Chippenham Pediatrics

Chippenham Pediatrics’ Fall 2011 Newsletter

pablog — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:40:24 +0000

Chippenham Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine

Back to School!

Get your kids off to a great start this year! Here are a few tips for a successful day at school and a good year…

Eat a good breakfast. We all know it is the most important meal of the day. Be open to different nutritious foods as long as they are getting good energy to fuel their brains!

Set expectations ahead of time and be positive! (We expect you to work hard, do your best. Have a snack first then homework, then playtime.)

Create a quiet and clutter- free space for homework time. Be available for questions. If there is time, go over it together. Point out a specific part you noticed.

Bedtime routines! Everyone benefits from winding down before bed. A good night’s rest helps restore energy, promotes growth, gives brain and muscle cells time to rest and be ready for the next day.

Fuel their passion! Every child has her special interest. Remind her to work hard on all subjects but be supportive of what they love the most whether it be math, art, science, music, reading, or sports.

Talk about the future. Remind them they can explore more in depth about a particular subject they love in high school and college.

Flu Clinics 2011!!!

We will be holding flu clinics again this year with specific time slots. Once we have our supply, we will set dates and times to get your children vaccinated and to avoid cancellations. Call at the end of September/early October to schedule your time. We try to keep these as smooth as possible. Please help us keep this service timely: come a few minutes early and be ready to fill out paperwork. Details about the flu inside!

To Read the Full Newsletter, please download it in PDF format here: CPAM’s Fall 2011 Newsletter

ADHD Parents’ Medication Guide

pablog — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 18:31:58 +0000

May 01, 2008 (RICHMOND, VA) – The American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry have developed two medication guides – the most recent, ADHD Parents Medication Guide, and The Use of Medication in Treating Childhood and Adolescent Depression: Information for Patients and Families.

These guides are designed to help patients, families, and physicians make informed decisions about obtaining and administering the most appropriate care for a child with ADHD or depression. The guides have been endorsed by many national medical, family and patient advocacy organizations, listed below.

The guide may be obtained through the American Academy of Pediatrics’ website, www.aap.org or by accessing the PDF file here: Download Medication Guide

The American Academy of Pediatrics releases policy statement on ADHD

destiny — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 07:05:38 +0000

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is providing an early release of a new policy statement entitled “Cardiovascular Monitoring and Stimulant Drugs for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).” This statement will be published later in Pediatrics. The AAP policy statement was developed in response to a scientific statement published by the American Heart Association (AHA) in the May 6, 2008 issue of the journal Circulation recommending that children taking stimulant medications for ADHD receive an ECG (an online version was published April 21, 2008).

The AAP does not recommend screening ECGs unless the patient’s history, family history or the physical examination raises concerns. Listed below is the new AAP statement, the original AHA scientific statement, the erratum to the AHA statement, and an AAP/AHA clarification statement.

1) AAP Policy Statement on Cardiovascular Monitoring and Stimulant Drugs for AD/HD.

2) AHA Scientific Statement on Cardiovascular Monitoring of children and adolescents with

heart disease receiving stimulant drugs.

3) Erratum to the AHA Scientific Statement on Cardiovascular Monitoring of Children and Adolescents with Heart Disease Receiving Stimulant Drugs.

Columbia University study shows measles vaccine does not cause autism

destiny — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 06:51:40 +0000

September 04, 2008 (RICHMOND, VA) – A new study by Columbia University provides further proof that measles vaccine has no link to autism spectrum disorder, debunking a theory that has persisted for more than a decade.
Scientists examined bowel tissues from 25 children with autism and gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances for the presence of measles virus, and compared the results to biopsies from 13 children who have GI disturbances but not autism. Children with autism were no more likely to have measles virus in their bowels. Nor did researchers find any relationship between the timing of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine and children developing GI problems or autism.

“This study adds a critical piece to the mountain of evidence that MMR vaccine does not autism,” said Renee R. Jenkins, MD, FAAP, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “We are hopeful these results will put this theory to rest. Parents should feel confident this life-saving vaccine has been thoroughly researched and found to be safe.”
The research was published in PLoS One, the peer–reviewed, online journal of the Public Library of Science. The study was funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through the American Academy of Pediatrics.
More information is available through the American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention websites.
See www.aap.org and www.cdc.gov