Dr Graham Jones

04/02/2026

Reading aloud is not just a bedtime activity. It builds your child’s brain 🧠

-Builds phonological awareness (pre-reading skills like hearing sounds in words)
-Strengthens listening & auditory memory (important for following instructions in the classroom)
-Grows narrative skills (telling a personal story in the correct sequence and with a beginning, middle, end structure)
-Supports attention and joint attention (we can’t learn if we can’t pay attention for long enough)

Every story read aloud is a step toward confident reading later.

For parents: You don’t have to read every word!

It’s okay to:

Talk about pictures
Repeat favourite pages
Skip pages
Ask questions indirectly without expecting an answer- give your child the answer eg “hmmm, I wonder what the lion will do next. Maybe he’s going to ask for help”

Reading aloud with your child should be fun and foster an early love for reading. Interaction is ALWAYS better than perfection.

31/01/2026

Let the Riddle Challenge Begin! 🧩🔍

Each image holds a riddle waiting to be solved.

Look closely, think creatively, and enjoy the challenge!

Learning and fun go hand in hand 💙

💬 Comment your answers below (or tag someone who loves a good challenge!) — we can’t wait to see how many you get right! 😊✨

29/01/2026

The Wonders of Brain Development in Children

- Brain development begins about 2 weeks after conception and continues into young adulthood 20 years later

- More than 1 million new neural connections are formed every second in the first few years of life

- By the age of 3 years, a child has 1,000 trillion synapses (brain connections), the most they will ever have in their life

These connections are critical for cognitive, emotional and social abilities

https://developingchild.harvard.edu/key-concept/brain-architecture/

We are passionate about supporting your child’s brain development.
Our team of healthcare providers work in collaboration to assist you in developing healthy neuro-development.

Please reach out to your paediatrician if you have any questions about your child’s development.

You can make an appointment with our team by phoning our reception 010-346-5810/11.

01/01/2026

Happy New Year to all our precious families!

As we step into 2026, our entire team wants to thank you for letting us be a part of your child’s journey.

Watching your little ones grow, learn, recover, thrive and show such incredible resilience is the absolute best part of what we do.

May this year be filled with big milestones, belly laughs, precious memories and plenty of healthy, happy days.

We are so honored to partner with you in keeping your children thriving!

Wishing you a bright and joyful 2026,

Your team at Dr Graham Jones and SPOT Care Paediatrics

Need to schedule a 2026 wellness visit? You are welcome book an appointment with our reception, and please check the EPI Immunization Schedule to stay up to date on your child’s health goals.

31/12/2025

24/12/2025

May the miracle of Christmas fill your home with joy, peace and love.

20/12/2025

𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐥-𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐓𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐲 𝐄𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬

Here are some tips to please picky eaters without sacrificing nutrition, straying from family traditions or creating a lot of extra work.

⦁ 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞. Offer or bring at least one food (if not eating at home) that you know your child will like. This way, your child is guaranteed to eat something during the meal.
⦁ 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩. Invite your kids into the kitchen to help prepare your meal. Toddlers can learn to clean vegetables, school-aged children to mash, and teenagers to boil. When children help, they often sample what they are preparing, and are more likely to eat their masterpieces later.
⦁ 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐬. Once a food is accepted, find similarly coloured, flavoured, or textured “food bridges” to expand the variety of foods your child will eat. If your child likes pumpkin, try including mashed sweet potatoes on their plate.
⦁ 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞. Focus on enjoying your time together, celebrating. Try not to worry about what your child is eating.



Source: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/nutrition/Pages/How-to-Plan-a-Balanced-Thanksgiving-Meal-for-Picky-Eaters.aspx?_gl=1*hikh2w*_ga*OTkzNDkxMjQuMTc2NTYxMDI5NA..*_ga_FD9D3XZVQQ*czE3NjU2MTAyOTMkbzEkZzEkdDE3NjU2MTAzMzkkajE0JGwwJGgw

19/12/2025

https://www.facebook.com/drgrahamjonespaed/posts/pfbid0S5AG3UkpMmcnWxHPSD9P3k3kcsAPdiSTAZjCD99MT2dzRkmrNQ8JHYNUF89btrGfl

The Paediatrician-Approved
Travel First Aid Kit

Travelling with kids means packing lots of items. Here are some tips from our paediatricians on what to pack in your first aid kit when away from home for the holidays.

Always store your first aid kit away from children and out of reach, ideally in child proof container and do not forget child proof locks, for those exploring babies starting to crawl and walk.

First-Aid Items
• Thermometers
• Plasters
• 2-; 5-; and 10 ml syringes for administration of medications
• Burnshield dressing

Creams and Ointments
• Sunscreen: SPF 50: although babies should be kept out of the direct sun for sunburn prevention always use SPF when outside. Re-apply after swimming. Choose a brand that is safe for babies
• Aqueous Cream: general moisturiser can also be used as after sun, mild soap and in the bath - safe for newborns and babies
• Hydrocortisone cream – 2% (e.g Stopitch) for Insect bites (can also use Anthisan cream) and eczema
• Antifungal cream (e.g Nystatin): for nappy rashes
• “Bum cream”: for nappy area
• Mozzie repellent: choose a brand that is safe for newborn and babies

Medications
• Remember to pack any prescription medications currently using, when traveling internationally, bring a copy of your script along with you for reference.
• Paracetamol (e.g. Calpol) - make sure you purchase one that is NOT colourless and has a safety cap to prevent unintended ingestion. For pains and fevers. Safe for newborns and babies. Follow dosing guide or ask your paediatrician before you go away which dose is correct for your child’s weight.
• Normal saline nasal spray: for general nasal hygiene and in cares of blocked nose. Safe for newborns and babies. Do not use the hypertonic solutions.
• Rehydration Solution (e.g. Rehydrate) for mild cases of diarrhoea and vomiting. Mix according to instruction and give in small sips using a syringe if needed.

Generic names have been used where possible. Use of a brand name is not to be considered an endorsement of a particular product but is used mainly to illustrate an example.

Disclaimer: this post is not intended to provide medical advice. Advice on treatment or care of an individual patient should be obtained through consultation with a doctor or other health professional that has examined the patient and is familiar with the patient's medical history.

19/12/2025

The Paediatrician-Approved
Travel First Aid Kit

Travelling with kids means packing lots of items. Here are some tips from our paediatricians on what to pack in your first aid kit when away from home for the holidays.

Always store your first aid kit away from children and out of reach, ideally in child proof container and do not forget child proof locks, for those exploring babies starting to crawl and walk.

First-Aid Items
• Thermometers
• Plasters
• 2-; 5-; and 10 ml syringes for administration of medications
• Burnshield dressing

Creams and Ointments
• Sunscreen: SPF 50: although babies should be kept out of the direct sun for sunburn prevention always use SPF when outside. Re-apply after swimming. Choose a brand that is safe for babies
• Aqueous Cream: general moisturiser can also be used as after sun, mild soap and in the bath - safe for newborns and babies
• Hydrocortisone cream – 2% (e.g Stopitch) for Insect bites (can also use Anthisan cream) and eczema
• Antifungal cream (e.g Nystatin): for nappy rashes
• “Bum cream”: for nappy area
• Mozzie repellent: choose a brand that is safe for newborn and babies

Medications
• Remember to pack any prescription medications currently using, when traveling internationally, bring a copy of your script along with you for reference.
• Paracetamol (e.g. Calpol) - make sure you purchase one that is NOT colourless and has a safety cap to prevent unintended ingestion. For pains and fevers. Safe for newborns and babies. Follow dosing guide or ask your paediatrician before you go away which dose is correct for your child’s weight.
• Normal saline nasal spray: for general nasal hygiene and in cares of blocked nose. Safe for newborns and babies. Do not use the hypertonic solutions.
• Rehydration Solution (e.g. Rehydrate) for mild cases of diarrhoea and vomiting. Mix according to instruction and give in small sips using a syringe if needed.

Generic names have been used where possible. Use of a brand name is not to be considered an endorsement of a particular product but is used mainly to illustrate an example.

Disclaimer: this post is not intended to provide medical advice. Advice on treatment or care of an individual patient should be obtained through consultation with a doctor or other health professional that has examined the patient and is familiar with the patient's medical history.

17/12/2025

𝐏𝐚𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐉𝐨𝐲𝐟𝐮𝐥, 𝐓𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐦-𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

⦁ 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝’𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐬–𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧–𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬.

⦁ Don’t overschedule. Stick with your child’s regular sleep and mealtime schedules as much as possible.

⦁ If you’re invited to a gathering, bring your own food for your picky eater.

⦁ Holiday treats are a festive part of the season, but use moderation.

⦁ Get outside. Exercise and sunlight can be game-changers!

⦁ Take care of yourself. Rested, self-regulated parents go a long way to ensuring your child’s emotional regulation.

⦁ Keep in mind sensory processing issues – that cute party outfit or the bright lights may not work for your family.

⦁ Keep children engaged by letting them make gifts, cards or holiday décor.

⦁ Avoid digital gifts for young children.

⦁ Encourage gratitude and giving by contributing to a toy donation campaign.

09/12/2025

We wish our special unicorn doc a very happy birthday!

08/12/2025

Holiday trees are a festive and fun way to celebrate the holidays and help your child feel connected to family traditions. Here are some quick tips to keep your holiday decorations fun and safe for everyone this year. Learn more: https://bit.ly/2ATCltB