Thomaston Pediatrics

I just wanted to wish everyone a very happy Father’s Day. A good father is so important to the development of a child. I spend most of my days interacting with the mothers of the children, and many of these mothers are just amazing the way they love and take such good care of their children. They do the grunt work, the hands on work of taking care of the child, but many times in the background there is a loving father that just simply meets his daily obligations and responsibilities, day in and day out, to make life better for his family. Many times it goes unnoticed, he doesn’t draw attention to himself or complain, he just simply shows up, he’s there, and he provides whatever is needed for his family. I want to acknowledge these selfless fathers that put their family first. May God bless them..

Christopher and Kaiden are officially orange belts! They both started karate exactly one year ago this month, two of the first students that we initially sponsored, and I am so proud of them! They have not only developed some pretty impressive skills, but their motivation, discipline and confidence levels are off the charts as well! A couple of sweet little boys learning some valuable stuff!

Lately, I have done a fair number of sports physicals on the school aged children and I wanted to mention that it is not just a formality. I take it very seriously when checking a child for sports participation because we need to be as safe as possible. There are many stories in the news about catastrophic events occurring with young athletes while participating in sports. It’s so horrific, I hate to even mention it, but I just read a recent story of a young football player dying during practice. I’m posting this today because sometimes the parents are surprised when I tell them additional tests need to be done prior to participation. They are under the impression it’s just a given that I’ll sign off on it, and even sometimes the parents will be a little annoyed that extra consideration needs given. This is so important though that we be safe and thorough, the consequences of not doing the right thing can be catastrophic. If the child is significantly overweight, or has an unusually high BMI, or a significant family history, or a borderline or elevated heart rate or blood pressure, just to name a few pertinent issues, they may need additional testing or consideration. We may not be able to safely clear that child. So, I know most parents appreciate the thorough evaluation I give the children, they want their child to be as safe as humanly possible. As a pediatrician, I appreciate the trust the parent has in me and will always do my best with regard to the safety of the child during sports activities. Thank you