The groundhog saw his shadow and said we are in store for 6 more weeks of winter!

Here are some winter safety tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics:

What to Wear

• The rule of thumb for older babies and young children is to dress them in one more layer of clothing than an adult would wear in the same conditions.
• Always remember warm boots, gloves or mittens, and a hat.
• If a blanket must be used to keep a sleeping infant warm, it should be thin and tucked under the crib mattress, reaching only as far as the baby’s chest, so the infant’s face is less likely to become covered by bedding materials.

Hypothermia

• Hypothermia develops when a child’s temperature falls below normal due to exposure to colder temperatures. It often happens when a child is playing outdoors in extremely cold weather without wearing proper clothing or when clothes get wet.
• As hypothermia sets in, the child may shiver and become lethargic and clumsy. Speech may become slurred and body temperature will decline in more severe cases.
• If you suspect your child is hypothermic, call 911 at once. Until help arrives, take the child indoors, remove any wet clothing, and wrap him/her in blankets or warm clothes.

Frostbite

• Frostbite happens when the skin and outer tissues become frozen. Frostbite tends to happen on extremities like fingers, toes, ears and nose.  The child may complain that his/her skin burns or has become numb.
• If frostbite occurs, bring the child indoors and place the frostbitten parts of the body in warm (NOT HOT) water. 104 degrees Fahrenheit is recommended.
• Warm washcloths may be applied to the nose, ears and lips.
• Do not rub the frozen areas.
• After a few minutes, dry and cover the child with clothing and blankets. Give him/her something warm to drink.
• If the numbness continues for more than a few minutes, call your doctor.

This blog is not a substitute for medical advice. Be sure to talk to your child’s medical provider with any questions.

Dear Patients & Families,

As many of you have heard, FamilyCare has issued a statement that it will close its doors as of January 31, 2018.

If you are an established patient and wish to continue to be seen by your pediatrician at Sunset, Providence OHP will be the only Medicaid insurance plan accepted at our office.

Sunset is not open to new patients with any Medicaid insurance plan.

If you have questions regarding the health plans Sunset Pediatrics accepts, please call our office today at 503-296-7800.

Read more about the FamilyCare transition on the Oregon.gov website here. Read some frequently asked questions here.

From everyone at Sunset Pediatrics, we wish you and yours good health, happiness and prosperity this holiday season.

We will be open on Saturday, December 23^rd & Saturday, December 30^th to see your child for any health concerns.  We will be closed on Monday, December 25^th in observance of Christmas and on Monday, January 1^st in observance of New Year’s Day.

Friday, December 22: 8am – 5pm
Saturday, December 23: 8:30am – 12pm
Sunday, December 24: Closed
Monday, December 25: Closed
Friday, December 29: 8am – 5pm
Saturday, December 30: 8:30am – 12pm
Sunday, December 31: Closed
Monday, January 1: Closed

We are available 24/7 by phone, regardless of holidays.  Call our main phone-line where you will be able to speak with a triage nurse or the on-call physician.

Holiday Safety Tips

If you’re traveling for the holidays:

• Watch out for distracted drivers and pedestrians – roads, parking lots and stores are busier than usual during the holidays.
• Make sure every passenger has a seat belt, car seat or booster seat – everyone needs their own restraint for every trip in the car.

Safety around the home:

• Decorate your tree with your kids in mind – move breakable ornaments or ones with hooks towards the top of the tree.
• Water the tree regularly – dry trees can pose a potential fire hazard. Water your tree and check it regularly.
• Check the lights – look for frayed wires, loose connections or broken sockets.
• Keep harmful plants out of reach – keep poisonous plants like mistletoe berries, holly berry, poinsettias, and Jerusalem cherry away from children and pets.

Information from Safekids.org

This blog is not a substitute for medical advice. Be sure to talk to your child’s medical provider with any questions.

Did you know…?

Almost all children will be infected with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) by their second birthday.  RSV is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms.  Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious, especially for infants and young children.  Each year in the US, more than 57,000 children younger than 5 are hospitalized due to RSV infection.  RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children younger than 1 year of age.  These infections generally occur during fall, winter and spring.

Common symptoms include:

• Fever
• Reduced appetite
• Runny nose
• Cough
• Wheezing

People with RSV are usually contagious for 3 to 8 days.  Children are often exposed to and infected with RSV outside the home, such as in school or child-care centers.

Help prevent the spread of RSV:

Information from CDC.gov

This blog is not a substitute for medical advice. Be sure to talk to your child’s medical provider with any questions.