Mt. Spokane Pediatrics

06/19/2026

Happy Father’s Day weekend to all the dads, stepdads, grandpas, and father figures in our community! 💙
Growing up healthy starts with a strong foundation, and the love and care you provide every day makes all the difference. Thank you for being your child’s biggest hero! 🌞

06/17/2026

06/15/2026

Warmer weather means kids need plenty of fluids. Encourage water breaks throughout the day and bring refillable bottles along for summer adventures. ☀️💧

06/12/2026

Congratulations graduates! We know many of you are going into your last week of school. We are wishing you an amazing summer!

06/10/2026

Please join us in celebrating Coordinated Care's recent 10-year anniversary of the Apple Health Core Connections Program, which has provided vital support to Washington's children, youth, and young adults in foster care.

As a proud Foster Care Center of Excellence partner, we are honored to recognize the impact Coordinated Care has made over the past decade. Their work has contributed to fewer avoidable emergency room visits, increased well-child visits and immunization rates, and more than 1,900 clinical trainings reaching thousands of caregivers, case workers, and clinicians.

In addition, Coordinated Care has invested more than $380,000 in organizations dedicated to supporting youth in foster care.

Congratulations on 10 years of making a meaningful difference in the lives of Washington's children and families.

06/08/2026

We are very pleased to welcome Stephanie Manning, LICSW, to our clinic. She will be joining us on July 9th!

Stephanie is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker with experience supporting children, adolescents, adults, and families through therapy, crisis intervention, case management, and community-based mental health care. Her background includes child and family therapy, adolescent group therapy, substance use assessment, trauma-informed care, and working closely with care teams to support patient needs.

Stephanie will begin seeing patients for counseling and therapy on July 9 and will be available Tuesday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

Please contact our clinic to learn more or to schedule an appointment.

06/05/2026

🌞 Summer break is here! While kids deserve time to relax and have fun, a little structure can help make the season smoother for everyone.

A few simple routines, opportunities for learning, and some planned adventures can help kids thrive all summer long. Best of all, creating great memories doesn't have to be expensive or elaborate. ☀️📚🌳

https://childmind.org/article/strategies-for-a-successful-summer-break/

https://www.ednavigator.org/resources/the-busy-familys-guide-to-summer

06/01/2026

You can’t see indoor air pollution—but your child’s body feels it.💙

Children spend up to 80–90% of their time indoors, where pollutant levels can be 2–5 times higher than outside. And because their lungs, brains, and immune systems are still developing, they don’t just breathe more air for their size—they absorb more of what’s in it.

To***co smoke (including second and thirdhand exposure), va**ng, and indoor ma*****na use all increase risk for children. These exposures are linked to higher rates of respiratory illness, infections, and asthma. Research also suggests that compounds in cannabis smoke can be absorbed by nearby individuals, including children, with potential effects on attention, memory, and brain development.

Many other common household sources also contribute: pets, mold, cleaning products, and fragranced items like “fresh linen” candles.

Open the windows. Cut the fragrances. Fix the leaks.
And above all-keep the smoke far, far away from kids.

Because clean air isn't a luxury. It's a foundation.

Sources:
https://cchp.ucsf.edu/resources/fact-sheets-families/indoor-air-quality-your-home
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/indoor-air-pollution-and-childrens-health-clearing-the-air-for-healthier-breathing-at-home.aspx
https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/environmental-health/promoting-healthy-environments-for-children/indoor-air-pollutants/?srsltid=AfmBOoq-wgiz9Qw5t0b9XarQDl2KC3jOWgL_6fAwJ0gEd6LJF44R-dWU
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/secondhand-ma*****na-smoke-and-kids-2018060514012

05/27/2026

Video games aren’t the enemy—but pretending they’re harmless isn’t doing kids any favors either. 🎮

For today’s kids, gaming is part playground, part social life, part escape—and sometimes, part problem. The truth? It’s complicated. The impact depends on what they play, how long they play, and who they’re becoming while they play it.

Too much screen time can quietly replace movement, friendships, and time outdoors. Violent games may nudge behavior in the wrong direction—less empathy, more aggression—especially with long hours or peer influence in the mix.

But here’s the twist: not all gaming is bad.

Some games actually sharpen problem-solving, improve coordination, and even help kids build resilience. Research shows gaming can support stress management and emotional regulation—because unlike passive screen time, games demand effort, persistence, and grit.

So what matters most isn’t just the game—it’s the balance.

Kids are watching us, too. Our habits become their habits.

👀 Pay attention.
💬 Stay curious.
🎯 Set boundaries that make sense for your child.

Because the goal isn’t zero screen time—it’s raising humans who can handle the real world and the digital one.

Sources:
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-relationship-parenting-gaming-disorder-young.html
https://www.bu.edu/articles/2026/are-video-games-bad/
https://www.kidsmentalhealthfoundation.org/mental-health-resources/technology-and-social-media/gaming-and-kids-mental-health