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Primary Care Providers (PCP’s), or doctors, act as the leader of a medical team. This is the provider that regularly sees your child, and knows their health history best. It is because of this knowledge that they can make important and informed decisions regarding your child’s needs, and refer out for specialty care when needed. Building a relationship with a PCP can elevate your child’s care, and better facilitate a coordinated effort for your child’s health needs. PCP’s work as the lead for what’s commonly referred to as your “medical home.”
The modern medical home expands upon its original foundation, becoming a home base for any child’s medical and non-medical care. Today’s medical home is a cultivated partnership between the patient, family, and primary provider in cooperation with specialists and support from the community.
(Courtesy of “What Is a Medical Home? Why Is It Important?” N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.)
http://www.hrsa.gov/healthit/toolbox/Childrenstoolbox/BuildingMedicalHome/whyimportant.html
Efforts have been made to house other specialists besides your child’s PCP in one clinic to improve communication between both providers and families.
Importance of Health Insurance
Insuring yourself and family members, means you will have access to healthcare to both prevent illness from occurring and to treat illness that might occur. Medical bills are expensive, and an uninsured person can quickly find themselves overwhelmed with medical debt. Health insurance can pay for some, most, or all of a medical bill depending on the service and insurance plan. If you or your family members are not insured, there are options for you, including the Oregon Health Plan (OHP).
To learn more, please visit: http://www.oregon.gov/OHA/healthplan/Pages/index.aspx
You can also visit your local County Health Department for additional information, or for assistance with signing up for OHP.
Stay insured, and stay healthy!
Vaccinations
The recent trend of delaying or skipping vaccines has put children across the country at risk for diseases like Hib, whooping cough and measles, which are completely preventable. Learn why immunizing your child on time, every time, is the right choice.
Vaccine-preventable diseases are a very real threat to children who are not properly protected. Each year children get sick, some even suffer from lifelong side effects or die, from preventable illnesses such as influenza (flu), pertussis and meningitis. These are all avoidable diseases with routine immunizing.
Contact your child’s medical provider for more information, including recommended vaccine schedules, or visit the county health department at http://www.co.marion.or.us/HLT/PH/Immunizations/default.htm for additional information.
(Courtesy of Vaccinate Your Baby. 2013 Every Child By Two)
http://vaccinateyourbaby.org Web. 11 Feb. 2015. Copyright ©
Car Seat Safety
Importance
One of the most important jobs you have as a parent is keeping your child safe when riding in a vehicle. Each year thousands of young children are killed or injured in car crashes. Proper use of car safety seats helps keep children safe. But with so many different car safety seats on the market, it’s no wonder many parents find this overwhelming.
The type of seat your child needs depends on several things, including your child’s age and size and the type of vehicle you have. Read on for more information from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) about choosing the most appropriate car safety seat for your child.
Types of Car Seats at a Glance:
Note: It’s important to continue your research to learn about each car seat you use.
Infant/Toddlers: All infants and toddlers should ride in a Rear-Facing Car Seat until they are at least 2 years of age or until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car seat’s manufacturer.
Toddlers/Preschoolers: Any child who has outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit for his convertible car seat should use aForward-Facing Car Seat with a harness for as long as possible, up to the highest weight or height allowed by the car seat manufacturer.
School-Aged Children: All children whose weight or height is above the forward-facing limit for their car seat should use a Belt-Positioning Booster Seat until the vehicle seat belt fits properly, typically when they have reached 4 feet 9 inches in height and are between 8 and 12 years of age.
Older Children: When children are old enough and large enough for the vehicle seat belt to fit them correctly, they should always use Lap and Shoulder Seat Belts for optimal protection. All children younger than 13 years should be restrained in the rear seats of vehicles for optimal protection.
