Reston Pediatrics

We are CLOSED today in Observance of Labor Day. Please call 703-450-8660 if you need to reach the doctor on call.

Holiday Hours:
We will be CLOSED Monday in Observance of Labor Day. Enjoy the long weekend!

CDC

Did you know antibiotics led to an estimated 70,000 emergency department visits in children aged 19 years or younger each year from 2011-2015? Antibiotics save lives and are critical tools for treating infections, like those that can lead to sepsis, but when antibiotics aren’t needed, they won’t help, and the side effects could still cause harm. Parents and caregivers: Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to treat your child’s illness

Did you know antibiotics led to an estimated 70,000 emergency department visits in children aged 19 years or younger each year from 2011-2015? Antibiotics save lives and are critical tools for treating infections, like those that can lead to sepsis, but when antibiotics aren’t needed, they won’t help, and the side effects could still cause harm. Parents and caregivers: Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to treat your child’s illness. http://bit.ly/2o26dhf.

[08/28/18]   Wishing all our Fairfax patients an awesome first day at school!

[08/28/18]   We love to get reviews from our patients. Thank you for another 5-star review.

"My kids have been seeing the pediatrician’s at Reston Pediatrics since last 16 years. The staff and Doctors are really very nice. Specially Dr. Rodriguez... he is one of our favorite pediatrician. He spends a great amount of time listening and diagnosing pretty quickly. Very friendly to kids.I would highly recommend this place."

The Power of Play - How Fun and Games Help Children Thrive

More than just a chance to have fun, play is serious business when it comes to a child's health and development. From peek-a-boo to pat-a-cake and hide-and-seek to hopscotch, the many forms of play enrich a child's brain, body, and life in important ways.

A Prescription for Play
Despite its many benefits, statistics show that the amount of time children get to play has been declining for decades. Tightly structured family and school schedules, more parents working outside the home, fewer safe places to play, and rising media use and screen time are among the reasons. For example, research shows the average preschooler watches 4.5 hours of TV each day!

To help keep play a key part of childhood, pediatricians may begin writing a "prescription for play" at every well-child visit through age 2. Pediatricians also advise parents to look for quality child care or preschool programs that include playful approaches to learning.

healthychildren.org The AAP encourages parents to use play to help meet their child's health and developmental milestones, beginning from birth. Here are some age-specific examples of ways to do this. 

[08/23/18]   Wishing all our Loudoun patients an awesome first day at school!

Google review of Reston Pediatric Associates Ltd by Nitu Saini

Another great review on Google. Thank you!

"Dr. Lindlau is a very good doctor. Both my kids go to her. She checks them very nicely and friendly. She is a very good listener and understand very well. All the doctors and staff is very friendly. They are always on top of everything to make sure both my kids are up to date on immunization. I would recommend Reston Pediatrics to everyone."

google.com ★★★★★ "Dr. Lindlau is a very good doctor. Both my kids go to her. She checks them very nicely and friendly. She is a very good listener and understand very well. All the doctors and staff is very friendly. They are always on top of everything to make sure both my kids are up to date on imm...

Healthy Children e-magazine

Healthy Children e-magazine is a free, mobile-optimized publication for Apple and Android smartphones and tablets. In addition to providing parents with reliable, pediatrician-backed guidance, the e-magazine provides readers with an interactive experience that includes multimedia content, engaging “quick tip” pop-ups as well as links to helpful resources.

healthychildren.org ​Healthy Children e-magazine is a free, mobile-optimized publication that can be accessed via the HealthyChildren app for Apple and Android smartphones and tablets. 

How to Clean Your Breast Pump: Quick Tips to Know

Providing breast milk is one of the best things you can do for your baby's health and development. Pumping your milk is one way to provide breast milk to your baby. However, germs can grow quickly in breast milk or breast milk residue that remains on pump parts.

Following these steps can keep your breast pump clean and help protect your baby from these germs.

healthychildren.org ​Following these steps can keep your breast pump clean and help protect your baby from these germs. 

Pepperidge Farm® Announces Voluntary Recall of Four Varieties of Goldfish® Crackers

Check your pantry for these items!

fda.gov Pepperidge Farm has been notified by one of its ingredient suppliers that whey powder in a seasoning that is applied to four varieties of crackers has been the subject of a recall by the whey powder manufacturer due to the potential presence of Salmonella. Pepperidge Farm initiated an investigation....

CDC

Get out and get active this summer! Biking, hiking, and cycling are all great ways to get physical activity during the warmer months. Check out even more tips for a Healthy Summer here: http://bit.ly/CDCCHealthySummer

Loudoun Now

Yes, Leesburg!!

Kids of all abilities will soon have a new place to play in Leesburg.

[07/20/18]   Allergies

Allergies and asthma, which typically start in childhood, are by far the most common chronic diseases among children in the United States. Consider the following statistics:

Some 50 million Americans have allergies (about 1 in 5 people in this country).
The most common type of allergy is hay fever (allergic rhinitis); the medical cost of treating it, when direct and indirect costs are added up, now exceeds $7 billion a year.
More than 17 million Americans have asthma, and about one-fourth of these are younger than 18 years. Asthma accounts for about 4,000 deaths a year.
Seventy to 80% of school-aged children with asthma also have allergies, which are among the most common triggers for asthma, closely tied with viral respiratory infections.
If one parent has allergies, there’s a 25% chance that a child will also be allergic. The risk is more than doubled to 60% to 70% if both parents have allergies.
Many aspects of allergies, eczema, and asthma still are not fully understood. But advances in the diagnosis and treatment of these disorders are helping millions of sufferers.

What Are Allergies?
Many people mistakenly use the word allergy to refer to a disease or almost any unpleasant or adverse reaction. We often hear someone say, “I have allergies,” “He’s allergic to hard work,” or “She’s allergic to anything that’s green.” In reality, allergies are reactions that are usually caused by an overactive immune system. These reactions can occur in a variety of organs in the body, resulting in diseases such as asthma, hay fever, and eczema.

Your immune system is made up of a number of different cells that come from organs throughout the body—principally bone marrow, the thymus gland, and a network of lymph nodes and lymph tissue scattered throughout the body, including the spleen, gastrointestinal tract, tonsils, and the adenoid (an olive-shaped structure that is located at the top of the throat behind the nose).

Normally, it’s the immune system that protects the body against disease by searching out and destroying foreign invaders, such as viruses and bacteria. In an allergic reaction, the immune system overreacts and goes into action against a normally harmless substance, such as pollen or animal dander. These allergy-provoking substances are called allergens.

Who Is at Risk?
Although allergies can develop at any age, they most commonly show up during childhood or early adulthood. A search of family medical histories of a child with allergies will usually turn up a close relative who also has allergies. If one parent, brother, or sister has allergies, there is a 25% chance that a child will also have allergies. The risk is much higher if both parents are allergic. But the child will not necessarily be allergic to the same substances as the parents or always show the same type of allergic disease (eg, hay fever, asthma, eczema).

Symptoms Associated With Allergies
Eyes, Ears, Nose, Mouth
Red, teary, or itchy eyes
Puffiness around the eyes
Sneezing
Runny nose
Itchy nose, nose rubbing
Postnasal drip
Nasal swelling and congestion
Itchy ear canals
Itching of the mouth and throat
Lungs
Hacking dry cough or cough that produces clear mucus
Wheezing (noisy breathing)
Feeling of tightness in the chest
Low exercise tolerance
Rapid breathing; shortness of breath
Skin
Eczema (patches of itchy, red skin rash)
Hives (welts)
Intestines
Cramps and intestinal discomfort
Diarrhea
Nausea or vomiting
Miscellaneous
Headache
Feelings of restlessness, irritability
Excessive fatigue
When to Suspect an Allergy
Allergies can result in various types of conditions. Some are easy to identify by the pattern of symptoms that invariably follows exposure to a particular substance; others are more subtle and may masquerade as other conditions. Here are some common clues that should lead you to suspect your child may have an allergy.

Patches of bumps or itchy, red skin that won’t go away
Development of hives—intensely itchy skin eruptions that usually last for a few hours and move from one part of the body to another
Repeated or chronic cold-like symptoms, such as a runny nose, nasal stuffiness, sneezing, and throat clearing, that last more than a week or two, or develop at about the same time every year
Nose rubbing, sniffling, snorting, sneezing, or drippy nose
Itchy, runny eyes
Itching or tingling sensations in the mouth and throat
Coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, and other respiratory symptoms
Unexplained bouts of diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and other intestinal symptoms.
Where Does Asthma Fit In?
Although allergies can trigger asthma and asthma is often associated with allergies, they are actually 2 different things. In simple terms, asthma is a chronic condition originating in the lungs, whereas allergies describe reactions that originate in the immune system and can affect many organs, including the lungs. Many different substances and circumstances can trigger an asthma attack—exercise, exposure to cold air, a viral infection, air pollution, noxious fumes, to***co smoke, and for many asthma sufferers, a host of allergens. In fact, about 80% of children with asthma also have allergies. Although allergies are important in triggering asthma, severe asthma exacerbations are often set off by the good old common cold virus, totally unrelated to allergy.

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/allergies-asthma/Pages/Allergies.aspx

Commonly Asked Sports Questions

Commonly Asked Sports Questions

Should I allow my child to quit a team?
Sometimes a child's interest in a sport will fade. Or her participation may become a negative experience, perhaps because of a volatile coach, frustration in not playing as much as she would like, or a mis­match between her own physical size and that of the players against whom she competes.

In cases like this, find out the exact reasons why your child wants to quit. Listen to her and discuss her concerns. Working together, decide on the best course of action. Although it may not be wise for your child to make a habit of avoiding difficult situations, dropping out of a program may be the most sensible option in some in­stances.

If my child is having trouble keeping her grades up, should she still be permitted to participate in sports?
In most cases, the answer is yes. All children need physical activity as part of their day. Without this physical outlet, many have diffi­culty concentrating on their academic work. If practices and other sports-related demands are excessive, however, talk to the coach about your child's need to devote adequate time to studies.

There is another important factor to consider: Sometimes, children who have difficulty with schoolwork can use a boost in self-esteem, which sports often can provide. As they feel a sense of accomplishment in athletics, this renewed self-confidence can often carry over to other areas of their life, including academics.

My child is finding her sports participation too stressful. How can I alleviate her anxiety?
Sports can be stressful, but so can other childhood activities, such as school exams and band solos. However, you should try to mini­mize the stress in your child's athletic endeavors in the following ways:

Emphasize that sports participation is fun; do not let a "win at all cost" attitude interfere with your child's enjoyment of the game.
Let your youngster know that she is not being judged by her success (or lack of it) on the athletic field. When she strikes out or misses a free throw, be supportive and praise her for trying her best.
Help your child improve her athletic skills, which will reduce her stress levels during competition; if necessary, ask for some outside instruction from a cooperative coach.
Stay away from coaches who are abusive toward your child.
Speak with other parents to see if there is a common problem that needs to be addressed.

healthychildren.org Parent of an athlete? Here are some common questions about children's participation in sports.

Important. Please share so that we can keep safe this summer.

Thanks for a great 5-star review on Google!

"We love Reston Pediatrics! We usually see Dr Rui Rodrigues for the last 3 yrs. On his recent appointments we have seen others pediatricians because my availability didn’t coincide with Dr. Rui’s schedule. Both were great with my son and very knowledgeable. The facilities are clean. The staff is very friendly and great with children. Reston Pediatrics have always been able to accommodate my son same day for a sick appointment (emergency visit) something that I value the most for a pediatric office."

Stop Ticks

Before You Go Outdoors
Know where to expect ticks. Ticks live in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas, or even on animals, so spending time outside camping, gardening, or hunting could bring you in close contact with ticks. Many people get ticks in their own yard or neighborhood.
Treat clothing and gear with products containing permethrin. Permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing, and camping gear and remain protective through several washings.
Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone. EPA’s helpful search tool can help you find the product that best suits your needs. Always follow product instructions, especially with children.
Do not use insect repellent on babies younger than 2 months old.
Do not use products containing OLE or PMD on children under 3 years old.
If you work outdoors, find more information about protection at the NIOSH Tick-borne Diseases Workplace Safety and Health Topics.
When coming back indoors, check for ticks in and around the hair and arms, inside the belly button, between the legs, and the back of the knees.
Check your body for ticks after being outdoors.

After You Come Indoors
Check your clothing for ticks. Ticks may attach to clothing. Remove any ticks and wash clothes or put them in dryer if damp. Tumble dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothing after you come indoors. If the clothes are damp, you may need to dry them longer. When washing clothes first, use hot water. Cold and medium temperature water will not kill ticks effectively.
Check your body for ticks after being outdoors. Conduct a full body check when coming from potentially tick-infested areas, even your back yard. Use a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body. Check you and your children for ticks after coming indoors.
Shower soon after being outdoors. Showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce your risk of getting Lyme disease and may be effective in reducing the risk of other tickborne diseases. Showering may help wash off unattached ticks and it is a good opportunity to do a tick check.

cdc.gov Use EPA-registered repellents to reduce the chance of being bitten by a tick.