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Mom's Choice MinuteIn honor of Dolly Parton.....I keep thinking about the Imagination Library (https://imaginationlibrar...
09/02/2026

Mom's Choice Minute

In honor of Dolly Parton.....

I keep thinking about the Imagination Library (https://imaginationlibrary.com/) , because that's the part of her legacy that actually touches down in living rooms all across the World. If you've never heard of it: since 1995, Dolly's foundation has been mailing free books to kids from birth to age five, no cost to families, no strings. A book shows up in the mailbox with your kid's name on it. Such inspiration!

The Importance of Promoting Literacy

It reminded me of a time during my clinical rotation in community health. The clinic I was working in gave a book to each child. That has stuck with me all of these years as I have tried to create readers with my own kids.

I've read the research on early literacy more times than I can count over the years, and it is so important for development. While this newsletter usually focuses on physical ailments, I thought I would take a side quest in honor of Dolly Parton.

Pediatric providers are a part of this outreach, as literacy is a pivotal aspect of overall health for kids. Reach Out and Read, a program that many doctors' offices around here use, has physicians handing out books at well-child visits starting at 6 months. Reading aloud to a baby is a developmental intervention, as it builds vocabulary, attention span, and the wiring for language, way before a kid can hold a crayon. Your pediatrician's recommendation of a bedtime story carries the same weight as their recommendation of tummy time.

During the month of September, a portion of each visit will go towards the Imagination Library. Let's give back to Dolly what she gave so freely to others and allow her legacy to live on through the love of reading.

Community Spotlight

Neighbor Books (from their About Page)

Neighbor Books was started by Joey and Ginny Honescko, a couple of McKinney locals, back in July 2024. Their idea was simple: give people a place to read and to be together while they do it.

We think reading is one of the most human things we do. It teaches empathy. It makes us better at caring for each other, which honestly feels harder to do than it used to be.

We're living in an age that pulls people apart, and reading pulls them back together; it asks you to sit still and actually hear someone else's perspective. Everything around us moves fast and wants results. Reading asks you to stay awhile instead. We're surrounded by automation with things designed to grab our attention and never let go, and reading does the opposite: it asks you to slow down and notice what's actually around you.

In an age full of machines, reading is what makes us more human, not less.

My family and I frequent them at least once a month. We are giving to a local company and expanding our library. Check them out; they are great. You might even see a book from yours truly in there one day. That is for another newsletter. 🥳

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Mom's Choice MinuteIf you've had a family member dealing with diarrhea that just won't quit this summer, you're not imag...
08/05/2026

Mom's Choice Minute

If you've had a family member dealing with diarrhea that just won't quit this summer, you're not imagining things. The US is in the middle of a real cyclospora outbreak, and it's worth knowing what's going on before you write it off as "just a bug."

What is Cyclospora?

Cyclospora is a parasite. It's a tiny organism that spreads through contaminated food or water, not from person to person. This year's culprit turned out to be iceberg lettuce, and Taylor Farms had to issue a recall in July after investigators traced it back to lettuce grown in central Mexico.

The case count isn't small either. Texas has topped 100 confirmed cases this season, with clusters popping up around the state, including here in North Texas. Nationally, we're talking over 11,000 confirmed and more probable cases across 41 states. That's a much bigger season than usual.

What are the symptoms?

Watery diarrhea that drags on for weeks (sometimes a month). Loss of appetite. That dragged-out, wiped-out feeling. Symptoms tend to appear about a week after exposure, making it easy to miss the connection to what you ate.

How is it spread?

Cyclospora is mainly spread through contaminated water and food. Since the parasite needs to be mature to infect a host, it is not spread from person to person. Unlike other pathogens that cause stomach bugs, if one person in the home is sick, it is unlikely to spread to others.

Prevention

Experts say to wash your produce, even the bagged stuff that says pre-washed. And if you're nervous, stick to fruit you can peel, like an apple or a banana; it's a safer bet right now. Honestly, I would avoid the main culprits they are suspecting, like bagged lettuce and bagged salad bases, and shredded iceberg lettuce. Some additional foods that are being tested in some states include cilantro and fresh parsley.

If diarrhea sticks around more than a few days, get it checked out and specifically ask about cyclospora testing. It's not part of a standard stool test, so you have to ask for it by name. As always, when it comes to diarrhea, dehydration is the biggest threat, especially in younger children and older adults or those with compromised immune systems.

How to Handle Dehydration

When someone becomes ill with vomiting or diarrhea, you want to offer small sips of fluids with electrolytes because a lot is lost through stool. Pedialyte or Zarbee's remains the standard of choice for older kids. Avoid this in infants and continue breastfeeding and/or formula feeding as tolerated.

Signs of dehydration needing medical attention

-crying with no tears
-sunken area on a soft spot
-decreased urination
-physical weakness
-extreme sleepiness
-breathing faster than normal
-sunken eyes

If you see any of the above, you should seek emergency care.

How does Cyclospora resolve?

Cyclospora can resolve on its own in healthy individuals. If medication is needed, antibiotics will be prescribed. It would be best to speak with a provider for further guidance.

Community Spotlight

Mckinney's Farmer's Market: Every Saturday, 8 AM to noon (9 to noon in the winter months), local farmers set up at Chestnut Square with produce that never left North Texas. You're buying from the person who grew it, not from a bag that's been through three states and a processing plant. When you know exactly where your lettuce came from, you cut out the whole supply-chain mystery that's driving outbreaks like this one in the first place, enjoying lettuce along the way.

It's also just a nice Saturday morning activity for the whole family. Over 70 vendors, fresh eggs, bread, the works. My favorite has been the fresh flower stand!. If this outbreak has you side-eyeing the grocery store salad mix, this is a solid alternative.

📍 315 S. Chestnut St, McKinney, TX 75069

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Mom's Choice MinuteJune is here, and for most families that means pools, splash pads, lakes, and long hot days that were...
06/04/2026

Mom's Choice Minute

June is here, and for most families that means pools, splash pads, lakes, and long hot days that were made for being outside. We love that!. And as your pediatric care team, we also feel the weight of what this season can bring when things go wrong.

This month, we want to talk about water safety. Not to scare you, but because our community is grieving right now, and the best way we know to honor that grief is to make sure every family we serve has the information they need to keep their kids safe.

In Memoriam

Our community lost a nine-year-old girl named Amani Edwards at the end of May. She died after a drowning incident at a local water park, and our hearts go out to everyone who loved her.

Amani was nine years old. She had her whole summer ahead of her. And her loss is a reminder that drowning can happen fast, in familiar places, even when people are watching. We are sharing water safety information this month in her memory, because the best thing we can do for Amani now is make sure another family does not go through what hers is going through.

What every parent needs to know before your child gets in the water.

Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death in children ages one through four, and it remains one of the top causes of injury death through age fourteen. It happens quietly. There is no splashing, no calling for help. That is what makes it so dangerous and why active supervision is the only real protection.

1) Designate a water watcher
One adult, phone down, eyes on the water at all times. Not taking turns casually. An assigned, intentional role. When the water watcher needs a break, they hand off to another adult before stepping away.

2) Life jackets are not optional for non-swimmers
Coast Guard-approved life jackets, properly fitted. Not floaties, not puddle jumpers as a primary safety device. A real life jacket. Know your child's swimming ability honestly, not optimistically.

3) Enroll your child in swim lessons
The American Academy of Pediatrics supports swim lessons starting at age one for most children. Swim lessons significantly reduce drowning risk. If your child does not know how to swim, check your local area for lessons.

4) Know what drowning actually looks like
A drowning child cannot wave, cannot call out, and is usually vertical in the water with their head tilted back. They are silent. If a child is quiet in the water and not moving toward the wall, check on them immediately.

5) Learn CPR
If you do not know pediatric CPR, please take a class this summer. I have highlighted Living Hydration CPR training through American Red Cross (https://www.livinghydrationcare.com/home) .In a drowning emergency, what you do in the first few minutes matters more than anything else.

Community Spotlight

Mom's Choice Mobile Healthcare is proud to support the Edwards family this month. We are encouraging our entire patient community to contribute to the GoFundMe set up in Amani's honor. Every donation helps carry the family through an unimaginable time.

GoFundMe · In Honor of Amani Edwards (https://gofund.me/eec23f99e)

Amani was nine years old and full of life. Her family is carrying a grief no family should face alone. If you can give, please give. If you can share, please share. Our community is strongest when we show up for each other, and right now the Edwards family needs us to show up

We hope your family has a safe and joyful summer. Please keep the Edwards family in your hearts as you head into this season. And if your child is due for a visit or you have any concerns, we are always here.

With care,
Stephanie

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Mom's Choice MinuteMay is Mental Health Awareness Month, and I want to talk about something parents don't always catch u...
05/06/2026

Mom's Choice Minute

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and I want to talk about something parents don't always catch until it's been going on for a while.

Kids are not great at telling you when they're not okay. And honestly, they don't always know it themselves.
I've sat across from enough families in my practice to know that the signs are usually there. They just don't look the way we expect them to.

What It Actually Looks Like

We're trained to watch for the obvious things. Fever. Rash. Labored breathing. Mental health symptoms are quieter than that, and they tend to hide inside behaviors we chalk up to something else.

In younger kids, ages four through ten, watch for stomachaches and headaches that don't have a clear physical cause. Sudden clinginess when your kid used to be independent. Regression, things like bedwetting or baby talk they outgrew a long time ago. Tantrums that are bigger and longer than what's typical for their age. Refusing school or activities they used to love.

In tweens and teens, the signs shift. Withdrawing from the people they're usually closest to. Grades dropping without an obvious reason. Irritability that's more than just being a teenager. Sleep changes, too much or not enough. And in more serious cases, giving away things they care about or making comments that don't sit right with you.

That last one, always take it seriously.

When to Pay Attention

One rough week doesn't mean something is wrong. Kids have hard weeks. So do adults. But when the behavior is lasting two weeks or more, when it's interfering with school or friendships or daily life, when your gut is telling you something has shifted, that's the moment to act on it. You know your child's baseline better than anyone. Trust what you're seeing.

You Don't Have to Sort This Out Alone

Part of what I do at Mom's Choice is help families figure out what's actually going on. Sometimes a stomachache is a stomachache. Sometimes it's anxiety showing up in the body. We can help you sort through what you're seeing, rule out physical causes, do a mental health screening, and point you toward the right next step.
You don't have to have it figured out before you call. That's what we're here for.
Book a visit, in-home, mobile, or virtual, and let's take a real look together.

Community Spotlight: Supporting those who support others

Therapy on the Square

This month I'm excited to highlight Therapy on the Square, (https://tots.pro/) a local practice doing meaningful work for children, teens, and families right here in our community.
What I love about them is that they've built a space that actually feels safe to walk into. Therapy works best when people feel seen, and they get that.
If your child or teen could benefit from consistent therapeutic support, reach out to them directly. Supporting practices like Therapy on the Square is how we build a community where kids have real places to go when they're struggling.

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Address

McKinney, TX
75069

Opening Hours

Monday 12pm - 10pm
Tuesday 12pm - 10pm
Wednesday 12pm - 10pm
Thursday 12pm - 10pm
Friday 12pm - 10pm
Saturday 12pm - 6pm

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+19725322499

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