Liberty Pediatrics Ann Arbor

08/04/2025

We are so relieved that Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has announced that it is recommending covid vaccines for all people 6 months and older! Thank you to the MDHHS staff for making this public statement, which must feel stressful given the amount of misinformation that's out there about the vaccines. We totally agree with MDHHS and urge everyone to get theirs this Fall. We plan to have them available as soon as the new formulation comes out (and now for those turning 6 months or who have never had one). There is some possibility that some evil insurance executives will decide they are not covered; if that happens we will charge families only what they cost us, not a penny more.

07/09/2025

Edited: YOU HAVE TO LEAN OUT THE WINDOW AND TELL THE WORKER THAT YOU'RE COMING TO THE DOCTOR. This is a totally ridiculous system, and we are in contact with the Road Commission to get them to do it more efficiently. Construction on Liberty in front of the office will go on all this month. Local traffic WILL be allowed, and all businesses will be open. The county says access will be quicker from Wagner than from Maple or Scio Ridge roads, but all the access points will be available.

06/19/2025

This decision is a travesty, a direct attack on the lives of trans youth in over half of states, ignoring decades of precedent about equal protection under the law. Fortunately Michigan does not have a law like Tennessee’s, and this case does not include the executive order against healthcare for trans people, so for now nothing should change here. We will be watching that case closely, and even if it goes poorly will do all we can to get everyone the care they need.

The justices' 6-3 decision in a case from Tennessee effectively protects from legal challenges many efforts by President Donald Trump's Republican administration and state governments to roll back protections for transgender people. Another 26 states have laws similar to the one in Tennessee.

05/22/2025

What you need to know about preventing tick exposures.

It’s tick time! Make sure your family is ready.

Lyme disease can be transmitted by the bite of an infected black-legged tick (aka deer tick). Today’s post will highlight prevention. Later, we will post about what to do if you find an attached tick, or suspect a tick bite. When in doubt, call us! 734-994-5858.

Prevention Tips:
1. Wear long pants tucked into socks, shirt tucked into pants, and a hat when outdoors in nature. Spray shoes, socks, clothing, and hat with DEET, or wear tick repellent clothing treated with permethrin (probably even better than DEET). Tiny larval ticks can crawl through the material of socks, so repellent is necessary. Permethrin should not be applied to skin, only to clothing.
2. Stay in the middle of nature trails, avoiding leaf litter and grasses/low vegetation along the edge of the path.
3. In the fall, rake leaf piles for kids to play in into the middle of the yard, and avoid using the leaves from the yard perimeter for leaf pile play (leave about 5 feet of perimeter leaves to clean up more carefully).
4. When you get back from being in nature, strip and do a body tick check, including head, hairline, and behind the ears. Clothing could have ticks on it, so best to wash and dry right away. Ticks can survive the washing machine, but not a hot clothes dryer. It’s recommended to put clothing thru the dryer first, then wash it.
5. When sitting on the toilet, make a habit of doing a daily below-the-belt tick check – look for tiny nymphal and larval ticks, which can be as small as a poppy seed!
6. Eliminate tick habitat in your yard. Trim shrubs and low branches, and rake and remove leaves, especially around borders, wood piles, stone walls, or sheds.
7. Discourage wildlife in your yard by fencing to keep out deer, and reducing habitat for mice and chipmunks which support the larval stage of deer ticks. Birdfeeders attract deer and rodents that may bring ticks to your yard.
8. Consider perimeter treatments with bifenthrin or permethrin if you have shady, cool, moist borders in your yard. Usually 2-3 applications in mid-May, mid-June, and mid-October work best.
9. Talk to your veterinarian about protecting your pets from ticks.

More about Lyme and ticks in Washtenaw County: https://www.washtenaw.org/1813/Lyme-Ticks

04/21/2025

There is an event with Stand With Trans coming up May 3rd with some great speakers who will we're sure give awesome information. It's 9:30-2 at WCC.

04/03/2025

As of yesterday there is a new car seat law in Michigan. Here are the major changes:

Children must ride rear-facing until they’re 2-years-old or they outgrow the manufacturer’s height/weight limits of their car seat.

Previous guidance was until they were age 1 and weighed at least 20 pounds.

Kids will be required to use a harnessed car seat one additional year as well, until they’re at least 5 years old, unless they outgrow the car seat’s limits.

Unchanged rules that people often don't know about:

Booster seats with a shoulder and lap belt will remain required for children under age 8, and those shorter than 4 feet 9 inches. A child between the age of 8 and 13 could be restrained in a booster seat until reaching the weight or height limit of the seat, as set by the manufacturer.

All children younger than 13 have to sit in the backseat, as long as the vehicle has one.

Beginning April 2, children under 2 have to sit in a rear-facing child car seat.

03/31/2025

There are several studies going on at University of Michigan for kids with stuttering. If you're interested, please check it out!

Become a brain scientist!

03/25/2025

The recent Consumer Reports article about contaminants in infant formula has many people worried, but in this analysis of the data by Dr. Jessica Knurick, PhD, RDN, she points out that there really isn’t much to worry about. Here are the most notable summary paragraphs:

“None of the formulas tested exceeded EU limits for any contaminant, except for the detection of BPA in one product.

More than half of the formulas tested contained low or no detectable levels of contaminants.

And even the formulas that did contain lead or inorganic arsenic tested below the action levels set by the FDA’s [2024] Closer to Zero initiative for lead and below the EU’s actionable level for inorganic arsenic.”

Cutting through the fear-based narratives to focus on facts, science, and real solutions

03/14/2025

For those of you thinking of having more kids, we thought this article might be helpful. It shows that Omega-3 supplements during pregnancy can decrease the risk of food allergies for babies and children.

Omega-3 supplementation has been reported to modulate immune responses and prevent food allergies among children; however, findings are inconsistent, and the timing of supplementation, which is critical, has not been thoroughly investigated.

03/10/2025

Our NP Kyla spoke at in Lansing last Friday. Hear what what she had to say about vaccines and public investment in science!

Kyla Boyse addressing the Michigan Stand Up for Science rally at the Lansing Capitol on March 8, 2025. She speaks about vaccines and the importance of public...

02/21/2025

There is a new office in town specializing in pain medicine for kids and teens. Psychologist Dr. Emily Scholand used to help run the University of Michigan pain clinic and now has her own office. She is offering a free class (with two different times) in March for kids with pain.

02/17/2025

This was posted recently by an old friend of Dr. Andy's in response to RFK's recent remarks about psychiatric medications. My friend is old like me, but I think this encapsulates how I and most health professionals feel about these medications, and she and both I hope her story helps insulate people against the improper influence that the new administration may have on all of our minds. Quoted with joyful permission.

"I have taken antidepressants periodically for years. Guess what? Contrary to what you may think, my generally cheerful and upbeat demeanor is sometimes me masking depression and anxiety because I spent years convinced that people wouldn't like me if they knew I was sad. Talk therapy and finally getting diagnosed with ADHD have helped immensely. But I know many people for whom therapy is not enough, and who rely on SSRIs and other medications to manage major depression. I take daily stimulant meds for ADHD as well. I have had symptoms of ADHD since I was a young child, but wasn't formally diagnosed until I was 49. I spent the previous decades of my life floundering, but now I am thriving on 40 mg of Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse). That drug does not use the same amphetamine salts as Adderall, but it is an amphetamine and a controlled substance. I am outraged that RFK Jr is using his...position to target science that literally keeps people alive, and it's all based on his ignorance, bias, and opinion. There is no scientific basis for his opinions, but he's convinced he knows better than doctors, researchers, and other scientists. As for his "wellness farms" idea, we've had similar programs in the US for decades. Last year, Congress passed the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act because the risk for every type of abuse at these programs is so incredibly high. The Italian program Kennedy has held up as a model was the subject of a documentary highlighting abuse, kidnapping, and even possible murder."