- Pediatrics, Infectious DiseaseGeneral Page Tier 3BlogShould my child get a COVID-19 vaccine? Many parents and guardians are asking this question, especially before the first day of school. Here are some answers to common concerns. Is My Child Eligible? Right now, anyone 12 and older can get the Pfizer vaccine. If your child is 18 and older, they are eligible to receive Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend children get the first vaccine available to them. How Does The Vaccine Work? COVID-19 vaccines essentially teach your immune system to recognize and make antibodies to fight the virus. After the second dose, it takes about two weeks for your body to build up immunity to the virus that causes COVID-19. Full immunity to the Johnson & Johnson dose occurs two weeks after the single dose. It is still unclear how long immunity from the vaccine will protect people. Is The Vaccine Safe For Children? All vaccines are very effective at preventing serious illness, hospitalization and death. After getting the vaccine, you can still get the virus, but cases are less severe and bad outcomes significantly reduced. Vaccines also dramatically reduce asymptomatic infection, which is important in decreasing the overall transmission of COVID-19. What About Side Effects? Like adults, some, but not all, children experience minor side effects. They can include: Pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site Fever Chills Headache Fatigue Nausea Pain in muscles These symptoms typically last 24 to 48 hours. According to the CDC, there are no known long-term effects from the COVID-19 vaccine. I’ve Heard A Lot About Myocarditis, Should I Be Concerned? Myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle, is an extremely rare side effect. According to the CDC, a small number of adolescents and young adults have experienced mild cases of myocarditis after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. It is mainly seen in males ages 16 to 30 and can include abnormal heart rhythms, shortness of breath or chest pain. Since most recover on their own, it is still safer to get the vaccine rather than COVID-19 because the virus can affect the heart. Does The COVID-19 Vaccine Cause Female Infertility? There is no evidence to support an impact on fertility. The CDC has tracked more than 35,000 pregnant women who received the vaccines. There was no increase in miscarriage or adverse outcomes for these women or their babies. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that pregnant women get a COVID-19 vaccine. It can protect you from severe illness from the virus. Be sure to talk to your doctor or child’s pediatrician if you have questions and concerns. What If My Child is Under 12? Clinical trials are underway to determine if COVID-19 vaccines are effective in children under 12. In the meantime, keep encouraging your children to practice the ‘3Ws’: wear a mask, wash your hands and watch your distance. These three, simple practices can greatly reduce your and your child’s risk of COVID-19. What Should I do When My Child Returns to School? (Updated Aug. 25, 2021) Due to the circulating and highly contagious Delta variant, CDC recommends universal indoor masking by all students (age 2 and older), regardless of vaccination status. Getting all vaccine-eligible children vaccinated will help the overall school community to remain safe. Also, please keep your children home from school if they are sick. Authors Dr. Lauren Fitzpatrick is the medical director of Pediatrics ER/Inpatient at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center. Dr. Asha Payne is medical director of Children’s National Emergency Department at Doctors Community Medical Center.0
- Behavioral Health, PediatricsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogThank you. It’s a simple, yet powerful, phrase. One you probably taught to your children as soon as they could talk. And sometimes you probably have to remind them to use it when they get a gift or a compliment. But when you remind them to say thank you, you aren’t just teaching them to be nice. You’re teaching them how to be happy. Positive. Resilient. Did you know that more and more research is shining a light on a connection between gratitude and greater happiness? Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions. It helps to alleviate depression, improve health, build strong relationships and better manage adversity. Feeling grateful for even the smallest things in life can help you be more patient, too. That’s according to research from Northeastern University. Grateful teens are also building emotional resilience because it helps them look on the bright side. This is especially important for teens, who often see things in black and white. Looking for some guidance on how you can raise a grateful and generous teen? Here’s our advice. Walk your talk. It starts with you. Talk about what you are grateful for so your child has a good example to follow. Bonus – the more you do it, the more you’ll find reasons to give thanks. Start a gratitude conversation. Dinner is already the perfect time to catch up with your teen – why not ask them what they are grateful for? Feel free to come up with your own examples, as we mentioned earlier! Or consider making a gratitude jar. Support your teen during the hard times. Life can be challenging. If something difficult happens, acknowledge it. But then, bring them back to the present when they’re ready. Talk to them about what they can learn from the experience. How can they grow from it? Give them time and space – but also encourage them to view it as a learning experience. Encourage your teen to volunteer. Nothing beats real-world experience. When your child helps people in need, they will appreciate what they have even more. Adolescents are naturally entitled. That’s simply the way their brain works. But you can help them focus and build their gratitude muscle and emotional strength. Think of your teen’s emotions as a rubber band that you can stretch. Like a rubber band, they will return to their original shape. Even when pushed to their limit. Keeping that “gratitude muscle” in shape will help them bounce back and carry on. Want to start a gratitude conversation? Spread the positive vibes with our how-to guide on creating a gratitude jar. Authors Ruth Milsten, LCSWC, is a mental health specialist with Anne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG) Mental Health Specialists. To schedule an appointment with her, call 410-573-9000. Waseem Hussain, MD, is a primary care doctor with Doctors Community Medical Center. Originally published Nov. 19, 2018. Last updated Aug. 13, 2025.0
- Wellness, Women's Health, Pediatrics, Men's Health, UncategorizedGeneral Page Tier 3BlogParents and caregivers deal with their fair share of “ick”-inducing situations, but there’s something about finding a tick embedded in your child’s skin (or yours!) that creates an extra sense of panic. Warmer weather makes ticks more active. Combine this with more outdoor playtime for kids and families, and you have a perfect storm for an increase in tick bites across the area. Here are the five things you should know as tick season ramps up in Maryland: 1. How to Remove a Tick You found a tick! Now what? Don’t panic, just reach for a set of fine-tipped tweezers and grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t worry too much if you aren’t able to remove the mouth of the tick—once the body is removed it can no longer transmit disease. Clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. Avoid “folklore” remedies, such as using heat to make the tick detach or suffocating it with petroleum jelly. The goal is to remove the tick as quickly as possible. Consider saving the tick in a plastic baggie in case you need to visit the doctor. If that’s not possible, it’s important to note the size of the tick, whether it was actually attached to the skin and if it was engorged (that is, full of blood). It is also helpful to know how long the tick was likely attached to the skin. If it was not attached, was easy to remove, and was not full of blood when it was removed, the tick is not likely to transmit Lyme disease or any other infection. 2. Not All Ticks Carry Lyme Disease Lyme disease is transmitted primarily by deer ticks, but not all deer ticks are infected with the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. Adult deer ticks grow only to about the size of a sesame seed and have reddish hind bodies with black markings and black legs. Lyme disease is debilitating, though rarely fatal, and early symptoms closely resemble the flu, such as fever, headache, fatigue, and muscle and joint aches. A slowly spreading bull’s-eye shaped rash usually occurs at the site of the bite. If you’re bitten by a deer tick, a healthcare expert can advise you on one of two approaches: observe and treat if signs or symptoms of Lyme disease develop or treat with a preventive antibiotic immediately. Your medical history will largely determine which of these options is chosen. There is no benefit to blood testing for Lyme disease at the time of the tick bite—even people who become infected will not have a positive blood test until approximately two to six weeks after the infection develops. 3. When to Call the Doctor If you or your family member develops any of the symptoms of Lyme disease, call your doctor right away. Early diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease with antibiotics can prevent serious illness and long-term complications. Other reasons to call the doctor would be if you can’t remove the tick or the tick’s head, the bite site begins to look infected, or a fever or rash develops in the days or weeks following a tick bite. Don’t hesitate to seek medical attention if you have questions or concerns, it’s better to be safe than sorry! 4. How to Prevent Tick Bites A little prevention and thinking ahead can go a long way in preventing tick bites. Ticks crawl, they do not fly or jump, so avoiding wooded bushy areas with high grass, and walking in the center of trails can help you avoid direct contact with ticks. Use repellents that contain 20-30% DEET on exposed skin and clothing for several hours of protection. Always follow the product instructions—especially when it comes to the age of your child—and avoid hands, eyes and mouth. Bathe or shower as soon as you can after coming indoors, and perform a body check to more easily find ticks that might be crawling on you. Parents should check their kids for ticks under their arms, in and around the ears, behind the knees, between the legs and especially in their hair. Ticks also love to hitch a ride on pets and pet gear, so inspect those, too. 5. It’s Not Just a Warm Weather Concern As nice as it would be to not have to worry about ticks after the spring and summer months pass us, ticks are indeed active even in the winter. The cold causes many ticks to be less active, but deer ticks will be active any winter day the ground is not snow-covered or frozen. Bottom line: Don’t be caught off guard! Originally published June 9, 2015. Last updated July 20, 2025.0
- Orthopedics, Women's Health, UncategorizedGeneral Page Tier 3BlogA stress fracture is caused by micro-cracks in the bone that result from overuse and “fatigue failure of bone.” Every day, the body produces new bone to replace the bone that is broken down by daily wear and tear. This is typically a balanced process, but increased stress from physical training and repetitive overuse can lead to micro-fractures, also known as stress fractures. If not addressed early, these smaller stress fractures can lead to full fractures. Certain sports are more commonly associated with stress fractures: basketball, running, fitness class, racket sports, dance, and gymnastics. And, the most common lower leg stress fractures are tibia, tarsals, metatarsals and fibula. Female athletes have 3.5 times the fracture risk of males, especially female runners and gymnasts. This higher risk may be related to underlying menstrual irregularities and decreases in bone density or factors specific to the female anatomy and biochemistry. What A Stress Fracture Feels Like: Pain is worse after activity and relieved with rest. Short periods of rest may temporarily relieve the pain, but it starts to hurt as soon as you return to that activity. How We Treat It: Phase I: Pain control and rest, usually 10 to 14 days. Phase II: Reintroduction of activity; may last several weeks depending on location and type of stress fracture. Phase III: Preparation for return to competition. Increase sport-specific conditioning such as running drills, cutting drills, and selected skill work. Treatment lasts until the patient is symptom free, which can take several weeks. Even once you’re no longer in pain you may not heal for 3 to 6 months. Surgery is rarely necessary. Prevention: Correct training errors, such as forming and minimizing training frequency, duration and intensity. Take adequate rest periods during training. Stress fractures are increased in first two weeks after increased training intensity. Maintain a healthy diet/weight. Stress fractures are associated with lower fat intake, lower caloric intake, eating disorders, and weights less than 75 percent of ideal body weight. Remember, your doctor can be your partner in developing an exercise routine and diet to fit your needs. Dr. Semakula is a featured guest for our March docsTALK live show on Thursday, March 19th. Register today for this free event. Find out more tips and events for Living Well With Joint Pain by visiting www.LivingHealthierTogether.com. Author By Barbara Semakula, MD, specialist in sports medicine and non-operative care of fractures, osteoarthritis and joint pain at Anne Arundel Medical Center’s Pasadena Pavilion. To reach Dr. Semakula, call 410-280-4707.0
- UncategorizedGeneral Page Tier 3BlogMost of us are not aware of simple things we do every day that affect our health, good or bad. I am a firm believer that being healthy is a direct reflection of what you put into your body, mind and spirit. You are made to live in harmony with nature, which means everything you put into your body is designed to become a part of you. I have some very simple recommendations which, if you practice regularly, can prevent many of the illnesses that may bring you into the doctor’s office. The goal is staying healthy and living a long life, with the added benefit of feeling well and energetic. 1. Remember that food is intended to become a part of your DNA. When you eat organic, whole foods as close to the way they appear in nature — untouched by pesticides, genetic modification, or general processing — it is the healthiest for you. Highly processed foods often have excess fats and sugar, which can lead to diabetes and cardiovascular disease (heart attack, stroke or kidney disease). 2. Exercise is essential to stay healthy. Exercise induces your endorphins which are natural hormones that counterbalance stress. Exercise also increases your good cholesterol called HDL and decreases bad cholesterol called LDL. It also increases your body’s efficiency of using glucose for energy and decreases your insulin levels. As you might guess, these things decrease your risk of heart disease and diabetes. 3. Minimize refined sugar, carbohydrates and some dairy products. These are inflammatory and inflammation leads to cell damage. Inflammation leads to plaque buildup in your blood vessels, also called atherosclerosis. Plaque can break off and cause heart attack and stroke. Inflammation is also a huge contributor to arthritis and related diseases. Using natural spices such as turmeric can help you reduce and eliminate inflammation. 4. Adequate sleep is extremely important Your body repairs itself during sleep. But not all sleep is equal. You need deep sleep, or eight hours, to allow the most efficient cell repair. Decreased sleep equals decreased repair. Your vitamin D levels also affect your sleep. When you get direct sunlight to the skin, your body will metabolize and increase your vitamin D levels naturally. 5. Minimize stress. There are multiple ways to accomplish this. Exercise is often helpful. If you cannot run on a treadmill or spend an hour in the gym then try Tai Chi or Yoga, which are both low impact and work well for improving balance, increasing muscle tone, and calming your mind. To minimize stress, I also highly recommend mindfulness — some may call it meditation. Studies have proven that mindfulness reduces stress considerably. You can try sitting or lying still without stimulation from electronics or other devices. Practice deep breathing and perhaps have soft, instrumental music in the background. Try five minutes at a time until you find the right combination and time frame that works for you. Prevention of disease is the framework for a long life, and a healthy mind, body and spirit. As you work to improve one area, the others are sure to follow. Author Tammy Jones, MD, is a primary care doctor with Anne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG) Chesapeake Family Medicine, a new practice opening in Annapolis, Md., on April 18. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 443-481-4080.0
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