The holiday season will look different this year as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. It’s been stressful for everyone, adults and children alike. We suggest that you use this special time to keep “pandemic fatigue” in check by reconnecting safely with family, friends. Here are some ways you can enjoy the holidays while keeping the people you care about safe and happy.   Family Gatherings – Keep Them Small or Virtual Your safest options this year are to celebrate the holidays in-person only with members of your own household OR virtually with extended friends and family. Remember that your household is anyone who currently lives in and shares common spaces. If you are a parent to a college age student, their return home poses some risk. It’s ideal if they can quarantine for 14 days prior to their return. It’s a tough situation, but better for the family in the long […]

Many children have gotten used to going to school and learning virtually since the beginning of the pandemic. But now, some students are facing a new form of cyberbullying via the chat functions on Zoom, Google Media, or whichever tool their school district uses for online learning. School administrators, teachers, and parents should know the signs of this type of bullying and work together to prevent and stop it. When the Chat Becomes Mean Virtual meeting and classroom tools have become useful to educate children during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, parents and teachers are seeing that some students are using the chat function to make fun of other kids, taking screenshots or photos to ridicule their looks, social status, and what they have or don’t have in the background. Unlike an incident that happens in school and is often quickly dealt with and then forgotten, shared photos and messages can […]

Dr. Nicole Aaronson and Laura Eisel, PA-C, discuss and answer questions about adenoids and tonsils. Watch this video to learn more about: What adenoids and tonsils do Symptoms and treatment of enlarged adenoids Symptoms and treatment of tonsillitis Adenoidectomies and tonsillectomies View the video on Facebook to leave a question in the comments section.

Because of the COVID pandemic, you may be putting off visits to your child’s pediatrician. But a missed well visit could mean missing a scoliosis screening. What is scoliosis? Scoliosis is an S-shaped curve in the spine.  It is a condition that occurs equally in boys and girls; however, the curve tends to increase more often in girls. Small curves usually don’t cause problems. But large curves can cause health problems like pain or trouble breathing. What causes scoliosis? The most common form of scoliosis is idiopathic which means “cause unknown.” Kids of any age — even infants — can have idiopathic scoliosis. But it’s usually found when a child begins going through puberty. How do you know your child might have scoliosis? Most often, parents, pediatricians or school nurses may notice one or more of the following signs of scoliosis: One shoulder blade more prominent Ribcage is shifted to one […]

This year, it’s more important than ever to get the flu vaccine. There has been so much focus on COVID-19 this year that many people may not even realize that flu season has already begun. For many people, the flu is more than a seasonal annoyance, it can be dangerous. And as COVID-19 continues to spread during this 2020-2021 flu season, it’s extra important to get a flu vaccine for all family members as soon as possible. The flu virus spreads easily from person to person. It gets into our lungs and airways and can turn into serious illnesses like pneumonia. The flu is especially dangerous for babies. It can also be serious for kids and adults with health problems like asthma or diabetes. Why Does My Family Need a Flu Vaccine This Year? Getting the flu vaccine not only protects you from the flu, it also helps protect the […]

Fall is usually a busy and fun time of year for our teens. Back-to-school shopping, high school football, track meets, student government elections, band, orchestra, choir, drama, debate club, homecoming, Halloween, haunted houses … #normallifewemissyou. But teens are actually missing a lot more. They’re missing opportunities to work on the critical tasks that help them mature emotionally: Acceptance of one’s body image (height, weight, and sexual development); they can’t master this task if they have more free time to become obsessed with their bodies and convinced that there’s a problem. Achieving independence from their parents; they can’t master this task if they’re quarantined together. Growing through peer interactions; they can’t master this task if they’re not socializing in groups. Establishing their identities, including sexual identities; they can’t master this task six feet apart. What happens when they don’t master these tasks? Many problems. A few examples: At 3 p.m., a […]