Why It’s Essential To Get Your Teen Vaccinated Against COVID-19

While there’s little question among the professionals that vaccinations are important, many parents still show concern at the prospect of getting the COVID-19 vaccine for their children. This concern often seems supported by the fact that younger children tend not to show symptoms if they get the disease and are less likely to die or be hospitalized from infection. In spite of this, experts state that it is essential that your teens, and eventually your younger children, receive the vaccination for their own health and for those around them.

Three Reasons Experts Say You Should Vaccinate Your Teen Against COVID-19

Not only is it important, but it’s also critical that those who are over the age get vaccinated as soon as possible. COVID-19 isn’t an individual problem; it’s a concern that affects almost everyone in the world. Eliminating it as a threat is a responsibility all of us share, and the way we help with it is by masking up, social distancing, and getting the vaccine for our families as soon as possible. The following three reasons are why it’s essential your child get vaccinated and how it can help protect others.

• COVID-19 Vaccination Protects Teens From A Dangerous Infection – While it’s true that younger people have a reduced risk of infection, that doesn’t mean the chance is zero. Those between the ages of 5 and 17 rep represent nearly 10% of all COVID-19 cases that have happened in the United States. While death is uncommon, it is not unheard of. Teens, in particular, are at risk for Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C).
• The More Of Us That Receive Vaccinations, The Closer We Get To Herd Immunity – Every one of us that gets a vaccination is one more person that is both immune to the disease and incapable of spreading it to others. Those who are unable to receive the vaccination due to unavailability or other medical conditions can be protected by those who can receive their vaccinations. With those under 18 comprising 24% of the population in the US, teens play an important role.
• COVID-19 Is Mutating –  Vaccination Can Help Fight New Strains – By reducing the spread of the original COVID-19 virus, we limit the possibility that it will have a chance to mutate. The more people who can become infected by and carry the disease, the more chances there are that it will continue to slip past our defenses.  

Taking these into consideration, it’s absolutely clear that we must vaccinate our children as soon as possible, in addition to being vaccinated ourselves. With all of us working to beat it, we can put an end to the pandemic and get back on the way to a safer world for all of us.

Bring Additional Questions About Vaccination To Your Health Provider

If you still have concerns about vaccinating your children, reach out to your health provider with your worries. They’ll be able to provide clear information about the safety of your child and how vaccinations can help. Act soon to ensure that your children, your elderly, and all your loved ones are protected from COVID-19. The pandemic isn’t over, but with us all working together, it can be.

Telehealth 101: Where Technology Meets Healthcare

Communications have vastly expanded over the past decade. With the development of video calls and online services, the medical industry has begun implementing telehealth services in clinics all across the country. But what is telehealth all about? For many, telehealth has become a new avenue for healthcare, allowing people to get appointments from their primary care physicians and specialists without leaving their homes. Here, we’ll explore some of the various aspects of telehealth, how it works to help doctors and patients through appointments, and how it improves healthcare overall.

What Does Telehealth Mean?

Telehealth, also known as telemedicine, uses telecommunication to provide care for you even when you’re not in the doctor’s office. As long as you have a phone or device that can access the internet, these appointments are possible. During these appointments, you can speak with your doctor in real-time, send and receive messages from your doctor through messages and emails, and doctors can use remote patient monitoring to check on your health while you’re at home. Patients can receive primary care for many clinics, gain prescriptions, talk to mental health counselors, and gain immediate urgent care right through their device.

Telehealth comes with so many benefits. For patients unable to leave home, or patients unable to commute to their doctor’s office, telehealth can allow people the time and effort they need to care for their health on their schedule. Your doctor can address your health problems wherever you are, and using these telehealth services can cut down on waiting times, allowing your doctor to give you the full-on attention you need to improve your health and get the treatments you need.

How Does Telehealth Work For Families?

For parents with busy work-life schedules, telehealth can help families immensely. Through telehealth, your doctors can schedule appointments with you and your family, allowing you to see your medical specialists and help them diagnose and treat problems from a distance. For families, telehealth provides these benefits:

• Privacy and Security: Telehealth services should always consider the privacy of your family’s needs. When talking with your primary care doctor, telehealth can easily track healthcare information and keep both you and your doctor checking when handling your family’s needs.
• Easy Follow-Ups: At the end of your telehealth session, your doctor can easily schedule a follow-up appointment that works within your schedule, so you don’t have to worry.
• Fun Interaction With Children: For assessing children’s health, your children can be comfortable in their own homes while receiving an initial examination from their primary doctor.
• Schedule Tests and Exams: If your doctor needs a more thorough exam, your telehealth visit can be a preliminary appointment for your health.
• Talk About Anything: Within this space, you get one-on-one attention from your primary care physician.

If you’re curious about telehealth services, contact your health insurance company to see if your insurance covers telehealth visits. For more information about telehealth, arrange an appointment with your primary care doctor to learn more.

How Your Physician Can Help You Manage Your Asthma

The respiratory condition known as asthma affects more than 25 million people in the United States, with 1 out of every 13 suffering from the condition. This number accounts for nearly 8% of adults and 8.4% of children. Incidents of Asthma in the US have been increasing since the 1980s across all genders, races, ages, and classes. Throughout this time, a significant amount of research has been put into discovering how patients and doctors can best coordinate to get the most effective treatment, and therefore control, of this condition.

The Origins of Asthma and The Reason Its On The Rise

Asthma has always been with us, but changing lifestyles and environmental conditions may play a role in the steady rise we’ve seen since the 1970s. Asthma is best described as a respiratory condition wherein environmental and other triggers can lead to the swelling of the airway tissues and the production of music that makes breathing difficult. For some, asthma is merely a mild annoyance, while for others, it can be life-threatening. The common signs of asthma include:

• Blockage of the Airway – This is typified by tightness in the chest
• Inflammation – Red, inflamed bronchial tubes that can potentially damage your lungs
• Irritable Airway – High reactivity to airborne pollutants
• Coughing – Especially when prevalent in the morning or evening
• Tight Chest – Pain, tightness, and pressure in the chest are common complaints
• Sleeping Concerns – Breathing issues can make sleeping difficult

There’s a lot your physician can do to help you manage these symptoms and reduce the frequency of your attacks. Communicating with them is one of the best ways to ensure that your condition is getting the treatment it needs to be under control. Some of the results of clear communication with your physician include:

• Increased satisfaction with the results of your care
• Better knowledge of your disease and the treatments used
• Increased ability to manage your asthma and monitor its frequency

Accomplishing this requires both parties to be actively involved in communicating your concerns. If your physician doesn’t seem receptive to an active patient, it may be worth considering other options for your care.

How To Effectively Communicate With Your Physician

Some effective steps you can take to improve your ability to communicate with your physician. The

Institute For Healthcare Improvement compiled a list of the three most effective questions patients can ask when beginning their care. These questions are:

• What Is My Largest Asthma Related Concern Right Now?
• What Are My Next Steps To Manage My Asthma?
• Why Are These Steps Important To See Results?

In addition to these three questions, you should also be prepared to be your own advocate. An engaged and curious patient is one who will see the best results from the care being offered. This inquisitiveness also ensures you know what your medication can do for you, how to avoid triggering an episode, and what signs tell you it’s time to get in to see your provider for an updated diagnosis.