Parent Resources

At Pediatrics of Akron we and our friendly staff offer all aspects of pediatric medical services:

  • Well child exams from birth to college
  • Sports and camp physicals
  • Pre-op physicals
  • Immunizations
  • School and behavioral issues
  • Acute and chronic illnesses
  • Inpatient hospital care for our patients
  • Adoptive Services

What is a Pediatrician?
A pediatrician is a physician whose specific specialty is caring for children from birth through college age. Pediatricians address acute and chronic illnesses, learning disabilities, behavioral issues and the growth and development of children. Our goal is to help ensure that children grow into mentally and physical healthy, productive and happy adults.

Web Resources

Helpful Baby Tips


Breast Feeding
Allow yourself time to adjust to nursing. Begin with 5 minutes on each breast, making sure the nipple and areola are in the baby's mouth. Gradually increase the feeding time up to 10 minutes on each breast. Feed your baby every 2-3 hours. Once your baby is gaining weight well, you can feed during the night on demand. Please call us if you are experiencing any difficulties.

Bottle Feeding
We recommend iron fortified formula and prefer that milk based formula be used initially. Make sure that you follow package mixing instructions. Formula is offered until one year of age, then whole milk until age two. Feed your baby every 3-4 hours, starting with 2-3 ounces. Frequency of feedings and amounts of formula will vary.

Solid Feedings
Solid food feedings are added around 4-6 months of age, when your baby is able to take food from a spoon. Begin with infant rice cereal. Infant foods are introduced one at a time with a frequency of one every 3-5 days. We do not recommend the use of additional water in infancy.

Fussiness
Burping frequently, for example every 1-2 ounces, can help decrease gassiness. Infant gas drops can also be given as needed. Spitting up small amounts of milk is normal, but large amounts or any projectile vomiting requires further evaluation.

Hiccups
Hiccups are common in newborn babies. Sucking on a pacifier or a few extra sips of formula or breast milk can often lessen this harmless nuisance. Additional water is not recommended.

Diapers
Your baby should have at least 6-8 wet diapers a day. Stools can vary in color, consistency and frequency and can change over time. Breastfed stools are often loose, yellow and seedy. Straining with bowel movements is quite normal and does not necessarily mean constipation. We discourage the use of suppositories or enemas in infants.

Rashes
Rashes are common, occuring on the face, chest, and diaper area. A protective diaper ointment used with each diaper change can be helpful. A diaper rash lasting more than three days or a rash with fever, blisters, or drainage should be evaluated.

Sleeping
Place your baby to sleep on his or her back. This greatly decreases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Babies who are watched/supervised may have tummy time while awake.

Jaundice
Jaundice is an elevation of bilirubin level in the blood which gives the baby's skin a yellow color. It often occurs in healthy babies from the second to fourth day of life and it usually disappears within two weeks. Please call us if your baby has yellow skin, is not feeding well or if your baby is too sleepy to feed.

Skin Care
Sponge baths are recommended until the  umbilical cord falls off at around 10 to 14 days. We prefer hypoallergenic, fragrance free soaps and lotions. Never leave your infant unattended in water.

Fever
It is not common for a baby under two months of age to develop a fever, so a rectal temperature of 100.4 should be reported to us. For babies of this age, also call us immediately for poor feeding, excessive sleepiness, or unusual irritablility.

Nasal Congestion and Sneezing
Sneezing is very common, caused by the need to clean dust, lint or mucus. Mucus is normal. Nasal congestion is common in small infants and usually lasts for weeks, especially if the air is dry. Elevating your baby in an infant seat may be helpful and saline nose drops can soften secretions. No one should smoke in a home where a baby lives.

General Health
We recommend that you avoid taking your newborn around crowds or into public places for the first two months of life. Minimize any opportunities for your baby to be exposed to illness. Always use good hand washing and encourage visitors to do the same.

Daily Dose of Reading

What is Daily Dose of Reading?
Daily Dose of Reading, Pediatrics of Akron, pediatricians emphasize the importance of literacy through a brief conversation with the child and parents at every well visit. Our pediatricians discuss favorite titles, encourage the child to read, and offer a Prescription for Reading. The Prescription is a list of twelve recommended titles appropriate to a child's age/reading level. Prescriptions are updated annually. They include current titles, old favorites, various genres, multicultural books, and books that appeal to both boys and girls.

Reading is fun! Reading teaches language skills. Reading is bonding time. Reading takes children to whole new worlds. Reading is important for life. Experts agree that reading aloud to a young child is strongly and positively connected to the child's eventual success as an independent reader. Early love of books may lead to a life-long passion for reading.

Contact Us

 

Office Hours

Monday:

Beginning at 08:30 AM

Tuesday:

Beginning at 08:30 AM

Wednesday:

Beginning at 08:30 AM

Thursday:

Beginning at 08:30 AM

Friday:

Beginning at 08:30 AM

Saturday:

Beginning at 08:30 AM

Sunday:

Closed