Part of the Same Team
Dr. Stephanie Hanson on Her Work as a Pediatrician and How to Stay Healthy During the Fall and Winter Months
Focusing on children’s health isn’t something preventative care doctor Dr. Stephanie Hanson initially set out to do. Instead, the role found her.
“I thought I was interested in some other specialties, but there was always something that didn't quite fit,” she told us. “When I did my OB-GYN rotation, I found out I didn't really like doing surgery that much. It wasn't that interesting or compelling to me. When I did family medicine, I watched a toenail removal and I almost fainted. So that just wasn't quite it for me, either.”
It was during her pediatrics rotation that Dr. Hanson found her calling.
“I fell in love with this young child who had a terminal cancer diagnosis. I watched his resiliency through his treatment and his surgeries, and I saw the love and support of his family through all of that. To watch him on his journey was really inspiring to me.”
Today, Dr. Hanson provides acute and ongoing care for children from birth through 18 years as part of Sanford Children’s Fargo. She treats common illnesses and also provides health education and wellness counseling, including a few of our free educational webinars, which you can find here and here.
“I really love pediatric medicine,” Dr. Hanson shared with us. “I like being there for the beginning of a diagnosis. I like finding out what's going on. I like that process of figuring out what's happening right away at the beginning. That’s intriguing to me.”
This time of year, the number one ailment Dr. Hanson sees coming through her office is the common cold.
“It starts the minute school start,” she says. “We've seen it already these first couple of weeks of school. Kids start coughing, kids start getting sore throats, runny noses … anything from cough and congestion to a little bit of low-grade fever. But we'll also see some other things. We might see a strep throat. We might see RSV. We haven't seen it yet this year, thank goodness. We'll see COVID. COVID typically has two peaks throughout the year, one in the summer and one in the winter.”
As we enter peak sick season here in North Dakota, we asked Dr. Hanson for tips on how to stay healthy.
Sleep: “Listen to what your grandma or your mom told you when you were a kid: You need good sleep. I cannot underestimate how important sleep is for everybody. And right now, we're living in a world where sleep can be hard to come by. So make sure that your kids have a regular bedtime and stick to it. Try to avoid overscheduling your kids, and make sure that they are getting adequate rest. That's important for the immune system.”
Diet: “Make sure kids are eating a well-balanced diet. Try to eat regular meals and get a couple of snacks in throughout the day, but with food that’s of high quality. Stay hydrated, drinking primarily milk and water throughout the day.”
Exercise: “Getting regular exercise is a proven benefit to the immune system. So for kids, that means getting at least 60 minutes of exercise daily.”
Wash Hands: “Make sure your kids wash their hands before they eat, after using the restroom, and when they come home from work or school. Just those few times a day can make a big difference.”
Get Vaccinated: “I recommend vaccines for vaccine preventable illness. That's things like whooping cough, influenza, and COVID. Those things are important.”
For parents who are feeling hesitant about vaccines or who have chosen not to vaccinate their child, Dr. Hanson still encourages preventative care visits.
“There are a lot of other things that we can also talk about. You might have questions about your child's development or about their overall health. We can do important screenings to make sure that your child is on track with their growth. We're also going to be looking for signs of things like asthma or diabetes. We can make sure that your child's development is on track for their age. Vaccines are just one piece of the puzzle.”
But how can a parent tell if their child has the common cold or something more serious, like influenza? And when is the time to bring a kid in to their doctor for an examination?
“I always tell people to take a look at your child and how they're doing. Are they able to stay hydrated? Are they able to keep fluids down? Are they able to urinate several times throughout the day? How does their breathing look? Are they struggling to get their breath? Are they breathing faster or harder than normal? Is their cough so harsh that they aren't able to focus or concentrate? Are they coughing so hard that they aren't able to sleep at night? A fever higher than 102 that is lasting more than a couple of days? Those are some things that would cause me to encourage someone to have their child be seen by a health care provider.”
The biggest thing Dr. Hanson wants parents to know is that preventative care providers like her are on their team and have the same goals.
“We really want to partner with you to make sure that your child is as healthy as they can be. It can be so daunting as a parent. We have so many balls that we're juggling with our kids, and it can feel like a lot of things to keep track of. I always tell people you're doing a good job. Just try to do your best, try to do as much as you can, and know any effort that you put into this matters. You don't have to be perfect at everything.”