07/25/2022
Dear Families:
With summer very much upon us, and many of your children progressing to the next grade, or graduating from middle school, high school or college— we offer our congratulations to you and to your children — accomplishments of which to be proud and to celebrate!
We also wish to share with you the news that Ritu Meda, our remarkable PA, will be returning home to Atlanta, Georgia to be closer to her family. With adoration and gratitude for the outstanding care Ritu has provided to the children and families in our practice, we wish her all the best!
As we continue to promote the health and safety of our children, do know that illnesses typically associated with winter remain prevalent —-influenza is still present, along with many cases of newer strains of Covid19. We encourage you to remain cautious and wear a mask when taking public transportation including airplanes, and when in large gatherings; wear a mask until seated at a restaurant, consider wearing a mask when attending religious or cultural events such as concerts. At the office we continue to wear masks, require them for all who are old enough to wear one, and continue to perform all illness related testing in the parking lot before the child is brought into an exam room. We very much appreciate your patience and understanding as we maintain these precautions .
We continue to strongly encourage that all children eligible for the Covid19 vaccine receive it— including boosters which are now recommended for children 5-12 years of age. The CDC.gov website provides the most up to date guidelines. The vaccine remains the best way to avoid severe illness—- this is the critically important intent of the vaccine: the prevention of severe infection.
In collaboration with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, vaccines for Covid19 for children ages 6 months and older will be offered at our office— “delivered” by the Vaccine Van. Please check our website, Facebook page or call the office for dates for vaccine availability. It is our hope that very soon we will be able to offer Covid19 vaccine “clinics” in the same way we offer Influenza vaccine.
I, again wish to recognize that these times are especially trying for our children, in particular our pr***en and teenage children: transitioning to new schools, the prolonged social distancing and restrictions imposed during the pandemic, and an awareness of the profound challenges of our world can create deep distress. It is so important that we share with our children that we understand the stresses they feel and witness; that we must not turn away from the ongoing tragedy that is the invasion of Ukraine, or the urgent yet unmet changes necessary to address global warming , or the persistent violence pervasive in our country— especially in our schools— that threatens our children’s sense of confidence that they are safe and secure when at school.
Most recently, The Supreme Court rulings have severely compromised governmental efforts to tackle global warming-related pollution, and eliminated the constitutional protection of a woman’s precious and private reproductive freedom. Rights related to personal happiness and identity are now also at profound risk— and our children know all about these things— mainly through social media—inevitably questioning a seemingly “pointless” future; this knowledge and fear can be overwhelming. Our children do not yet have a life experience to provide perspective— that with time there can be healing, that there is potential for progress— things to get better; that their voices, too, deserve to be heard. As well, they may not appreciate the power of resilience and the benefits of therapy. As grown-ups, we must offer reassurance, hope and access to help: psychology today.com, Access Mental Health Connecticut, or simply dialing 211 are all resources to support our children with their mental health needs. And we are here for you as well to assist you in ensuring the physical and emotional well being of our children. Please be in touch with us if you or your child needs help.
And finally, some summer safety thoughts: Keep infants and pets (lots of water and avoid hot pavement when your dog is out for a walk!) indoors during the hottest times of the day: strollers should afford shade but must be well ventilated for an infant— the heat can become excessive if any infant is in an enclosed stroller—-we must always be able to see the baby’s face, to provide social interaction and to ensure the well being of the baby. Small amounts of water can be offered to babies as they approach six months of age and older— at younger ages, adequate hydration is provided in breast milk and formula. Best that we stay inside with air conditioning during these very hot days.
Until your child is a confident and independent swimmer, please practice “contact supervision” to ensure that you are close enough to touch your child when he or she is in the water. And when riding a scooter, tricycle or bicycle, wearing a helmet is an absolute requirement.
Wishing you all continued good health, safety and happiness,
Tom Fromson, Lauren Chase, Jennifer Wilner, Nike Kubeyinje, Elayna Kaye, and our remarkably kind and caring staff
If you believe that your child is experiencing anxiety or depression, please let us know right away so that we can help.
