Putting Family in Family Medicine

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, and it’s a reminder of a conversation we need to keep having. A conversation to have not just once a year, but consistently, openly, and without judgment. Teen dating violence is more common than many people realize, and it doesn’t always look the way we expect.

You see a bunch of people wearing red and you wonder, “Is it valentine’s day already”? You check your calendar and you see it is February 6. Phew, you still have time to prepare but start to wonder why everyone is wearing red. Turns out, today is National Wear Red Day.

Pneumonia is a lung infection caused by germs that get into the lung’s air sacs and make them fill up with fluid and pus, which makes it hard to breath. The most common cause of pneumonia are viruses like flu, COVID-19, and RSV. Bacteria can also cause it. In children, viruses cause most cases of pneumonia. Pneumonia is very common. In the US, about 6 million people get pneumonia every year, and it is one of the main reasons people go to the hospital.

As the weather becomes cooler you might notice your skin becomes drier and more irritated. If you have dry skin this can be frustrating as with the season changes comes new challenges to keep your skin healthy. The combination of low humidity, cold air and indoor heating weakens the skin’s natural barrier. This loss makes your skin lose moisture and results in the dry, itchy skin. There are simple changes that you can make to your skincare routine during these months to stay ahead of your dry skin