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Why Well Child Checks are Important

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From infancy through the teen years, well child visits are important to make sure your child is in overall good health. In the first year, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 7 well-child checks; these get less frequent as your child gets older, and for kids 3 years old and up, are just once a year. These visits offer many vital benefits:

  • Tracking your child’s growth (weight, height and for infants, head circumference)
  • Checking development in terms of language, motor skills, social development, and in older kids, pubertal changes. School progress is also covered. Identifying delays means earlier helpful intervention.
  • Talking about nutrition, sleep, stooling, and urination
  • Discussing mental and emotional health
  • Supporting you as you navigate raising your child. Your provider will provide ‘anticipatory guidance’ about upcoming stages and issues such as discipline, behavior, etc.
  • Reviewing and discussing in detail any vaccines needed to protect your child
  • Providing information on important safety issues relevant for your child’s age
  • Completing sports PE paperwork if needed for your child to participate
  • Following up on any chronic health issues
  • Giving your teen some confidential one-on-one time with the provider, helping them form a trusting relationship. This can empower your child to share concerns with the provider as they get older.

You know your child best and are a vital part of the ‘pediatric team’- you, your child, and your provider. Well child visits are your opportunity to share any concerns you might have. Referrals to specialists can be made if further investigation or therapy is indicated. If your child has special needs and sees specialists frequently, well child checks are still important to look at their health holistically.

Even if your child is young, you can help make the visits go smoothly. Talk to them about who they will see at the visit, including the medical assistant/nurse and provider. Explain that they will have their growth and blood pressure checked with a snug cuff on their arm. They may be asked to change into a medical gown and sit on the exam table. The provider will then do the physical exam, explaining what they are doing as they proceed. You can pretend ‘going to the doctor’ at home beforehand, especially made fun and easy if your child has a toy doctor kit.

As a parent, you can prepare for the well child visit by having a list of any health concerns or questions ready. Make sure any relevant paperwork (for example, school evaluations) have been sent to the office or bring them with you. The American Academy of Pediatrics website has a Well Visit planner to help make the most of these important check-ups (see below).

Resource:  www.wellvisitplanner.org

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Dr. Elise Herman

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Dr. Herman is passionate about community health outreach, school programs, and child/family health and wellness. She has more than 31 years of experience as a pediatrician in Ellensburg, Washington, the last 3 with KVH Pediatrics. In 2022 Dr. Herman mostly retired from practice and continues to contribute blog posts and remain a visible advocate for kids in the community.

Why Volunteering is Important for Your Child

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Encouraging your child to volunteer is a great way to help them think of others. Depending on the activity, kids as young as 2 years old can be involved, and starting young helps instill a service attitude that your child will carry forward throughout their life. The benefits of volunteering are many, not only to those receiving help or support, but for your child and your family.

  • Volunteering teaches caring, empathy, and selflessness. It raises awareness of those who are in need and teaches that even small acts of compassion are valuable.
  • Helping others increases self-esteem, as your child realizes their ability to make a difference on a personal level.
  • School performance and attendance are improved in kids who volunteer according to multiple research studies.
  • Some volunteer opportunities may provide information about possible careers in medicine, politics, conservation, etc. and listing volunteer involvement is helpful on a resume or college application.
  • Physical and emotional well-being are increased by volunteering, as are social skills especially if the activity involves working as a team. Group activities provide the opportunity to meet people of different ages and backgrounds.
  • In the wake of a tragedy or natural disaster, having the opportunity to help, for example by having a food drive, makes kids feel less powerless and overwhelmed.
  • Volunteering as a family connects kids and parents with a common compassionate goal.

There are lots of ways children of all ages can volunteer. Your local chamber of commerce or downtown association typically has a calendar listing about volunteering opportunities. Food banks often need helpers as well as food donations. Schools and houses of worship are good sources for more options. Look online for organizations that send letters to veterans, deployed troops, first responders, etc.; they love to have cards and notes written by kids to distribute. Think (very) local and see if there is a neighbor who needs help with raking leaves or maybe would appreciate a visit from you and your child. As a reminder, younger children should always be accompanied by an adult for one-on-one situations.

Volunteering helps us feel capable and connected, and yet only 25% of Americans volunteer annually. Coming up is more incentive to get involved– Friday, December 5 is International Volunteer Day. Knowing the benefits, start early making volunteering part of your family’s ‘brand’. You may well inspire others to do the same and we will all be the better for it.

more about The contributor

Dr. Elise Herman

Blog Posts
Profile

Dr. Herman is passionate about community health outreach, school programs, and child/family health and wellness. She has more than 31 years of experience as a pediatrician in Ellensburg, Washington, the last 3 with KVH Pediatrics. In 2022 Dr. Herman mostly retired from practice and continues to contribute blog posts and remain a visible advocate for kids in the community.

Bad Breath in Children

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As a parent, you may occasionally wonder how your sweet child can have such bad breath, but bad breath in kids happens!

As opposed to just ‘morning breath’, chronic bad breath (“halitosis”) can have a variety of causes and occasionally can indicate a true medical problem. The most common reasons for halitosis in children include:

  • Poor dental habits: Without routine brushing and flossing, bacteria on the teeth increase, which can cause a filmy layer called plaque. Plaque can lead to cavities and gum inflammation, both of which can cause bad breath.
  • Dry mouth: This can result from not drinking enough water, sucking of thumbs or fingers, chronic nasal congestion, or chronic mouth breathing.  A dry mouth means saliva is not adequate to wash bacteria and food particles away.
  • Infection or disease: Viral or bacterial throat, tonsil, or sinus infections can cause bad breath. The bad breath should improve once the infection resolves. If your child has fruity breath, this is quite unusual and could indicate a serious problem like diabetes, though other signs like excessive thirst and urination would typically be present as well.
  • Allergies: Chronic nasal congestion or postnasal drip due to allergies can create bad breath.
  • Foreign body: If a bead, piece of tissue, or some other small foreign body is stuck up in the nose, a foul odor and nasal discharge from one side of the nose may develop.
  • Large, pitted (having an irregular surface) tonsils: Although shallow pits are normal, they can trap bacteria, nasal secretions, and bits of food, which can become calcified, resulting in a tonsil ‘stone’ or tonsillith. This looks like a small whitish lump and can have a bad odor. It is not, however, pus and does not indicate a throat infection.
  • Certain foods: Eating foods with strong odors like garlic, onions, etc. can cause bad breath, but it is usually temporary.

There are multiple things to try if your child is having bad breath. Brushing teeth well (begin when teeth are touching) at least twice a day, flossing, and brushing the tongue is important. Make sure your child is drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Older kids can chew sugar-free gum with Xylitol which increases saliva, decreases bacteria, and lowers plaque buildup which can keep the mouth healthier overall.

If you observe chronic nasal congestion or mouth breathing, talk with your child’s health care provider.  If tonsil stones are noted, recall that these are harmless and usually go away on their own. Older kids can try gargling with salt water which may loosen the stone. If your child’s breath has a fruity odor especially if there are signs of diabetes, call your child’s provider right away.

Remember that in most cases bad breath is not serious and can be easily remedied. If your child’s breath is not improved by the above measures, a visit with your child’s healthcare provider and/ or dentist may be in order.

more about The contributor

Dr. Elise Herman

Blog Posts
Profile

Dr. Herman is passionate about community health outreach, school programs, and child/family health and wellness. She has more than 31 years of experience as a pediatrician in Ellensburg, Washington, the last 3 with KVH Pediatrics. In 2022 Dr. Herman mostly retired from practice and continues to contribute blog posts and remain a visible advocate for kids in the community.

Safe Sleep Initiative

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Watch video in Spanish

Cribs for Kids supports families in need nationwide in obtaining separate, safe sleeping spaces for their babies. To serve communities nationwide, we partner with local agencies to distribute Cribs for Kids Cribette Portable Cribs to their communities. If you or someone you know is in need of a safe space to sleep for their baby, search on the map below to find the closest Cribs for Kids Partner in your area. 

Local Resource

Kittitas County Coroners‘ Office has partnered with Cribs for Kids® National Safe Sleep Initiative to Help Prevent Infant Mortalities since 2020. Please visit Cribs for Kids website (https://cribsforkids.org/) for more information.

Find a Crib Provider

Obtain a Cribette portable crib from a Cribs for Kids Partner in your area.  

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