Pediatric Associates

Well Infant/Child / Adolescent Checkups and Sports Physicals Pediatric Physical Examination A physical examination, also known as a routine physical or medical check-up, is recommended for children of all ages. It is an opportunity to ask questions and express concerns about a child’s development and health. Questions typically asked of the doctor during a well visit may include some of the following: Toilet training methods Eating Sleep patterns Socialization issues Learning problems Family problems Concerns about puberty Behavioral issues By sharing concerns with the pediatrician and working to resolve any problems that the parent may have, a trusting relationship is established that will continue for a long time. During the Visit During a routine physical, the doctor will perform a complete physical examination to monitor growth and development as well as detect any changes or abnormalities. Immunizations may be administered as well. Some of the following may be conducted: An assessment of the child’s growth and development Physical examination Immunization update Blood test Blood pressure Pulse Respiration rate A schedule for routine well-care visits will be provided in the office during your child’s first well exam. School/Sports Physicals A school physical is a thorough medical examination that is often required for students by state law. Conducted annually, these well-care visits involve taking a detailed medical and family history that is then usually recorded on a form from the school. The physical examination typically includes: Recording height and weight Checking blood pressure and pulse Vision and hearing tests Heart, lungs, abdomen, ear, nose and throat examination Evaluating posture, strength and flexibility If any immunizations are necessary, they may be provided during the school/sports physical as well. There is a $5 – $10 charge for school/sports forms depending on the form (school forms can only be completed if the patient has had a physical within the year). The normal processing time for form completion is 1 week.

This is an appointment for sick children. We have walk in hours from 8:00 am until 8:45 am Monday through Friday for patients who have recently become sick or injured. Additionally, appointments can be made for the same day by calling any of our offices. Although minor illnesses and injuries do not often develop into serious conditions, our doctors and nurse practitioner are available to treat conditions such as: Ear infections and pain Sore throat Colds Pink eye Fever Vomiting Diarrhea Concussions Minor Lacerations Minor Burns Suture Removal Other Concerns Chronic Illness Care Our providers are specially trained in treating chronic conditions such as ADHD, asthma, allergies, eczema and acne. We work together with families to educate them on the most current disease information and encourage them to maintain a healthy home lifestyle. We encourage families’ involvement with treatment of chronic illnesses in order to offer support and understanding for the child. Travel Visits When traveling, especially abroad, individuals may be exposed to certain viruses, bacteria or parasites that they would not have come into contact with at home. Therefore, it is important to prepare for a trip with a visit to the physician in case any vaccinations need to be administered. We have MOST TRAVEL VACCINES AVAILABLE. Behavioral Consults Children with behavior problems often cause concern among parents as they may not be able to handle certain disruptive or inappropriate behaviors. A behavioral consultation allows our doctor to observe your child’s natural activity and interaction, as well as interview the parents, or other involved adults, in order to assess behavior and develop a solution. Consultations can be performed at any age, but are most common among school-age children. Your doctor will work together with you and your child in order to develop an individualized treatment plan that will be followed through and monitored by subsequent consultations. Nutrition & Exercise Proper diet and exercise are essential to maintaining good health. Keeping the body at a healthy weight and following a regimen of physical activity have been proven to improve mood, quality of life and longevity and to go a long way in preventing or controlling many serious illnesses. Obesity, which has now reached epidemic proportions in the United States, and which is an enemy of good health, can be kept at bay through physical fitness and good eating habits. Proper diet is essential to maintaining good health. Keeping the body well-nourished and at a healthy weight has been proven to improve mood, quality of life and longevity. Nutrition also plays an important role in preventing and controlling many serious illnesses. Not only do people feel more energetic and happier when they eat well, they also keep their bodies in the best possible condition. Good nutrition is vital for children’s growth, ability to focus in school, and ability to perform optimally in extra-curricular activities. Our registered dietitian Veronica Chocron serves as an in-office resource to help you and your child learn the tools needed to lead a healthy lifestyle. Children and adults with the following conditions will benefit from her services. Anemia Failure to thrive Obesity/overweight Diabetes/pre-diabetes Prematurity Feeding difficulties Hypercholesterolemia Disordered eating Inappropriate diet habits Endocrine/metabolic disorders Athletic performance General nutrition and more! Development Screening Developmental screening is a routine monitoring process used to identify any potential developmental delays in children. Early detection is a valuable tool in terms of treating health and development issues. Developmental screenings can identify delays in milestones that can indicate diagnoses of autism, intellectual disability, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, among others. Screenings are performed through questions and questionnaires during a well-child checkup to ensure that your child is progressing at a normal rate. This takes only a few minutes at each doctor’s visit, but can play a major role in identifying and then treating early developmental conditions.

Our providers are specially trained in treating chronic conditions such as ADHD, asthma, allergies, eczema and acne. We work together with families to educate them on the most current disease information and encourage them to maintain a healthy home lifestyle. We encourage families’ involvement with treatment of chronic illnesses in order to offer support and understanding for the child.

When traveling, especially abroad, individuals may be exposed to certain viruses, bacteria or parasites that they would not have come into contact with at home. Therefore, it is important to prepare for a trip with a visit to the physician in case any vaccinations need to be administered. We have MOST TRAVEL VACCINES AVAILABLE.

Children with behavior problems often cause concern among parents as they may not be able to handle certain disruptive or inappropriate behaviors. A behavioral consultation allows our doctor to observe your child’s natural activity and interaction, as well as interview the parents, or other involved adults, in order to assess behavior and develop a solution. Consultations can be performed at any age, but are most common among school-age children. Your doctor will work together with you and your child in order to develop an individualized treatment plan that will be followed through and monitored by subsequent consultations.

Proper diet and exercise are essential to maintaining good health. Keeping the body at a healthy weight and following a regimen of physical activity have been proven to improve mood, quality of life and longevity and to go a long way in preventing or controlling many serious illnesses. Obesity, which has now reached epidemic proportions in the United States, and which is an enemy of good health, can be kept at bay through physical fitness and good eating habits. Proper diet is essential to maintaining good health. Keeping the body well-nourished and at a healthy weight has been proven to improve mood, quality of life and longevity. Nutrition also plays an important role in preventing and controlling many serious illnesses. Not only do people feel more energetic and happier when they eat well, they also keep their bodies in the best possible condition. Good nutrition is vital for children’s growth, ability to focus in school, and ability to perform optimally in extra-curricular activities. Our registered dietitian Veronica Chocron serves as an in-office resource to help you and your child learn the tools needed to lead a healthy lifestyle. Children and adults with the following conditions will benefit from her services. Anemia Failure to thrive Obesity/overweight Diabetes/pre-diabetes Prematurity Feeding difficulties Hypercholesterolemia Disordered eating Inappropriate diet habits Endocrine/metabolic disorders Athletic performance General nutrition and more!

Developmental screening is a routine monitoring process used to identify any potential developmental delays in children. Early detection is a valuable tool in terms of treating health and development issues. Developmental screenings can identify delays in milestones that can indicate diagnoses of autism, intellectual disability, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, among others. Screenings are performed through questions and questionnaires during a well-child checkup to ensure that your child is progressing at a normal rate. This takes only a few minutes at each doctor’s visit, but can play a major role in identifying and then treating early developmental conditions.

Visual Acuity Tests of visual acuity are used to assess eyesight. Visual acuity testing may be performed on its own or as part of a well child exam. It is generally done to determine if a patient’s vision is sharp and accurate or if it is blurry. Visual acuity tests can evaluate how well a person can see objects close up as well as at a far distance. Most visual acuity testing involves identifying letters or symbols on an eye chart at a certain distance, but a special camera will be used for screening younger children. Hearing Screening Audiologic evaluations, or hearing tests, are comprehensive diagnostic exams which determine if a newborn or child has any hearing loss, the cause and extent of the hearing loss, and the best treatment options. Newborn hearing screenings include Otoacoustic Emissions tests, or OAE tests, and auditory brainstem response test or ABR tests. OAE tests use soft acoustics to record the newborn’s reaction to the sound, while ABR tests examine brain waves in order to determine the extent of any hearing loss. Common hearing tests for older children include a Diagnostic Audiogram, which uses specific frequency and intensity levels to determine what a person can hear in each ear. Normal results of this test allow for a patient to hear a normal speaking voice, whisper and ticking of a watch. Another common test, known as Tympanometry, provides useful information about any problems in the middle ear. Tympanometry is performed when a probe is placed in the ear, changing air pressure in the ear, and making the eardrum move back and forth. The tests will measure how the ear reacts to different sounds, and pressures. If results of these tests show significant hearing loss, hearing aids or treatment may be required.

While infants are protected from certain diseases at birth because of antibodies passed on from the mother, this protection is only temporary. Immunization from these diseases can be achieved through vaccination shots, which use small amounts of killed or weakened microorganisms to trigger an immune response. This helps our immune system to develop antibodies-much as it would if it was fighting off the true disease. Immunizations will protect the patient from specific illnesses long term. Many diseases that could cause serious illness and even death are rare today because of routine immunizations. Diseases such as polio, measles and pertussis infected thousands of people every year, leaving some of the stricken permanently disabled and killing others. When you immunize, you greatly reduce or eliminate your chance of developing that specific disease. Some of the vaccines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention include: Hepatitis A and B, which protect against these potentially serious liver diseases Pneumococcal and Hib vaccine, to protect against pneumonia, meningitis and certain blood infections Tetanus, usually in the form of DTaP or Tdap, to protect against this disease that causes pain and muscle stiffness and can be fatal Influenza, to protect against developing the flu, must be given annually to vaccinate for the specific strains that are circulating each year Evening flu clinics are offered at each office in the fall. Also note that pertussis and flu vaccines are available for parents of newborns.

One blood sample can be tested for numerous conditions. Blood tests can be valuable in identifying potential health issues before symptoms even arise. They may also be helpful in securing a diagnosis when symptoms are present. Blood tests can aid in the monitoring of a condition and in the evaluation of how well it is responding to treatment, too.

We offer a complimentary prenatal consultation for expectant parents. A prenatal consultation serves as an opportunity to meet with the doctor to discuss the details of pregnancy and the upcoming birth. If you are pregnant, feel free to call and schedule a prenatal consultation with one of our doctors.

We are happy to have an IBCLC Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Sarah Early, in our Pediatric Associates family! You can view Sarah’s services at www.lactationroom.com. Sarah and her team offer in-office lactation consultations in our offices and will rent hospital grade breast pumps as needed. We also have breast pumps available in our office that you can claim through your medical insurance. Breastfeeding is a natural and healthy process that provides advantages to both baby and mother. Many new mothers have difficulty adjusting to breastfeeding, however, and may benefit from a lactation consultation. A lactation consultation can help the mother fully understand the breastfeeding process and troubleshoot any problems, pain or confusion she may have. Even mothers who have successfully breastfed their other children, may need assistance with a new baby. With a consultation, a breastfeeding plan will be developed that will take into consideration the mother’s medical history and concerns.