Health Plan of San Joaquin | Focus Your Health | Winter 2020

2 Focus Your Health Give the gift of health! This holiday season, give the gift of health. Sched- ule a well-visit for your child. Health screenings can be scheduled at any time by calling your doc- tor, and some visits can be done over the phone. This checkup can help keep your kids healthy and meet their developmental needs. At a checkup, your doctor will:  ● Ask about a child’s health and development  ● Do a physical exam  ● Give shots to prevent diseases  ● Screen for: - Development - Dental or oral health - Vision - Hearing - Mental health - Nutrition  ● Check other issues they might find during the exam  ● Order tests for anemia, lead, tuberculosis and other problems Call your doctor to schedule an appoint- ment. If you have ques- tions about scheduling the appointment or how to get help with transpor- tation to the office, visit hpsj.com or call us at 888.936.PLAN (7526) . You may be thinking about giving gifts and toys as part of your celebration. Let’s keep them playing longer by choosing safe toys. Thousands of toy-related injuries happen every year. Keep these safety tips in mind when you choose gifts this year: 1 Read labels carefully. Labels on toy packages can help you decide if the toy is safe for a child's age and matches his or her interests and abilities. Make sure the label says the toy is nontoxic—meaning it doesn't contain materials that could poison a child. 2 Look for potential hazards. For instance, loud toys can harm a child's hearing. Strings or ribbons on stuffed animals can cause strangulation—remove them if the gift is for a young child. And small game pieces are OK for older kids, but they may choke a younger child if swallowed. 3 Think twice about flying toys. Toys that shoot things into the air can be a blast. But some parts may injure eyes or be choking hazards. 4 For young kids, avoid toys that need to be plugged in. Children under 10 are safer with battery- powered toys instead. Just remember to keep any button batteries—which might be swallowed—away from younger siblings. 5 Hand them a helmet too. Buying a riding toy? Don't forget to include this safety gear for your skateboarding teen or tricycling tyke. Visit safekids.org for more information. 5 tips for buying safe toys