Most immunizations are taken care of by the time a child begins school. The CDC recommends some additional school-time vaccinations. The Porter County Health Department will be at the Portage Township YMCA providing free vaccines for children grades 6 thru 12, June 28 and 29 from 3:00 – 5:30 p.m. Vaccines available are TDAP (Combined Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis), Meningitis, and Varicella. Availability is limited so please register to guarantee your child’s vaccine by calling 219-764-7217.

Children of any age who are preparing to join organized sports should have a specialized exam that focuses on pre-existing or potential conditions that may affect their ability to participate, such as heart murmur, irregular heartbeat, hernia or asthma. Also checked will be a head to toe examination, including height and weight, blood pressure, heart rate, scoliosis. In addition to keeping a child healthy and safe, school-age physicals have an additional benefit; “A regular schedule of physical exams from childhood through adolescence can create a lifelong habit of good health,” says Dr. Leticia Oliveros, a pediatrician at University of California, Irvine Medical Center.

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From the 2011 Spring Senior Circle publication

Q: “I just turned 65 and my doctor recommended that I get a pneumonia shot. Do I really need one?”

A: “The pneumonia vaccine is a good idea for patients 65 and older and for others at higher risk, such as those with chronic cardiovascular disease, diabetes, asthma, COPD or a compromised immune system,” said Geraldine Feria, MD, with Wanatah Primary Care. Consider that about 10,000 people die each year because of invasive bacterial infections.

“As we get older, or if we have other health issues, a simple pneumonia that would ordinarily be treated as an outpatient can become more severe, causing patients to end up in the Intensive Care Unit on a ventilator or with a more invasive infection,” said Feria.

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One of NorthShore Health Center's Pediatricians, Dr. Mark Connery, talks about his love for being a pediatrician and the importance of regular check ups for kids.

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On Saturday, June 25th, more than 175 people, including over 20 volunteers will be out in force at Hamlet Golf Course in memory of friend and family member Mike Huhnke. Proceeds from the golf outing will benefit the Visiting Nurse Association’s new VNA Phoenix Center in Valparaiso.

The VNA Phoenix Center provides peer support groups and activities to help children, teens and young adults learn to cope with their grief after the loss of a loved one. The program is offered free of charge and is open to any child grieving a loss. Adults accompanying the children are also provided with the opportunity for group support and networking.

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Lori Lecea, one of NorthShore's Certified Nurse Midwives, discusses the wide variety of programs at NorthShore, including the Labor and Delivery program.

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Rocky Schiralli, President/CEO of Porter-Starke services hosted the ribbon cutting for the new addition to their facility in Portage

"We'll be using this room for educational purposes, training purposes, multi-groups, family groups and experiential therapy, so we will make tremendous use of this space in particular," Rocky said of the new addition.

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From the 2011 Spring Senior Circle publication

When it comes to hearing loss, time matters, according to James Turk, DO, an Otolaryngologist – ear, nose and throat specialist. “Patients who don’t seek help early on can experience changes in the way they process speech and sounds. They can actually lose the ability to understand words,” said audiologist Michele Watts, AuD, with Associated Ear, Nose & Throat Specialists “It’s like a muscle. If you don’t exercise your hearing, your processing of speech may slow down,” she said.

Though hearing loss affects approximately 17 percent of American adults, it doesn’t mean you’re old, said Watts. “Even babies can be diagnosed with hearing loss. Plus, not all hearing loss is permanent, so an early and accurate diagnosis is important.”

The path to better hearing begins with a painless examination to detect any medical reasons behind the impairment and determine if medication or surgery can help, said Turk. The next step would be a hearing test to determine the level and type of hearing loss and suggest solutions.

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