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hvparent.com n Hudson Valley Parent 21 ...We take care of kids... 104 Fulton Avenue (Main oce) Poughkeepsie, NY 12603 845.452.1700 www.childrensmedgroup.com THE PEDIATRICIANS OF THE HUDSON VALLEY SM /FXCVSHIt.PEFOBt'JTILJMM )PQFXFMM+VODUJPOt)ZEF1BSLtKingston 1BXMJOHt1PVHILFFQTJFt3IJOFCFDL We Know Kids. Get to Know Us. Visit our website or call our main number to schedule an appointment with Dr. Aristide, in our Newburgh office or Dr. Solomon in our Modena office. Follow us on facebook & twitter Find out why "Hudson Valley Parent" readers voted 18 of our providers as their "FAVORITE DOCS!" Make an appointment with your favorite doc, and find them on our website. From prenatal care through adolescence, The Children's Medical Group is all about kids. That means we're all about respecting and listening to parents – you know your child better than anyone. Look to us to respond to all your concerns. Like weekend hours and same-day appointments. 24/7 emergency intervention. Providers and staff who are the best of the best. Caring for your kids is our life. And we wouldn't have it any other way. Nine "local" offices offer comprehensive medical services. Over 70 insurance plans accepted. Open 365 days/year. Always accepting new patients. Dominique Aristide, MD Arlene Solomon, MD Newburgh Office Modena Office We hear you! Se habla Español who has even found a tick on his child when he was apple picking in the fall. He says, "We see more cases of tick bites in the summer because we are outside more, but you have to be vigilant all year round in making sure that ticks are not on you or your child." Recently, Richard S. Ostfeld, a senior scientist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, stated that this year's hotbed of ticks is going to be really bad, and that is based on a bumper crop of, believe it or not, acorns. A bumper acorn crop leads to an explosion of white-footed mice, which means more hosts for the ticks to grab on to. "Ticks survive really well when they feed on a mouse compared to other animal hosts so more ticks make it to the nymph stage," says Dr. Ostfeld in a statement by the Cary Institute. Don't be scared, be prepared Monteiro makes sure to check her sons for ticks if they have been playing in the woods or at the baseball field. "I also use a bug repellent on them when we are out," she says. Dummett says that she loves the fact that kids are playing outside and doesn't want a fear of tick bites and Lyme disease to change that. "We want them outside playing and running," she says. "When they are outside though, keep them away from heavy brush. Ticks cannot fly, but they can certainly jump from a blade of grass to their host. Cover up their legs and tuck pants into socks." Most importantly, Dummett says that they should shower within two hours of coming in from playing outside. "Then, do a head to toe exam of your child, around the scalp, hairline, arms, waist and the groin, which is areas that they like," she says. "This is where they will feed uninterrupted for the next several days." If you find a tick on your child, it's very important to remove it properly. The Lyme Disease Association says that improper removal of ticks greatly increases the risk of acquiring tick-borne infections. Instead, you should grab the tick with tweezers - grab the tick close to the skin and pull it straight out. However, just because you or your children have been bitten by a tick doesn't mean that you are doomed to get Lyme disease. "A tick bites and begins to burrow and feed, but not right away," says Dummett. "Once they stay on you for 36 hours and start sucking your blood, their saliva starts going into you. That's the point when you get the bacteria into your system." (Continued on Page 22)