A to Z Pediatrics

01/15/2025

Eaton fires — PART 2: ‘What do I do about the air quality and my child?’

Many parents are asking about precautions and interventions in relation to the air quality at this time.

To look up the air quality for your area, you can go to:

https://www.airnow.gov/

For interpretation of the air quality as well as tips to protect yourself and your child, please see information at the CDC website here:

https://www.cdc.gov/wildfires/safety/how-to-safely-stay-safe-during-a-wildfire.html

Stay safe. 💗

Protect yourself from wildfires and wildfire smoke.

01/15/2025

Eaton Fires — PART 1: ‘How do I help my child right now?’

During this scary time we all are trying to process what has transpired in the past several days.

We’ve all been affected in different ways:

-Some of us did not have to flee
-Some of had to evacuate but are back home
-Some of us have a home that we cannot go back to
-Some of us no longer have a home

Wherever you are, you may be experiencing a multitude of feelings ranging from grief to gratitude.

For those of us who have children in our lives whether we are a parent, aunt/uncle, babysitter, teacher, etc— we especially worry about those children. Children may show physical signs or symptoms of stress such as:
-headache
-stomach ache
-bedwetting
-decreased appetite
-difficulty concentrating
-difficulty sleeping
-difficulty concentrating
-clinginess

Below are two websites that can provide helpful information on supporting children at this time:

https://media.goodinside.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/08184711/Gi_ResourcesforParentsNavigatingtheCaliforniaWildfires.pdf

https://health.choc.org/11-ways-parents-can-help-children-cope-with-fires/

We’re in this together. 💗

Here are 11 tips from CHOC experts that can help parents and caregivers support kids in coping with fires.

12/30/2024

It's never too early to start reading to your child! 📚

Even reading to a newborn benefits them. While they do not understand words yet, hearing rhythm, tones, sounds and the flow of speech helps with early brain development and future language skills. 👶

👉 Check out these age-based tips for making the reading experience with your baby valuable.

"Set aside a few quiet minutes for sharing books as part of your baby's regular naptime or bedtime routine. When they experience the familiar routine of book-sharing, they know what to expect next. Having regular bedtime routines from an early age helps prevent future bedtime struggles. Teaching your baby how to fall asleep alone by putting them in bed when sleepy but still awake helps prevent future night wakings."

Sharing a book, even with a tiny newborn, opens a world of benefits that can last a lifetime. While your baby may not understand words yet, they are absorbing the rhythm, tones, sounds and flow of speech. This plays a key role in early brain development and future language skills.

12/26/2024

Happy Kwanzaa!! 🕯️

12/25/2024

Happy Hanukkah!! 🕎

12/25/2024

Merry Christmas!! 🎄 ☃️

12/24/2024

Happy Holidays!! Wishing you all and your loved ones a safe and wonderful holiday season! 🎄 ☃️

12/20/2024

Our office will be closed on Dec. 24th and 25th. Have a wonderful holiday! 🎄

12/19/2024

Your baby is growing bigger and stronger each day, but there will be periods when they go through growth spurts. These typically occur around 2-3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months, lasting a few days to a week. 👶

You might notice increased fussiness, more frequent hunger, and irregular sleep. Read more about the signs here and how to make these growth spurts less overwhelming. 👇

Learn about baby growth spurts: timing, signs like increased fussiness and hunger, and tips for parents to cope during these tricky periods in Baby’s growth journey!

12/17/2024

Is your baby ready to wean and start solids? 👶 🥣

For the first 6 months of your infant's life, it is recommended to exclusively breastfeed. Your child gets all the nutrients they need from breast milk and/or formula. After a few months, your child can start trying solids and a method known as baby-led weaning can make this transition smooth.

Learn more about the steps and benefits of baby-led weaning, as well as health and safety tips to keep in mind via the link below! 👇

Most families have long relied on pureed (mushy) foods to make the transition simpler. This makes sense, since infants aren't always ready to chew and swallow solid foods. But a new method known as baby-led weaning is changing the way many parents feed their little ones. Exactly what is baby-led we...

12/16/2024

Holiday trees are a fun way to celebrate the holiday season and decorate your home to make it festive! 🎄

But, they can also be hazardous and risky if precautions aren't taken. Here are 6 safety tips to keep in mind.

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