Getting ready to go back to school?

Don’t forget to schedule your child’s well visit to make sure all concerns are addressed and all vaccines are up to date. Plus, your pediatrician can sign those sports physical forms at the well visit too.

Not only is a yearly sports physical required by the school district to be cleared for sports, going to your pediatrician for a yearly well checkup is vital to the health of your child. At a wellness visit, we review growth and development, catch up on vaccines, address any concerns from the child or parent, as well as perform a complete physical exam. We also assess vision, hearing and order any labs or imaging deemed necessary.

It is far better to obtain your child’s sports physical from board-certified pediatricians, such as a Cook Children’s physician, who perform a complete well-child checklist. Specific to the sports physical component, we take a heart history of the patient and family and check from head to toe for any joint or muscle issues. This is a great way to evaluate the health of your young athlete.

In 2019, more than 495,000 boys and 330,000 girls participated in high school athletics in Texas. Participating in sports is a great way for your child to remain physically active. Healthy bodies fight off infections such as COVID-19 better. We recommend at least one hour of strenuous physical activity daily (this means the heart is pumping hard, and you’re breaking a sweat!).

Please call your pediatrician today and schedule your child’s well visit. School starts back in less than three weeks!

With the rise in local COVID-19 cases, Cook Children’s Medical Center is changing its inpatient visitor policy to reduce the risk of transmitting the virus on campus. Beginning Monday, Nov. 16 at 5 a.m., only one primary caregiver will be allowed per patient inside the medical center. Siblings and other visitors will not be allowed. This rule was in place from March through Oct. 1. Due to substantial community spread of the virus, we are reverting to this policy.

Cook Children’s is currently experiencing the highest number of infected children on a daily basis since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The seven day rolling positivity rate is 8.3%, up from an average of 5% seen in recent months. This reflects an increase in the total number of patients testing positive for COVID-19 across Cook Children’s Medical Center, primary care and urgent care locations. In addition, there are currently 8 confirmed COVID-19 patients at Cook Children’s Medical Center.

These high numbers, along with the increasing COVID-19 cases seen across Tarrant County, force us to make the difficult decision to limit the number of people on our campus in order to keep our patients, families and employees as safe as possible.

“We know these measures greatly impact our patient families and mean missed moments between parents and children,” said Stan Davis, Chief Operating Officer at Cook Children’s. “This decision was not made lightly, and was determined to be necessary given the circumstances surrounding the rapid spread of COVID-19 in our community.”

Medical Director of Infectious Diseases, Suzanne Whitworth, M.D., added, “We ask everyone to please wear a mask, practice social distancing and avoid large gatherings. We need the support of the community to lower the spread of COVID-19 and protect all those we care for. We can’t do it without you.”

For more information on COVID-19 resources and education, visit our website.

Lauren, who was diagnosed with leukemia in 2017, said Poehler was funny, encouraging and relatable. For about 40 minutes, the two talked about their families, favorite TikTok videos and staying at home during quarantine.

Since being diagnosed with cancer, avoiding germs and public places has become a part of life for Lauren. Poehler asked the teen if she had any advice for those of us who are struggling with the new changes in the world.

“You find the things that calm you down and relax you,” explained Lauren. “Spend time with your family, that’s what I do and it’s got me through some bad times.”

The teen also told Poehler about her dreams of becoming an anesthesiologist, which she attributes to her experience as a surgery patient at Cook Children’s.

“Medicine is so cool,” Poehler told Lauren during the chat. “I’ve talked to a lot of kids who have to go through a lot of procedures and they get interested in medicine because they have experience with it that a lot of young people don't, and they see how they could make a difference. It's really cool.”

Lauren asked Poehler questions about everything from her career path to what it’s like being an actress and comedian. She also asked Poehler what inspires her. Her answer: working mothers.

“Moms who have to work and raise kids, especially during these times. There’s a lot of mothers who are working hard,” Poehler said. “I’m also very inspired by health care workers who are in the trenches and can’t see their own families because they have to be safe. I’m very inspired by people who put their lives on the line, risk their lives for people.”

Last month, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals named Poehler a CHANGEMAKER, which is an exclusive list of celebrities, influencers, corporate leaders and advocates who have positively impacted children’s health. According to the organization, the individuals and groups named have made a difference in the health and well-being of children, specifically sick and injured children treated at children’s hospitals across North America. 

For parents, this statistic may be a little worrisome. Eight minutes may be fine for grownups, but is it enough time for a pediatrician to spend with a patient and family? From the physician's chair, the answer is yes and no.

"I'm not sure there is a time limit," says Frank McGehee, M.D., a pediatrician at Cook Children's Sixth Avenue office in Fort Worth, Texas. "We will stay with the child as long as necessary, depending on the reason for their visit. Otherwise, most of our checkups are scheduled for 15 minutes.”

Dr. McGehee shares the office with Vanessa Charette, M.D. The two could be considered authorities on the topic of patients and time. That's because in a recent Cook Children's survey, 98 percent of patient families said they felt both doctors spent enough time with their children.

In a world where doctor visits often feel like being put on the clock, this is a valued achievement.

"The benefit of having a pediatrician who a child sees over time is they get to know you," says Dr. Charette. "I may spend two minutes with a child who has a rash because I know them and I know they are a healthy kid, but I may spend 30 minutes with the same child if they are very sick or are having behavioral issues."

One exam that will always take a good amount of time is a well-baby or well-child visit.

"These visits will usually take longer because they're focused on preventive care," says Dr. Charette.

Parents can expect their pediatrician to address how their child is growing, if their development and behavior is normal as well as issues concerning general safety, such as car seats, drowning prevention and the importance of wearing a helmet when riding a bike.

One of the most important things parents can do to make any visit more effective is to ask questions, even if it's not an immediate concern.

"We always ask parents if they have any questions," says Dr. McGehee. "We want to make sure the patient gets what they need."

If you want to make the most of your time, there are three more things you should do:

• Be on time
• Pay attention
• Be present

"Sometimes if you're scared, it's hard to do," says Dr. McGehee. "If you've been up all night with a sick child, listening can be a challenge, but you need to understand what your pediatrician is telling you."

Whether your visit is two minutes or 45 minutes, asking questions and understanding the answers are the best things parents can do to make the most of time spent with their pediatrician.