Preparing for the Doctor’s Visit 1: Who and When
When to set appointments:
Schedule a time that will allow you to arrive about 10-15 minutes early. This will give you leeway for those “unpredictables” like tantrums and bathroom visits. It will also give you enough time to complete the administrative paperwork prior to meeting the doctor. This is critical to the smooth running of the office and easy delivery of health care for you. Be sure to fill in ALL of your (and other care givers) relevant contact information. You may also use his time to find out what the contact arrangements for follow-up and emergencies are for the practice in general and for your personal physician.
Who should come:
If this is the first time the child is going to see this doctor, or first trip for a referral then all care-givers should be there. All care-givers, aunts, grandparents, nannies etc, who are familiar with or manage parts of the child’s daily routine and especially those who will be implementing the changes and treatments recommended, should be present at the visit.
This can very tricky for working and / or out-of-town parents and caregivers, but the time spent coordinating everyone will make it MUCH easier for the doctor to get the facts right and give clear meaningful instructions the first time.
Nobody likes to have to go to the doctor, but if you are prepared,
the whole visit can be a truly helpful, healing experience
and a learning opportunity for all involved.
.
Use the Crosswalk! with Grover from Sesame Street
Use the Crosswalk! on Vimeo on Vimeo
via Use the Crosswalk! on Vimeo.
[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/23271896 w=400&h=225] Learn MoreUse Your Helmet! with Grover from Sesame Street
Use Your Helmet! on Vimeo on Vimeo
via Use Your Helmet! on Vimeo.
[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/23271812 w=400&h=225] Learn MoreBuckle Up! with Grover from Sesame Street
via Buckle Up! on Vimeo.
[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/23272278 w=400&h=225] Learn MoreIntro: The Doctor’s Visit
For the beginning of 2012, we will be posting tips and advice about visits to the doctor with your child. Whether you are going to stop in at your health centre, see your family doctor or your paediatrician or visit a referred specialist for the first time, we will walk with you, and help you to be truly prepared.
The more prepared you are, the better the visit will be for everyone.
Please feel free to share your own tips and ideas, we LOVE to learn from you! You can share with us on tumblr, twitter or facebook; you can send comments via our website;
We at Caribbean Tots to Teens, want to hear from YOU.
Learn More“Sweets” Ban at School Parties
“Sweets” Ban at School Parties
When FRUIT is served with cake and other sugary sweets, the amount of calories children consume actually falls by 100-200 calories per child!
Could this type of restrictive guideline work in Caribbean schools?
Learn MoreThe study shows that kids can eat as many as one-third of all the calories they need in a day at a typical half-hour birthday party.
And those calories are coming from foods high in fat and sugar and low in nutrients — such as cake, fruit punch, ice cream, and chips.
Active Video Games Don’t Mean Exercise
Active Video Games Don’t Mean Kids Exercise More.
A study conducted by Dr. Tom Baranowski and his colleagues shows disappointing results from active video game use. Reported on February 27, 2012 in the American Academy of Paediatrics Journal:
…kids who were given so-called active video games to play on a Nintendo Wii didn’t end up logging any more moderate or vigorous physical activity than those given games they could play sitting on the couch.
“We expected that playing the video games would in fact lead to a substantial increase in physical activity in the children,” Dr. Baranowski told Reuters Health. “Frankly we were shocked by the complete lack of difference.”
So, its still up to parents to implement some real time for play and excercise.
The American Academy of Paediatrics also recommends limiting electronic screen time in all age groups.
Learn More
Child Care and Protection Act (Jamaica)
Below are the links to some of the pivotal document relating to child and adolescent sexual reproductive health, protection and rights. Please let us know if there is a document you would like us to include in this post.
- These are links to the Child care and Protection Act 2004 of Jamaica, and the subsidiary legislation as found on the website of the Ministry of Justice.
Child Care and Protection Act (link for download)
CCPA Subsidiary Legislation (link for download)
- The National Family Planning board examines Controversies with the Law (CCPA 204) and Policy (Reproductive Health Policy Guidelines for Health Professionals, May of 2004) related to Reproductive Health for Adolescents.
- Here is a report on the reproductive and sexual health of Jamaican Youth published by Advocates for Youth.