Breastfeeding is a natural way of providing your newborn baby with rich nutrition. Breast milk contains antibodies and nutrients that will help to keep your baby healthy for the first six months. Breastfeeding support Salem Health’s breastfeeding and lactation services: Internationally board-certified lactation consultants Prenatal breastfeeding classes for moms and families Free breastfeeding support groups…
Salem Pediatric Clinic is proud to inform you that Dr. Ian Straehley will be joining our group of wonderful providers on October 16, 2023. He is excited to begin working with you and your family. You can view his provider profile here.
Beginning on July 1, 2023, all Oregonians will be entitled to have a medical chaperone present for intimate physical exams, including breast, genital, and rectal exams for patients of any age. Medical chaperones serve as a witness to the events taking place. The presence of a trained chaperone can provide reassurance about the professional context…
In accordance with OHA and OSHA, masks are now voluntary in medical facilities unless required under specific isolation policies or at a patient’s or caregiver’s request. Staff may still choose to wear masks. At SPC, we recommend any person feeling ill wear a mask to protect other patients and staff. If you would like our…
The community spread of a number of pediatric respiratory illnesses this winter is high and you may have noticed that wait times for calls back or appointments may be longer than anticipated. Many of us who have been doing this job for decades are experiencing the highest phone call and illness volume of our careers.…
Following CDC recommendations, Salem Pediatric Clinic requests that all visitors 2 years of age and older wear face coverings during office visits. Thank you for keeping all our families safe! Face Covering Exemption Policy CDC Guidelines recommend face coverings for all people except: Children under the age of 2 People with trouble breathing (acutely, this…
We at Salem Pediatric Clinic so appreciate everyone asking about how they can do their part during the current COVID-19 situation. We understand you are thinking about the health of your family, and many of you are wanting to make sure we have the capacity for sick visits that may be needed. We have also…
SPC’s contract with Willamette Valley Community Health (WVCH) is changing to Pacific Source CCO! Salem Pediatric Clinic will be contracted with Pacific Source as our Oregon Health Plan Coordinated Care Organization (CCO). To keep SPC as your medical home, please choose Pacific Source as your CCO. If your matched plan is already Pacific Source CCO…
Flu clinics are currently full. We will update availability here and on our Facebook page on Wednesday, November 13, 2019.
Salem Pediatric Clinic is committed to creating a community where you can feel safe sharing your questions and concerns about breastfeeding. Spending time with others going through the same experiences is proven to be a great benefit. Bring your baby and join us from 11am–12pm! The support group meets at Salem Pediatric Clinic (2478 13th…
Salem Pediatric Clinic is excited to partner with Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel to bring comprehensive care to our patients here in Salem. Click here to read more about this exciting news! Then take a look at our Services page to meet Randall’s “Visiting Pediatric Specialists”.
Have you tried our online Patient Portal? Sign up now! This quick and easy system allows you to do the following at any time. Communicate with your primary care provider’s team Review test results and medications Request prescription refills Request appointments with your PCP and/or specialist Review information for future and past appointments View, download…
Newborn jaundice, or the appearance of a yellow color on your baby’s skin early in life, is virtually universal. Yet for many parents it can be deeply upsetting, even scary. For the vast majority of babies, jaundice — caused by a pigment called bilirubin released with red blood cells break down naturally — is a…
While still adjusting to retirement, I was watching the 2016 Summer Olympics one recent evening when I was struck by a television ad. It was selling audible books, not just for adults, but also for kids — a father and his two children “transported to an imaginary world” as they sat side-by-side in bed listening…
As I prepare to retire at the end of this month, I wish to share some reflections and concerns which arose from my reading of a rather profound book. The book is called Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age, by Sherry Turkle, Ph.D., Abby Rockefeller Mauze Professor of the Social Studies of…
The Salem Pediatric Clinic is excited to announce that families can sign up for the Patient Portal through our website. All you need to do is click on the Patient Portal tab to find the “Enroll Online” option — or click here — and you are ready to begin. Follow the easy steps and you…
This article was edited May 21, 2018 to reflect updated FDA guidelines for Montelukast (Singulair) dosage. I retired from the Salem Pediatric Clinic July 29, 2016. As an intern in 1978, I was terrified of asthma, because I had no idea how to treat it. Many years of subsequent work with asthmatics has taught me…
An article describing Colic was posted on this blog in September. But today I learned of a website designed to help parents better understand and survive this difficult period of early-infant crying: The Period of Purple Crying. “Purple” is an acronym developed by Dr. Ronald G Barr and Marilyn Barr of the National Center on…
The Digital Age has had a profound impact on everyone, especially those of us in health care. The Patient Portal represents one of the greatest advancements in our field, allowing patients and their families unprecedented access to portions of their Electronic Medical Record. And enrolling is a piece of cake! Here are the simple steps: Call…
Nothing is likely as intimidating or discouraging to parents as a screaming infant — especially a newborn. Last week my wife Kathy showed me this amazing YouTube video of Dr. Robert Hamilton, of Pacific Ocean Pediatrics in Santa Monica, California, demonstrating his calming technique for infants 3 months or younger. Literally, I had opportunity to try…
Most of my patient families have, at times over the past few years, felt almost harassed as I have (at virtually every check-up) sung the praises of Vitamin D. It’s time for me to explain what all the fuss is about. Most people know that Vitamin D is important for maintaining strong bones. Without Vitamin D…
Ear Infections are the most common bacterial infection in children, and account for a substantial percentage of all visits to a pediatrician’s office. Why is that? This article will help you understand why. We will also briefly discuss antibiotics for ear infections as well the use of “tubes” for children who keep having them. An…
Few pediatric conditions are as likely to cause as much consternation in families as constipation! Little wonder that it can make for very unhappy kids, and very frustrated parents, as everyone seeks the “magic cure” to make it better — NOW! Constipation is very common. It accounts for up to 5% of all visits a general…
A sick child who suddenly awakens in the middle of the night making a terrible sound and having trouble breathing can be terrifying. The two conditions most likely to produce this situation are croup and wheezing. Because the immediate home treatment of croup is quite different from that of wheezing, it is helpful to try…
Research into the complex nerve connections of the developing brain has exploded in the last 20 years, and one conclusion is clear: From Day 1, every day counts. We know that children who from birth have parents and family members who talked to their baby, and responded immediately to every cue made by that child,…
Few diseases commonly affecting children are as confusing to families as asthma. The presenting symptoms can vary, causing parents to debate even whether or not they should start treatment. This discussion will attempt to clarify what asthma is, which will hopefully lead to a rational approach for treating your child. Asthma is a long-term, often…
A beloved Virology Professor, C. George Ray, uttered the immortal words “fever is your friend” during my training. He was not trying to discount the genuine concern, at times bordering on terror, which grips many parents at the first sign of a fever in their child. Rather, he was trying to get us, as Pediatric…
Colds are part of life; we all get them, regardless of our age or state of health. Yet for parents, particularly parents of young children in daycare, they can seem almost like a perpetual problem. Why is that? Glad you asked! There are likely close to 200 different respiratory viruses that can cause the common…
Thrush is a remarkably common, harmless, yet frustrating condition which many of us have had to contend with in our newborns and infants. I still shudder when I recall, as new parents, how long it took for us to eliminate those nasty little white patches from our daughter Emily’s mouth. The basis for our repeated…
“Does anyone have a clue what we’re going through?” Likely nothing in our entire lives leading to parenthood will ever quite prepare us for the infant with colic. Though our three children are not genetically related (two are adopted), all three had severe colic from about 3 weeks of age until just after 3 months of…
This article was edited May 17, 2018 to reflect updated AAP and NTSB information. I retired from the Salem Pediatric Clinic July 29, 2016. Suggestions from Dr. Tom and The American Academy of Pediatrics for car seat safety. I distinctly remember traveling blissfully down 2,000 miles of gravel road on the Alcan Highway from my home in…
Exhausting, complete overload likely describes the emotional state of many first-time (or even experienced) moms and dads: Sleep deprivation, sore nipples for breast-feeding moms, and visitors showing up at all hours can put a damper on this once-in-a-lifetime experience. So why does baby have to create mayhem with an array of potentially scary behaviors and…
Rashes often seem unfathomable to parents. They are amazingly common, unfortunately more so in some children than others, and only a very tiny few are really serious, demanding immediate medical attention. To guide you, I am going to suggest evaluating a relatively small number of characteristics: Does the rash blanch or not? When you press…
Introducing KidsDoc Symptom Checker, the best phone app a concerned parent may ever buy. Innumerable are the anxious moments the average parent has spent agonizing over what to do next for their ill or injured child. “Should I call the doctor?” “Should I take him this instant to the Emergency Room (now called Emergency Department)?” “Maybe Aunt Hilda will…
Potty training techniques and philosophies have evolved dramatically in my career, yet one constant remains: the process seems mysterious. The anxiety thereby generated is only heightened by well-meaning but often misguided “free” advice offered by grandparents, aunts, even friends. “So what do YOU think we should do? “ is usually how the dilemma is presented…
Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, refers to chronic, often life-long, sometimes severe, dry, cracked skin, which is typically very itchy. It is one of the four “Atopic Diseases”: asthma, allergy, food allergy, and eczema. Eczema is often inherited from an atopic parent, who in fact, might not have eczema, but severe asthma, or allergies. Let’s assume you’ve…
Let me preface my thoughts by acknowledging up front my awareness of the wide cultural and personal differences in the approach to weaning. If you are reading this, I will assume some acceptance on your part of the American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines, which suggest weaning by 14 months of age. So why do parents…
Nothing seems quite as mysterious to parents as those dreaded diaper rashes that seem to appear at times with alarming frequency. Though there certainly are diaper rashes that require an immediate doctor’s visit, including shiny, sometimes crusty spots with drainage, which are likely infected, the vast majority can very safely and appropriately treated by you…
Ah, the picky eater: often the source of much angst, likely even sleepless nights for parents trying to deal with it. The “picky toddler” is almost a brand, yet parents of even school-aged children often come to me with similar concerns. Nearly all my advice on this subject comes from one of my favorite authors,…
Introducing table solids into a baby’s diet is for many parents a downright scary proposition. “I’m afraid he might choke on it, and…” you fill in the blank, but be assured, these words have been uttered to me countless times by very appropriate, but genuinely frightened parents. So how to proceed. First, your baby will,…
If you are reading this, you are likely the parent of a 3 to 4 month old baby, alternately thrilled, then terrified at the prospect of introducing solids. You are not alone! I would submit that even my professional organization, the American Academy of Pediatrics, (AAP) has repeatedly revised its recommendations. 🙂 Let’s start with “when?”…
Melanoma is one of the scariest, most aggressive cancers. Most of us are aware of its association with excessive sun exposure. Dermatologists use a mnemonic, “The ABCs of moles,” to help distinguish innocent moles from cancerous melanomas. It is my deepest desire to help your child avoid such cancer; to that end, I offer my…
Welcome to the crazy world of toddlers: that challenging time of life when every parent’s precious baby hits their teens (in months 🙂 ); when children are embarking on a process called individuation. This means they are trying to figure out all the ways they are not you. It’s a season often rich with whining, and…
This chat about cough is a tribute of sorts to the Royal Baby, Charlotte. I have no idea whether there is even a history of asthma in the Royal Family Tree, but I love the name. Asthma should be considered in any child with recurrent wheezing OR cough, OR BOTH! Technically one doesn’t use term…
What follows assumes your baby is at least 6 months old, and is waking up for a feeding at least once a night. It also assumes that your baby doesn’t consistently put him or herself to sleep at the beginning of the night. In my experience, there are a few non-negotiable “musts” if you want…
Below is a simple approach, relatively easy for both parents and babies, which if followed, should achieve 9 to 12 hours of continuous night sleep by 4 months of age. All humans sleep by association. Infants and adults wake up multiple times per night, during REM sleep. If the conditions to which we awaken are similar…
WVP is offering parenting classes for families with newborns. If you are interested, please ask your Primary Care Physician.
Check out our new Vaccines page in the Resources section of the website. Learn about SPC’s immunization policy and get more information on immunizations from CDC fact sheets.
Our new Understanding Birth online class is ideal for those expectant parents who can’t attend an on-site childbirth class due to work schedules, time constraints, or medical conditions. The eight-chapter program is an interactive, web-based class that uses videos, personal birth stories, animations, activities, and games to teach all the essential information parents need to…
97 percent of all parents mistakenly believe they use car seats properly. Car seat safety events help parents determine that 85 percent of the seats checked need correction! Child passenger safety technicians and trained volunteers will check your child’s car seat for: Correct installation Recalls and damage Best fit for weight, height, and age Schedule:…
Come try our FREE and informal discussion group for moms with new babies! Date: Mondays Time: 11:00 am – 12:30 pm Location: Meets in Building D on the Salem Hospital campus. Parking: Free covered parking is available in the visitor garage. For more information call 503-841-CHEC (2432) Being a new parent can be fabulous and frustrating. The…
Spend a few quick hours to learn how to help a baby who is choking, respond to a breathing or cardiac emergency, and how to childproof your home. These techniques, using American Heart Association Family & Friends information, can be used with children up to one year of age. Classes offered twice every month, except…
Mid-Valley Parenting of Polk County is a community partner working together to support families through parenting education and resources.
Come see Salem Pediatric Clinic at Salem’s Riverfront Park. Enjoy Family Building Blocks Riverfront Family Fest on August 2, 2014 from 10am-2pm!
Now is a great time to schedule your child’s well child check!
Talk to our staff about signing up for the Patient Portal so you can access your medical chart!