Does your little one have a case of the crankies, and you’re at your wit’s end? Bring him or her to Aimee Stough, the new nurse practitioner at Dr. Stanley Zuba’s pediatrics office in Tavernier.
“When I worked in NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), I was known for being able to calm any baby,” Stough told Keys Weekly. “Babies with addictions and surgeries. I’ve helped a couple of moms with a couple of things I do for colicky babies. You see their face — ‘Oh my gosh, I’m gonna get some sleep tonight!’ Being able to help their baby is very rewarding.”
But also, in this time of the pandemic, she has some wellness tips for your children, and she wants parents and families to know that you should always feel free to come in for a consultation.
“When it comes to COVID, kids’ symptoms are different,” she said. “If parents are concerned about their child, then I’m concerned.”
Stough (pronounced “st-OW,” to rhyme with “ouch”), age 45, just moved to the Keys from Little Rock, Arkansas, in November with her husband to be closer to family. She has two sons. Her 15-year-old son is with her in the Keys, while her 24-year-old son is away at college.
“My husband brought me here 19 years ago when we first started dating, and he said, ‘I want to live here one day.’ And here we are,” she said. “The people are amazing, and the atmosphere. It very much has a country vibe to it.”
She has been a nurse for eight years, having gotten a doctorate in nursing practice from the University of Arkansas. She also is certified in pediatric primary care and pediatric acute care.
“Many people get the terms confused, as over time being a ‘doctor’ has become attached to the physician role,” Stough said. “I am a doctor, as in DNP — Doctor of Nursing Practice. I am not a physician or an M.D.”
She noticed that while she was nursing at an Arkansas hospital during the pandemic, there was an uptick in children with mental health issues. “At the hospital I came from, the number of children dropped in the ER, but there were twice as many psych patients.”
Stough said lots of kids nationwide of all age groups have been dealing with depression in 2020, while in the past, mostly teenagers would need mental health consultations. “Now I see kids from school age to adolescents,” she said. “They are having a hard time adapting to the new normal. They are not getting enough sunshine, and they know they can’t see their grandparents.”
She has some mental health wellness tips for the kids:
“Make sure they’re getting 30 minutes of activity outside in the sunshine. Exercise naturally balances our bodies’ hormones. If someone comes in feeling down, I always ask how much activity they get a day. You aim for an hour a day but start with 30 minutes.”
“Also, a regular sleep schedule. You don’t want them playing games all night or watching TV. It’s not good for your body’s chemistry.”
“Limiting junk food and limiting screen time is important. A lot of kids are on their phones, and that screen time is like sunshine for the brain. So kids are having trouble sleeping. Limiting screen time an hour before bed will help them sleep.”
And if you are concerned about your child’s mental health, don’t hesitate to bring them in for a consultation.
“I feel like a broken record, but everybody needs to hear it sometimes,” Stough said about bringing children into her office for guidance. “Parents need that support from the provider, so that kids hear it and know that the parents aren’t just being mean. We’re helping the parent have the empowerment to say, ‘Give me that phone, get off the couch, and go for a walk.’”
Even though she has only been here since just before Thanksgiving, Dr. Zuba is already very pleased with Stough’s work.
“Aimee is wonderful,” he said. “In the short time we have worked together, I have come to know her as an exceptionally committed caregiver. Her pediatric and adolescent clinical skills are outstanding. She is kind and compassionate and goes the extra mile for her patients.”
Stough credits her work ethic to a natural passion for nursing. “When I was younger, I remember one of my teachers in high school said that if I found a job I love, I would never work a day in my life. After my first day in the NICU, I called my husband and said, ‘I’ll never work another day in my life.’ Being in the emergency room gave me a unique opportunity to see all stages of life struggles. It was really rewarding.”
Stough works every other week at Dr. Zuba’s office right now, but hopes eventually to be there full-time and work extended hours and Saturdays as demand dictates. More information is at “Florida Keys Pediatric and Adolescent Center” on Facebook. A web page is coming soon.
