Keeping you informed with the latest news at North Fulton Pediatrics.
What's New
H1N1 Alert: Non-safety voluntary recall of the Preservative Free H1N1 Vaccine
As many of you may be aware, there was a voluntary recall on December 15, 2009 by Sanofi Pasteur of Preservative Free H1N1 intended for children 6-35 months of age. We did receive doses of the recalled vaccine in our office and have used some of them in vaccinating our patients. We, the Providers and Staff of North Fulton Pediatrics, want to make you aware and assure you that the vaccine administered to your child is NOT in any way harmful to your child. The vaccine is SAFE. The recall was done due to the fact that the protection is somewhat less than the manufacturer expected. The CDC and Sanofi do not recommend giving a third dose. If you have an H1N1 vaccine scheduled and your child is between 6-35 months of age, someone from our office will be contacting you. If you have any questions, please feel free to call us or refer to the Centers for Disease Control's website.
Halloween Safety Tips
Keep your little goblins safe this halloween by downloading our Halloween Safety tips report.
My Hero - a letter from Emma.
Swine Flu in Georgia
To help you get the most current information on the Swine Flu, click on the following link at the Center for Disease Control: www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/
This website is updated everyday at the present time. If you have additional questions or concerns, please call our office at 770-442-1050 and speak with a nurse.
PHONE CALLS AFTER HOURS AND ON WEEKENDS
Beginning in February 2009, our practice will be charged for each phone call processed by the Nurse Advice Line at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. This service helps to triage phone calls after normal office hours.
Download the full FAQ's.
Austerity and Your Health
This may well be a difficult time for you and your family as the economy grinds to a halt and we are all affected by this recession. However, in an optimistic mindset, this may be an opportunity to make a dramatic change in your family's health. The opportunity comes at the same time as you reinforce your wallet. This is an opportunity to discontinue feeding your kids fast foods, junk foods, and sodas or juices. Not only do they cost more than wholesome groceries, they have always been bad for your health. Calorie for calorie, fast foods can be viewed as inexpensive. High fructose corn syrup and fats, as in fast and processed foods, are definitely calorie dense. And if all you are thinking of is pure survival that might be the way to go. But if you go to the grocery store and pay attention to volume purchasing, unprepared foods that require some effort at home, and the overall nutritional value of that which you provide to your kids, you can save money and improve your health, the latter which will also cut down on your medical bills. As adults, weaning off the Starbucks habit and cigarette dependency will improve your health and pocketbook as well.
You can help to green our planet at the same time by discontinuing to buy water and drinks in those single use plastic bottles which will be in the landfills for eternity. Drink water that you can filter at home, receiving fluoride from the community water supply, and thereby improving your dental health, and use reusable bottles. Send them with your kids in their lunch and to sporting activities. If you feel you need an electrolyte replacement for sports, you can buy the powder version and reconstitute as needed. You will notice an immediate cost reduction.
The key to success in making these health and economic changes is to plan ahead! You can not wait until the last minute when your kids are starving or dying of thirst to initiate these changes. You must anticipate their habits. Most people follow the same routines with little variety in their daily lives. Take advantage of this fact in protecting your health and your wallet.
Home Safety
Baby-proofing your home is a vital task. Many things throughout the home can be dangerous to your baby. The ideal time to undertake baby-proofing is BEFORE your baby starts crawling. The AAP has information about safety. Many stores offer a wide variety of safety products. Also, there are companies in the Atlanta area that can come out to your home and provide a home safety inspection and make recommendations based on the age of your child. One such company is Prepare First (www.preparefirst.com)
Parenting Teens Online - Free Resource for Parents
We want to help parents of teens in our practice. There is a free resource called ParentingTeensOnline. ParentingTeensOnline is a monthly publication with weekly updates that offers cutting-edge information on all topics we discuss with parents, from managing chronic conditions to risk-taking behaviors to family relationships and more. You can visit the website or sign up for a free subscription.
Medical Expenses in a Recession
In this inflationary/recessionary time, any port in the storm can be beneficial. We believe that as your primary care providers we can, in fact, save you money in the long run by reducing your medical expenditures. This is not self serving, since it will most likely improve your health as well.
Wellness, or the avoidance of illness with enhanced daily living, assumes personal responsibility. Lack of wellness takes both a personal toll and costs the overall health system dearly. As pediatricians, we encourage a healthy lifestyle including exercise and healthy diet. If necessary, weight loss, or weight maintenance until your child is able to grow into their weight, will benefit their overall health. Avoiding sodas and fast foods not only benefits your wallet, but also their health. Avoiding cigarettes is one of the quickest ways to avoid compromising your health and garner more cash in your pocket. Preventive measures like seatbelts and bike helmets will reduce your medical intervention in case of an accident.
Immunizations are essential to avoiding serious illness. Flu shots in the fall can assist you in avoiding absenteeism from work and school, as well as complications like pneumonia. Remember, all routine vaccines are covered by your insurer or the government.
Don't get into the mindset that antibiotics will help your child get better faster. If it is a viral illness, you are deceiving your self and your child. If they do require antibiotics, however, consider using Publix pharmacy since many of the generic antibiotics are free. If they are taking a chronic prescription, try to see if your plan has a 90 day local or mail in to save co pays and time. Try to use generics when possible.
Emergency room and urgent care, including Minute Clinics, may seem like they are useful and practical, but will in the end cost you more money. In general, your copay is the same or greater than our office. It is inevitable that more lab tests and unnecessary x-rays will be performed. This will either add to your deductible or expose you to unnecessary radiation. Minute clinics and urgent care have no after hours coverage. Should you have a complication from their treatment, the physician, or nurse practitioner, whom you saw will not be available to advise you. You will possibly then have an emergency room visit in addition, with additional co-pay. Remember, any provider who treats you is ultimately responsible for the consequence of their treatment. In our office, follow-up care with a physician is available 24/7.
When you visit an urgent care facility or ER, they will only address your immediate problem. They will fail to see that you have discontinued your preventive medicine, which may have caused your relapse.
Don't be lulled into the concept that a physician who does lots of tests is providing good medical care. Tests are sometimes necessary, but a physician who knows you better, and has extensive experience, will usually require less testing, saving you money on your co-pays and deductibles.
Self referral to specialists may seem like a bargain by by-passing your child's doctor. However, you will usually have a greater co-pay to visit the specialist. Specialists tend to do lots of tests; after all, they are "specialists". They tend to look at problems with a narrow focus based on their specialty. Your pediatrician looks at the whole child since symptoms often overlap and can represent multi-systemic problems.
Call our office to speak with a nurse if you are uncertain that your child should be seen. Unnecessary visits require more gas. Keeping up with your check-ups can also be a means of reducing your "illness".
Use the internet, but use reliable websites that provide helpful, not misinformed, data. Look at our website, www.northfultonpediatrics.com for helpful links. Should you move and unfortunately need to transfer physicians, consult our sister practices involved in the Kids Health First network at www.kidshealthfirst.com where only top quality practices are admitted.
We hope these ideas will help you maintain your health and healthy finances.
CAMP and SPORTS Physicals:
It is time to think of scheduling your child's camp or sports physical. Requirements are different, so be sure to check the form you have to see if it requires a yearly check up. Our schedule is open through mid-August. Pat Musto, our nurse practitioner, sees patients for check ups late on Wednesdays with the last appointment being at 6:30pm. Schedule your check up early and avoid the rush. Also, if your child is up to date and does not require a physical this year, remember that we do require 72 hours to complete your form as the doctor has to review and sign the form.
SCHOOL REGISTRATION:
It is early registration time in most county school systems. In order to register your child for Pre-K or kindergarten, your child needs to have completed their 4/5 year old check up to get the appropriate forms to register. Please call the office and make your appointment as soon as possible.