Countryside Pediatric Care

03/27/2026

🌸 Spring Health Alert for Kids: Allergies Are Here! 🌸

As we head into spring, many children start experiencing seasonal allergies and symptoms can sometimes look like a cold. Here’s how to tell the difference and help your child feel better:

👃 Common allergy symptoms:
*Sneezing
*Cough
*Itchy throat or nose
*Clear runny nose or stuffy nose
*Itchy, watery eyes (sometimes causing redness)
*No fever

🤧 More likely a cold or flu if you see:
*Fever (anything over 100.4°F)
*Thick yellow/green mucus
*Body aches

💡 Tips to manage allergies:
Keep windows closed during high pollen days
Have kids wash hands and change clothes after playing outside
Use a cool mist humidifier if needed

🚨 When to call us:
Trouble breathing or wheezing
Symptoms not improving with over-the-counter treatments
Sleep disruption or ongoing cough

Spring should be fun—not miserable! A few simple steps can make a big difference 🌼

03/04/2026

⏰ Daylight Saving Time Starts March 8th!
We “spring forward” and lose one hour of sleep , which can be tough on little ones!

Here are a few simple tips to help:
• Move bedtime earlier by 10–15 minutes for a few days before
• Keep your child’s normal bedtime routine
• Get plenty of morning sunlight
• Avoid screens before bed
• Be patient — it may take a few days to adjust

Don’t forget to change your clocks and check your smoke detector batteries too!

02/26/2026

🏥 Important Update for Student-Athletes! 🏀⚽🏈

Starting July 1, 2026, all middle and high school students who plan to participate in sports will be required to have a heart screening that includes an EKG/ECG prior to participation.

As your pediatric care team, we fully support this important step in protecting young athletes. An EKG/ECG can help detect underlying heart conditions that may not show symptoms but could place a child at risk during physical activity. Early detection saves lives. ❤️

Families can find nearby screening events and register by visiting:
👉

View all ECG heart screenings for WWPF. Every screening is read by a certified cardiologist. Who We Play For's mission is to eliminate preventable sudden cardiac death in the young through affordable heart screenings.

02/10/2026

🚨 Important Health Update for Families 🚨

Dear Parents and Caregivers,
We want to share a critical update about measles as cases continue to emerge across Florida and the United States.

📍 Recently, new cases of measles have been reported in the St. Petersburg area, including a confirmed case at a local high school in Pinellas county.

Measles is a highly contagious viral illness that spreads easily, especially among people who are not fully vaccinated. Children who are too young to be vaccinated, have weakened immune systems, or have missed their MMR shots are at the greatest risk.

👉 Symptoms can include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a spreading rash. If your child shows these symptoms, please contact our office right away before bringing them in so we can help you safely evaluate and care for your child.

🛡️ The best protection against measles is the MMR vaccine. It’s safe, highly effective, and recommended for all infants and children per CDC guidelines.

💉 If your child hasn’t received:

1st dose of MMR at 12–15 months
2nd dose at 4–6 years

Our priority is keeping your family safe, informed, and healthy. If you have any concerns or need to talk about vaccines, symptoms, or exposures, we’re here for you. 💙

01/23/2026

🦠 Flu A Is Going Around! 🤧
We are seeing a significant increase in Flu A cases among children in our community. Influenza A can come on quickly and make kids feel pretty miserable, so knowing the signs is important.

✨ Common Flu A symptoms include:
• Sudden fever
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Headache
• Body aches
• Fatigue
• Sometimes vomiting or diarrhea (more common in kids)

🛡️ How to help prevent the flu:
• Make sure your child gets their annual flu vaccine 💉
• Encourage frequent handwashing with soap and water 🧼
• Teach kids to cover coughs and sneezes 🤧
• Clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces
• Keep children home when sick to help stop the spread

📞 If your child is showing flu-like symptoms, especially fever or worsening cough, please call our office to schedule an appointment. Early evaluation and treatment can make a difference!

01/21/2026

🌡️ Fever Facts for Parents 👶👧

Did you know a fever is often a good sign? It means your child’s immune system is working to fight an infection 💪🦠

Here’s what to know:
• A fever is typically a temperature 100.4°F (38°C) or higher
• The number matters less than how your child looks and acts
• It’s okay to use fever reducers as directed if your child is uncomfortable
• Keep kids hydrated and dressed in light clothing 💧

📞 Call our office if your child:
• Is under 3 months with any fever
• Has a fever lasting more than 3 days
• Is very lethargic, hard to wake, or not drinking fluids

When in doubt, we’re always happy to help! 💙

01/15/2026

🦶✋Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease🦶✋

HFMD is a common viral illness, especially in little ones, often spreading in daycare and school settings. It’s caused by several viruses and spreads easily through close contact, coughs, sneezes , and shared surfaces.

Watch for these symptoms:
🌡️ Fever & sore throat
😣 Painful mouth sores
🖐️🦶 Rash or blisters on hands, feet, buttocks, or diaper area
😴 Fatigue or decreased appetite

Prevention tips:
🧼 Frequent hand washing
🧽 Cleaning shared toys and surfaces
🏠 Keeping children home while sick

Most cases are mild and usually improve on their own within 7–10 days. Treatment focuses on comfort: keeping your child hydrated, controlling fever or pain, and monitoring closely for dehydration.

📞 If you think your child may have these symptoms, call us to schedule an appointment 📅. Early evaluation can help manage discomfort and prevent complications.

At Countryside Pediatric, we’re here to help your little ones stay healthy and comfortable! 💛

01/08/2026

📅 Don’t Forget to Schedule Your Child’s Yearly Physical! 👶🩺

Regular pediatric checkups are an important part of keeping your child healthy and growing strong. Well-child visits help us track development, keep vaccinations up to date, and catch small concerns before they become big ones.

✔️ Is your child due for a checkup?
✔️ Need to schedule or confirm an upcoming appointment?

Now is a great time to make sure your child’s pediatric visit is on the calendar! Early scheduling helps ensure availability and keeps your child on track for a healthy year ahead.

📞 Call our office to schedule today—we’re happy to help!

Your child’s health is our priority!! 💙

12/30/2025

🎉 New Year, New Updates! 🎉

With the New Year right around the corner, Countryside Pediatric Care would like to remind families to start the year off smoothly by calling our office to update your child’s account with any new demographic information or insurance changes.

If you’ve had a change in address, phone number, insurance plan, or policyholder for the New Year, please contact us so we can keep your child’s records accurate and avoid any delays in care or billing.

Thank you for allowing us to care for your children. We wish your family a healthy and happy New Year! 💙

12/29/2025

🎉 New Year’s Safety Tips from Your Pediatric Team 🎉

As we welcome the New Year, we hope your family enjoys a fun and safe celebration. Fireworks can be exciting, but they can also cause serious injuries, especially to children. To help keep everyone safe, we recommend the following tips:

✨ New Year safety reminders:
• Keep fireworks out of children’s reach
• Maintain a safe viewing distance
• Never relight a dud firework
• Dispose of used fireworks properly
• Protect little ears from loud noises