Coastal Pediatric Associates

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Welcome to Coastal Pediatric Associates! We are proud to serve the greater Charleston area by offering the highest standard in pediatric care. Our tenured pediatricians have been caring for the children of the South Carolina Lowcountry for over 20 years. It is our desire to partner with you in raising your child – always striving to provide the most current, compassionate, and comprehensive medical care available. Our pediatric practice is committed to the goal of delivering clinical expertise in an environment that is fun, kid-friendly, and sensitive to the unique needs of each patient.
From infancy through young adulthood, it is our hope that your children will look forward to return visits with medical providers they come to know, love and trust.

It's summertime! Let's talk about how to enjoy summertime safely with your child.
Sun Safety: For babies under 6 months of age, it is best to avoid direct sunlight as much as possible! You can do this by seeking shade (whether it be under a tree or via the canopy of a stroller), dressing your baby in protective clothing, and using a wide brimmed hat to help keep the sun off of his/her face and neck. When it is not possible to avoid sunlight, it is okay to use small amounts of sunscreen (one formulated for babies) on exposed areas (such as on the face or the back of hands).
For children 6 months of age and older, again, protect the skin from sun when possibleby using hats and protective clothing (cotton with a "tight weave"). Don't forget to protect eyes as well by having your child wear sunglasses. Sunscreen is also an important part of sun protection--look for one that is "broad sprectum"--this means that it will help protect against both UVA and UVB rays. It should have an SPF of 30 or greater. Beth Thelan, our very own pediatric nurse practitioner, recommends picking up some clear zinc oxide at your local drugstore or superstore. It goes on white but then dries clear . . . she reports that her fair-skinned kids do not get burnt when they use this on their faces, even if they are getting sweaty scoring goals on the soccer field! Don't forget to reapply sunscreen frequently, especially after sweating or swimming. Also, it is best to apply sunscreen 30 minutes prior to sun exposure (it actually needs a little time to absorb into the skin!)

Water Safety: Here in Charleston, we have a lot of exposure to the water, whether it be the ocean or local pools. For young children, we even need to consider small areas of water such as baby pools, buckets of water, bathtubs, etc. (remember to empty all containers of water after using them and provide vigilant supervision) Kids can drown in even a few inches of water!
Let's talkmore about how to enjoy watersafely with our children. The American Academy of Pediatrics has recently revised its recommendations regarding swimming lessonsfor young children. In the past, it advised against swim instruction for the 1 to under 4year old age group (due to concerns that it might give a false sense of security). Now, it states that if the child is developmentally ready, formal swim instruction may be beneficial. Children 4 years of age and older should have swim instruction. When in the water with non-swimmers and weaker swimmers, remember that the adult needs to provide "touch supervision"--this means that the supervising adult should be within arm's length of the child.
If you go boating with children, remember that they need to wear a Coast Guard approved life vest. For younger children, the life vest should have a collar that will help keep the face out of the water.

Bicycle, skateboard, and scooter safety: We see too many kids who do not wear a helmet for these activities! Please, protect your child's head and have them wear a helmet! Helmets need to be worn for each and every ride . . . it doesn't matter if you are just going a short distance. Remember, children learn by following your lead, so if you are biking with them you should wear a helmet as well! For skateboarding or riding a scooter, other protective gear (especially wristguards) should be worn as well.

Coastal Pediatric Associates is pleased to announce our new expanded office hours. Beginning on September 14th, we will be offering scheduled weekday appointments in both offices starting at 7:00AM. On Monday through Thursday, appointments will be available in our West Ashley office until 8:15PM.
Remember, there are many ways to schedule appointments with your CPA provider:

During regular business hours, our phone staff is always available to help you find the most convenient available appointment time.

Furthermore, routine appointments can be made online through the Request Appointment page of our website.
Finally, our after-hours nurses are available anytime the office is closed to reserve a time for your sick child once the office reopens.

In addition to expanded hours, we will soon be introducing new providers! While we hope that your child remains well, by expanding our hours and our work force, we intend to be available to you for any problems that may arise.
Keep washing your hands! (And hopefully, our next encounter will be for your child's routine "well-visit!")