Cottonwood Pediatrics

02/13/2026

More recalls. Check to see if your family is using any of these products.

Federal officials have announced the recall of products that may be harmful.

02/12/2026

RSV can be very serious for infants and young children. Pediatrician Joanna Parga-Belinkie shares her baby’s own experience with RSV, which included a scary febrile seizure. The best way to help your baby build resistance to RSV this winter is through immunization. The RSV shot provides crucial antibodies that help your baby’s immune system recognize and resist the virus, keeping them safe, healthy and growing. Learn more: https://bit.ly/46Q4uSH

02/11/2026

South central Kansas is not currently experiencing a severe measles outbreak. If your family is planning a trip during spring break, particularly if it is to North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Washington, Arizona or Utah, you should make sure your child's vaccinations are up-to-date. Generally, the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is given between 12-15 months, and again at 4-6 years (school age). If your child is younger than 12 months, check with your pediatric care provider to see if an earlier vaccine might be appropriate.

02/10/2026

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month! Good oral health starts at a young age, and you should start cleaning your kid’s teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste as soon as the first tooth appears to help prevent the formation of cavities. Learn more: https://bit.ly/2z13wC4

02/09/2026

Measles are highly contagious, can have devastating effects, and are easy to prevent. Have your child immunized, if they haven't been already.

Newly released data from the CDC shows a worrying increase in measles cases across the country. Another 145 measles cases were confirmed last week, bringing the total so far this year to 733. At this time last year, there were only around 65 cases.

Measles cases have been reported in 20 states and 85% have been among children and teens. Cases have been spreading rapidly in South Carolina, where an outbreak started last fall, as well as in Arizona and Utah.

The AAP recommends children receive the two-dose MMR vaccine series for the strongest protection against measles. Read the full piece in AAP News: https://bit.ly/4qX7Ydz

02/06/2026

Pasteurization was initially introduced to prevent spoilage in wine and beer. It was later introduced into milk production to destroy dangerous bacteria in raw milk (tuberculosis, diphtheria, typhoid, strep). Unpasteurized milk was a major source of disease, and pasteurization helped cut infant mortality rates in half in some cities. The heating process also allows for longer, safer storage of dairy and other products. Pasteurization kills bacteria, but does NOT change the nutritional value of the milk.

Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized. Raw milk can contain harmful bacteria, such as Campylobacter, Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria, that can make people, especially young children and pregnant people, very sick. Raw milk is not safe to drink. Pasteurization is a process that heats milk to a specific temperature to kill harmful bacteria and does not affect the nutritional content of the milk. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3HLESwf

02/05/2026

Without widespread immunization, many diseases that have been almost or completely eradicated run the risk of returning. Diseases like measles, polio and chickenpox are extremely contagious and can cause serious illness, and we’re already seeing the impacts of low vaccination rates against measles as cases continue to climb nationwide.

02/04/2026

For many teens (and many adults), taking even a weeklong break from social media to help reset mood and sleep isn't sustainable in the long term. But here are some tips for creating a healthier relationships with social media.

02/03/2026

Supplements and vitamins are everywhere and often come with big promises. But do kids really need supplements to stay healthy? Here’s everything you need to know about vitamins and supplements for kids. Before giving your child any supplement, talk with your pediatrician. They can help you decide what’s actually needed based on your child’s age, diet and health. Learn more: https://bit.ly/49TlLvF

02/02/2026

The AAP's 2026 immunization schedule published January 26th continues to recommend routine immunization for protection against 18 diseases.
A printable, shareable PDF of the schedule is at https://heyor.ca/aexktG.

01/29/2026

On this , we'd like to honor our pediatricians, Dr. Jon Jantz, Dr. Angela Watkins and Dr. Jessica Fisher, as well as our nurse practitioners, Maureen Entz and Tarina Gfeller, and the whole staff at Cottonwood Pediatrics, for their dedication to the infants and children of south central Kansas.