What to Expect.....After you Deliver! February 29 from 6-7pm Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Caring for your newborn can be overwhelming during the first few weeks. You have questions, we have answers!
When: Wednesday, February 29, 2012, from 6-7pm
Where: From Here to Maternity, 1055 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., Suite 70
You are invited to join Dr. Stephen Stripling, MD, FAAP, of Coastal Pediatric Associates and From Here to Maternity for a special program on your new baby. From feeding to sleeping, to caring for you newborn, Dr. Stripling will help you navigate the first precious and mysterious weeks. Come mingle with other expectant and new parents, enjoy refreshments, special giveaways and a Q & A with Dr. Stripling after the presentation. This is your chance to ask a pediatrician all of the questions you have before baby comes!
It's National Dental Health Month! Stop by and enter to win a prize! Thursday, February 16, 2012
(This month featuring Kia-one of the many smiling faces here at Coastal Pediatric Associates)
We are celebrating National Children's Dental Health Month at Coastal Pediatric Associates! To encourage "Healthy Smiles", we are running a raffle for our patients. Your child can enter to win a goodie basket containing a spin brush, a t-shirt, a tooth box for "lost" teeth, and other fun items!! Stop by either our Mount Pleasant or West Ashley offices to enter the drawing. All winners will be announced on February 29th.
Welcome Cigna Patients! Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Coastal Pediatric Associates continues to welcome new patients with Cigna insurance. To see a full list of insuraces we accept, please click here.
To make a new appointment or to start the transfer of records from your current practice to Coastal Pediatric Associates, please call 843 573 2535 or 843 971 2992. We are looking forward to having you as part of our family!
Dr. Stephen Stripling, MD, FAAP, joins the Coastal family! Monday, January 30, 2012
The Coastal Pediatric Associates family is growing quickly and we are excited to announce another addition. Dr. Stephen Stripling, MD joins us after spending 10 years in Texas as Chief Medical Officer at Covenant Children's Hospital. Dr. Stripling attended Texas Tech and completed his pediatric residency at the Medical University of South Carolina. He is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Dr. Stripling will be working in both our West Ashley and Mount Pleasant offices and will have daytime and evening hours.
If you would like to make an appointment with Dr. Stripling, please call 843 573 2535 or 843 971 2992.
Welcome Leigh Arden Beck, CPNP Tuesday, January 03, 2012
We are excited to welcome Leigh Arden Beck, APRN, CPNP on her first official day at Coastal Pediatric Associates. As a seasoned Nurse Practitioner, Educator and Pediatric Emergency Department Clinician, Leigh Arden brings a rich skillset to the CPA team. She has already endeared herself to many of our patients, having previously worked in our offices in a fill-in capacity.
Now fully affiliated with our practice, Leigh Arden is accepting patients in both our West Ashley and Mount Pleasant locations. If you would like to schedule an appointment with Leigh Arden Beck, or with any of our providers, please call us at 843 573 2535.
Influenza Vaccine Clinics and Holiday Hours Tuesday, December 20, 2011
This holiday season we are thankful for our wonderful staff and all of the special families we have the privilege of taking care of each day.
If members of your family have not received immunization against influenza this season, please call and schedule an appointment today! We have opened influenza vaccine clinics in both locations to accommodate your schedule during the Christmas break.
Please note, the office will close Thursday at 5pm and reopen Tuesday at 7am so that our staff may celebrate the holiday with their families.
We are excited to announce that our Mount Pleasant office will be starting an evening clinic!! Starting January 2nd the office will be open until 8pm Monday-Thursday.
We are also extending our Saturday hours in West Ashley. Starting January 7th our Saturday clinic will be open from 9am-2pm.
We are hoping these changes will better accommodate our patients and allow advancement of our continuity of care.
Mary Jo Gunselman, CPNP, and Elizabeth Kirlis, MD, join the Coastal Team! Monday, December 05, 2011
We are proud to announce the addition of two new providers to Coastal Pediatric Associates.
Starting December 5, 2011, Elizabeth Kirlis, MD, will be seeing patients in both our West Ashley and Mount Pleasant locations.
Starting January 2, 2012, Mary Jo Gunselman, CPNP, will be opening our evening clinic in Mount Pleasant. Mary Jo will be seeing patients until 7:30pm, Monday thru Thursday.
If you would like to transfer your records to Coastal Pediatric Associates or would like to schedule an appointment with either one of our new providers, please call us at (843) 573-2535.
There were very few changes made to the immunization schedule in 2011. The most noteworthy change was the addition of a Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine (MCV4) booster dose for our older adolescent patients. If you are not sure that your child is current on his/her immunizations, please contact us. We always have appointments available to make sure your child is best protected against vaccine preventable illnesses.
Immunizations, however, are only a small part of pediatric preventive care. Health Maintenance Examinations are uniquely tailored to your child's age and medical circumstances. During a "well-child appointment," our CPA providers will be assessing your child's interval growth and motor/language/psychosocial development. In addition, we are constantly on the lookout for the signs or symptoms of emerging health problems. Blood pressure and scoliosis screenings, lead testing and eye charts, behavioral questionnaires and urinalyses -- these are but a few of the numerous instruments potentially used in the ongoing evaluation of your child's health.
Coastal Pediatric Associates has implemented the Preventive Pediatric Health Care Periodicity Schedule published by the AAP. By clicking this link, you can determine when your child's next routine appointment should be scheduled.
We look forward to seeing you! Stay healthy and wash your hands (a lot)!
It's summertime! Let's talk about how to enjoy summertime safely with your child.
Sun Safety: For babies under 6 months of age, it is best to avoid direct sunlight as much as possible! You can do this by seeking shade (whether it be under a tree or via the canopy of a stroller), dressing your baby in protective clothing, and using a wide brimmed hat to help keep the sun off of his/her face and neck. When it is not possible to avoid sunlight, it is okay to use small amounts of sunscreen (one formulated for babies) on exposed areas (such as on the face or the back of hands).
For children 6 months of age and older, again, protect the skin from sun when possible by using hats and protective clothing (cotton with a "tight weave"). Don't forget to protect eyes as well by having your child wear sunglasses. Sunscreen is also an important part of sun protection--look for one that is "broad sprectum"--this means that it will help protect against both UVA and UVB rays. It should have an SPF of 30 or greater. Beth Thelan, our very own pediatric nurse practitioner, recommends picking up some clear zinc oxide at your local drugstore or superstore. It goes on white but then dries clear . . . she reports that her fair-skinned kids do not get burnt when they use this on their faces, even if they are getting sweaty scoring goals on the soccer field! Don't forget to reapply sunscreen frequently, especially after sweating or swimming. Also, it is best to apply sunscreen 30 minutes prior to sun exposure (it actually needs a little time to absorb into the skin!)
If you want to read even more about sun safety, click here: Sun Safety
Water Safety: Here in Charleston, we have a lot of exposure to the water, whether it be the ocean or local pools. For young children, we even need to consider small areas of water such as baby pools, buckets of water, bathtubs, etc. (remember to empty all containers of water after using them and provide vigilant supervision) Kids can drown in even a few inches of water!
Let's talk more about how to enjoy water safely with our children. The American Academy of Pediatrics has recently revised its recommendations regarding swimming lessons for young children. In the past, it advised against swim instruction for the 1 to under 4 year old age group (due to concerns that it might give a false sense of security). Now, it states that if the child is developmentally ready, formal swim instruction may be beneficial. Children 4 years of age and older should have swim instruction. When in the water with non-swimmers and weaker swimmers, remember that the adult needs to provide "touch supervision"--this means that the supervising adult should be within arm's length of the child.
If you go boating with children, remember that they need to wear a Coast Guard approved life vest. For younger children, the life vest should have a collar that will help keep the face out of the water.
If you would like more information about water safety, please click here: Water Safety (if you have a pool in your backyard, make sure you read the additional information):
Bicycle, skateboard, and scooter safety: We see too many kids who do not wear a helmet for these activities! Please, protect your child's head and have them wear a helmet! Helmets need to be worn for each and every ride . . . it doesn't matter if you are just going a short distance. Remember, children learn by following your lead, so if you are biking with them you should wear a helmet as well! For skateboarding or riding a scooter, other protective gear (especially wristguards) should be worn as well.
For more information on biking safety tips, click here: Biking Safety
Here's to a happy and healthy summer! Stay tuned for the next web update.
