Sun Safety

Posted by Manager on May 15, 2012 in What's New | 0 comments

What’s the best way to protect my child in the sun?

Follow these simple rules to
protect your family from sunburns now and from skin cancer later in life.

• Keep babies younger than 6 months out of direct sunlight. Find shade under a tree, umbrella, or the stroller canopy.
• When possible, dress yourself and your kids in cool, comfortable clothing that covers the body, like lightweight cotton pants, long-sleeved shirts, and hats.
• Select clothes made with a tight weave – they protect better than clothes with a looser weave. If you’re not sure how tight a fabric’s weave is, hold it up to see how much light shines through. The less light, the better.
• Wear a hat or cap with a brim that faces forward to shield the face.
• Limit your sun exposure between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm, when UV rays are strongest.
• Wear sunglasses with at least 99% UV protection (look for child-sized sunglasses with UV protection for your child).
• Use sunscreen.
• Set a good example. You can be the best teacher by practicing sun protection yourself. Teach all members of your family how to protect their skin and eyes.

Sunscreen
Sunscreen can help protect the skin from sunburn and some skin cancers, but only if used correctly. Keep in mind that sunscreen should be used for sun protection, not as a reason to stay in the sun longer.

How to Pick Sunscreen

• Use a sunscreen that says “broad-spectrum” on the label – that means it will screen out both UVB and UVA rays.
• Use a sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15. The higher the SPF, the more UVB protection the sunscreen has.
• Look for the new UVA “star” rating system on the label.
  • One star is low UVA protection.
  • Two stars is medium protection.
  • Three stars is high protection.
  • Four stars is the highest UVA protection available in an over-the-counter sunscreen product.
• For sensitive areas of the body, such as the nose, cheeks, tops of the ears, and the shoulders, choose a sunscreen or sunblock with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. While these products usually stay visible on the skin even after you rub them in, some now come in fun colors that kids enjoy.

Sunscreen for Babies

• For babies younger than 6 months. Use sunscreen on small areas of the body, such as the face and the backs of the hands, if protective clothing and shade are not available.
• For babies older than 6 months. Apply to all areas of the body, but be careful around the eyes. If your baby rubs sunscreen into her eyes, wipe the eyes and hands clean with a damp cloth. If the sunscreen irritates her skin, try a different brand or try a sunscreen stick or sunscreen or sunblock with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. If a rash develops, talk with your child’s doctor.

How to apply sunscreen

• Use enough sunscreen to cover all exposed areas, especially the face, nose, ears, feet, and hands and even the backs of the knees. Rub it in well.
• Apply sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before going outdoors to give time for the sunscreen to bind and absorb into to the skin.
• Use sunscreen any time you or your child might sunburn. Remember that you can get sunburn even on cloudy days. Also, UV rays can bounce back from water, sand, snow, and concrete so make sure you’re protected.
• Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours. Sunscreen wears off after swimming, sweating, or just from soaking into the skin.

Source

Fun in the Sun: Keep Your
Family Safe (Copyright © 2008 American Academy of Pediatrics)

NEED A REMINDER????

Posted by liz on Mar 7, 2012 in What's New | 3,035 comments

We are very happy to announce that we have added a new system to remind you of your appointments!  You can get your reminder via email, text or telephone call, or all three ways if you’d like.  It is an automated system, but should you need to change or rescedule your appointment, please call our office.  We appreciate your feedback, please tell us what you prefer.

Keeping your children healthy in 2012

Posted by liz on Jan 4, 2012 in What's New | Comments Off

Dr. Ray and staff are ready for 2012. Here to assist in your child’s healthcare needs. 

Call our office and verify that your child has his/her annual checkup scheduled. 

Influenza and The Flu Shot

Posted by admin on Oct 26, 2011 in What's New | 2,568 comments

Influenza-What you need to know.

In order to infect a healthy cell, a flu virus must enter the cell (upper left) and empty viral genes into it. First, the virus binds to the cell. Then it becomes enveloped inside a bubble called an endosome as it gets taken into the cell. It is acidic inside the endosome--more acidic than the interior of the virus it contains. This pH difference serves as a signal to the virus that it is inside the cell, so it is time to release the viral genes (shown as orange squiggles). It is the M2 proton channel that helps the virus sense this difference in acidity and trigger the release of viral genes into the cell. Since the cell cannot tell the difference between its own genes and those of the virus, it gets tricked into making copies of the virus which can eventually go on to infect other cells. Credit: Nicolle Rager Fuller, National Science Foundation

The flu is a serious illness which can cause very real and dangerous health situations. But what exactly is the flu and how do you get it? What happens if you do get it? And how do you prevent it? In addition to seasonal influenza, other serious strains of flu have made headlines in recent years, such as H1N1. If you are interested in learning more, this article has all the basics that you need to know about what you can do to safeguard yourself and your family against the flu.Prevention: Your best bet during flu season is to avoid getting it through proper sanitary measures, as well as ensuring your health through good nutrition, getting enough sleep, and daily exercise. Wash your hands often, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Reduce the spread of germs by avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Avoid contact with others who are or may be sick. If close contact is necessary, wear a facemask or