Shot Clinic Update

We still have plenty of the injectable H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines available to our patients for both first and second doses. Please contact our centralized scheduling department at (949) 770-4242 to schedule an appointment.

For clinic dates, please click here.

SOCPA Voted a “Top Work Place” for 2009

We are excited to announce that SOCPA was named a 2009 Top Workplace, ranking 7th in the small business category and in the top 20 in health care overall! This information was announced today in the Orange County Register, delivered to over 250,000 households daily.

We  proudly thank our hard-working team of employees and providers.  With dedication and compassion to our patients, they offer great care to great kids and demonstrate that they truly love what they do!

To learn more, please visit the OC Register’s 2009 Work Places online.

Child Passenger Safety: Keeping Kids Safe In and Around Cars

By Judi Leonard, PNP, BC, MSN

Car crashes are the leading cause of death and disability in children ages 1-15 years of age. Studies have shown that 4 out of 5 car seats are not used correctly. Child passenger laws only provide minimum protection for children. Read further to find out what you can do to provide the best protection for your children.

1. Rear face your child as long as possible. Best practices advocate for rear facing to a minimum of 2 years of age. In a rear facing position, the car seat absorbs the crash forces, minimizing trauma to the young child and infant’s head, neck and spinal cord. Follow your car seat’s weight recommendations and consider purchasing car seats with higher weight limits for rear-facing.
2. When using a car seat, always follow both the car seat manufacturer’s directions and your car manual instructions. The car seat directions will tell you important information about correct seat use and your car manual will have important directions about your car restraint features and where car seats may and may not be placed in the car. The safest seat you can buy is the seat that fits in your car and that you will use 100% correct every time. All car seats must meed federal safety standards.
3. Use a 5-point harness as long as possible. This helps spread crash forces across 5 points of the body instead of just 2 or 3 points provided by a lap or lap and shoulder belt. This is the type of protection race car drivers use. Although California law mandates that children ride in the back seat in a safety seat or booster until they are 6 years old OR 60 pounds, most children cannot safely use a seat belt at this age or size. Look for car seats that have higher harness weight limits and use until your child has reached the maximum height or weight limit.
4. Use a booster seat until your child can safely sit in a seat belt. Use this 5-step test to decide if your child can safely use a seat belt.*Does your child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
   *Do your child’s knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
   *Is the lap belt below the abdomen, touching across the thighs and hips?
   *Is the shoulder belt centered on the chest and shoulder?
   *Can the child stay seated like this for the entire trip?

   If you answered “no” to any of these questions, your child should continue to ride in a booster. Always use a booster with a lap and shoulder belt. Use a high backed booster if your car does not have a head support and, as always, read and follow all the car seat booster directions. When using a booster seat, it is important to make sure the seat belt is crossing the child’s thighs and hips and the shoulder belt is crossing the chest and shoulder. If the shoulder belt becomes loose when using the shoulder belt guides, unthread shoulder belt from the guides and make sure the shoulder belt retracts as the child moves in the seat. Adults and older children should make sure they are following the 5 step test as well.

5. Keep children in the back seat. Airbags can be dangerous. Rear facing infants must never be placed in front of an air bag. Best practices suggest that older children start using the front seats when they are preparing to learn to drive. Until then, rear seats are safest.
6. The middle position of the back seat is the safest position. If you only travel with one child, use this position if your seat can safely be installed there.
7. Be sure to use the harness correctly. The harness should be snug enough so that no slack can be pinched where it lies across the infant or child’s shoulders. The retainer clip which joins each side of the harness together should be placed at armpit level. For infants and children rear facing, the harness slots should be at or below the shoulder. For forward facing children, the harness slots should be at or above the shoulder.
8. Always register your car seat. This is the only way the manufacturer can notify you for any safety warnings or recalls associated with your seat. It is not advised to use a previously owned seat as the crash history may be unknown. A seat that has been involved in a crash, even if the child or infant is not present, may not be safe. Damage can occur to the seat and straps which may not be visible.
9. Do not use a car seat past it’s expiration date. The materials can become brittle and safety cannot be guaranteed once this date is reached. Look on the labels or look for a expiration date impression on the shell of the seat.
10. Always set a good example by buckling up yourself and ensuring that the car does not move until everyone is safely buckled and secure.
11. Walk behind your vehicle before starting your trip to ensure no one is behind the vehicle. Drive over accidents do happen, especially with high vehicles and little children.
12. Never leave children alone in the car, even for a minute.
13. Fasten any loose items in the car. When older children get out of the booster seat, the booster seat should be buckled into place. Any loose item can cause injury or death in the event of a crash or sudden stop. A 15 pound booster seat unfastened involved in a crash at 20 miles per hour now has 300 pounds of pressure. Diaper bags, strollers, back packs and other items should be stored in the trunk, belted into place or tied down the cargo area of the vehicle.
14. Consider having your car seat inspected by certified child passenger safety technicians. Safe Kids Orange County sponsors free monthly car seat inspections at various locations by appointment only. Call 714-532-8631 for an appointment and more information.

For more information, check out Safety Belt Seat USA website. If I can answer any specific questions you may have, please let me know.

Safe travels to you and yours,

Judi Leonard, PNP, BC, MSN

Judi Leonard is a Certified Passenger Safety Technician with Safe Kids Worldwide, and has been a member of the  SOCPA team since 2008.  To learn more about this provider,  please click here.

The contents of this web site are provided as an informational tool. This is not intended to replace medical advice or care administered by a healthcare professional. Common sense should always be used when referencing this site. If, at any time, you feel your child is experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.

Article date 07/2009

San Clemente Chamber of Commerce

SOCPA is proud to announce our newest chamber membership with the San Clemente Chamber of Commerce.  This is a four-star accredited chamber as awarded by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. and their goal is to create a broad understanding and appreciation of the great opportunities in the San Clemente area, and to promote the advantages and assets of this South County seaside community.

SOCPA’s San Clemente office is located in the community of  Talega.  For more information regarding our San Clemente office, please click here.

A Fond Farewell to Dr. Whitney Short




Effective June 26th, 2009, Whitney Short, M.D. will no longer be affiliated with Southern Orange County Pediatric Associates. We are saddened by the fact that Dr. Short will not be a part of our SOCPA team, however we wish her and her family only the very best in their move out of state and newest adventure in life. The following is a message from Dr. Short:




To all the families of SOCPA,

Though I have had the opportunity to share this information with many of you in person, I am writing this letter to announce my departure from Southern Orange County Pediatrics. The last year has been an amazing experience for me, getting to know so many wonderful children and families and watching them grow. I am so thankful for you allowing me to contribute in the care of your children. It’s an incredible gift to be able to try to offer some of the teaching, guidance, and emotional support that goes in to raising children, and I hope I was able to provide that. It has been my goal, like that of all the other providers at SOCPA, to ensure the wellness of your children, while always considering the well-being of the family.

For many reasons, mostly personal, and all unrelated to my position at SOCPA, my husband and I have decided to relocate our family to Denver, Colorado. Though I will still long for my walks on the beach, they will have to be reserved for vacations, and we are hopeful that our family will thrive there. I will be joining a small group practice there, and I hope to continue to provide the best care that I can, sharing lots of giggles and not too many tears with children of all ages.

Thank you again for allowing me to help care for your families. I hope you all continue to thrive and appreciate the small joys in your children that make life so wonderful. All my best.

Sincerely,

Whitney Short

As former patients of Dr. Short, your children are welcome to see any one of our other great providers within our group.  All of our SOCPA providers are knowledgeable, compassionate and proud to provide quality care to the patients in our community.  To learn more about our doctors, please visit the “Doctors” page in the “About Us” section of this website for more information.

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