The Scoop on Flu Shots For Children: Flu shots are recommended this year for the following children:

• All children aged 6-23 months
• Children with chronic underlying medical conditions such as diabetes or mild persistent asthma that require daily medication
• Children 6 months to 18 years old who are on chronic daily aspirin therapy
• Household contacts of immunosuppressed patients such as bone marrow transplant or stem cell transplant patients.

Flu shots will be given based on availability of vaccine from the Pierce County Health Department due to the national shortage.

Reach Out and Read Program: Recently, Evergreen Children's Clinic has joined the nationally renowned Reach Out and Read Program. This wonderful program provides a brand new developmentally appropriate children's book to patients at each well child visit between the ages of 6 months to 5 years of age. Children who grow up with the Reach Out and Read books have demonstrated better expressive and receptive language skills, are read to more often, and list reading as one of the three most enjoyable activities the family does together. Ask about Reach Out and Read at your child's next well child exam at Evergreen Children's Clinic.

Seasonal Allergies: The trees are in bloom and allergy season has begun. If your child has a runny, itchy nose, if he is sneezing all the time, if his eyes are red and drippy - he may have allergies. Check out these websites for information about seasonal allergies.

Allergy information from American Academy of Pediatrics - http://www.aap.org/sections/allergy/child.cfm Allergy weather map with current pollen concentrations - http://www.weather.com/maps/activity/allergies/index_large.html?from=allefl American Academy of Asthma , Allergy & Immunology - http://www.aaaai.org Medline allergy information - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/allergy.html