Ellenton Pediatrics

01/06/2026

Childhood vaccines for rotavirus, hepatitis A and B, meningitis, and influenza have been shifted from “routine” to “shared decision-making” or “high-risk only.” While this language may sound reasonable, it sends a dangerous message—that these vaccines are optional or less important.
The science has not changed. These vaccines still prevent hospitalizations, cancer, meningitis, and death. What has changed is policy, not evidence. This shift bypassed the usual scientific process and ignores the realities of the U.S. healthcare system, where vaccines serve as essential safety nets.
Our practice has never mandated influenza, hepatitis A, HPV, or meningococcal vaccines. We have recommended them—and will continue to do so—because the evidence is overwhelming. How could we not, when just last flu season 280 children died and nearly 90% were unvaccinated? Or when a healthy college student can become critically ill and, within hours, lose limbs or die from meningococcal disease?
Rotavirus and hepatitis B pose serious risks to infants and young children, but both are largely preventable through early vaccination. Rotavirus is highly contagious and a leading cause of severe diarrhea, dehydration, and hospitalization in young children worldwide, while hepatitis B infection in infancy or early childhood frequently leads to chronic, lifelong disease with risks of cirrhosis and liver cancer. Routine infant vaccination has dramatically reduced hospitalizations, complications, and deaths from both infections. In light of their clear benefits, treating these vaccines as optional risks minimizing their importance in protecting infants and young children.
Our approach has always been measured, evidence-based, and focused on the real risks and benefits for children. This is a professional boundary grounded in ethics, public health, and patient safety. We have effective vaccines that prevent these illnesses—how will any of us, parents or clinicians, feel if a child becomes seriously ill or dies from a disease we could have prevented?
The science hasn’t changed. The politics has. And children will pay the price.

01/03/2026

!!!

12/31/2025

Short answer: NO.

Thinking of drinking?

Breastfeeding families often receive mixed advice about alcohol use. While alcohol during pregnancy is known to be harmful, the risks during breastfeeding are less clear. When someone drinks occasionally or limits their consumption to one drink or less per day, the amount of alcohol baby receives has not been proven to be harmful.

If you decide to partake in a celebratory drink, it's important to know that alcohol leaves breastmilk as it leaves the bloodstream. It isn't “trapped” in milk. As the nursing parent’s blood alcohol level falls, alcohol naturally moves out of your breastmilk. Because of this, pumping and dumping does not remove alcohol from milk. Likewise, drinking water, resting, or having coffee does not speed up how quickly alcohol is eliminated from the body. For these reasons, the old advice to “pump and dump” is no longer considered evidence-based.

You can find more information on alcohol and breastfeeding on our website.

[Image Description] Photo featuring a champagne bottle and flutes surrounded by confetti, a tinsel star, and curled ribbon. Text overlaid reads, "Do I need to pump and dump? Alcohol is present in breastmilk at the same levels as it is present in the nursing parent's blood. As alcohol leaves the bloodstream, it also leaves breastmilk, so there is rarely a need to pump and dump." The La Leche League USA logo is below the text.

12/30/2025

Flu, RSV, and other viruses can make breathing harder, especially in babies. Watch for retractions, also called pulling. Abdominal breathing and head bobbing are also signs your child may need immediate medical attention. Other red flags: fast breathing, wheezing, or unusual sleepiness.

12/30/2025

Wishing you and your families a healthy, happy, and bright New Year.
We’re seeing quite a bit of flu right now and hope you and your little ones stay healthy. Let's share smiles, not germs! ☺️
Tomorrow we’ll be open in the morning only, until 12:15 PM.
Our office will be closed for New Year’s Day, reopening Friday with regular hours.

Quality pediatric care is always close by for families in Rochester. Pediatric Urgent Care offers a wide range of medical and urgent care services, making us the region’s trusted choice for children’s healthcare.

12/29/2025

Wow! When doctors talk about “a great case,” they mean it’s interesting, unusual, or especially educational. Medicine is a field where learning never stops. Every case helps doctors learn and improve care.
The case reported below by Dr. BeachGem is really interesting. It reminds everyone that not all earaches come from the ear itself. Sometimes, ear pain is referred pain from nearby areas like the teeth, jaw, or tonsils, because they share common nerve pathways. Dental problems or tonsillitis can easily mimic an ear infection. This is why taking antibiotics without a proper examination is never advised—treating without knowing the real cause can delay the right care and lead to unnecessary medication use. A proper exam makes all the difference.

12/24/2025

❤️

TODAY'S POSTS will be a series of quotes.

Christmas can quietly pile pressure onto parents.
To create magic. To hold it all together. To make it joyful, meaningful, memorable — while staying calm, grateful, and regulated.

But that pressure doesn’t come from children.
It comes from expectations, comparison, and the belief that we have to be everything for everyone.

These quotes are a reminder to pause.
To soften the standards.
To care for yourself as much as you care for your child.

Because a calmer, supported adult is far more important than a perfect Christmas.

12/24/2025

🤒 The Flu in Kids: What Parents Should Know
Flu season is here, and many parents are asking about treatment options. Here’s a simple breakdown.
💊 Antiviral medicines
• Antivirals (like Tamiflu) can help shorten flu symptoms, but they’re not a magic cure
• They work best when started within the first 48 hours of illness
• Benefits are usually modest, and some pharmacies may have limited supply
• Xofluza is a single-dose option, but it’s only approved for kids over age 5, often not covered by insurance, and can be expensive
🧃 Supportive care still matters most
Rest, fluids, fever control, and early medical evaluation—especially for younger kids or those with medical conditions—remain key.
⚠️ A note on safety
While most children recover well, the flu can rarely cause serious complications, especially in:
• Infants and young children
• Kids with asthma, heart disease, diabetes, or weakened immune systems
Call your pediatrician or seek care if symptoms worsen or don’t improve.
About Tamiflu side effects;
Tamiflu sometimes gets a bad rap, but here’s what we see in real life:
• Nausea or vomiting are the most talked-about side effects
• In practice, these are usually uncommon, mild, and short-lived
• Taking the medicine with food often helps
You may have heard concerns about neuropsychiatric symptoms (like confusion or unusual behavior). These have been reported rarely—mostly in older children and teens—but large studies have not shown a clear link to the medication itself. Importantly, influenza infection alone can cause similar symptoms.
👉 Overall, when used appropriately, Tamiflu is generally well tolerated in children.
Bottom line: Antivirals can help some kids, supportive care is essential, and staying alert for complications is important. When in doubt, reach out to your pediatrician—we’re here to help.
Wishing your family a Merry (flu-less) Christmas and a healthy holiday season!
📚 Evidence behind this guidance (for interested parents)
• FDA & CDC clinical trial data: vomiting is the most common side effect; serious adverse events are rare
• Pediatric meta-analyses: increased vomiting vs placebo, but usually mild and self-limited
• Large observational studies & systematic reviews: no increased risk of neuropsychiatric events with oseltamivir; flu itself is a likely cause
• FDA & European Medicines Agency: overall favorable safety profile in children

12/23/2025

Wishing our wonderful patients, their families, and our amazing team a joyful and healthy holiday season! ❤️🎄
We’re so grateful to be part of your children’s health journey—their bravery, joy, and bright smiles light up our days all year long. And a huge thank you to our incredible staff, whose kindness and care make those smiles possible every day.
Holiday hours:
Tomorrow we’re open in the morning only, until 12:15 PM.
We’ll be closed on Christmas Day and will reopen Friday with our usual schedule.
Sending love and holiday cheer from all of us! ✨
Merry Christmas!

12/23/2025

A complete guide on Iron-Rich Foods for Babies, Toddlers and Kids - covers everything you need to know. Plus over 50 easy recipes!

12/23/2025

Learn the signs that your baby is ready for solid foods, get suggestions for great first baby foods, and find out how to make sure your baby is getting enough…

12/23/2025

Writing this while some of us are battling a cold ourselves—noses completely blocked, heads heavy, energy gone, feeling blah—and it’s giving us even more empathy for the families we see every day. 😔
Children get a lot of colds, often referred to as upper respiratory infections (URIs). Truly a lot. Eight to ten per year is completely normal, especially in the early school years. Each one can come with miserable symptoms: congestion that won’t quit, coughing that disrupts sleep, sore throats, low energy, and big feelings. And the hardest part? These are viral illnesses—antibiotics don’t help, no matter how much we wish they could. And for younger children, cough suppressants are often best avoided, even when everyone is desperate for rest.
Often, yes—it’s not the flu, COVID, or RSV, but one of the many other viruses we don’t routinely test for. Not because they aren’t real or uncomfortable, but because naming the virus doesn’t change what we can do. Treatment remains the same: supportive care, comfort, and time.
When we say, “This is a cold,” it does not mean we’re minimizing what your child is going through—or what you’re going through as a parent. A URI can be exhausting, uncomfortable, and disruptive for the whole household. Sick kids suffer. Tired parents worry. Sleep is lost. School and work are missed. That matters.
Sometimes the most honest answer medicine has is support, patience, and reassurance—and that can feel deeply unsatisfying when your child feels awful right now. Please know that when we name it a cold, it comes with understanding, not dismissal. We see the discomfort. We respect the struggle. And we’re right there with you—congested, run-down, and counting tissues too. ❤️

In their first two years alone, most children have about eight to ten colds. Learn how colds spread and when to call the pediatrician.