Pediatric Illnesses Archives - Mantachie Rural Health Care, Inc.

ADHD During a Pandemic: How to Help Your Child Stay on Task

January 25, 2021 By Mantachie Rural Health Care, Inc. Leave a Comment

ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is more common than ever among schoolchildren. Children with ADHD are easily distracted, impulsive, often fidget, and struggle to pay attention or focus on the task at hand, such as listening to a class lesson or completing an assignment. Over the last few decades, great strides have been taken to help children with ADHD improve their symptoms and perform better in the classroom. However, the recent pandemic has seen an upswing in children who are again struggling to keep up with school work.

What causes ADHD?

ADHD is a result of less activity in the part of the brain that controls attention or imbalances in brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters. Children with ADHD are either predominantly hyperactive/impulsive or predominantly inattentive. Predominantly hyperactive/impulsive children display more fidgety or disruptive behaviors while predominantly inattentive children simply struggle to focus attention.

ADHD Treatments

Providers treat ADHD by two different methods–medication and therapy. The most successful treatment of ADHD combines both medicine and therapy. Stimulant medications are the most commonly prescribed and best medicinal treatment for ADHD. Certain non-stimulant medicines are also sometimes used but are believed to carry a higher risk for the patient. Talk therapy and support therapies such as social skills therapy can help children with ADHD learn how to cope with struggles. It may also boost their self-esteem, as well as teach them how to get along well socially.

The role of the parent or guardian is as crucial in the treatment of ADHD as therapy and medication. Parents or guardians can help their ADHD child stay on task with the implementation of a daily written schedule or routine. This schedule should include all tasks to be completed from the time they wake up to bedtime. Tasks include basic daily activities such as eating breakfast, brushing teeth and hair, and getting dressed, as well as any home tasks such as chores or homework.

Parents are also their children’s biggest advocate at school. They should ensure the school treats their child’s ADHD virtually through special education and modifications to help the child stay on task. IEPs and 504s should be in place for any student with ADHD.

ADHD and Coronavirus Pandemic

ADHD doesn’t place your child at a greater risk for contracting coronavirus. However, the pandemic could still affect their condition. Behavioral health experts have seen a rise in ADHD children who are struggling to keep up with schoolwork due to distance learning and other hurdles caused by the pandemic. Luckily, parents and children can implement a number of measures to help ease ADHD struggles.

Create a new daily schedule/clear routine for distance learning. Work with your child’s teacher or teachers to create the best schedule to manage their ADHD during the pandemic. Ensure the schedule includes breaks that detail activities for the child to do to unwind.
Make sure teachers continue to implement learning modifications and adjusted them to fit distance learning.
Create one space for everything. Students are using a plethora of learning and streaming programs for distance learning. A child with ADHD may become overwhelmed by the various links and programs they must access each day. They may benefit from consolidating links and schedules all in one place. Consider using a Google Document since Google Classroom is a commonly used program among schools. Parents should work with the child’s teacher to create this designated starting place.
Develop daily/weekly checklists and scheduled check-ins. Again, parents and teachers should work together to create daily and weekly checklists to help children with ADHD stay on top of school tasks and assignments. Ask to schedule regular check-ins between the child and their teachers to give them opportunities to address problems or questions.
Ask for non-screen work. It’s no secret that too much screen time is detrimental especially to children who are already struggling with attention or learning disabilities. Parents should talk with their child’s school or teachers to find out if paper assignments are available to complete and return to the school to help reduce screen time.
Use tools like text-to-speech to help children stay on task. ADDitude Magazine offers a great list of assistive technology apps and extensions to help students struggling with schoolwork.

Has your child been struggling with ADHD-like behaviors for longer than six months? It could be more than just struggles of learning during a pandemic that are causing your child to have problems. At Mantachie Rural Healthcare, we diagnose and treat ADHD with combined work between your child’s healthcare provider and our behavioral health specialists. Don’t let your child struggle through another semester when help is just a call away. Request an evaluation appointment today at 662-282-4226 or through our website.

Teens Active in Extracurriculars Have Stronger Mental Health

January 18, 2021 By Mantachie Rural Health Care, Inc. Leave a Comment

Teens who participate in extracurricular activities tend to have better mental health than those who do not, according to a recent study published in the journal Preventive Medicine. The study, conducted among more than 28,000 seventh grade students across 365 schools in British Columbia, found that those who played sports or participated in the arts had fewer mental health issues than students who spent their free time behind a screen.

This should come as no surprise. Physical activity and practicing a hobby or art are known to boost teens’ mental health. But in a pandemic year when many activities have been greatly altered or sidelined altogether, teens must get more creative and independent with keeping themselves busy and off the screens.

How to Maintain Extracurricular Activities During the Pandemic

Many sports and activities have managed to continue in some capacity this year while others haven’t fared as well. Whether your child is participating in an extracurricular that is active this year or holding out for next year, it’s important to keep them on track and in practice for their chosen outlet.

Encourage them in any way you can. Be a listening ear when they are practicing their music scales or volunteer to play the catcher when they want to practice their curveball. If your budget allows, spring for socially distanced lessons to help them improve their chosen sport or art. If not, check out the many free resources online including YouTube. Yes, we know this means putting your teen behind a screen. However, this counts as productive screen time and you can monitor their progress and lessons to ensure they’re not getting distracted.

Limited Screen Time is Key to Teens Mental Health

The British Columbian study found that boys and girls overall fared far better mentally with less than two hours of screen time in addition to participating in extracurriculars. Even if your child can’t attend a band practice or art lesson, you can still limit their screen time. And you can encourage other productive activities like reading or learning a life skill.

We know that limiting screen time during a pandemic is harder than usual. But we and other medical experts believe that making this sacrifice will ultimately reward you and your children in the long run. If your teen is struggling to stay strong mentally, we can help. Mantachie students can begin seeking help at our school-based clinic and continue treatment at our main clinic. Dial 662-282-4226 or request an appointment online to learn more.

Filed Under: Mental Health, Pharmacy News Tagged With: Mental Health, Pediatric Illnesses, Wellness

Head Lice Prevention: What Works and What Doesn’t

September 22, 2020 By Mantachie Rural Health Care, Inc. Leave a Comment

It’s back to school time! Though that may look a bit different this year thanks to COVID-19, other schooltime concerns like head lice haven’t gone away. We hope social distancing will help prevent the spread of head lice this year, but we also know that kids are going to play. Lice tend to find a way to spread. Be prepared in case a head lice infestation finds its way into your home with our prevention tips.

Avoid hair to hair contact.

Sharing hugs and leaning in close to whisper a secret are both off-limits this year because of social distancing. That alone may reduce the spread of lice as well as other illnesses.

Don’t share clothes, hats, or scarves.

Remind your children not to share hats and scarves of their friends at school. If your child arrives home with an infestation, keep your other children from wearing their clothing, or accessories that touch the head. Gather and wash all of your child’s clothing and accessories that have been worn in the days before the infestation.

Don’t share hair tools.

Disinfect hairbrushes, combs, and accessories like hair ties and ponytail holders by soaking them in hot water for at least 5 to 10 minutes. Keep your family from using infested hair tools until they have been properly cleaned.

Avoid lying on furniture, pillows, stuffed toys, and carpet that could be infested.

Be ready to wash pretty much every soft surface your infested child has touched. Don’t allow other family members near those surfaces until they’ve been disinfected. Machine wash sheets, pillows, blankets, clothing, stuffed toys, and other items worn or laid on by the infested person in hot water and machine dry the items on high heat. Vacuum carpets and furniture where the child has laid.

Keep infested children home until they’ve been treated.

Stop the spread of head lice by keeping your kids home until they’ve been successfully treated and all traces of head lice are gone. Remember, your child can get head lice again if the spread isn’t stopped in their classroom.

Worried your child may have a head lice infestation? Click here to contact us now to request an appointment.

Filed Under: Pharmacy News, Wellness Tagged With: back to school, Pediatric Illnesses

Study Finds Childhood Picky Eating Is About More Than Food

July 28, 2020 By Mantachie Rural Health Care, Inc. Leave a Comment

Good news, parents! A study recently published by the Journal of American Academy of Pediatrics says children who are persistent picky eaters aren’t usually underweight, nor do they have higher BMIs than their peers. And, picky eating is likely a personality trait of your child, not something you caused.

Now that we’ve covered the positive news, let’s look at some unexpected findings. The study divided children into three camps of picky eaters: low, moderate, and high. Children who were moderately or highly selective eaters were more likely to have trouble controlling their emotions. Picky eating may not stand alone but may signal a behavioral health problem you need to discuss with your child’s doctor.

While you may not have caused your child’s pickiness, you can make some changes to help your child expand their palate.

Let go of the demands. Children whose parents restrict certain foods or demand they eat certain foods are more likely to be picky. Around the age of four, where this study began following participants, children are moving into independence. If high anxiety is common among picky eaters, as the study suggests, those children are more likely to avoid new foods and a parent’s insistence won’t help.

Make mealtime fun. Put down the screens. Tell a joke. Talk about your day. Ask your child questions. Make mealtime more about the social interaction of your family than about the food. You’ll relieve the pressure on yourself and your kids.

Set a good example. When your children see you eating new foods or healthy foods, they are more likely to want to try those foods themselves. Start your children on the same diet the rest of your family eats early, before they are two if possible.

Involve your children in food selection and preparation. You don’t always have time to let your kids help in the kitchen, we get that. Make some time once or twice a week to let your children help select or cook the food you’ll eat. When they have a hand in the preparation, they are more likely to want to try what you’ve cooked.

If you’re concerned about your child’s nutrition or if their picky eating habits might be signs of behavioral health problems like anxiety, ADHD, or depression, we can help. Not only do we have health professionals like nurses and nurse practitioners on our staff, we also employ a registered dietitian and licensed counselors.

You can read more about the study and its findings through these articles:

‘Picky Eating’ Can Start Early: What Parents Should and Shouldn’t Do About It

Study gives insight — and advice — on picky eating in children

Extreme Picky Eating and Anxiety: A New Study Finds a Surprising Link

For Many Kids, Picky Eating Isn’t Just a Phase, Study Finds

Filed Under: Pharmacy News Tagged With: Pediatric Illnesses

Chronic Lyme Disease Highlight Reasons to Prevent Tick Bites

July 14, 2020 By Mantachie Rural Health Care, Inc. Leave a Comment

We’re all happy to see some sunshine and spend some time outside. As we’re recovering from quarantine and continue to practice social distancing, outdoor activities have become even more important this summer. A lot of focus continues to remain on the coronavirus, but that doesn’t mean other diseases have taken a backseat. Now it’s time for your yearly reminder to beware of tick bites which can cause Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Deer ticks, particularly prevalent in our neck of the woods, are the culprit for Lyme disease. Lyme can be easily treated if caught early, but some patients may suffer long-term consequences of the illness especially if it’s not caught early.

Initial Symptoms

After removing a tick, many people will notice a small, red bump similar to a mosquito bite. This skin irritation is normal and nothing to be concerned about. Complications from that tick bite develop anytime from 3 to 30 after the bite. The most common sign of Lyme disease is a bulls-eye rash at the site of the bite. It expands over the course of several days and may reach 12” in diameter. The rash isn’t painful or itchy.

Not every case of Lyme disease includes this tell-tale rash. If you do not have the rash, but have the following symptoms it’s time to see your doctor:

Fever
Chills
Fatigue
Body aches
Headache
Neck stiffness
Swollen lymph nodes

Although many of these symptoms are similar to the Coronavirus, one noticeable difference is Lyme disease does not cause respiratory problems while COVID-19 does.

Antibiotics are the recommended treatment for Lyme disease. Most patients who receive treatment recover with no additional complications.

Chronic Lyme Disease

Even if you have symptoms that disappear without a doctor’s visit, you need to visit your provider if you’ve had a tick bite or been in wooded or grassy areas where ticks like to gather. You may have had a tick bite that you weren’t aware of. Untreated Lyme disease can spread throughout your body and cause long-term health problems. Medical professionals estimate 10-20% of people who receive adequate treatment for Lyme disease continue to have symptoms for weeks, months, and sometimes years after the infection.

Chronic Lyme Disease symptoms include:

fatigue
restless sleep
pain
aching joints or muscles
pain or swelling in the knees, shoulders, elbows, and other large joints
decreased short-term memory or ability to concentrate
speech problems

Because these symptoms overlap with many other illnesses, people with chronic Lyme disease are often misdiagnosed. That’s why it’s important to tell your doctor if you’ve experienced a tick bite, even if you don’t have the bulls-eye rash afterward.

Some doctors believe Lyme disease triggers an autoimmune response in some patients which causes additional damage to their body and allows the symptoms to linger.

We currently do not have a specific test or treatment for chronic Lyme disease. That’s the bad news. In good news, your doctor can work with you to get a diagnosis and treat your symptoms. Your doctor may do antibody tests and prescribe medications to treat your symptoms.

Prevention

The best way to prevent Lyme disease is to avoid deer ticks’ natural habitats like wooded areas and tall grassy areas. But let’s be real. We live in Mississippi. We know camping, fishing, and hunting are our favorite pastimes. With the closure of many indoor activities this summer, the great outdoors will be even more enticing. You can take steps to protect yourself while you enjoy nature.

Cover up with long pants and long sleeves when you’re in wooded, grassy areas.
Stick to trails and avoid tall grassy areas.
Keep your dog on a leash.
Apply insect repellent with 20% or higher DEET concentration.
Tick proof your yard by mowing regularly and stacking wood in dry, sunny areas.
Check your clothing, yourself, your kids, and your pets for ticks after being outside, especially if you’ve been camping, fishing, hiking, or hunting.
Remove any tick as soon as you find it. A tick must be attached for 36-48 hours in order to transmit Lyme disease.
Don’t assume you are immuned because you had Lyme disease once. You can be re-infected.

If you’ve experienced a tick bite or have any symptoms of Lyme disease, please contact our office for an appointment with one of our providers.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: chronic disease, Pediatric Illnesses

4 Dangers to Skipping Your Child’s Wellness Check-Up

June 23, 2020 By Mantachie Rural Health Care, Inc. Leave a Comment

In the midst of COVID-19 quarantine, healthcare providers noticed a worrying trend. Parents, concerned about their children’s health, postponed their child’s wellness check-ups. Was that vaccination or height and weight check really worth exposing their family to a deadly virus?

Thankfully in Mississippi, the virus has not been as rampant as in other parts of the country. As we slowly return to a new normal, it’s time for parents to reschedule those wellness check-ups. Here’s what happens if they don’t.

Resurgence of eradicated diseases

We were already seeing higher instances of measles and other diseases for which we have vaccines. Some parents chose not to vaccinate their children and others chose to alter the schedule of vaccines. We’ve written about the dangers of those practices before. What we’re seeing now is parents who would ordinarily have their child vaccinated on a schedule have skipped or pushed back those vaccinations. The last thing we want is measles or other diseases compounding the threat of the Coronavirus our healthcare system is fighting.

Vaccination schedules are based on the ages when children are most vulnerable to specific diseases. By skipping those vaccines, children are wide open for infection. If your child was scheduled for vaccinations that were postponed during the height of the Coronavirus, it’s time to schedule those vaccines and wellness check-ups now.

Delayed intervention for developmental delays

First-time parents are less likely to notice developmental delays because they have nothing for comparison. If Baby Tim isn’t crawling when he should or Little Jane isn’t starting to speak on time, your child’s pediatrician can help you decide if it’s time to sound the alarm or wait it out.

Your pediatrician is your partner in your child’s health and growth. They’ve monitored hundreds (often thousands) of children over their career. In addition, they and their staff know the community resources available to you. If your child needs early intervention, they can help. Any parent of a child with developmental delays will tell you that early intervention is key to helping your child live their best life.

Unseen medical problems

Once a child reached school-age years, many parents forgot about yearly wellness exams even before the pandemic. Wellness exams for school-aged children include vision and hearing checks. These senses greatly affect your child’s quality of life, but you may not notice small difficulties. The wellness exams also include blood pressure checks along with height, weight, and BMI measurements.

Lack of partnership

As we mentioned earlier, your pediatrician is your partner in your child’s health. Their input during the early years of your child’s life is invaluable, but so is their contribution as your child gets older. They can help with difficult conversations around puberty, drug and alcohol use, and sex. No doctor is a substitute for parental involvement, but they can also help you find your way through these conversations. They can be another adult resource for your child as they age. Eventually, they will become an adult. By establishing healthy habits of yearly wellness visits and trust in their medical doctor, you’ll help your child continue a healthy life long after they’ve flown the nest.

If it’s time for your child’s wellness check-up or if you missed a check-up over the last few months, now’s the time to schedule your appointment. We’re keeping our offices sanitized and following the CDC’s best practices to protect you, your family, and our staff.

Filed Under: Pharmacy News Tagged With: Pediatric Illnesses, Wellness

Delayed Vaccine Schedule Contributes to Resurgence of Preventable Illnesses

May 5, 2020 By Mantachie Rural Health Care, Inc. Leave a Comment

In 2018, the U.S. began to see a resurgence fo once eradicated illnesses like chicken-pox and measles. These vaccine-preventable diseases cropped up more commonly in areas with fewer immunized children. Parents who choose not to immunize their children may be in the minority, however, another one-third of parents are choosing to delay vaccination. Instead, they are following their own timeline.

A study published in Pediatrics magazine found parents based their decision to delay vaccination on their own research versus their doctor’s recommendations. As a result, the United States is seeing a return of diseases that had once been eradicated in this country.

Delaying vaccination opens children to preventable diseases when they are most susceptible to the negative impact of those diseases.

We encourage open communication with our doctor and nurse practitioners about your concerns around the recommended vaccine schedule. Your provider can guide you to additional reputable resources and help you make the best choices to protect your child and your family. We support childhood vaccinations and the recommended schedule, but medicine should always be a two-way conversation. Your concerns are important to us.

Our clinic offers the full schedule of childhood vaccines for children covered by Medicaid including kindergarten vaccines. Please call us for an appointment for your child’s well-child visit, concerns about your child’s health, and to schedule vaccines.

Filed Under: Pharmacy News Tagged With: Pediatric Illnesses, Vaccines

Mantachie School Students and Staff Benefit from School-Based Clinic

February 12, 2020 By Mantachie Rural Health Care, Inc. Leave a Comment

The opening of a school-based health clinic in November at Mantachie schools represented more than a year’s worth of work. The clinic, staffed by Amy Floyd, FNP-C, and Casey Pounds, MA, sees both children and school staff. Hours of operation run from 7:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. during school days.

School-based health centers started in 1970, but gained popularity in the 1990s. Today, more than 2000 SBHCs care for the health of more than two million students.

Students with access to school-based clinics miss fewer days of school due to illness. More days in the classroom along with better overall health means these students retain more knowledge and score better on tests.

Parents benefit from school-based clinics because they miss fewer days of work to attend appointments with their children. Increased work attendance and productivity improves a family’s financial outlook.

Our school-based clinic treats the usual urgent care illnesses such as colds, sinus infections, strep throat, and the flu, as well as managing health conditions like diabetes. Providers may also conduct vision and hearing screenings for students. Students experiencing depression or other mental illness may receive earlier intervention when a medical provider is on campus every day.

The benefits of consistent health care for students stretch into a lifetime of healthy choices, which benefits the entire family and community.

To be seen in the school-based clinic, parents and staff must complete the permission and insurance form available in the school office. The clinic bills visits to the student’s Medicaid or private insurance.

Filed Under: Pharmacy News Tagged With: Pediatric Illnesses, Wellness

Study Shows Long Term Health Risks from Measles

December 24, 2019 By Mantachie Rural Health Care, Inc. Leave a Comment

As the vaccine debate rages among parents, more studies show the effects of measles may last long after a patient recovers. Parents who choose not to vaccinate their children often cite the measles symptoms as one reason vaccinations may not be worth the perceived risks. A new study from the Netherlands suggests patient’s risks continue long after they recover from the initial illness.

Measles begins with a high fever 10-12 days after exposure to the virus. A cough, runny nose, red watery eyes, and white spots in the mouth may accompany the fever. A few days later a rash appears on the face and neck. The rash spreads over the entire body in the next 3 days. The rash lasts 5-6 days.

The new study shows a decreased immunity to other viruses and infections after the measles rash fades. The virus appears to wipe out the immune system’s memory. Illnesses the person had previously built immunity to were no longer recognized. The measles effect made patients even more susceptible to those illnesses and their dangerous complications. While the immune system still works, it must relearn all the viruses it one recognized.

Infants who are not yet old enough for the vaccine, children under age 5, and adults over age 30 are most susceptible to other complications of measles such as ear infections, diarrhea, and dehydration.

Yet another reason to protect our children with the MMR vaccine. If you have questions or concerns about vaccines and your child, schedule a wellness visit with one of our providers to discuss how best to protect your family’s health.

Filed Under: Pharmacy News Tagged With: Pediatric Illnesses, Vaccines

Let’s Talk Infant Immunizations

April 23, 2019 By Mantachie Rural Health Care, Inc. Leave a Comment

The last week of April we recognize as National Infant Immunizations Week. We’ve heard a lot of discussion about vaccines in the news lately and want to provide you with the most information possible. Vaccinations are designed to protect not only your child from serious diseases but to protect those with compromised immune systems who are unable to receive the vaccine themselves.

You can find a lot of information online, but your child’s medical provider offers the best information on immunizations. Seeing the same physician or nurse practitioner for your child’s wellness exams and illnesses supplies the provider a complete history and understanding of your child’s health. Together you and your child’s health provider can make the best decisions for your child.

What illnesses do childhood vaccines protect against?

The typical course of vaccines covers fourteen illnesses:

Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Diphtheria
Hib Disease (Haemophilus influenzae type b)
Pertussis
Pneumococcal Disease
Polio
Influenza (flu)
Measles
Mumps
Rotavirus
Rubella (German Measles)
Tetanus
Varicella (Chickenpox)

If you’re like most Americans, you’ve never heard of some of these illnesses and have never known anyone who ever experienced many of them. You can thank vaccines for that protection. Want to know more about each of these diseases? Check out this article which describes each disease and potential complications.

Why do my children receive so many vaccines at one time?

Infant immunizations and childhood vaccines are scheduled to be given when a child is most at risk of developing the disease and when a child’s body is most responsive to developing protection after the vaccine is given. Some vaccines must be given in multiple doses spaced at specific intervals to create and maintain full, optimum protection.

What’s the recommended infant immunizations schedule for children?

The CDC provides informative guides for when you should expect your child to receive specific vaccines. You should also receive an updated vaccination record when your child has new vaccines.

Download the CDC’s guide in English

Download the CDC’s guide in Spanish

Where can I have my child vaccinated?

While some pharmacies offer certain vaccines for adults, it’s important to schedule time with your child’s regular medical provider for their vaccines.

Mantachie Rural Health Care, Inc., offers vaccines to children who are covered under Medicaid or private insurance as well as children who do not have insurance. We’re also part of the federally funded Vaccines for Children program which offers vaccines at no cost to children who might not be vaccinated due to an inability to pay.

If your child has received vaccinations at another clinic, we are able to pull those reports from our office which ensures your child receives the correct vaccines in the right order.

Make an appointment for your child’s next vaccines by calling our office at (662) 282-4226.

Filed Under: Pharmacy News Tagged With: Pediatric Illnesses, Vaccines, Wellness