Mental Health in Teenagers by Dr. Debbie Bauer, Pediatrician

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Adolescence is a very difficult time for everybody, kids and parents alike. Teenagers are going through all kinds of changes such as: physical, emotional, intellectual and social. It can be hard to keep up with the way their feeling and finding ways to communicate with them. It’s a big challenge to try and not feel overwhelmed during these transitions. It’s very normal for a teen to feel moody, sad, or anxious, but when these feelings take over their life and start to affect how they think and act, it can become a serious problem. Mental health issues are much more common than you may think, about 1 out of every 5 adolescents has had a serious mental health disorder at some point in their life.

What parents need to know:

  • A mental health issue isn’t anybody’s fault. Just like with any other health complication, this is not a choice, it’s an actual problem with how the brain functions. The reason these issues develop is incredibly complicated and involves both genetic and environmental factors.
  • Mental health problems are common and treatable. There are many people and resources that are available to help your teenager. From pediatricians, to school guidance counselors, to mental health professionals – we’re all here to help. The sooner a concern is raised, the more time we have to address the issue, and get your teen the assistance they need. If you have any doubts, reach out!
  • It’s important to stay involved. Try to build a trusting relationship between yourself and your teenager. They should feel comfortable sharing information with you without fear of always being punished for bad choices. It can be helpful to share decisions that you have made or lessons you have learned from the past. Remember, they are still learning.

Signs of mental illness to look out for:

  • Loss of interest in past favorite activities
  • Sudden personality shifts that seem out of character
  • A sudden and/or dramatic change in grades
  • Isolation from friends and family
  • Big changes in sleep habits (more or less sleep then usual)
  • Dramatic changes in eating habits
  • Anything else that you think is concerning about their behavior

If you have any concerns about your teen’s mental health, talk to them. From there, you can schedule an appointment with their pediatrician. At NOAH, we address all aspects of your child’s health including their initial medical assessment. Other services that are available to you and your child include counseling and nutrition.

For more information, please visit:

www.healthychildren.org

Why Get Your Child a Flu Shot by Dr. Amit Jain, Pediatrician

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It’s that time of year again! The fall and winter seasons are approaching. Along with exchanging presents during the holiday season, everyone, especially children, are passing around germs and illnesses between each other. We here at NOAH want to inform you about the flu and why it is important to protect your child against the flu with the flu vaccine.

The Flu is short for Influenza – a virus that most often causes an illness that affects our breathing and airways. There are many different viruses that can cause common cold symptoms, but influenza is different in that it is more contagious, and often causes worse symptoms, lasts longer (a week or more) and has more severe problems that it can cause compared to other common cold viruses including pneumonia (an infection of the lungs), and a bacterial infection.

The flu is highly contagious, and most often spread via droplets, meaning it is most often caught from being near when a person with flu coughs or sneezes. It can also be caught when a child touches something contaminated with the flu virus, then touches their eyes, nose, or mouth.

The symptoms of the flu include:

  • Sudden, often high fever
  • Chills
  • Body shakes
  • Muscle aches
  • Headache
  • Being more tired than usual
  • Runny or stuffy nose
  • Sore throat
  • Dry cough
  • Some children may even throw-up (vomit) and have diarrhea

Although the likelihood of getting the flu is high, the children who would suffer the greatest problems from getting the flu are:

  • Those with chronic medical conditions – especially respiratory conditions including Asthma and chronic lung disease
  • Heart problems
  • Diabetes
  • Sickle cell disease
  • Weakened immune system
  • Disorders of the brain or nervous system

How can you prevent or decrease the risk of your child getting this scary flu virus? The best way to protect against the flu is the influenza vaccine. All infants and children 6 months old and older can get the flu vaccine every year. Since babies younger than 6 months cannot get the influenza vaccine, the best way to protect them is that everyone around and taking care of the baby get the flu vaccine. Along with this, frequent, good hand washing with soap and water is especially important. If you cough or sneeze, be sure to do so into your elbow (like a vampire holding their cape!) or into a tissue, but not directly into your hands. Teach your children these good habits from a young age as well! Sanitize toys that your children play with frequently as well.

Along with this, it may be a good idea to keep your child home from daycare or school if they are having the following symptoms:

  • Fevers (usually a temperature greater than 101F)
  • Chills and shaking of the body
  • Headaches
  • Body aches
  • Tiredness / sleepiness
  • Sore throat
  • Runny nose / congestion
  • Dry cough

Do not hesitate to bring your child in to your NOAH clinic to evaluate your child and determine if any treatment would be helpful. 

The side effects from the flu vaccine are few, and generally much less severe than getting infected with the flu. These include:

  • A low-grade fever
  • Some redness and soreness around the site that the injection was given.
  • The flu vaccine is made using eggs. Those who have a severe allergy to egg (anaphylactic reaction) should have a discussion with their doctor before getting the flu vaccine.

At NOAH, we are here to help you and your child get through the cold and flu season safely and healthily. Please call today to make an appointment to get you and your child the flu vaccine!

For more information, please visit:

  1. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/chest-lungs/Pages/The-Flu.aspx
  2. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/immunizations/Pages/Prepare-Your-Family-for-Flu-Season.aspx
  3. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htm
  4. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/vaccinations.htm

Asthma – 5 Most Common Triggers to Avoid

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May is #AsthmaAwarenessMonth. Did you know 24 million Americans live with #asthma, including 6 million #children? Learn to control this #chronicdisease that affects your #lungs by taking the right medicine & avoiding triggers that may cause an #asthmaattack. Our Care Team at NOAH will work with you & your child to choose the best path for their overall #health & #wellness. To schedule an apt., please call 480-882-4545!

Happy Physician Assistants Week – 2018

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We wish all #PhysicianAssistants a happy #PAweek! Our Care Team at NOAH are here to help you create and manage your #healthy #lifestyle #habits. Need help setting or sticking to your goals? Call 480-882-4545 today! #FamilyPractice #GetHealthy #MentalHealth


5 Tips for Treatment of Heat Exhaustion

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The summer sun can be brutal on our bodies. If you find yourself out in the sun too long without proper hydration, are confused, dizzy, or are starting to feel sick, you may be experiencing heat exhaustion. Our Care Team at NOAH offer some helpful strategies you can follow if you are starting to feel the effects of heat exhaustion. Without proper intervention, heat exhaustion can progress to heat stroke, which can damage the brain, organs and possibly cause death. Read more

Stroke Awareness – Take care of your body

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A stroke can happen to anyone, anywhere and at any age. Every four minutes someone dies from a stroke. Help NOAH raise awareness during #NationalStrokeAwarenessMonth by reading these tips and sharing them with your friends and family.

Lifestyle risk factors such as diet and exercise are controllable. People choose to engage in habits or behaviors that can directly increase their probability of having a stroke. Eating healthy includes making informed decisions about food choices and balancing your calories. Read more

One Stop Shop

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Who has time to drive all over town for medical, dental and or specialty visits during the week? Do you even have the ability to take days off work for such outings? No, of course not! That’s what makes Community Health Centers special. We are One-Stop-Shops – get all services at one location, and we are right in your community. Learn about our integrative care model!


Read more

5 facts about asthma

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Over 24 million people in the US live with asthma, a chronic lung disease that makes breathing difficult. There is no cure for asthma, but it can be managed and treated so that those with asthma can live an active and healthy life.

Read more

Got Diabetes? Now What?

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Were you just diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes? If so, you probably have a ton of questions about what to do next. Wondering what to eat and when to eat can be very stressful, especially for those that haven’t paid much attention to their diet in the past. Read more

2018 National Doctor’s Day

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Did you know that today is #DoctorsDay? Check out our great NOAH doctors showing off their fun side!

Our Care Team at NOAH are here to help you create and manage your healthy lifestyle habits. Need help setting or sticking to your goals? Call 480-882-4545 today!