Sky Park Pediatrics, Valley Children's Medical Group

August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM)! 📣

Immunizations play an important role in keeping your family and your community healthy! Vaccinations are important because they not only protect the person receiving it, but also keep diseases from spreading to others and those most vulnerable to illness.

Ensure you and your family are up-to-date with your vaccinations in time for the back-to-school season! Talk to your doctors at Sky Park Pediatrics today to schedule an appointment.

While good dental habits such as brushing and flossing is an essential part to your child’s dental health, did you know that their diet is just as important? 🦷

Having a balanced diet with plenty of calcium and vitamin D helps to build strong teeth while keeping gums and mouth tissues healthy! It is also a good idea to cut down on sweets and avoid sticky sugars. This is because the longer and more frequent your child’s teeth are exposed to sugar, the greater the risk for cavities!

The warm summer weather means more outdoor fun and travel, but it also means bug bites and risk of heat-related illnesses. ☀️

Make your summer travel stress-free by making sure you and your family are up to date on all routine vaccines, protect yourself from the sun by applying sunscreen, drinking plenty of fluids and using FDA-approved insect repellents before heading outside!

While it is normal for all children to get stomachaches occasionally, having bad stomach pain and diarrhea all the time is not normal. This can indicate irritable bowel disease (IBD).

Some of the most common symptoms include belly pain, diarrhea, blood on the toilet paper or in the p**p, weight loss, fever and low energy.

Like IBS, irritable bowel disease is not curable, but treatments plans can be put together to help reduce the frequency and severity of symptoms. Your doctors at Sky Park Pediatrics are here to help!

Summer is right around the corner, which often means hotter weather, no school and more time spent outside. The summertime also brings new opportunities to teach your children about nutrition.

Whether it's learning how to make healthier choices or keeping a balanced diet all summer long, Sky Park Pediatrics encourages you to use these tips below to help make your child’s summer a nutritious one! https://www.valleychildrens.org/blog/splashing-into-summer-3-healthy-summer-nutrition-tips

Sometimes the difference between normal and abnormal behavior is not always clear as it depends on your child’s level of development and their unique personality and temperament.

However, disruptive behaviors such as physical aggression, excessive argumentativeness and other forms of defiance may be uncommon for your child’s age. This can be a result of Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) or Conduct Disorder (CD).

Starting treatment early is important and is most effective when it fits the specific needs of your child and family! If you have concerns about your child’s behavior, talk to your doctors at Sky Park Pediatrics to see how we can help!

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a digestive disorder that happens to people of all ages, including children. It can be uncomfortable and sometimes embarrassing to experience. A few symptoms that can suggest your little one may have IBS include:
- Cramp-like pain and spasms in the lower abdomen
- Bloating and gas
- Diarrhea alternating with constipation
- Nausea
- Re**al pain

If your child is struggling with IBS symptoms, talk to your doctors at Sky Park Pediatrics today so we can put together a treatment plan to help!

Strong oral care early helps to set good dental habits as your child grows! 🦷 Not to mention, good oral hygiene is an essential part of overall health, well-being and quality of life.

Keep the cavities away by teaching your child to brush twice per day and floss regularly, limit sugary drinks and foods, as well as check with your child’s dentist to make sure they are getting enough fluoride.

If you're looking to take extra steps to protect your child's teeth, especially if any risk factors apply to them, be sure to talk with your dentist or pediatrician!

The start of summer means family road tips! 🚗

Before setting out, it’s important to get your car checked to make sure it is long distance ready. Protect yourself and your loved ones during the trip by buckling up every time and making sure all car seats and booster seats are correctly installed. Remember, it is not one size fits all for car seats. Make sure to refer to the manufacturer's instructions to confirm your car seat is suitable for your child.

Check out more information about summer driving safety: https://www.nhtsa.gov/summer-driving-tips

July is National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness Month! 📣

Did you know cleft and craniofacial conditions are the most common birth anomalies in the United States? While there is no direct cause, factors such as family history, smoking during pregnancy and diabetes can increase the risk. Luckily, most children with orofacial clefts do well and lead a healthy life with treatment.

Learn more here: https://www.valleychildrens.org/plastic-surgery/conditions/craniofacial-anomalies

Temperatures are getting warmer out here in Central California! 🏖️ The start of summer means pools, beaches and plenty of water play to cool off. Before heading out, keep these five water safety tips in mind to keep your little ones safe:

1. Watch kids around water and keep young children within arm’s reach of an adult.
2. Teach children to wear life jackets.
3. Install 4-sided fences around home pools.
4. Teach children that swimming in open water is different from swimming in a pool.
5. Enroll children in survival swim lessons and learn CPR.

Did you know sleep affects all areas of a child’s life including overall health, well-being and academic performance? 💤 In fact, children and adolescents who don’t get enough sleep have a higher risk for health problems including obesity, type 2 diabetes and poor mental health.

It’s important to prioritize sleep and making sure your little one is getting enough of it. So how much do they need?
- Preschoolers 3 to 5 years: 10-13 hours (including naps)
- Grade schoolers 6 to 12 years: 9-12 hours
- Teens 13 to 18 years: 8-10 hours

If your child has asthma, it’s essential you put together an Asthma Action Plan. The main goal of this plan is to personalize it for your child to prevent asthma emergencies by preventing and controlling flare-ups.

Generally, an asthma action plan will include a list of medications taken, early warning signs for asthma symptoms and instructions on when to use the medicines and call your health care provider.

If you don’t yet have an action plan, talk to your Sky Park Pediatricians today and we can help answer any questions you may have!

Happy Father’s Day from all of us at Sky Park Pediatrics! Wishing all the father figures out there an amazing day!

It’s World Blood Donor Day! 📣

Valley Children’s Healthcare is a proud partner of Central California Blood Center (CCBC) we host a pop-up blood donation center at our Madera campus every Monday and Saturday!

A huge thank you to everyone who has stopped by and made a life-saving gift of blood to give back to the community and those in need with a much needed blood donation.

As spring melts into summer, there’s nothing like splashing into the season with some water fun for the whole family! 🌊 Sky Park Pediatrics wishes all of you a very fun and safe summer with these important water safety tips: https://bit.ly/3V9mLV9

Sleep is very important to your child’s health and development. 🛌 The best way to ensure your little one is getting enough sleep is to start good sleep habits early! This includes having a bedtime routine to wind them down from the day and to set regular sleep schedules.

A simple nighttime routine recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics is Brush, Book and Bed. For older children, this routine can have more flexibility, but the key is to try to maintain a consistent sleep and wake schedule even on the weekends.

Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory condition in childhood with 10% to 15% of grade school children in the U.S. having it. It occurs when the airways tighten, swell and fill with mucus.

Despite it being so common, it can be challenging to diagnose in children as there is no one-size-fits-all set of symptoms. Due to this, it’s important to talk to your pediatrician if you think your child may have asthma so they can either help identify asthma risks or request an asthma test.

Talk to your Sky Park Pediatricians today so we can help diagnose asthma and develop the best treatment options for your little one!

Asperger’s Syndrome is a developmental disorder and a form of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Children with it generally have a difficult time relating to others socially, obsessive interests and repetitive behavior patterns.

In fact, boys are three to four times more likely than girls and most cases are diagnosed between the ages of five and nine. There is no cure but there are treatment plans that can be built and adjusted according to each child’s need.

Talk to your doctors at Sky Park Pediatrics to see how we can help best support your child and create a treatment plan that meets their needs!

With the changing weather and spring pollen in the air, your child’s eczema could be struggled to maintain.

It can be frustrating both for you and your little one, but having a gentle skincare routine to repair the skin barrier, preventing scratching and using antihistamine medicines can help control it.

Have more questions? Your pediatrician at Sky Park Primary Care is here to help you manage your child’s eczema symptoms with a good treatment plan and healthy skin maintenance routine!

This Memorial Day, we remember with gratitude those who have given the ultimate sacrifice.

Our office is closed today in observation of Memorial Day. We will reopen with regular hours tomorrow, May 31.

With Spring play in full bloom, it’s important to keep hand hygiene in mind to prevent the spread of germs that cause conditions such as pink eye. 👁️

Pink eye is a common condition that occurs when the eyeball and inner part of the eyelid become inflamed or irritated. While it is a common childhood condition, it can still be very uncomfortable time for your child.

Valley Children’s Healthcare has put together key takeaways every parent should know about pink eye: https://www.valleychildrens.org/blog/3-things-parents-should-know-about-pink-eye

Social media is such a big part of our daily lives with more than 35% of 13-17 year olds using social media sites in 2022. 📱

As parents, you may be worried about how this exposure to media can influence your children and affect their mental health. This mainly depends on how they use it!

You can promote positive social media habits by establishing rules about social media use, having ongoing conversations with your children about their media use, role model positive actions and be cautious about your children under 13 years old using social media.

Did you know while any food can cause an allergic reaction, 90% of food allergies in children are caused by just six common food groups?

These groups are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy and wheat. Seafood such as fish and shellfish are also common and can cause severe reactions.

Luckily, food allergies are often outgrown during early childhood. Talk to your Sky Park Pediatricians today to see how we can help track your child’s food allergies and watch to see if they are going away.

It’s Food Allergy Awareness Week!

A food allergy happens when the body reacts against harmless proteins found in food and these reactions can vary from mild to severe. A few symptoms that can occur include:
- Skin problems: hives, itchy skin rashes
- Breathing problems
- Stomach symptoms
- Circulation symptoms: light-headedness, pale skin, loss of consciousness

There are currently no cures for a food allergy, so management and preparedness to treat an allergic reaction is needed. Your Sky Park Pediatricians can help you figure out dietary strategies to help your child maintain a safe and healthy lifestyle!

Happy Mother's Day!

Warm weather means more fun, more play and more bugs! Keep your children safe from bee and other insect stings by checking play areas for nests, supervising outdoor play and calling an exterminator if bugs become an issue at your home. 🐝

Toilet training is a big step in your child’s development and is a process that differs from child to child. 🚽

Some important points to remember when going through this process includes:
- Be positive as children learn best when they are praised for their progress
- Try to be as consistent as possible and create reasonable expectations
- Stay involved and observe

The toilet training process is a great way to increase your child’s confidence, sense of security and self-esteem. Remember, nearly every child learns to use the toilet sooner or later so enjoy the fun learning moments along the way!

May is Mental Health Month, and we want to remind out patients and their families that mental health is just as important as physical health, especially for children. Mental Health plays a crucial role in a child's overall well-being and development. Prioritize mental health and break the stigma surrounding mental illness. Remember, it's okay to not be okay, and seeking help is a sign of strength.