Allergy Season Is Here by Dr. Arti Jain

allergy-culpritsDust, cats, peanuts, cockroaches. An odd grouping, but one with a common thread: allergies — a major cause of illness in the United States. Up to 50 million Americans, including millions of kids, have some type of allergy. In fact, allergies account for the loss of an estimated 2 million school days per year.

An allergy is an overreaction of the immune system to a substance that’s harmless to most people. But in someone with an allergy, the body’s immune system treats the substance (called an allergen) as an invader and reacts inappropriately, resulting in symptoms that can be anywhere from annoying to possibly harmful to the person.

WHEN TO SUSPECT AN ALLERGY
Here are some common clues that could lead you to suspect your child may have an allergy:

  • Repeated or chronic cold-like symptoms that last more than a week or two, or develop at about the same time every year.
  • These could include a runny nose, nasal stuffiness, sneezing, throat clearing, and itchy, watery eyes.
  • Recurrent red, itchy, dry, sometime scaly rashes in the creases of the elbows and/or knees, or on the back of the neck, buttocks, wrists, or ankles.
  • Symptoms that occur repeatedly after eating a particular food that may include hives, swelling of face or extremities, gagging, coughing or wheezing, vomiting or significant abdominal pain.
  • Itching or tingling sensations in the mouth, throat and/or ears during certain times of year or after eating certain foods, particularly fresh fruits.

COMMON ALLERGENS ON THE HOME FRONT

  • Dust mites (dust mites are microscopic and are found in bedding, upholstered furniture and carpet as well as other places)
  • Furred animal allergens (dogs, cats, guinea pigs, gerbils, rabbits, etc.)
  • Pest allergens (cockroaches, mice, rats)
  • Pollen (trees, grasses, weeds)
  • Molds and fungi (including molds too small to be seen with the naked eye)
  • Foods (cow’s milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish) 

HOW TO MANAGE ALLERGIC NASAL SYMPTOMS

  • Allergy testing should be performed to determine what, if any, of these environmental allergens your child is allergic to.
  • If your child is allergic to pets, the addition of pets to your family would not be recommended.
  • If your child is allergic to pests, professional extermination, sealing holes and cracks that serve as entry points for pests, storing foods in plastic containers with lids and meticulous cleanup of food remains can help to eliminate the pests and reduce allergen levels.
  • Dust mites congregate where moisture is retained and food for them (human skin scales) is plentiful. They are especially numerous in bedding, upholstered furniture, and rugs. Padded furnishings such as mattresses, box springs, and pillows should be encased in allergen-proof, zip-up covers, which are available through catalogs and specialized retailers. Wash linens weekly and other bedding, such as blankets, every 1 to 2 weeks in hot water. (The minimum temperature to kill mites is 130 degrees. If you set your water heater higher than 120 degrees, the recommended temperature to avoid accidental scald burns, take care if young children are present in the home.)
  • If your child is allergic to outdoor allergens, it can be helpful to use central air conditioners when possible. Showering or bathing at the end of the day to remove allergens from body surfaces and hair can also be helpful. For patients with grass pollen allergy, remaining indoors when grass is mowed and avoiding playing in fields of tall grass may be helpful. Children with allergies to molds should avoid playing in piles of dead leaves in the fall. Pets tracking in and out of the house can also bring pollen and mold indoors.

MEDICATIONS TO CONTROL SYMPTOMS

Your child’s allergy treatment should start with your pediatrician, who may refer you to a pediatric allergy specialist for additional evaluations and treatments.

  • Antihistamines – Ones taken by mouth can help with itchy watery eyes, runny nose and sneezing, as well as itchy skin and hives. Some types may cause drowsiness.
  • Nasal Corticosteroids – Highly effective for allergy symptom control and are widely used to stop chronic symptoms. Safe to use in children over long periods of time. Must be used daily.
  • Allergy Immunotherapy – Immunotherapy, or allergy shots, may be recommended to reduce your child’s allergy symptoms. If allergen avoidance and medications are not successful, allergy shots for treatment of respiratory allergies to pollen, dust mites, cat and dog dander, and outdoor molds can help decrease the need for daily medication.

MANAGING ECZEMA (ATOPIC DERMATITIS):

  • Steroid creams are very effective. When used sparingly and at the lowest strength that does the job, they are very safe.
  • Antihistamine medication may be prescribed to relieve the itching, and help break the itch-scratch cycle.
  • Long-sleeved sleepwear may also help prevent nighttime scratching
  • Soaps containing perfumes and deodorants may be too harsh for children’s sensitive skin.
  • Launder new clothes thoroughly before your child wears them.  Avoid fabric softener.
  • Use laundry products that are free of dyes and perfumes and double-rinse clothes, towels and bedding.
  • Lukewarm soaking baths are good ways to treat the dry skin of eczema. Gently pat your child dry after the bath to avoid irritating the skin with rubbing. Then, liberally apply moisturizing cream right away.
  • Eczema, particularly when severe, may be associated with food allergies (e.g., milk, egg, peanut).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dr. Arti Jain – Doctor Jain is a very caring pediatrician practicing in the Santa Clara County California area.  You can contact her:  Tel (408)-378-6171 or email her: Jainarti.mail@gmail.com.  You can read more on her website: http://www.drartijain.com

 

Teach Your Child to Follow Instructions by Dr. Arti Jain

Teach Child Instructions Dr Arti Jain April 2014Learning how to discipline your child is an important skill that all parents need to learn. Discipline is not the same as punishment. Instead, discipline has to do more with teaching, and involves teaching your child right from wrong, how to respect the rights of others, which behaviors are acceptable and which are not, with a goal of helping to develop a child who feels secure and loved, is self-confident, self-disciplined and knows how to control his impulses, and who does not get overly frustrated with the normal stresses of everyday life.

The recommendations below can be of assistance in teaching children to follow parental directions the first time they are given.

*Be prepared to enforce. Parents should avoid giving their children a direction unless they are prepared to enforce it. If parents do not enforce their directions, then children learn that their parents don’t mean what they say.

*Let your child make some of the rules. Giving a child a say gives him an impetus to follow the rule or direction—and he’s less likely to claim you’re unfair.

*Create positive and negative consequences.

*Get their attention. Get their attention before giving a direction. Avoid yelling directions from another room.

*Don’t ask questions. Parents should avoid phrasing directions as questions (for example, don’t say “Justin, would you like to pick up your toys now?”).

*Don’t be vague. Make directions concrete and precise.

*Keep directions meaningful and developmentally appropriate.

*Have your child repeat the directions to you. This helps you make sure that they understand what is desired of them.

*Give them only few steps at a time. It helps to ensure that the task is completed and they have a feeling of accomplishment.

*Play ‘‘listening and following directions games’’. Kids learn a lot via games. It will help them learn while having fun.

*Rehearse new or unfamiliar directions. Make sure the children understand what is expected of them.

*Tell them what to do. Parents should try to give directions that tell children what to do instead of what not to do. E.g.  say, “Stay by my side,” not  “Don’t run away.”

*Give them choices not commands. Again, giving your child some say in what procedures she’s to follow can often prevent power struggles.

*Praise them. Parents don’t need to wait until the task is completed to offer praise and do not focus on the one or two directions that were not followed.

*Show appreciation. When the task is complete, parents should let their children know they appreciate their compliance.

*Don’t repeat warnings. Children can learn to follow directions after one or no warning just as easily as they can learn to follow directions after five or six warnings.

*Follow less desired behavior with more desired behavior. This gives the children an incentive to complete the task and look forward to something that they enjoy.

*Most importantly, provide your child with a safe environment in which he feels secure and loved.

Good Luck and Have Fun!!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dr. Arti Jain – Doctor Jain is a very caring pediatrician practicing in the Santa Clara County California area.  You can contact her:  Tel (408)-378-6171 or email her: Jainarti.mail@gmail.com.  You can read more on her website: http://www.drartijain.com

 

Kick-Start Active TV Viewing Early On by Dr. Arti Jain

Arti Jain No-TV blog 2014-3-6It is possible for TV viewing to contribute to the health of your household. But merely turning the set on — or even off — isn’t enough. Just as with your child’s diet and potty training, her TV viewing is something you have to work at. And there’s no better time to establish healthy TV habits than when your child is young.

 Be active viewers.

1.)  Get your child accustomed to talking about what he sees and hears when watching TV, instead of falling into a passive, unquestioning state.

Remember that socializing comes first.

2.)  Talking, playing games, cuddling and other forms of socializing are one of the most important parts of your child’s development.

3.)  Even the simple act of sitting near one another while you view a video or program will contribute to a feeling of being together instead of reinforcing the notion that TV is a solitary experience.

4.)  If you do not have time to watch TV with your child, look for alternatives for him, like playing with siblings or friends.

5.)  Keep the TV set (or sets) in communal places in your home and out of individual bedrooms.

Have a reason for turning on the TV.

6.)  Try to keep TV from serving as part of the background in your home.

7.)  Turn it on only when you genuinely want to see something and turn it off when the program is over.

8.)  Be a role model for this behavior. You can say aloud, “The show is over. Now it’s time to do something else.”

 Have lots of reasons for turning off the TV.

9.)  Teach your child that she — not the non-stop stream of programs — is in control of TV viewing.

10.)  Help her to appreciate the countless good reasons for muting the sound or shutting off the TV entirely: to talk with someone else, to play outside, to turn a somersault, to sing a song, to draw a picture.

11.)  Some of these reasons may even come from something your child has seen a TV character do.

Know what to do when your child has a strong response to something on TV — and what the developmental roots of that response may be.

12.)  If your child is frightened, holding him or offering a favorite stuffed animal or blanket is likely to be more comforting than a rationalizing comment like, “There’s no reason to be scared.”

13.)  If your child acts aggressively, imitating physical or make-believe violence, block access to shows and movies that depict characters behaving badly.

14.)  If your child demands certain toys or foods that she’s seen advertised, limiting commercial programming may reduce her insatiable desires.

15.)  If your child becomes fixated on a single show or movie, requesting to see it repeatedly, keep in mind that he is likely figuring something out, which is not harmful.

16.)  If your child becomes excited and wants to try something new that a character has done, give it a whirl, assuming it’s safe and, ideally, imaginative

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dr. Arti Jain – Doctor Jain is a very caring pediatrician practicing in the Santa Clara County California area.  You can contact her:  Tel (408)-378-6171 or email her: Jainarti.mail@gmail.com.  You can read more on her website: http://www.drartijain.com

Family Meals by Dr. Arti Jain

family-meal-3Family meals are making a comeback. And that’s good news for a couple of reasons:

  • Shared family meals are more likely to be nutritious.
  • Kids who eat regularly with their families are less likely to snack on unhealthy foods and more likely to eat fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
  • Teens who take part in regular family meals are less likely to smoke, drink alcohol, or use marijuana and other drugs, and are more likely to have healthier diets as adults, studies have shown.

Beyond health and nutrition, family meals provide a valuable opportunity to reconnect. This becomes even more important as kids get older.

Making Family Meals Happen

It can be a big challenge to find the time to plan, prepare, and share family meals, then be relaxed enough to enjoy them. Try these three steps to schedule family meals and make them enjoyable for everyone who pulls up a chair.

1. Plan

  • Look over the calendar to choose a time when everyone can be there.
  • Figure out which obstacles are getting in the way of more family meals — busy schedules, no supplies in the house, no time to cook.
  • Ask for the family’s help and ideas on how these roadblocks can be removed. For instance, figure out a way to get groceries purchased for a family meal.
  • Or if time to cook is the problem, try doing some prep work on weekends or even completely preparing a dish ahead of time and putting it in the freezer.

2. Prepare

  • Involve the kids in preparations. Recruiting younger kids can mean a little extra work, but it’s often worth it.
  • Simple tasks such as putting plates on the table, tossing the salad, pouring a beverage, folding the napkins, or being a “taster” are appropriate jobs for preschoolers and school-age kids.
  • Older kids may be able to pitch in even more, such as getting ingredients, washing produce, mixing and stirring, and serving.
  • If you have teens around, consider assigning them a night to cook, with you as the helper.
  • If kids help out, set a good example by saying please and thanks for their help.
  • Being upbeat and pleasant as you prepare the meal can rub off on your kids. If you’re grumbling about the task at hand, chances are they will too. But if the atmosphere is light, you’re showing them how the family can work together and enjoy the fruits of its labor.

3. Enjoy

  • Even if you’re thinking of all you must accomplish after dinner’s done (doing dishes, making lunches, etc.), try not to focus on that during dinner.
  • Make your time at the table pleasant and a chance for everyone to decompress from the day and enjoy being together as a family.
  • They may be starving, but have your kids wait until everyone is seated before digging in.
  • Create a moment of calm before the meal begins, so the cook can shift gears. It also presents a chance to say grace, thank the cook, wish everyone a good meal, or to raise a glass of milk and toast each other.
  • You’re setting the mood and modeling good manners and patience.

Family meals are a good time to teach civilized behavior that kids also can use at restaurants and others’ houses.

You can gently remind when they break the rules, but try to keep tension and discipline at a minimum during mealtime. The focus should remain on making your kids feel loved, connected, and part of the family.

Keep the interactions positive and let the conversation flow. Ask your kids about their days and tell them about yours. Give everyone a chance to talk.

Need some conversation starters? Here are a few:

  • If you could have any food for dinner tomorrow night, what would it be?
  • Who can guess how many potatoes I used to make mashed potatoes?
  • What’s the most delicious food on the table?
  • If you opened a restaurant, what kind would it be?
  • Who’s the best cook you know? (We hope they say it’s you!)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dr. Arti Jain – Doctor Jain is a very caring pediatrician practicing in the Santa Clara County California area.  You can contact her:  Tel (408)-378-6171 or email her: Jainarti.mail@gmail.com.  You can read more on her website: http://www.drartijain.com

Staying Healthy While You Travel by Dr. Arti Jain

201003-b-homepage-3When your family travels, being away from your household’s usual eating and sleeping routines means it’s more likely that someone might get sick. Kids can be especially vulnerable to travel-related problems such as motion sickness, diarrhea, and infections.

Special Considerations for Travel Abroad

If you’re heading overseas, start preparing well in advance.

– Find out what vaccinations your kids (and even you) might need.
– Different countries have different risks and requirements and may require specific vaccines.
– Some vaccines require more than one dose and are given in a series.
– Most immunizations should be given at least 1 month before travel, so try to schedule a doctor’s visit 4-6 weeks before your trip.
– Although all kids get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine at 12-15 months of age, any who will travel outside the United States before that should get the vaccine as early as 6 months of age.
– Also, kids of any age can get malaria so if you’re traveling to a country with a malaria risk, talk to your doctor about antimalarial drugs.

Common Travel Troubles – Here are some health issues that your family is likely to face:

Jet Lag

When you fly across time zones, it can take time for your internal body clock to catch up with the local time. In addition to tiredness, jet lag can also cause an upset stomach and even insomnia. Here are some tips for dealing with jet lag:

– Try to adjust your family’s sleep schedules 2-3 days before departure.
– Get plenty of rest before your trip. If possible, sleep on the flight.
– Make sure everyone drinks plenty of water during the flight. Avoid alcohol, coffee, tea, and other caffeinated beverages.
– On a long flight, try to stretch regularly and even walk up and down the aisles when they’re clear and it’s OK to do so.
– After arrival, encourage kids to be active outside or in brightly lit areas during daylight hours.
– Try to follow local time at your destination (for example, try to keep kids awake until their usual bedtime).

Ear Pain

It’s common for kids to experience ear discomfort during a plane’s takeoff and descent caused by pressure in the middle ear as it tries to keep up with the rapidly changing air pressure. Encourage kids to swallow, yawn, or, if they’re old enough, chew gum. It may help infants to nurse or suck on a bottle.

All of these things can help kids’ ears adjust. You may also want to give your child a pain reliever, such as acetaminophen, 30-60 minutes before takeoff or, if it’s a long flight, before landing.

Motion Sickness

– Before you leave, have kids eat a light meal or snack. Provide foods that are easily digested, such as complex carbohydrates, and avoid fatty foods.
– Try to avoid eating during short trips. For longer trips, sip drinks and eat light, small meals and snacks.
– If your child is feeling sick, provide some blander foods, like crackers.
– Encourage kids to look outside the car, rather than inside. They should focus on still objects — not moving ones (like other cars) — or a distant point.
– Keep the window open a little to allow fresh air to circulate.
– Use a headrest to minimize head movement.
– Make frequent stops, if possible, at places like rest stops and parks.
– Ask your doctor about medicines to prevent travel sickness.

Diarrhea

Water in many developing countries isn’t treated in the same way as water supplies in developed nations and may contain bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Take precautions to ensure the water is safe:

– Consider drinking only bottled water when traveling.
– Use only purified water for drinking, making ice cubes, brushing teeth, and mixing infant formula and foods.
– If you use tap water, boil it first or purify it with an iodine tablet.
– If you’re breastfeeding your infant, continue to do so.
– Remind kids to practice the good hand-washing techniques.
– Keep pacifiers, teething rings, and toys clean.
– Keep an alcohol-based hand sanitizer handy.
– Make sure all dairy products are pasteurized.
– Fresh fruits and veggies should be cooked or washed well and peeled.
– Meats and fish should be well cooked and eaten just after preparation.
– Avoid food from street vendors.

Be Prepared

When you pack, include any medications and other medical supplies you and your family use regularly.

Other items you might want to pack:

– over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever like acetaminophen
– a small first-aid kit that includes antiseptic, antibiotic ointment, bandages, and other OTC medications your doctor may recommend
– sunscreen
– insect repellent (the most effective ones contain DEET)
– waterless alcohol-based hand rubs for when soap and clean water aren’t available
– Do some research before your trip to find the hospital or medical care facility closest to your destination, particularly if your child has a chronic health condition. If you’re traveling overseas, try to find one where English is spoken.
– It’s also wise to carry a written copy of your child’s medical history.

And Don’t Forget . . .

While you’re away, it’s important to take the same health and safety precautions as you do at home. These include:

– Sun smarts. Broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 15 and hat and sunglasses to keep the sun off of your child’s face.
– Water safety. Because life jackets and goggles — may not be available at your destination, consider bringing these from.
– Buckle up. If you’ll rent a car, you might want to bring your child’s car seat with you, As always, kids weighing less than 40 pounds should be properly restrained in a car seat. Kids between 4 and about 8 years old should use a belt positioning booster seat.

Before you leave, consider asking your doctor for other information about how to protect your family from illness and injury during travel. Doing a little planning in advance can help ensure that when the time comes, all you’ll have left to do is relax and enjoy your vacation!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dr. Arti Jain – Doctor Jain is a very caring pediatrician practicing in the Santa Clara County California area.  You can contact her:  Tel (408)-378-6171 or email her: Jainarti.mail@gmail.com.  You can read more on her website: http://www.drartijain.com

Scrappy Tip from Kimberly: For more great advice on traveling healthy, check out this site from positive healthwellness.

Caring for You and Your Family During the Flu Season by Arti Jain, M.D.

images (1)What is the flu?
Influenza (the flu) is an infection of the nose, throat, and lungs caused by influenza viruses. There are many different influenza viruses that are constantly changing. They cause illness, hospital stays and deaths in the United States each year.
The flu can be very dangerous for children.

How serious is the flu?
Flu illness can vary from mild to severe. While the flu can be serious even in people who are otherwise healthy, it can be especially dangerous for young children and children of any age who have certain long term health conditions. Children with chronic medical conditions and those receiving long-term aspirin therapy can have more severe illness from the flu.

How does the flu spread?
Flu viruses spread mainly by droplets made when people with the flu cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby. Less often, a person might get the flu by touching something that has flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth, eyes or nose.

How long can a sick person spread the flu to others?
People with the flu may be able to infect others by shedding virus from 1 day before getting sick to 5 to 7 days after. However, children and people with weakened immune systems can shed virus for longer, and might be still contagious past 5 to 7 days of being sick, especially if they still have symptoms.

What are the symptoms of the flu?
Symptoms of the flu can include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea. Some people with the flu will not have a fever.

How can I protect myself and my child against the flu?
To protect against the flu, the first and most important thing you can do is to get a flu vaccine for yourself and your child.
• Vaccination is recommended for everyone 6 months and older.
• It’s especially important that young children and children with long term health conditions get vaccinated. (See list of conditions under “How Serious is the Flu?”)
• Caregivers of children with health conditions or of children younger than 6 months old should get vaccinated. (Babies younger than 6 months are too young to be vaccinated themselves.)
• Another way to protect babies is to vaccinate pregnant women because research shows that this gives some protection to the baby both while the woman is pregnant and for a few months after the baby is born.

Is there a medicine to treat the flu?
Antiviral drugs can treat flu illness. They can make people feel better and get better sooner and may prevent serious flu complications. They work best when started during the first 2 days of illness. These drugs can be given to children.

What are some of the other ways I can protect my child against the flu?
In addition to getting vaccinated, take – and encourage your child to take – everyday steps that can help prevent the spread of germs. This includes:
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Stay away from people who are sick.
• Wash hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
• If someone in the household is sick, try to keep the sick person in a separate room from others in the household, if possible.
• Keep surfaces like bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, kitchen counters and toys for children clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label.
• Throw tissues and other disposable items used by sick persons in your household in the trash.

IF YOUR CHILD IS SICK
What can I do if my child gets sick?
Talk to your doctor early if you are worried about your child’s illness.
If your child is 5 years and older and does not have other health problems and gets flu-like symptoms, including a fever and/or cough, consult your doctor as needed and make sure your child gets plenty of rest and drinks enough fluids.
If your child is younger than 5 years (and especially younger than 2 years) or of any age with a long term health condition (like asthma, a neurological condition, or diabetes, for example) and develops flu-like symptoms, they are at risk for serious complications from the flu. Ask a doctor if your child should be examined.

What if my child seems very sick?
Even children who have always been healthy before or had the flu before can get very sick from the flu.
Call for emergency care or take your child to a doctor right away if your child of any age has any of the warning or emergency signs below:
• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish or gray skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids (not going to the bathroom or making as much urine as they normally do)
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
• Has other conditions (like heart or lung disease, diabetes, or asthma) and develops flu symptoms, including a fever and/or cough.

Can my child go to school, day care or camp if he or she is sick?
No. Your child should stay home to rest and to avoid giving the flu to other children or caregivers.

When can my child go back to school after having the flu?
Keep your child home from school, day care or camp for at least 24 hours after their fever is gone. (Fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.)
A fever is defined as 100°F (37.8°C) or higher.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dr. Arti Jain – Doctor Jain is a very caring pediatrician practicing in the Santa Clara County California area. You can contact her: Tel (408)-378-6171 or email her: Jainarti.mail@gmail.com.

How a Local Pediatrician Is Caring for Your Children by Arti Jain M.D.

images woman doctorNo matter what grade your child is about to enter, there’s the yearly back-to-school  checklist of to-dos: shopping for school supplies, filling out permission forms, and the pediatric checkup.

While it may not seem as urgent, a yearly physical exam by your family’s pediatrician is an important part of your child’s health care. The back-to-school season is a convenient time for putting the exam on your family’s schedule.

The annual physical gives the pediatrician a chance to give the child a thorough physical exam. It’s also a good chance to address important questions that you cannotNo matter what grade your child is about to enter, there’s the yearly back-to-school checklist of to-dos: shopping for school supplies, filling out permission forms, and the pediatric checkup.

While it may not seem as urgent, a yearly physical exam by your family’s pediatrician is an important part of your child’s health care. The back-to-school season is a convenient time for putting the exam on your family’s schedule. The annual physical gives the pediatrician a chance to give the child a thorough physical exam. It’s also a good chance to address important questions that you cannot address during a sick visit e.g. growth, development, behavior, speech and socialization, learning issues etc. This is the time to make sure that your child is up to date on his/her vaccines, get hearing and vision screens etc.

This is the ideal time to address ongoing issues like weight management, asthma, allergies etc. Do not forget to update your pediatrician about any change in family, social or interval history. Remember to visit your dentist in order to address oral health concerns.

The continuity of regular physical exams is invaluable. Having a long-term history with a child or adolescent gives the doctor the awareness of the child’s progress and development over time. This helps the doctor detect emerging problems, as well as being informed by the detail of the patient’s history, such as important past illnesses or injuries.

Whatever the child’s interest — sports, academics, the arts — we want to be sure that the interest is a healthy one, and that it’s balanced with the other aspects of the child’s life. A healthy childhood and adolescence calls for balancing home life, school, social activities, sports, and extracurricular pursuits. This is not easy, especially during a time when the child is passing through the years of growth, learning, exploration, and emotional and physical development. This is all the more reason to set aside one day during each of those years for your child to see the pediatrician.

Dr. Arti Jain’s Philosophy

As a Pediatrician, my goal is to improve the health and lifestyles of my patients. I believe that this goal can be achieved by emphasizing on health education and promoting preventive medicine. Healthy kids translate into healthy adult, a very gratifying achievement. This process starts with establishing a trusting relationship with kids and their parents. The process continues with helping them to achieve healthy lifestyles changes. Just like in any other aspect of life, in health care too, one size does not fit all. That is why, it is very important to align the treatment philosophy with the family’s circumstance and philosophy. I believe in establishing a trusting relationship and educating and communicating with the patients and their care takers.

I am a firm advocate of practicing evidence based medicine. Evidence based medicine is practicing medicine based on evidence from valid research studies and applying these results and conclusions to give the best possible care to patients.

What I enjoy most about being a pediatrician are the interactions I have with my patients and their families. Medicine is one of the few careers in which I can learn something new and teach something new on almost daily.

My patients are my teachers and I am theirs. I chose to be a pediatrician because I wanted the opportunity to work with patients from infancy, to childhood and adolescence. I enjoy being a part of that transformation and in being their guide.

I offer you an opportunity to focus on your child’s health whether to address an immediate need or for long term health enhancement and preventive care. I firmly believe that addressing mental, emotional and social concerns is an essential component of delivering excellent and holistic health care.

Credentials
Medical Degree from UHS, Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam, India
Residency training in Pediatrics completed through University of Illinois, Chicago
Board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics.

Experience
I have a wide range of experience in primary care setting, urgent care and as a hospitalist in Northern California and Colorado since completing my residency in 2002.

Hospital Affiliations
El Camino Hospital, Los Gatos and Mountain View, CA.
Good Samaritan Hospital, San Jose, CA.

Languages:
She speaks: Hindi, Telugu, Bengali, Medical Spanish.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dr. Arti Jain – Doctor Jain is a very caring pediatrician practicing in the Santa Clara County California area.  You can contact her:  Tel (408)-378-6171 or email her: Jainarti.mail@gmail.com.