Bay Street Pediatrics

Caring For Your Children From Birth to College Since 1978 - Westport, CT

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Get to Know Bay Street Pediatrics!

Finding a pediatrician can be overwhelming, either when you’re an expectant parent or have moved away from your pediatrician. New parents aren’t sure how to even begin and relocated families are concerned about finding a practice you trust and who your child feels comfortable with, like your previous practitioner.

You don’t just want an acceptable relationship with a pediatric practice. You want a practice that feels like family, that answers your questions with compassion and patience – no matter how many you ask – and you want evidence-based, fully researched care for your children.

Bay Street Pediatrics can be the answer for your pediatric practice search!

 

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It’s (A HORRENDOUS) Tick Season

In April of 2020, the Experiment Station, which tests ticks here in Connecticut, received 436 of the bugs. This year, over 745 ticks had been submitted in April.

“It’s going to be an especially bad year for ticks,” says Bay Street Pediatrics Dr. Lori Storch Smith. “Being aware of where ticks are found, how to avoid and repel them and how to treat them if you find them on your loved ones is extremely important, particularly this summer.”

What kinds of ticks are there in Connecticut?
The three ticks of most concern are:

  • Black legged or deer tick
  • Lone star tick
  • Dog or wood tick

Are all ticks dangerous?
Unfortunately, nearly all ticks can spread disease and different ticks transmit different illnesses. These diseases may be caused by a virus, a bacteria or a parasite and there are no vaccines to prevent these diseases. However, removing a tick from a bite site within 24 hours minimizes the chance of infection.

How can my family avoid tick bites?
With a few simple precautions, your family can evade ticks.

When visiting wooded areas, stay in the center of well-worn paths. Stay away from low vegetation and brush-filled areas. Wear hats, long sleeves and long pants, tucking cuffs into socks. Wear light colored clothing so if you do pick up some nasty companions, they are easily picked off and discarded before they enter your car, home or laundry basket.

If you live in a wooded area, make sure your child’s play area is free of underbrush, leaves and tall grasses and is surrounded by a 3 foot wide border of gravel.

Apply a trust-worthy repellent to skin, clothing and any gear. While DEET is the gold standard, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than 30% DEET in repellent used on children. A DEET repellent will need to be reapplied every 3-5 hours. Repellents containing picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus are also effective, but will need to be reapplied every 2 hours or more.

NOTE – if your child or anyone in your family has an allergic reaction to a repellent, wash the repellent off immediately and call our office.

Brush everyone off before you get into the car or house.

How will we know if someone was bitten by a tick?
When ticks bite, they tend to hold on. When your family has finished outdoor adventures, shower immediately and then do a complete body check. Look at armpits, groin, in the hair, bellybuttons, and behind the knees.

From head to toe, look for a small red bump. You may also see a red area with a dark spot in the middle. Tick bites typically do not hurt or itch, so it’s vital to do a body check to remove them as soon as possible. Ticks are tiny, sometimes the size of a poppy seed, so you may not see a “bug” in the bite.

What do we do for a tick bite?
Removing the tick within the first 24 hours after a bite will dramatically lower or eliminate the risk of any transmission of disease. 

Remove the tick by using clean fine-tipped tweezers. Grab the tick as close to the skin as possible. Pull straight up with steady pressure. Wash the area with warm water, soap and a squirt of alcohol. 

Call our office within 72 hours of removing a tick, or if you aren’t sure how long the tick has been attached and you think it could have been attached for more than 36 hours. We will discuss with you if prescribing a dose of prophylactic antibiotics would be appropriate. 

“From April to September, whenever the weather is warm, our families need to be on the alert for ticks,” says Dr. Lori. “Taking steps to prevent tick bites is the best way to eliminate the risk of tick-borne diseases.”

Questions about ticks and symptoms of illness or disease? Please call our office at 203-227-3674. We will be happy to help!

Should My Child Go To Camp This Summer?

School’s almost over and we’re thinking about summer! Part of the joy of summer for many kids is going to camp. Camp gives children a sense of independence and provides the opportunity to create life-long friendships, discover new passions and learn new skills. 

Camp can help provide parents peace of mind, knowing children are cared for in a safe environment. This summer, not wanting to give up the benefits of camp can be at odds with being concerned about the continuing spread of COVID-19. 

Bay Street Pediatrics is here to help! We recommend asking these questions of camp administrators – and listening for clear, direct answers – before you make a commitment.  [Read more…] about Should My Child Go To Camp This Summer?

Is your child medically cleared for physical activity?

COVID-19 infection rates are decreasing and as vaccinations increase, we are looking forward to youth sports getting back to the field (or court, pool or pitch). Due to the pandemic, it’s more important than ever to get a thorough medical examination and heart check before your children become physically active, especially if your child has tested positive for COVID-19.

Bay Street Pediatrics is here to explain why. 

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Can We Teach Our Kids to be Happier?

It seems that there is a surplus of advice and information about how to be happier.  So what is the real story, and is it possible to help our kids be happier? How can we make our little ones sturdier or less inclined to feel sadness or worry? After all, we as parents are as happy as our least happy child!

Recently, neuroscientists have been busy at work studying the brain and have gained a deeper understanding into this mystery, and their insights have the potential to create an “upward spiral of happiness” in our lives.

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Improving Social Media Health

Let’s face it: social media is here to stay. 95 percent of teens use social media on a regular basis. As a mom of three young adults (two sons and one daughter), I have come to the conclusion that social media is, well, deeply entrenched in their lives. Many feel that social media has harmful effects on teens, especially teen girls. In particular, their self esteem is at risk. [Read more…] about Improving Social Media Health

Importance of family meals

In the hustle and bustle of raising a family, we are often on the go from the time the children get on the bus until we read them a story and tuck them in at night.  The family dinner is one part of the day that is easily forgotten and sometimes not a priority. Often we are grabbing a slice of pizza in between music lessons and sports practice or packing a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for the car.  [Read more…] about Importance of family meals