School has started and those late summer evenings of playing outside have passed. I hope your family is getting on track with a healthy back-to-school sleep schedule.

Kids need more sleep than adults. Children ages 6 to 12 years old need 10 to 11 hours of sleep at night. Teenagers need at least nine hours of sleep.

It’s important to get enough sleep because chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to poor school performance, behavioral, developmental and mood problems, weight gain and obesity. Drowsy teens who get behind the wheel of a car can cause a deadly accident.

Here’s a helpful sleep checklist:

• Set a regular bedtime and wake-up time. Kids with bedtimes before 10 p.m. are much more likely to get enough sleep than kids with later bedtimes. If necessary, the schedule can be adjusted at a gradual pace (about 15 minutes every two days) to ease the transition.
• Be consistent with your children’s sleep schedules, even on the weekends. Emphasize activity and bright light in the morning; these help to train the brain to be wide awake in the morning. Whenever possible, send them outside to play, rather than allowing them to sit watching TV and eating snacks – it’s better for their brain and their body!
• Establish a relaxing evening routine. Avoid exercising or stimulating activities in the last few hours before bedtime.
• Create a sleep environment that is cool, dark, quiet and comfortable.
• Limit caffeine, especially after lunch.
• Avoid having a TV or computer in the bedroom and turn them off at least 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime.
• Make sleep a priority in your family and set a good example.

Good sleep habits set the stage for active learning and better performance in school. We wish you and your kids good luck this new school year.

Many sleep issues are treatable. If you are concerned your child might have a sleep disorder please consider making an appointment at our New Berlin clinic.

Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin Clinics-New Berlin has been open since August 3, and I’m hearing great compliments from families every day. They really like that it’s actually a one-stop shop, where multiple services are available under one roof. Plus, we often can schedule appointments with several specialists all in one day, which makes busy moms and dads even happier! Some of the best compliments are from families who say they’ve received excellent care and customer service. Those are the ones that really make me proud.

Our goal in opening this outpatient clinic was to provide a place for many of the same pediatric specialists who practice at Children’s Hospital to see patients closer to home. We wanted to make your life easier. As a working mom with two kids under the age of 14, I know every little bit helps.

Our New Berlin clinic is located north of I-43 at the intersection of Moorland and Beloit Roads. It’s just off the freeway, and there’s plenty of surface parking. Ease of access is a big deal, whether you’re juggling strollers and diaper bags or your teenagers’ after-school activities.

Our pediatric specialty physicians and advanced practice nurses, more than 40 in all, provide care for kids of all ages, from head to toe. Specialties include: Adolescent Medicine, Allergy/Asthma (for both adults and kids), Audiology, Behavioral Health, Cardiology, Dermatology, Ear, Nose and Throat, Gastroenterology, Neurology, Pulmonary, Sinus, Sleep, Speech and Surgery consultation/follow-up.

The clinic also has walk-in and scheduled laboratory and radiology services, including ultrasound, X-ray, fluoroscopy, MRI and CT. We know kids are more sensitive to X-rays, so finding the radiation level that allows us to make an accurate diagnosis and keep them safe can be tricky. That’s why our staff are specifically trained in pediatric Radiology.

If you live in New Berlin or one of the surrounding communities and your child needs care, please check us out.
 

The calendar may say it’s fall, but the bees are still active. I recently was outside when a friend and her daughter stopped by. While we chatted, my friend’s 3-year-old daughter Kelly kept saying her ear felt funny. My friend thought Kelly might have stepped on a bug but couldn’t be sure if it was a bee or not. About 20 minutes after they left, she called for advice. Kelly now had a rash on her face and around her ear, and her lips and eye had begun to swell. I suggested she give Kelly Benadryl^®, and if the reaction didn’t respond, take her to the hospital. Luckily, the Benadryl^® worked.

Time from suspected sting to when the symptoms developed: less than 45 minutes.

It’s important for parents to understand that when most kids are stung by a bee, the site develops redness, swelling and itching. However, some kids actually are allergic to bee stings. This means that their immune systems overreact to the venom. If a child is allergic, after the first sting, his or her body produces antibodies called immunoglobulin E. If he or she is stung again by the same kind of insect, the venom interacts with this specific IgE antibody, causing the release of substances that trigger an allergic reaction.

I suspected a bee had stung Kelly and knew she’d been stung before. I suggested she see an allergist for allergy testing. With proper testing, an allergist can diagnose the specific bee allergy and determine the best form of treatment. In many cases, bee venom allergy shots are very effective.

Remember, any sting has the potential to cause a reaction. A reaction involving more than one part of the body, like itching and hives, swelling in the throat or tongue, difficulty breathing or dizziness, is considered a severe reaction.

Benadryl^® generally can be given for any type of allergic reaction. If a child is severely allergic to bees, an allergist may prescribe auto-injectable epinephrine, commonly known as an EpiPen^®, which can quickly counter a severe allergic reaction. But epinephrine is only a short-acting medication, and you still must seek medical care quickly if your child is stung.

Kelly had allergy testing and it turned out she’s allergic to honeybee and wasp venom. Now her family carries an EpiPen Jr.^® wherever they go, and Kelly’s babysitters also were taught how to use one. Kelly began receiving venom allergy injections shortly after the positive test results. Kelly’s mom feels better now that she understands her daughter’s bee allergies, and Kelly can still have fun playing outside.

If you suspect your child may have bee allergies, please make an appointment with an allergist. Allergy services are available at Children's Hospital and Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Clinics-New Berlin.