Tri-State Developmental Pediatrics

11/28/2023

11/01/2021

03/27/2021

This is for all my awesome friends!

When you have a neurotypical child, you feel reasonably assured that class participation and decent study habits will result in good grades. These kids have close friends. They get invited to participate in social things like birthdays, play dates and weekend gatherings. They make the teams, auditions and are always busy doing something fun with their friends.

But when you have a child with certain differences, this is often not the case. Learning may take longer, both academically and socially. Despite their tremendous efforts, results are often a fraction of their peers and social acceptance is fleeting, setting them up for painful comparisons and bitter frustration. Instead of a fun and fulfilling experience, school can become a breeding ground for depression and anxiety, and homework a battle ground at home. It is exhausting for parents and child alike.

This is the week of SPED (Special Education), Autism, Dyslexia, and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) awareness. For all the children who struggle every day to succeed in a world that does not recognize their gifts and talents, and for those who are walking beside them, please let this be a gentle reminder to be kind and accepting of ALL people.

Recognize that the "playing field" is not always a level surface.
Children who learn differently are not weird. They are merely gifted in ways that our society does not value enough. Yet they want what everyone else wants: To be accepted.

Please help me share awareness of this. Copy and paste (by touching and holding the text) onto your profile in honor of all children who are deemed "different". Our world would be far less beautiful without them.

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

03/12/2021

Weekly Parenting Post: Back to School Anxiety.
The push to get children back into the classroom is necessary for our children's development and academic health.
Some children are excited about a chance to return to a more normal school day.
Others are feeling a significant amount of anxiety about this transition.
There are many things a parent can do to help their child make a smooth transition back to school.
If your child is showing excessive signs of anxiety that seems difficult to manage, reach out to a professional for help.
Your school counselor, teacher, or pediatrician are good places to start.

There are several easy ways to tell when a child’s anxiety is cause for concern, say psychology experts from the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.

03/06/2021

Weekly Parenting post:
The Marble Jar

The marble jar is a fun idea for encouraging good behavior in children. I got this idea from my children’s awesome grade school teachers. Teachers would randomly place marbles in a community jar when they observed a student doing something kind or helpful toward another student. Once the marble jar filled, the class earned a fun activity or reward.

I use this concept frequently in when advising families about behavioral challenges. Make a list of behaviors that you would like to encourage in your children, such as brushing teeth without being reminded, going to bed without an argument, etc, etc.
Remember to be on the look out through out the day for reasons to give marbles. As one of my pedatric mentors used to say “catch them being good”. Kids love the positive feed back, they love seeing the marble jar filling up, and love making up a list of prizes they can earn once the jar is full.

02/27/2021

Temple Grandin, diagnosed with autism as a child, shares her perspective on what students with autism need to be doing while they are young to prepare themselves to enter the workforce after completing their education.

02/27/2021

A Hero's Heart Tickets

I was introduced to the wonderful field of Drama Therapy years ago by a former patient’s mother, and again over the last few years as I watched my daughter’s nanny Deb pursue her dream of becoming a drama therapist. Deb is now interning for a Therapeutic Theater ensemble, and has helped a group of actors with disabilities in creating their own theatre production. The actors created and will perform “A Hero’s Heart” their own show about the importance of self discovery.

This unique and special performance is free for all thanks to a grant from the Indiana Governor’s Council on Disabilities.

It will air over zoom March 6th at 6pm or March 7th at 2pm.

If you are interested in watching this inspiring performace, click the link below to register:

https://apm.activecommunities.com/carmelclayparks/Activity_Search?txtActivitySearch=a%20hero%27s%20heart&applyFiltersDefaultValue=true&cat=Activities

02/19/2021

"Parenting Tip of the Week".

Every week I will reflect and share some pearl of advice on parenting from the Developmental Pediatrics world. I hope will these tips will resonate with some of you, and help us all along our parenting journey.

Week 1. Talk Less, Listen More
Helping children navigate strong emotions & feelings can be a big challenge for any parent. My tip of the week is that sometimes it is better to listen and reflect than to fix.

Next time your child comes to you with a "big drama" that happened during the day, take a few minutes to allow your child to talk. Ask them what they did about the situation, how they felt about it. Then instead of trying to find a fix, just be present in that feeling with your child. Reflect back on how they must have been feeling rather than moving on to the immediate fix. Your child will feel listened to and "heard". In fact, they may not need a solution, just a compassionate ear and someone who cares.

02/12/2021

I am feeling so much gratitude this week. It has been about 18 months since I opened the doors to my Developmental Pediatrics practice. I have been working and dreaming about owning my own practice since I graduated from medical school in 1994, but in the current big corporate medical environment, I never really thought it could happen. But my friends, it is possible, and it is SO rewarding. The daily joy of seeing patients is back...and I am doing it without pressures of corporate medicine telling me how fast to work or how I need to assess patients. This has been the most liberating feeling and rewarding time of my career.

This week, for the first time I am fully booked ....not a single patient opening all week. My amazing office coordinator had to start a cancellation list. I still plan to make accessibility a top priority, but this is a good problem to have.

To everyone out there who has sent referrals and placed your trust in our office, I thank you. To all the families and kids who have brightened my day and placed their trust in my care, I thank you. I am humbled by you and your commitment to helping your children live their best lives.
Michelle “Shelly” Zimmer, MD
Owner and Founding Physician
Tri-State Developmental Pediatrics

02/06/2021

Great Parks is seeking community input regarding their plans for an inclusive trail station alongside the Little Miami trail expansipn. If you have a child who could benefit, please take a few minutes to fill out this survey.

May We Help, in partnership with Great Parks, is creating the community’s first Inclusive Trail Station alongside the new Little Miami Trail Expansion. If you have a disability or are a caregiver to someone with a disability, your answers will help us determine next steps with the project. We appr...