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Newborn home visit details and home visit zone (updated 12/16/19)

Coming home with your new baby is exciting and exhausting at the same time. We understand how tough it can be to arrange for a driver to get you to the office, get your baby dressed, safely in the carseat, and get to the pediatrician on time for a visit. We also understand how much easier it would be if your pediatric provider could come to you for that first week or so you are home. With all that in mind, we are launching a new service: home visits for newborns!

Families who live within our home visit zone can have a home visit with one of our pediatric providers as an alternative to coming to the office for newborn care. (See boundaries below)

Home visit zone
Road boundaries are in RED. We can’t wait to meet you!

How It Works:

Call us when you are getting ready to come home from the hospital (as early as you can on your discharge day)

Set up your home visit for the upcoming Tuesday or Friday morning if your baby has had a routine hospital course.

The day before the visit, our staff calls to confirm the appointment and gives you a 4 hour window of time to expect us.

The day of the visit, the provider will contact you early in the morning to give you a much better idea of when you will be seen (a one hour window).

The provider will be in touch with you when she is on her way to your house.

Your baby will have her newborn visit! She will be weighed, measured, and (if needed) labs will drawn to check for jaundice. Advice will be given and all questions will be answered.

We will schedule a follow up home visit for the upcoming Tuesday or Friday if needed.

Let us come to you! Newborn home visits make life easier with your new baby!

We look forward to getting to know you and your new baby!

If you will be a new member of our practice check out our Prospective Families page.

If you want to get to know our practice better, feel free to join us for a Practical Prenatal Class !

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Practical Parenting Prenatal Classes Every Month!

Ready for your next adventure? Parenting is a big job and once your through labor and delivery the real work (and fun!) begins. Our monthly prenatal class covers everything from burping to swaddling to changing diapers. Dr Yusra Abidi or Dr Hilary Beauchamp answers all your questions. Whether you’ve been around babies a lot or never held a baby before, this one hour class will give you the confidence to bring your baby home and manage the first few weeks.

Our next installment is on February 27th! Join us!

Riding the COVID-19 Wave

COVID-19 is back and with a vengeance. We anticipated this second wave. We knew it was coming. And yet we all feel somewhat surprised by the breadth and depth of it.

Every person now knows someone who has been infected with or exposed to COVID-19. We also understand that not everyone gets horribly ill as a result. In some ways this makes the current lockdown more difficult. The gamblers among us are apt to feel like taking more risk, not shutting down. They understand they have a good chance of getting away with a mild to moderate illness. Most of us will never even see the ER. On the other hand, we all know a friend of a friend who had a terrible time; or someone that ended up in the ICU, or worse died; someone who didn’t seem to be at high risk at all. It is the randomness of this virus that makes it scary.

High risk folks have good reason to be afraid but healthy, normal folks have the fear of God in them too. And those folks aren’t crazy. This virus is greedy. It’s not content to pick off only the weakest among us. COVID-19 keeps us on our toes by periodically (much more often than we would like) finding someone young and vital to strike down. This inconsistency is maddening and creates anxiety for many of us.

Children understand this feeling well. When parents are inconsistent setting rules and following them, letting them off the hook at times and harshly chastising at others, kids get very anxious. The uncertainty and lack of reliability of the rules and guidelines wreaks havoc for them.

Adults it turns out aren’t all that different. The randomness of COVID-19 has unsettled all of us. We want order and predictability, just like our kids do. Unfortunately COVID-19 doesn’t bend to our needs. We have to adjust. We have to wear our masks, find fun in the ‘quiet’ of our homes, limit our contact with others, and create order out of the chaos of this moment in time.

Finding little routines each day will help calm the waves this COVID-19 storm is causing. Instead of fighting the wave, ride it like you would a white water rapids ride at an amusement park: finding the thrill and joy just this side of the fear.

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT COVID-19 VISIT OUR COVID PAGE

Vegetarian, Keto and More! Your Teen and Dieting

Teenagers who choose to diet fall into two categories: health conscious and weight conscious. Each has their own challenges for parents and kids, but recognizing the underlying motivation is important.

Health-conscious teens

Health-conscious teenagers tend to be near normal weight to begin with or may even be on the thin side. They are often athletic and high academic performers. Teenagers who are motivated to eat healthy while still in middle or high school often have high expectations for their own performance in every aspect of life and see changing their diet as another way to be in control of their body and health.

When done well, in a balanced and flexible way, these teenagers are choosing to change their eating habits for the better. Most aren’t primarily motivated to lose weight but rather are interested in becoming healthier.

Most health-conscious teens are opting for a vegetarian or plant-based diet. Healthy vegetarian diets are great when done well. Eating a plant-based diet is fantastic for all of us! Protein is in abundance in grains, veggies, and non-meat sources, so dairy is optional for vegetarians. Parents worry too much about the protein issue for vegetarian teens. I’ve yet to meet a grain-eating vegetarian who is protein deficient. The challenge for teenager vegetarians is to actually eat veggies! Most are just meat avoiders and replace meat with carbs. In order to do a vegetarian diet well, eating mostly veggies and fruits is a must. A multivitamin with iron is also a great idea as is a Vitamin D supplement (at least here in the cloudy Midwest).

Parents can support teenagers interested in a plant-based or vegetarian diet by sending them YouTube videos or getting them short books that are designed for teenagers. Content that is designed to show how easy it is and great the benefits of this way of eating are best. Avoid content that shows the hurdles. Encouragement is the way to go! Send just one or two, as too many will seem overbearing to your teenager who may want to do this on their own.

Health-conscious teenagers sometimes go a little off the deep end though. And because of their tendency to be high achievers, they can get caught up in the specifics of the program. Eating only certain foods, having no flexibility when few options exist, and going without food rather than bend.

If a health-conscious teen has a dual desire to lose weight, the rigidity can get even more extreme, especially if the teen has a compulsive personality. Food restriction and avoidance can result in a sense of control and power that fuels more of the same, especially if weight loss ensues. Behaviors like these are a slippery slope on the path to an eating disorder.

It’s tempting to “remind” teenagers to eat or to ask about protein sources or meal plans when your independent eater is preparing her own meals. Instead, try hard to ask what advice or help they need to succeed. Have your teenager give you a grocery list, prep food together, avoid giving opinions, and instead give praise. Reminders and advice will drive your teenager away and will not get them to eat differently.

Weight-conscious teens

Weight-conscious teens tend to consider other diets when they are in the mood to change their appearance. Like most adults, they wax and wane in their motivation to stick to a diet/eating plan. Most overweight kids have at least one parent who is overweight and it helps for the whole family to adjust their eating habits when an overweight teenager is ready to change their eating habits.

Some diets (e.g., keto, paleo, Mediterranean, vegetarian) focus solely on what a teen is eating. However, options like the Beaumont Healthy Kids Programs and Weight Watchers focus on teaching behaviors to promote and improve lifelong health.

So what is the best option for an overweight teen? To be frank, any of these will result in weight loss and are healthy enough for a teen to follow. Being able to stick to the plan is the biggest challenge. Let your teen choose the one that they think is the best fit for long term success. For example, keto and paleo may be difficult for teenagers to maintain due to the lack of carbs given the carb-laden foods they will be in constant contact with, but if that is the diet your teenager feels is the best fit then let him go for it.

One of the biggest challenges for parents is to support their teenager without managing the diet. Teens who express an interest in changing their eating habits need your help to grocery shop, learn to prepare foods, and to cheer them on when things are going well. Ask them what you can do to support them and then listen to what they say. Teenagers are not looking for advice, reminders or coaching. The more you do that, the more resentment and attitude you’ll get from your teen.

Until a teenager is self-motivated, your efforts to help will only breed resentment. Instead, prepare healthy foods at home and don’t mention eating habits with your teenager. They know what healthy eating looks like and know full well what they are doing isn’t healthy. Your reminders won’t change their behaviors, and if they are overweight, will only make them feel worse about themselves. Even if you are trying to approach the subject from a health perspective, teenagers who are overweight interpret this as another message about how fat they are and feel worse about who they are. When your teenager is finally ready, don’t go overboard, remember they are just like the rest of us — interested in dieting a week or two and then fall off the wagon. Stay patient, loving and let your teenager lead the way.

Parents who are concerned about their teens’ diet choices, behaviors around eating (like restrictive eating), or who recognize that a doctor would be a good person to discuss diet and eating choices, should make an appointment with their pediatrician. We are a great resource for parents and for teenagers who are changing their eating habits—hopefully for the better!

Bedwetting: When to Worry, What to Do

Bedwetting, also known as nocturnal enuresis, is often asked about in whispers, as an aside, or in the hallway away from the child. Embarrassment is the concern of course, but bedwetting is common and a normal part of growing up for many children. I tend to shed light on the subject with the child present to normalize the issue and help them see that there is nothing to be ashamed of.

Children potty train between the ages of 18 months and 4 years. Whether your child is an early or later potty trainer, nighttime dryness may come immediately or follow after some weeks, months or even years. Over 80% of children are dry at night soon after daytime training though and the issue of bedwetting is resolved by age four, but even older kids who are later to train may not have anything wrong with them.

Most of the time bedwetting is normal. Sixteen percent of kindergarteners, 10% of fifth graders, and even 1% of high school freshmen, will wet the bed at least one night of the week. Even though bedwetting is common, it is occasionally a sign of a more serious medical issue. For this reason, it’s important to see your pediatrician to discuss bedwetting.

Here are a few clues that your child’s problem could indicate something more serious is going on:

  • She drinks a lot of fluid, especially if she gets up at night to drink.
  • She eats a lot of food but isn’t gaining weight.
  • He has lost several pounds recently without trying.
  • He is having daytime accidents too.
  • She reports pain with urination.
  • He is going to the bathroom a lot more frequently during the day.
  • She seems very anxious all of a sudden.
  • He reports that he is afraid to go to school (or another specific location).
  • Bedwetting or daytime wetting is very new. He used to be dry at night for a long time and now is having trouble.
  • He is having hard or infrequent poops.
  • She snores like a freight train.

Assuming your child potty trained at the usual time and has had bedwetting ever since, without regular daytime symptoms, the following bedwetting FAQs are for you!

My 7-year-old wets the bed every night. His 4-year-old brother is already dry all night! Is he just being lazy?

Bedwetting isn’t due to laziness. Kids aren’t choosing to wet the bed, staying in bed when they feel the urge to go instead of getting up. They are legitimately not wired yet in a way to feel the urge when they are asleep. Everyone develops at different rates and your 7-year old’s nervous system isn’t ready yet even though your younger child’s is.

Should I get my child up and take her to the bathroom when I go to bed? Will that help her stay dry all night?

It may help her stay dry, but it won’t help her learn to feel the urge to go to the bathroom when her bladder feels full. Data suggests that children who are awoken by parents don’t achieve night dryness earlier. The recommendation is not to do this.

When can I expect my child to outgrow this?

If you have a family history of bedwetting in any relative, the age at which they outgrew it is often a good estimate of when your child will outgrow it too. If not, you will start to see the frequency decrease as your child outgrows it.

What can I do to help my son train at night before trying a bed alarm?

Sugar, caffeine and fluids can all play a role. So can behavior modification strategies. When you feel your son is old enough to be motivated to work on this issue do the following:

  1. Put a protective covering on his mattress and a spare set of sheets near the bed at night.
  2. Adjust his fluid intake so he overall takes less and the amount is divided as such: 40% from 7 a.m. to Noon, 40% from Noon to 5 p.m., and only 20% after 5 p.m. For a child drinking 20 ounces per day, that works out to 8, 8, and 4 ounces. Or 9, 9, and 5 if taking 24 ounces per day.
  3. No caffeine or sugar after 5 p.m. during the training phase because they increase urine output.
  4. Urinate at least four times between 5 p.m. and bedtime, going twice in the half hour before bed.
  5. Wear underwear to bed.
  6. Have the child responsible for changing PJs and sheets at night. (You can assist a bit but mostly his job.)
  7. Earn stars/rewards for waking at night if any pee in the toilet or to change the sheets at first.

How long does the training take?

Give the above training three or four weeks and if you haven’t made progress, set it aside for a while.

What about bed alarms?

Bed alarms are very effective at reducing bedwetting and are most successful in children 8 and older. Bed alarms have a sensor that detects moisture and awakens the child through either loud noise or vibration. It often needs to awaken the parent too at first since children are often deep sleepers. Like the strategy above, the child wears underwear, gets rewards, and changes sheets, but is stirred awake when wetness starts. This encourages an association between that wetness and the need to wake up. Bed alarms are the best next step when the first approach doesn’t work.

I’ve heard about medications for bed wetting too. Can’t I just use those?

Desmopressin is a good choice sometimes. It is a medicine that essentially tells the kidney to make dramatically less urine for the night. Although it can be used long term, because it effects the kidney itself and bedwetting in most cases is not due to a medical issue, I tend to only recommend this for things like sleepovers or camp. Don’t plan to come in the day before camp have your appointment to get the prescription. This medication doesn’t always work! It’s best to do a trial run long before camp and make sure your child responds well.

Can I address bedwetting at my usual wellness visit?

I recommend a separate appointment for this issue. We usually need a urine sample along with a more detailed history. When it’s simple, straightforward bedwetting it’s easy, but if it isn’t straightforward, we won’t have the time needed to talk about that along with the other important issues at the wellness visit.

What causes bedwetting?

I left this one for last because it is the hardest to answer. The best answer is probably that the nervous system is still immature. As a result, sleep cycles are a little off causing difficulty in sensing the urge to urinate during the night. As the brain matures and sleep cycles regulate, night dryness resolves.

Opening Day in Bloomfield is a Success!

We were ready at 730am for you to come and see our new office and come you did! We saw 50 families today for well or sick visits. It was a great day.

Families found the office using the big cell tower antenna as the landmark. Families parked in back and came up one floor to the new digs. It was a snap.

Checking in is easy, the exam rooms are much larger, filled with light, and the decor is updated too. We can’t wait for you to see it!

Our new address is 6785 Telegraph Suite 350 Bloomfield Hills–just south of Maple on Telegraph. We are the grey and white building with the ‘Latitude’ sign on top. (Our sign is coming soon!)

Ho-ho-holiday hours

Here’s the lowdown for the holiday week!

December 24th and December 31st we will be open 830-1 for walk in, sick visit appointments.

We will be closed on December 25th and January 1st.

Thursday December 26th we will have abbreviated hours. We’re open 730am-5pm (through afternoon walk ins 330-5). Otherwise our hours will be as usual!

Happy Holidays! Enjoy every minute with your family!

Birmingham Pediatrics is Moving to Bloomfield Hills in January!

You read that right! The whole office in Troy is packing up and moving to Bloomfield Hills in January. Here are the facts:

Opening Day: Monday, January 20th 7:30 am

Closing Day at Troy: Friday, January 17th at 1pm

New office address: 6785 Telegraph Suite 350 Bloomfield Hills 48301 (Just south of Maple Rd — 3rd building south of Mex Restaurant)

Everything else stays the same: phone number, walk in hours, environment, relationship driven care, and emailing us.

We have dedicated parking at the new location and our sign will be on the outside of the building in the spring!

The Home Visit Zone is shifting starting this week to reflect the new office location (see Home Visit info)

We can’t wait to see you at the new location in mid-January.

Happy New Year!

Labor Day Hours–And how to get your newborn home visit for Tuesday!

We will be closed on Monday and open our usual hours (830-6) on Tuesday. Call for appointments if needed Tuesday morning (we don’t have Tuesday morning walk ins).

If you have a newborn and are looking to schedule a home visit for Tuesday morning, email Dr Yusra to schedule it. Her email is DrYusra@birminghampediatrics.com. We can’t wait to meet your new baby!

Click here for all the info about our newborn home visits!

FAMILY FUN DAY! OCT 12 11-1PM

Last year was a blast! Firetrucks, painting, popcorn and flu vaccine! The flu vaccine part may not have been the ‘fun’ part but the rest was awesome.

This year is shaping up to be even better. We will have the Fire Department again with the ladder truck, pictures to paint, ‘Guess your Weight and Age’ with the providers and so much more!

We can’t wait to have fun with you and your family! Oh and give a bunch of flu vaccine too…..

Flu Clinic! Sept 10th 530pm

Back to school means more than notebooks and homework. It means flu season is just around the corner. Come to our first flu vaccine clinic on Tuesday, September 10th from 530-7pm.

We have a second flu clinic planned for Saturday, October 12th from 11-1 along with our POPULAR FAMILY FUN DAY!! This timing allows for those kids under 9 years of age receiving flu vaccine for the first time to get their second dose 4 weeks later.

Here are some flu vaccine facts:

  • We only carry the injectable vaccine.
  • It’s preservative free.
  • All children 6 months and older should be vaccinated.
  • Even kids with egg allergy can get flu vaccine unless they have true anaphylaxis from egg (and even these kids can get it–they just have to go to the allergist’s office)!
  • Colds, diarrhea, coughs and other minor illnesses are no reason to avoid getting the vaccine.
  • If you have a fever of 101 or higher in the last 24 hours you should wait to get the vaccine.
  • You can’t get the flu from the shot–it’s not a live virus vaccine!

Here are some facts about influenza:

  • The flu shot protects against Influenza.
  • Influenza is a viral illness that gives high fever, severe body aches, cough, runny nose, and can lead to pneumonia.
  • Hundreds of otherwise healthy children die as a result of influenza infection every year.
  • The flu shot doesn’t protect against the stomach flu–that is caused by different viruses!

Does the vaccine always work?

The Influenza vaccine isn’t perfect. Some people will still get a mild illness if exposed during the season but the vaccine does a great job of preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death. It completely prevents illness in 60-80% of children who receive the vaccine each year.

Who shouldn’t get flu vaccine?

The only reason not to get flu vaccine is if you have a history of a very rare condition called Guillan-Barre.

Birmingham and Campground Pediatrics are now regular contributors to Beaumont Parenting Program’s Blog!

Did you hear the news?! The team of providers at Birmingham and Campground Pediatrics was asked to contribute articles regularly for the Beaumont Parenting Program’s blog! We are very excited!

As many of you know the award winning Parenting Program has been around for over 20 years. The program has grown from offering monthly group sessions for new parents with infants to a program with ongoing education for parents of children of all ages through its blog Parent Talk. The small group focus at the start of life provides education, support, and some fun. For many groups, these early relationships become life-long friendships fort the parents and children alike.

The Parenting Program has in-person sessions, educational workshops, as well as a newsletter and blog that we are now regular contributors to! Dr Molly was the first to author an article on ‘Medications Every Parent Should Have On Hand and Hopefully Never Need to Use!’

We are so excited to be part of this great group and will be diligently working to turn in our assignments! The next topics we’ve been assigned are: Vaccine Importance (August is Vaccine Awareness month) and Back to School Tips for kids of all ages. Feel free to give us your best back to school tip!

Look for links to these articles coming soon!