healthcare from cradle to college

CONGRATULATIONS to our nurse, Brandi McWalter, and our Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Christine Hodgson, on completing a two day course on breastfeeding support at Bozeman Deaconess Hospital! We are so excited to expand breastfeeding support within our own office! Way to go guys!

Our staff if TRULY THE BEST!!!! Yesterday morning as the office was opening, a very sick infant was brought into clinic before a physician was due to arrive. The receptionist, Keslee, called 911. The medical assistant, Sarah, intervened with the baby. The bookkeeper, Marc, brought the oxygen. The other receptionist, Lisa, comforted the mother until the ambulance arrived. The entire staff (including the business office) is CPR certified and they all put that knowledge into action. We are so AMAZED at their cool heads and warm hearts!! Thanks guys for being so great!!

Montana pediatricians are meeting thsi weekend in West Yellowstone.  The meeting will provide information about the most current  best medical practices for the treatment of a variety of conditions.  The meeting will also feature lectures from Dr Harvey Karpe, author of Happiest Baby on the Block and Happiest Toddler on the Block!

Ask us about the meeting next time you're in the office!

Thanks to Dr Idzerda for oganizing the entire event!!!

Got Little Ones? Join us for a night of fun and information at Bibs and Binkies next Wednesday night from 6-8 PM. Dr Daniels and Nurse Brandi will be talking about common winter illnesses, strategies to help your little one feel better, and advice about when it is time to see the doctor. Hope to see you there!

Thanks to all the Acorn Pediatrics staff for getting together yesterday for CPR recertification!  Everyone in the office (front desk, business office, nurses, medical assistants and providers) took time to refresh this important information.  All parents should consider taking a class.

Join Acorn Pediatrics IN the Sweet Pea Parade tomorrow.  We'll gather between 9th and 11th on Main at 9AM.  The Parade starts at 10AM and runs about 1 1/2 hours.  Bring your bike, trike, wagon or stroller, water, a snack, a hat or sunscreen!  And don't forget the kids! 

Acorn Pediatrics, with help from some of our wonderfully generous families, was able to collect and donate a new resource to benefit kids admitted to Bozeman Deaconess Hospital.  The toys, art supplies, movies, puzzles, card games, video games and books are all meant to help kids as they recover from illness.  Children's hospitals all around the country provide these opportunities out of an understanding that young people need access to play in order to recover best. A community hospital can't be expected to have all the resources of a children's institution.  However, Acorn Pediatrics, with inspiration from many kids who have spent an extended period of time in our hospital, decided that there was no reason it couldn't have this!  We hope this will make it a little bit easier to be a young patient admitted to the hospital.  If you'd like to make a donation to the resource, contact  info@AcornPediatrics.com.

Many of us from Acorn Pediatrics joined The March for Babies yesterday to help raise money for the important work of the March of Dimes.  Check out our Facebook page to see pictures of the walk!

Check us out on Facebook... AFTER Screen Free Week!   :)

Dr Daniels recent article in LEAP explains the reasons to consider turning off your screens this week:

Gear Up to Power Down!

It’s that time of year again!  Screen Free Week, April 18-24, 2011, is right around the corner.  It’s a really great opportunity to reset the amount of time that your kids (and YOU!) spend in front of the TV, computer, video games and other screens.  Once a year, taking the screens out of your life, illustrates the value of limiting screen time year round.

Here’s a reminder of why you will want to participate:

There is a growing body of research that demonstrates the hazards posed by too much screen time to child health and normal development.  By increasing awareness of screen time and replacing some of that time with more active and interactive choices, we have the ability to positively impact the health or our children, as well as build stronger family ties and enhance the overall health of our community.

The negative consequences of too much screen time are many and affect kids from infancy through college.  Here are some of the risks:

1) The risk that a child, whether a young toddler, school-aged kid or teen, will be overweight or obese, correlates with the amount of screen time.  Kids with a TV in their bedroom have the highest risk of obesity.  Childhood obesity is arguably the biggest public health crisis of our time.  Diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, premature death and other problems are highly associated with obesity which is on the rise all across the US and often starts in childhood.  Studies show that when screens are turned off, kids will replace the sedentary activity with movement, diminishing their risk of being overweight.  Kids who have fewer hours of screen time also consume fewer calories and sugared snacks which contributes to healthier weight as well.  This is due, in part, to lower exposure to advertisements peddling unhealthy foods to kids.

2) Increased screen time in infants, toddlers and young children increases a child’s risk of inattention and hyperactivity.  Fascinating neuroscience research suggests that early exposure to rapidly shifting stimulation (common to baby videos) may change the brain’s response to other stimuli, increasing a child’s risk of inattention later on.

3) School-aged children exposed to violence through TV programs and cartoons, music videos and video games are at higher risk to demonstrate bullying behaviors at school.  Violence is surprisingly common in even young children’s programming (think Finding Nemo, Bambi, Scooby Doo, and the Road Runner, to name only a few). 

4) Poor academic performance in older children correlates with increased screen time and cable TV exposure.

5) Middle-school and high-school aged kids face particular risks from internet exposure.  They may be harassed or psychologically injured when information posted by the child or by others is broadly distributed, causing ridicule or embarrassment.  This can increase a child’s risk of anxiety and depression.

So what can we do to minimize these risks?

Follow the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

         No screen time is necessary for children under 2 years old. 

         Limit total screen time to 1-2 hours a day of carefully chosen, high                            quality programming for kids older than 2 years old. 

         Avoid all screens in a child or teen’s bedroom.

PARTICIPATE IN SCREEN-FREE WEEK.  Embrace one whole week with no screen time (unless it is required for school work).  Allow your family to be reminded of the fun stuff you can do together when the TV or computer is off.  Enjoy a week of meals without the drone of the TV in the background.  Talk with your kids about their day and yours.  Start a new tradition of no TV at meals to continue into the rest of the year.  Take your kids outside to throw some snow around, or wear you muck boots out to stomp in a few puddles, walk the dog, play catch or Frisbee, or read a book aloud to each other (even if your kids are big!).  It is guaranteed that your family will be surprised at how many enjoyable things you forego when TV and other screens are in your usual routine.  Even when the TV and screens are back, they are likely to get less use in favor of more movement and more time together.  And that, of course, is what it’s all about!

Start planning now to be sure you and your family are ready to UNPLUG on the 18^th! 

Supply of flu vaccine is beginning to decline so now is the time to call for your child's flu vaccine.  Children at highest risk for complications from influenza are those under two years old and those with medical issues like asthma, cystic fibrosis and other lung diseases, heart disease, kidney disease, Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, diabetes and other chronic illnesses.  Flu vaccine can be given to anyone 6 months old and up.  Because young infants under six months are at high risk from influenza and its complications, it is highly recommended to vaccinate parents and older siblings of young infants.  Call the office to schedule your child's vaccine as soon as possible.  

Supply of flu vaccine is beginning to decline so now is the time to call for your child's flu vaccine.  Children at highest risk for complications from influenza are those under two years old and those with medical issues like asthma, cystic fibrosis and other lung diseases, heart disease, kidney disease, Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, diabetes and other chronic illnesses.  Flu vaccine can be given to anyone 6 months old and up.  Because young infants under six months are at high risk from influenza and its complications, it is highly recommended to vaccinate parents and older siblings of young infants.  Call the office to schedule your child's vaccine as soon as possible.  

It's that time of year again, when we encourage our patients (6 months and older) and their parents to get flu vaccine.  This year will be much simpler than last year.  One vaccine includes the H1N1 strain and the other strains that are expected to be more prevalent this year.  

Call the office to schedule an appointment.  We will be offering flu clinics on Wednesday afternoons from 4-7 pm, and some Saturdays from 10-12, but will also offer vaccine at the time of other visits, or at other times that are most convenient for you and your family.  

Dr Idzerda is away in Prey, MT, this weekend hosting the Annual Meeting of the Montana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).  This is a lively meeting of many of more than half of all of the pediatricians in the state who come together for three days of continuing medical education provided by leading clinicians from across the country.  As the Vice President of the MT AAP, Dr Idzerda organized this event.  Later this year she will assume her new position as President of the MT AAP.

Dr Daniels and Christine Hodgson, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, are both headed to San Francisco for the national AAP conference.  Dr Daniels will be conferencing with a group of pediatricians from across the country who are participating in variety of research studies conducted in office settings.  Christine will be attending the main conference.  

All will return home with the most current medical expertise to help them provide the best care for your child.

Dr Lowe and her husband welcomed their new baby, Coby Lowe, on August 13th.  Both mom and baby and doing great.  Dr Lowe will be home with baby Coby and his big brother Bryson until December.  While she is away, care of her patients will be covered by Dr Daniels, Dr Idzerda, and by Dr Tory Katz, who is filling in until Dr Lowe returns in December.  CONGRATULATIONS DR LOWE!