Last updated 2 days 12 hours ago
When your child gets sick, it is just as frightening for you as it is unpleasant for the child. Unfortunately, illness does not always occur during regular office hours. For this reason, it is vital to know how you can quickly and reliably get hold of your pediatrician. Here are some of the ways in which Dr. Nan can easily be reached:
24/7 Phone and Email Access
It can be exceedingly difficult to speak with your child’s doctor outside of regular office hours—and if you leave a message, you may not hear back from the pediatrician until days later, especially if your child becomes sick at the beginning of a weekend. That’s why Dr. Nan makes it a priority to respond to emails and phone calls within 24 hours. If you have non-urgent questions or concerns, leave a message and you are guaranteed a call back!
Telemedicine
If you live in a rural area or have difficulty transporting your child to the pediatrician, you can arrange an online video appointment with Dr. Nan so she can observe your child’s symptoms and narrow down the possible diagnoses. She can also monitor chronic conditions and describe treatment alternatives via video chat, giving you and your child peace of mind.
Social Media
Many pediatricians are relatively unavailable to discuss non-urgent issues outside of regular appointments. However, at our practice, you can stay on top of pediatric health news and learn helpful tips for promoting your child’s wellbeing by following Dr. Nan on Facebook and Twitter.
For advice regarding your pediatric medical concerns, contact Dr. Nanette Nuessle of Independence, KS online or by calling (913) 667-2459. Our practice is here to help your child grow and thrive by promoting good health and easily accessible medical care.
Last updated 3 days ago
Aspergers-autism.com is running a book giveaway for two copies of Autism & Asperger's Syndrome in Layman's Terms.
Your Guide to Understanding Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, PDD-NOS and Other Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). [Paperback]
Last updated 4 days ago
Have you had a physical examination in the past year? Have each of your children? Pediatricians and Family Practitioners recommend each child be seen for well care once a year (more frequently for children under 2 years of age). Yet, many parents see little reason for this. They only want to bring the children in to see a physician when the school requires a physical, or when the child is sick. This is a gamble you may not want to take.
The annual physical is a tool used by clinicians to monitor your health. Please, do not think it unnecessary just because you or your children are healthy, today. In children, the visit is key to watching growth and development, and updating immunizations. When you are around your child every day, you may not notice subtle changes in their growth, such as a slowing of height velocity or excessive weight gain. Without measuring your child on a regular basis, short stature problems may not be diagnosed in time for treatment to be administered. Also, thirty percent of adults in America are overweight. This number is rapidly climbing in children and teens, as well. If obesity is diagnosed early it is much easier to treat, and the chronic illnesses associated with it can be avoided. Similarly, these visits are an excellent opportunity for the doctor to check your child's development.
Let's talk for a moment about immunizations. These should be updated at every physical examination. Immunization recommendations change every year. If your child or teen was up to date last summer, they may not be in accordance with the new guidelines this summer. If your provider sees your children every year, this gives the doctor an opportunity to offer your child the best protection against a wide variety of diseases.
I hope your children are all healthy. However, what if they are not? Many subtle diseases and disorders cannot be diagnosed at their initial presentation. That would be the first visit for which you bring that child to the doctor for that problem. If your clinician does not know your children very well, this can delay the correct diagnosis. These delays can be financially costly, or even life-threatening. Your doctor should know your children, and they should know their doctor. This type of knowledge comes from continuity of care, or seeing the same doctor regularly.
If your child is unfortunate enough to have a chronic illness, then they may already be seeing their primary care physician regularly. However, many chronic illnesses require the input of a specialist. This specialist should work with your primary care doctor. This not only improves outcomes, but can actually reduce the overall number of office visits. For example, if your child has a disorder that needs to be followed every 6 months, the specialist may want to see your child at month 1, and your primary can see that same child at month 7, etc. This way both physicians are familiar with what is happening to your child and have continuity of care.
Many parents want to take their children to a convenience clinic for annual visits. Here, your children are not going to see their own physician. They may not see a physician at all. They may see someone with little or no recent experience treating children. This is important, because these providers may not be trained in how to pick up "silent" cardiac problems in your teen athlete. They may not have all, or any, of your child's immunization records. They frequently do not have the necessary time to do a complete family history, which is indicated in a teen athlete they have not seen previously. Please, make it a priority to have such examinations done by your child's primary care provider.
So, you see, there are many advantages to having an annual physical. We monitor your children's growth and development. Immunization statuses are updated. We also look for new illnesses as well as monitoring chronic ones. Continuity of care is provided. We call it "routine healthcare maintenance." It's like getting the oil changed in your car on a routine basis.
Last updated 9 days ago
While many parents assume that nocturnal leg pain is caused by sudden growth, such incidences are not correlated with periods of rapid development. This video explores the normal nighttime leg pain that children may experience and explains when it might be a concern.
To ease occasional nighttime leg pain, try applying warm compresses, massaging the affected area, or administering an over-the-counter pain reliever such as Tylenol. Keep in mind that if the pain repeatedly occurs in the same area, causes intense distress, or affects the child’s ability to walk or run, it could be a sign of a more serious condition. Be sure to ask your pediatrician about any unusual symptoms your child is experiencing.
Contact Dr. Nan Nuessle of Independence, KS with questions regarding your child’s health. Schedule an appointment by calling (913) 667-2459.
Last updated 11 days ago
Nutrition starts at home. Children learn nutrition from their parents, starting when they are start feeding them solid foods. It is important to get them interested in fruits and vegetables at an early age. Then, parents need to work to keep children interested in fruits and vegetables, rather than pizza and junk food, throughout their lives.
There are a couple of things that make a difference. One of these is to remember that kids need to have some foods presented to them 12-20 times before they accept it. Another is knowing how many fruits and vegetables they should be feeding their kids. At 1 year of age, they should have 3 servings of fruits and vegetables a day to meet their nutrition requirements. Juice can only count for one serving (because of it's lack of fiber) and they should only get one serving of juice a day. By school age, parents should be feeding their kids 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day, and at least 3 of these should be vegetables. By their teens, kids need 7-10 servings of fruits and vegetables to meet their nutrition needs. Again, at least 3 of these should be fruits and vegetables.
Parents have been taught for years that it is important to allow children to make choices. This is true, but must be done within certain limits. It is fine to allow your child to pick which vegetable to have with dinner, as long as you limit their choices to 1-3 possibilities. It is not okay to have your toddler to cruise the baby food aisle and pick whatever they want. Yes, I have actually seen this!
Actively teach nutrition. Don't wait for their school to do this. Tell them about how good fruits and vegetables will make them feel. Use fresh fruit in place of traditional deserts. Make sure your children know how many servings they should have and help them keep track. Reward good eating habits with the gift of your personal time. As they grow, teach them of the benefits of whole grain, as well as the dangers of deep fat fried food and transfats. These are gifts you can give your kids that will benefit them for life.
