Parents often ask “how much is too much” in terms of submersion under water or inhaling water. Minimal symptoms are what one experiences from taking a drink at dinner and feeling like it has “gone down the wrong pipe”. You will sputter and cough and clear it over a few minutes. If you feel that your child is experiencing symptoms that are worse than “the wrong pipe scenario”, and they are not improving over several minutes, then you can seek medical attention. The good news is that it is RARE for minimal symptoms to actually progress to death. The symptoms will progress and worsen and give you time to seek medical attention.
Here are warning signs for drowning or submersion/immersion in liquid: Difficulty breathing, excessive coughing, foaming in mouth, and not acting normally.
Drowning is the leading cause of preventable death in pediatrics. This is a serious risk, and one that should be taken seriously. We encourage all children to get swim lessons if able. Non swimmers should wear life jackets, and toddlers should have touch supervision. A pool should have fencing on four sides with locking gates. There should be continuous supervision at all times when children are in the water, even if a life guard is present.