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UPDATED Media and Screen Time Recommendations

Posted on by Charish Barry, MD in

Where We Stand: TV Viewing Time

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that parents and caregivers minimize or eliminate altogether media exposure for children under the age of two.

For older preschool-aged children, media limits are very appropriate and parents should have a strategy for managing electronic media when choosing to maximize its benefits.

Remember that supervised independent play for infants and young children has been shown to have superior benefit to the use of screen media when you cannot sit down and actively engage in play with your child. For example, have your child play with nesting cups on the floor nearby while you prepare dinner.

Also, avoid placing a television set in your child’s bedroom and recognize that your own media use can have a negative effect on children.

Additional Information:
How to Make a Family Media Use Plan
The Benefits of Limiting TV
What Children are NOT Doing When Watching TV
Why to Avoid TV Before Age 2
Sleep and Mental Health
Last Updated
8/20/2015
Source
Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5, 6th Edition (Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Pediatrics)

The Benefits of Limiting TV

The AAP discourages TV and other media use by children younger than 2 years and encourages interactive play. For older children, total entertainment screen time should be limited to less than 1 to 2 hours per day.

You’ll all discover more constructive ways to fill the time, separately and together. Some examples include:

Reading

Exercising

Taking part in outdoor activities

Talking more to one another

Expect to encounter resistance at first. After all, change is never easy. If yours is a household where the TV regularly blares for five, six or seven hours a day, wean the family gradually. Try cutting down by an hour a week or go cold turkey. The two-hour maximum includes time spent in front of any screen, including the computer and video games.

Make TV viewing an active choice, as if you were picking a movie from the newspaper. “How about if we watch at seven-thirty?”

Hide the remote! Eliminate channel surfing, which encourages passive viewing. When family members have to get up to change the channel, they may be more selective about the programs they watch. If nothing else, at least they’ll be getting some exercise.

When the show you wanted to watch is over, turn off the set. Also, if the program you choose isn’t compelling enough to watch actively, it’s not worth keeping on as background noise.

Make a household rule: no TV in your youngster’s bedroom. Although adolescents deserve their privacy, they hardly need another reason to isolate themselves from the rest of the family. Children should watch their favorite shows in a central area of the home. Even if you’re not sitting down with them, this allows for conversation when you’re passing through and enables you to  keep closer tabs on what they’re watching.

Whenever possible, videotape programs and watch them later. Fastforwarding through commercials will shave ten minutes off every hour of TV viewing, not to mention help your youngster hold on to her allowance longer. (When watching TV in “real time,” mute the sound during the breaks.) Taping shows ahead of time also allows you to hit the PAUSE button when you want to make a point or have a family discussion about something you’ve just seen onscreen. 

Discourage repeated viewings of the same video. The graphic language, violence and sexual content of movies rated PG-13 and R can have a cumulative effect on a child if they’re watched over and over again.

Harness the power of television in a positive way. For all its flaws, TV can be a valuable tool for learning and expanding one’s awareness of the world.

Here’s what you can do to help your child get the most enjoyment out of the experience:

>Peruse the TV listings for programs, specials, documentaries and other films that explore areas of interest to him.
>Use events in the news and subjects of fictitious programs as springboards for discussion.
>Encourage your youngster to broaden her horizons by watching programs that transport her to other times and places, or that expose her to different perspectives or philosophies.
>Make use of ratings systems to know whether or not a program or movie is appropriate for your child. The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the National Cable Television Association (NCTA) and the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) jointly developed the “TV Parental Guidelines,” similar to themovie-rating system adopted by the MPAA in 1966.

Talk back to your TV! Parents are rightfully perturbed about  the seemingly endless stream of violence and sex in television  programs and films, including those aimed at young people. We  should be equally concerned about what they don’t show: namely, the real-life consequences of such actions. For example, 75 percent of the violent scenes on TV fail to show the perpetrator expressing remorse, or being criticized or penalized  for his actions. Similarly, a study from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation found that over a one-week period, roughly 90 percent of the television programs containing sex scenes did not include a single reference to the risk of pregnancy or acquiring a sexually transmitted disease from unprotected sex.
Last Updated
8/20/2015
Source
Adapted from Caring for Your Teenager (Copyright © 2003 American Academy of Pediatrics)

Schedule an Appointment at Petite Pediatrics

Dr. Charish Barry offers concierge-style care that is designed to provide highly personalized care to infants, children, and teens throughout the Santa Barbara area. She and her team of highly trained nurse practitioners will take the time to answer any questions you may have. Schedule an appointment at Petite Pediatrics today! Call our Santa Barbara office at (805) 845-1221.

(805) 845-1221

Newborn Eye Color

Posted on by Charish Barry, MD in

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/Pages/Newborn-Eye-Color.aspx

Newborn Eye Color

New parents often ask what color I think the baby’s eyes are going to be. I never answer this question until the child is at least 1 year old; I mean, what if the parents believe me and use my answer to make major life decisions? When we talk about eye color, we’re really talking about the appearance of the iris, the muscular ring around the pupil that controls how much light enters the eye. After all, the pupil will always be black, except in flash photos, and the whites (sclera) should stay pretty much white, although jaundice may turn them yellow and inflammation may make them look pink or red.

Gray or Blue Eyes at Birth
Iris color, just like hair and skin color, depends on a protein called melanin. We have specialized cells in our bodies called melanocytes whose job it is to go around secreting melanin where it’s needed, including in the iris. When your baby is born his eyes will be gray or blue, as melanocytes respond to light, and he has spent his whole life in the dark.

Eye Color Changes Over Time
Over time, if melanocytes only secrete a little melanin, your baby will have blue eyes. If they secrete a bit more, his eyes will look green or hazel. When melanocytes get really busy, eyes look brown (the most common eye color), and in some cases they may appear very dark indeed. Because it takes about a year for melanocytes to finish their work it can be a dicey business calling eye color before the baby’s first birthday. The color change does slow down some after the first 6 months of life, but there can be plenty of change left at that point.

Eye color is a genetic property, but it’s not quite as cut-and-dried as you might have learned in biology class.

  • Two blue-eyed parents are very likely to have a blue-eyed child, but it won’t happen every single time.
    Two brown-eyed parents are likely (but not guaranteed) to have a child with brown eyes.
    If you notice one of the grandparents has blue eyes, the chances of having a blue-eyed baby go up a bit.
    If one parent has brown eyes and the other has blue eyes, odds are about even on eye color.
    If your child has one brown eye and one blue eye, bring it to your doctor’s attention; he probably has a rare genetic condition called Waardenburg syndrome.

Cross-Eyed?
Parents also often note that their newborns’ eyes appear to cross from time to time. For the first 6 months of life this can be normal. To begin with, to look at something the brain has to know where to point the eyes. For the first 2 to 4 weeks of life vision is not accurate enough for the baby’s eyes to find a target a lot of the time. Parents often feel like their newborns are looking past them rather than at them, because they are. By the fourth week of life, however, your baby will focus on your face if you’re cradling him.

Most visual development occurs in the brain, not in the eyes themselves. One of the greatest challenges for the developing brain is to coordinate visual signals from one side to the other. Nerve signals from the eyes travel through optic nerves and split off to both sides of the brain. To make sense of those signals, the 2 sides of the brain have to cooperate, comparing information and coordinating eye movement in the desired direction. Until age 2 months you may notice your infant will follow your face or a toy a little way, then lose it as it crosses from one side to the other. By 2 months, however, he should be able to track from right to left and back again.

The next big visual milestone occurs at 6 months of age. By this time the 2 sides of the brain are on good terms with each other. Until this point the eyes track together as long as they both have something to look at, but if one is deprived of input (from being covered by a hat, for example), it might drift off in its own direction. By 6 months of age the eyes should continue looking the same direction even if one of them is covered temporarily. We test this in the clinic by covering 1 eye for 3 seconds, then suddenly uncovering it and looking to see if it’s still tracking with the opposite eye. We call this test the cover-uncover test.

Sometimes the shape of a child’s face makes it look as though the eyes are crossed even when they are not. A child with a broad nasal bridge may appear to have an inward-looking eye, when in fact he’s just looking off to the side. You can check this by watching the light reflection in your child’s eyes from a window or lamp; if it falls in the same place on each eye, the eyes are working together.

Even with office screening, however, we don’t always catch an eye that tends to deviate. Deviations occur more often when the child is tired. If you ever notice that your 6-month-old or older child has an eye that doesn’t always look the same way as its partner, alert his doctor. It’s critical that an eye specialist (ophthalmologist)examine the child. What some people call a lazy eye (amblyopia) may be a sign that one eye doesn’t see as clearly as the other. When the brain is forced to make 1 picture from 2 very different inputs, it starts to ignore the signals from the worse eye. Over time this process becomes irreversible, leading to partial blindness in the weaker eye. In most cases, you should address the problem before the child turns 3 to ensure he’ll grow up with normal depth perception. Treatments for amblyopia vary based on the cause and severity of the condition. Some children require glasses or patches that force the brain to pay attention to signals from the weaker eye. Other kids need surgery to shorten or lengthen certain muscles that control eye movement.
Author
David L. Hill, MD, FAAP
Last Updated
5/6/2015
Source
Dad to Dad: Parenting Like a Pro (Copyright © American Academy of Pediatrics 2012)

Tips on Physical Activity for School-Aged Children

Posted on by Charish Barry, MD in

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/fitness/Pages/Energy-Out-Daily-Physical-Activity-Recommendations.aspx

Energy Out: Daily Physical Activity Recommendations

​Physical activity in children and adolescents improves strength and endurance, builds healthy bones and lean muscles, develops ​motor skills and coordination, reduces fat, and promotes emotional well-being (reduces feelings of depression and anxiety). Activities should be appropriate for their age and fun, as well as offer variety.

The daily recommendation for physical activity for children 6 years and older is at least 60 minutes per day. Active play is the best exercise for younger children.
The types of physical activity should be moderate to vigorous. Vigorous activity is activity that makes you breathe hard and sweat. During vigorous activity, it would be difficult to have a talk with someone. Some activities, such as bicycling, can be of moderate or vigorous intensity, depending upon level of effort.

The 60 minutes does not need to be done all at once. Physical activity can be broken down into shorter blocks of time. For example, 20 minutes walking to and from school, 10 minutes jumping rope, and 30 minutes at the playground all add up to 60 minutes of physical activity. If your child is not active, start from where you are and build from there.

Types of Sports and Activities for Children and Teens (and Parents, Too!)

Aerobic Exercises

Use body’s large muscle groups
Strengthen the heart and lungs
Examples of moderate-intensity aerobic exercises include:
Brisk walking
Bicycle riding
Dancing
Hiking
Rollerblading
Skateboarding
Martial arts such as karate or tae kwon do (can be vigorous too)

Examples of vigorous-intensity aerobic activities include:
Basketball
Bicycle riding
Games such as tag
Ice or field hockey
Jumping rope
Martial arts
Running
Soccer
Swimming
Tennis

Muscle-Strengthening (or Resistance) Activities
Work major muscle groups of the body (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulder, arms)

Examples of muscle-strengthening activities include:
Games such as tug-of-war
Push-ups or modified push-ups (with knees on the floor)
Resistance exercises using body weight or resistance bands
Rope or tree climbing
Sit-ups (curl-ups or crunches)
Swinging on playground equipment/bars
Bone-Strengthening (Weight-Bearing) Activities
Tone and build muscles and bone mass
Can be aerobic exercises and muscle-strengthening activities

Examples of bone-strengthening activities include:
Basketball
Hopping, skipping, jumping
Gymnastics
Jumping rope
Running
Tennis
Volleyball
Push-ups

Resistance exercises using body weight or resistance bands

About Strength Training
Strength training(or resistance training) uses a resistance to increase an individual’s ability to exert force. It involves the use of weight machines, free weights, bands or tubing, or the individual’s own body weight. This is not the same as Olympic lifting, power lifting, or body building, which are not recommended for children. Check with your child’s doctor before starting any strength training exercises.

Last Updated
5/5/2015
Source
Energy In Energy Out: Finding the Right Balance for Your Children (Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Pediatrics)

A Vitamin a Day…

Posted on by Charish Barry, MD in , ,

 

It has been estimated that just over half of all preschoolers are given multivitamins. We’re pretty sure that’s a good bit more than are served broccoli on any given day. And we’re quite sure we can relate to the reasons why. When the going gets tough, it is often a whole lot easier to reach for a quick fix in a bottle of Flintstones vitamins and forget the fight. The fact that there are so many parents who do just that isn’t so much a food fight, per se, but a reflection on the parental feelings that so many share that what we’re feeding our children is nutritionally inadequate. While we can definitely understand the sentiment, it compels us to address the fundamental question: What role should multivitamins play in your child’s diet, and is it you or your child that stands to benefit from them more?

Who Needs ‘Em, Anyway?

We’ll come right out and say what most nutrition experts have been saying all along: Most children don’t need vitamin supplements at all! Yes, we realize that the perfect, vegetable-loving, cooperative eater we all long for doesn’t exist. But even taking all food fights into consideration, there are nevertheless very few instances in which a child’s diet is likely to leave him truly deficient.

If you need further convincing, we suggest you consider the following facts:

  • The amount your child needs to eat to get enough vitamins and minerals from his food alone is probably much smaller than you think. Even for the pickiest of eaters, it doesn’t take more than a very few picks from each of the basic food groups for children to get their recommended daily dose.
  • Many vitamins can be stored in the body. This means that your child doesn’t have to eat each and every one every day—affording you the option of spreading your efforts at achieving a balanced diet out over the course of a week or two without spreading the vitamins too thin.
  • Ironically enough, parents who are most likely to give multivitamins are also those who are most likely to be feeding their children healthy diets in the first place.
  • Vitamins can be found in some unlikely sources. Calcium doesn’t just have to come from cows, since it is contained in both supplements and many nondairy foods ranging from salmon, tofu, spinach, and sardines to rhubarb, baked beans, bok choy, and almonds—admittedly not all of which are an easy sell at the dinner table, but at least you have plenty to choose from!
  • And finally, many foods these days are fortified. That means that even if your child favors foods that do not come naturally loaded with all of the necessary nutrients, all hope is not lost; it’s entirely possible that food manufacturers have added them in for you. Classic examples include the vitamin D fortification of milk, margarine, and pudding, and the calcium contained in kid-friendly foods such as orange juice, cereals, breads, and even Eggo waffles.

Schedule an Appointment at Petite Pediatrics

Dr. Charish Barry offers concierge-style care that is designed to provide highly personalized care to infants, children, and teens throughout the Santa Barbara area. She and her team of highly trained nurse practitioners will take the time to answer any questions you may have. Schedule an appointment at Petite Pediatrics today! Call our Santa Barbara office at (805) 845-1221.

A Vitamin a Day?

Posted on by Charish Barry, MD in , ,

Do toddlers need vitamins to make up for their picky eating?    You may be surprised at the answer!

It has been estimated that just over half of all preschoolers are given multivitamins. We’re pretty sure that’s a good bit more than are served broccoli on any given day. And we’re quite sure we can relate to the reasons why. When the going gets tough, it is often a whole lot easier to reach for a quick fix in a bottle of Flintstones vitamins and forget the fight. The fact that there are so many parents who do just that isn’t so much a food fight, per se, but a reflection on the parental feelings that so many share that what we’re feeding our children is nutritionally inadequate. While we can definitely understand the sentiment, it compels us to address the fundamental question: What role should multivitamins play in your child’s diet, and is it you or your child that stands to benefit from them more?

Who Needs ‘Em, Anyway?

We’ll come right out and say what most nutrition experts have been saying all along: Most children don’t need vitamin supplements at all! Yes, we realize that the perfect, vegetable-loving, cooperative eater we all long for doesn’t exist. But even taking all food fights into consideration, there are nevertheless very few instances in which a child’s diet is likely to leave him truly deficient.

If you need further convincing, we suggest you consider the following facts:

  • The amount your child needs to eat to get enough vitamins and minerals from his food alone is probably much smaller than you think. Even for the pickiest of eaters, it doesn’t take more than a very few picks from each of the basic food groups for children to get their recommended daily dose.
  • Many vitamins can be stored in the body. This means that your child doesn’t have to eat each and every one every day—affording you the option of spreading your efforts at achieving a balanced diet out over the course of a week or two without spreading the vitamins too thin.
  • Ironically enough, parents who are most likely to give multivitamins are also those who are most likely to be feeding their children healthy diets in the first place.
  • Vitamins can be found in some unlikely sources. Calcium doesn’t just have to come from cows, since it is contained in both supplements and many nondairy foods ranging from salmon, tofu, spinach, and sardines to rhubarb, baked beans, bok choy, and almonds—admittedly not all of which are an easy sell at the dinner table, but at least you have plenty to choose from!
  • And finally, many foods these days are fortified. That means that even if your child favors foods that do not come naturally loaded with all of the necessary nutrients, all hope is not lost; it’s entirely possible that food manufacturers have added them in for you. Classic examples include the vitamin D fortification of milk, margarine, and pudding, and the calcium contained in kid-friendly foods such as orange juice, cereals, breads, and even Eggo waffles.

Head Lice… what to know

Posted on by Charish Barry, MD in ,

No denying… Head lice is a nuisance, but they don’t cause serious illness or diseases ~

Also, head lice can be treated at home.

The following information from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) will help you check for, treat, and prevent the spread of head lice.

What are head lice?

Head lice are tiny insects. They are about the size of a sesame seed (2–3 mm long). Their bodies are usually pale and gray, but color may vary. One “lice” is called a louse.

Head lice feed on tiny amounts of blood from the scalp. They usually survive less than a day if not on a person’s scalp. Lice lay and attach their eggs to hair close to the scalp.

The eggs and their shell casings are called nits. They are oval (about 0.8 x 0.3 mm) and usually yellow to white. Nits are attached with a sticky substance that holds them firmly in place. After the eggs hatch, the empty nits remain attached to the hair shaft.

Head lice live about 28 days. They can multiply quickly, laying up to 10 eggs a day. It only takes about 12 days for newly hatched eggs to reach adulthood. This cycle can repeat itself every 3 weeks if head lice are left untreated.

Who gets head lice?

Anyone can get head lice. Head lice are most common in preschool– and elementary school–aged children. It doesn’t matter how clean your hair or home may be. It doesn’t matter where children and families live, play, or work.

How are head lice spread?

Head lice are crawling insects. They cannot jump, hop, or fly. The main way head lice spread is from close, prolonged head-to-head contact. There is a very small chance that head lice will spread because of sharing items such as combs, brushes, and hats.

What are symptoms of head lice?

The most common symptom of head lice is itching. It may take up to 4 weeks after lice get on the scalp for the itching to begin. Most of the itching happens behind the ears or at the back of the neck. Also, itching caused by head lice can last for weeks, even after the lice are gone. However, an itchy scalp also may be caused by eczema, dandruff, or an allergy to hair products.

How do you check for head lice?

Regular checks for head lice are a good way to spot head lice before they have time to multiply and infest your child’s head.

  • Seat your child in a brightly lit room.
  • Part the hair and look at your child’s scalp.
  • Look for crawling lice and for nits.
    • Live lice are hard to find. They avoid light and move quickly.
    • Nits will look like small white or yellow-brown specks and be firmly attached to the hair near the scalp. The easiest place to find them is at the hairline at the back of the neck or behind the ears. Nits can be confused with many other things, such as dandruff, dirt particles, or hair spray droplets. The way to tell the difference is that nits are attached while dandruff, dirt, or other particles are not.
  • Wet the hair. Use a fine-toothed comb to help comb out the lice or nits. Comb through your child’s hair in small sections. After each comb-through, wipe the comb on a wet paper towel. Examine the scalp, comb, and paper towel carefully.

How do you treat head lice?

Check with your child’s doctor first before beginning any head lice treatment. The most effective way to treat head lice is with head lice medicine. Head lice medicine should only be used when it is certain that your child has head lice.

When head lice medicines are used, it is important to use them safely. Here are some safety guidelines.

  • Follow the directions on the package.
  • Never let children apply the medicine. Medicine should be applied by an adult.
  • Check with your child’s doctor before beginning a second or third treatment. A second treatment is usually needed 10 days after the first treatment. In some cases a third treatment 10 days after the second treatment is needed.
  • Do not use medicine on a child 2 years or younger without first checking with your child’s doctor.
  • Do not use or apply medicine to children if you are pregnant or nursing without first checking with your doctor.
  • Store medicine in a locked cabinet, out of sight and reach of children.
  • Ask your child’s doctor if you have any questions.

Note: The comb-out method (removing head lice without medicine from damp hair with a fine-toothed comb) often fails. Also, home remedies, like using petroleum jelly, mayonnaise, tub margarine, herbal oils, or olive oil, have not been scientifically proven to work. Never use dangerous products like gasoline or kerosene or medicines made for use on animals!

What head lice medicines are available?

Here is a list of head lice medicines approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Check with your child’s doctor before beginning any treatment.

Head Lice Medicines
TreatmentDescription
Permethrin cream (1%)Available without a prescription

Applied to shampooed and towel dried hair, then rinsed off after 10 minutes

Approved for use in children 2 months and older

Pyrethrin-based product (shampoo or hair mousse)Available without a prescription

Applied to dry hair and rinsed off after 10 minutes

Should not be used in people who are allergic to chrysanthemums

Malathion lotion (0.5%)Prescription needed

Applied to dry hair and rinsed off after 8 to 12 hours

Approved for use in children 6 years or older

Flammable; may cause chemical burns

Benzyl alcohol lotion (0.5%)Prescription needed.

Applied to dry hair and rinsed off after 10 minutes. Repeat in 7 days.

Contains no neurotoxic pesticide.

Approved for use in children 6 months and older. Not recommended for infants younger than 6 months.

Spinosad topical suspension (9%)Prescription needed.

Applied to dry hair and rinsed off after 10 minutes.

Approved for use in children 4 years and older. Not recommended for infants younger than 6 months.

Made from a naturally occurring soil bacterium that causes lice to become paralyzed and then die. Also contains benzyl alcohol.

Ivermectin lotion (0.5%)Prescription needed.

Applied to dry hair and rinsed off after 10 minutes.

Approved as a one-time-use, topical treatment of head lice in children 6 months and older. If there is leftover medicine, it needs to be thrown out, not reused.

Lindane shampoo (1%)Prescription needed

No longer recommended by most experts

What else do I need to know about treating head lice?

You do not need to throw away any items belonging to your child. However, you may want to wash your child’s clothes, towels, hats, and bed linens in hot water and dry on high heat if they were used within 3 days before head lice were found and treated. Items that cannot be washed may be dry-cleaned or sealed in a plastic bag for 2 weeks.

Do not spray pesticides in your home; they can expose your family to dangerous chemicals and are not necessary when you treat your child’s scalp and hair properly.

If your child has head lice, all household members and close contacts should also be checked and treated if necessary.

About “no-nit” policies

Some schools have “no-nit” policies stating that students who still have nits in their hair cannot return to school. The AAP and the National Association of School Nurses discourage such policies and believe a child should not miss school because of head lice.

Remember

Head lice don’t put your child at risk for any serious health problems. If your child has head lice, work quickly to treat your child to prevent the head lice from spreading.

Additional Information

  • Managing Infectious Diseases in Child Care and Schools, 3rd Edition – Completely revised and updated, the new 3rd edition of this award-winning quick reference guide provides the latest information on preventing and managing infectious diseases in child care and school settings. (AAP Bookstore)
  • Head Lice (AAP Clinical Report)
  • National Association of School Nurses

Schedule an Appointment at Petite Pediatrics

Dr. Charish Barry offers concierge-style care that is designed to provide highly personalized care to infants, children, and teens throughout the Santa Barbara area. She and her team of highly trained nurse practitioners will take the time to answer any questions you may have. Schedule an appointment at Petite Pediatrics today! Call our Santa Barbara office at (805) 845-1221.

A New Sleep Book for Parents…

Posted on by Charish Barry, MD in , ,

What Every Parent Needs to Know

American Academy of Pediatrics

Edited by: Rachel Moon, MD, FAAP

Description

New! Sooner or later, most parents face challenges at bedtime. From infants and toddlers, to school-age kids and adolescents, sleeptime problems can affect everyone in the family. And no matter what your child’s difficulty may be – getting to sleep, staying asleep, bed-wetting, fears or nightmares – it’s never too late to take steps to correct it.
The latest in a series of parenting books from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Sleep: What Every Parent Needs to Know helps caregivers like you better understand sleep, answering questions and examining conflicting theories in order to help you make the best decisions for your family.
Topics include:
• The functions of sleep and how much your child needs
• Newborn sleep patterns
• Sleep theories and strategies for success
• Bedtime routines and rituals
• Coping with fears and nightmares
• Tips for solving common problems
• Helping regulate multiples’ sleep
• Changes during adolescence
Sleep: What Every Parent Needs to Know was written and edited by pediatricians – many of whom have been sleep-deprived parents at one time or another – and who have helped many families in their care. They recognize that there is not always an easy, one-size-fits-all answer to a sleep problem. With their recommended strategies for establishing good sleep habits, and your unique understanding of your child, this book can help ensure you and your family get all the rest you need.

​

Schedule an Appointment at Petite Pediatrics

Dr. Charish Barry offers concierge-style care that is designed to provide highly personalized care to infants, children, and teens throughout the Santa Barbara area. She and her team of highly trained nurse practitioners will take the time to answer any questions you may have. Schedule an appointment at Petite Pediatrics today! Call our Santa Barbara office at (805) 845-1221.

Eating Healthy. Growing Strong.

Posted on by Charish Barry, MD in , ,


The Very Hungry Caterpillar helps families learn about healthy eating habits. Learn more here…

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation and the American Academy of Pediatrics have joined with the best-selling children’s book by Eric Carle.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar eats many foods on his journey to becoming a butterfly. You can help your child on his or her own journey to grow up healthy and strong.  To help you in this journey, we have created the following resources:

Tips for Healthy Eating at Home Simple tips from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation and the American Academy of Pediatrics for eating healthy with your kids at home.

Reading Guide Discuss healthy active living using The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle!

Growth Chart (PDF) Download a special The Very Hungry Caterpillar growth chart and keep track of your child’s journey to becoming healthy & strong.

Learn more about the collaborators and the campaign. Find out how this collaboration started and explore additional resources available for parents and healthcare professionals.

Find out more about The Very Hungry Caterpillar and author and illustrator Eric Carle atwww.eric-carle.com and www.penguin.com/ericcarle

Schedule an Appointment at Petite Pediatrics

Dr. Charish Barry offers concierge-style care that is designed to provide highly personalized care to infants, children, and teens throughout the Santa Barbara area. She and her team of highly trained nurse practitioners will take the time to answer any questions you may have. Schedule an appointment at Petite Pediatrics today! Call our Santa Barbara office at (805) 845-1221.

Infant Care Guidelines for Home Births

Posted on by Charish Barry, MD in , ,

Although still uncommon, the rate of home births has increased during the past several years…
In a new policy statement, “Planned Home Birth,” in the May 2013 Pediatrics (published online April 29), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) makes recommendations for the care of infants born in a home setting.
Regardless of the circumstances of the birth, including location, every newborn infant deserves health care that adheres to AAP standards. The AAP concurs with the recent statement from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) that the safest setting for a child’s birth is a hospital or birthing center, but recognizes that women and their families may desire a home birth for a variety of reasons.
  • Pediatricians should advise parents who are planning a home birth that AAP and ACOG recommend only midwives who are certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board.
  • There should be at least one person present at the delivery whose primary responsibility is the care of the newborn infant and who has the appropriate training, skills and equipment to perform a full resuscitation of the infant.
  • All medical equipment, and the telephone, should be tested before thedelivery, and the weather should be monitored.
  • A previous arrangement needs to be made with a medical facility to ensure a safe and timely transport in the event of an emergency.
  • AAP guidelines include warming, a detailed physical exam, monitoring of temperature, heart and respiratory rates, eye prophylaxis, vitamin K administration, hepatitis B immunization, feeding assessment, hyperbilirubinemia screening and other newborn screening tests.
  • If warranted, infants may also require monitoring for group B streptococcal disease and glucose screening. Comprehensive documentation and follow-up with the child’s primary health care provider is essential.
Published
4/28/2013 7:00 PM

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Family Rituals

Posted on by Charish Barry, MD in ,

Every family should have activities that they enjoy together and that become a regular, predictable, and integral part of their lives. Some can be serious pursuits, like attending community functions or religious services as a family; oth ers can be more lighthearted, like going fishing. Whatever they are, they can help bond a family together. These are some rituals that many families have made parts of their lives:

Important Conversations. Communication between parents and children should be a top priority in your family. Set aside time to talk, discussing the day’s and the week’s activities, sharing feelings and really listening to one an other.

Respect the privacy of each of your youngsters as they begin to assert their independence during these middle years; they may have certain problems and difficulties they may not want to divulge to their brothers and sisters. You should be able to have a one-on-one conversation with each child without all the other children listening to it. If you honor his wishes for confidentiality, this can build trust between you.

Some families establish a weekly time for a family meeting. When everyone is present, family issues, relationships, plans, and experiences are discussed, and everyone from the youngest to the oldest gets a chance to be heard and to participate.

Recreation and Cultural Activities. Family recreation is an important way to strengthen the family. Sports (participation and spectator), games, movies, and walks in the park are good ways to increase cohesiveness and reduce stress.

Cultural activities can be valuable too. Visits to museums, libraries, plays, musicals, and concerts can expand the family’s horizons and deepen appreci ation for the arts.

Shopping. Shopping trips can provide regular opportunities for parents and children to spend time together. Whether you are grocery shopping or buying birthday gifts, these excursions can be fun and exciting for youngsters in mid dle childhood. Let your children make lists, find items in the store, carry the bags to the car, and unpack them once you return home. Allowing your child some choices and assigning some meaningful responsibilities can help build his self-confidence.

Reading and Singing Aloud. Reading and singing aloud as a family promotes feelings of closeness and an appreciation for music and books. Parents should find out what stories their children like to read, and what music they like to lis ten to. It is lots of fun to take turns reading aloud, and to let the children hear the stories and songs you enjoyed when you were growing up.

Holiday Traditions. These are another source of fun family activities. By learning about the history, significance, and rituals of a particular holiday, chil dren will feel a greater sense of involvement in the holiday preparations and celebrations.

Spiritual Pursuits. For many families, religion plays an important role in pro viding a moral tradition, a set of values, and a network of friends and neigh bors who can provide support. Attending services is something family members can do together.

You do not necessarily need to go to a church, synagogue, or other place of worship regularly, however, to share moral values with your children and help them develop a sense of their history and the continuity of the family. Many families develop a strong spiritual life without the formal structure of orga nized religion.

Schedule an Appointment at Petite Pediatrics

Dr. Charish Barry offers concierge-style care that is designed to provide highly personalized care to infants, children, and teens throughout the Santa Barbara area. She and her team of highly trained nurse practitioners will take the time to answer any questions you may have. Schedule an appointment at Petite Pediatrics today! Call our Santa Barbara office at (805) 845-1221.

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