October is Children's Health Month

  • Published
  • By Stacey Geiger
  • 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio – October is Children’s Health Month and now is the perfect time to ensure your child has a wellness visit with their pediatrician.

 

The pediatric clinic at the 88th Medical Group recommends scheduling wellness visits annually and more frequently for children under the age of three. 

 

“During a wellness visit, we can assess and monitor a child’s growth, behavior and development as they mature,” said 88th Medical Group pediatrics clinic pediatric resident Capt. Caitlin Hammond.

 

During wellness visits, pediatricians will also address any new or chronic medical issues, conduct preventative screening and provide guidance for the overall health of the child. Annual sports physicals can also be provided for children participating in sports.   

 

“Discussing preventative measures with parents helps them understand the expected growth and development of their child,” Hammond said. “As a parent myself, wellness checks offer me reassurance that my child is growing well and developing as he should.”

 

Disease prevention, child safety to include car seat safety, and healthy lifestyles specific to the age of the child are also discussed. 

 

“As we enter the fall and winter season, immunizations are one of the best ammunitions against preventable diseases, including an annual flu vaccine,” Hammond said.

 

Flu vaccines are recommended annually for children six months and older. Hammond said the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend the flu nasal spray vaccine this season as research shows the shot is more effective against the virus.

 

The flu vaccine is highly recommended for children who are considered high risk to contract the flu such as those with asthma, diabetes, cardiac disease, immune suppression or other high-risk conditions.

 

Pregnant women are also recommended to receive the flu shot as it will help provide protection for infants during their first six months of life.

 

Unique to the pediatric clinic at the 88th Medical Group, counseling services are provided to deploying service members and their family when children will be impacted.   

 

As part of the pre-deployment process, pediatricians talk to deploying service members about how to prepare their child for deployment and ways to address their emotional and physical health.

 

“While children are amazingly resilient, it is an emotionally challenging time for the entire family and we try to help boost resilience and readiness in any way we can,” Hammond said.

 

Hammond said the pediatricians will discuss how to talk to a child about deployment based on the child's maturity level and can also detect when children may benefit from additional resources prior to deployment so it gives parents the tools they need to provide that support for the child,”

 

To schedule a wellness visit, those eligible to use military medical facilities, contact the 88th Medical Group pediatric clinic at (937) 522-2778. Others should contact their family pediatrician to schedule an appointment.

 

For additional information and guidance on children’s health, go to healthychildren.org or militaryonesource.mil.