Pediatric FAQs

Sickness and Immunization Questions

A temperature greater than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit is considered a fever.

If your child is sick, they will be worked into our schedule on the same day. You never know when an illness can hit, so we leave openings for these types of visits throughout the morning and afternoon.

Usually you can wait at least 24 hours before bringing them in but please call the office and speak with a nurse so that we can further investigate symptoms.

We require the child to be current on their preventative/well-child exam. For example, if it’s time for your child to go to kindergarten, and they need their shots, they must be seen for a 4 year well exam before we administer shots. If the child is current on their preventative exam then we can give immunizations without an exam.

Saline water and a suction bulb to clear the nose. A humidifier can be run in the child’s room as well.

For anything that looks like a rash, please schedule an appointment. Rashes can be contagious or be mistaken for something they aren’t.

Food poisoning is likely if the whole family is sick after eating the same food. It’s more likely a viral illness if just one child is sick. If you’re worried about dehydration we recommend a same day appointment because children can get dehydrated quickly.

Antibiotics will not cure a virus and will not help someone with a viral infection feel better any faster. Colds, Flu, most coughs and sore throats are caused by viruses, so they must simply run their course, which usually takes 7-10 days.

Every night there is an after-hours doctor seeing patients for several local pediatricians. Sometimes it is our office, and sometimes it will be at another location. Including Holidays and weekends, you can have your child seen at an after-hours clinic by calling our phone # after 4:45pm, which will then give you the phone number to the Doctor doing after-hours. However after 9:45 pm, if you believe your child needs to be seen for urgent medical care, you will need to take them to the ER.

We need a positive strep test in order to prescribe any antibiotics. We do not want to give medication to children who do not need it, so to make sure they should be on an antibiotic, they need to be seen in the office.

Payment Questions

Please call your insurance company to find out.

No. Any co-pays required by your insurance are due at the time of service.

If you are on any of the Medicaid plans, your state Medicaid card is required to be shown during every visit to the office. If you have private insurance, we require a yearly card update and we will keep it on file for future visits.

Please note: If you are on SelectHealth Community Care Medicaid, you are required to show a Select Health card as well as a State Medicaid card.

No. There is no fee for rescheduling. We understand that circumstances may arise that are beyond your control.

Questions Regarding Medical Providers

A nurse practitioner (NP) is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who has additional education and training. Nurse practitioners have a master’s degree and are board certified. Pediatric and family nurse practitioners can provide regular health care for your children. NP’s will perform physical exams, plan care, perform tests and procedures, order labs and imaging, treat illnesses and write prescriptions.

A family nurse practitioner (FNP) provides comprehensive primary health care to individuals from infancy to adulthood. FNP are a specialty of the nurse practitioner group. Other specialties can include acute care NP’s or pediatric NP’s to name a few.

A doctor of nursing practice (DNP) is a nurse practitioner who has graduated from a doctoral program at a university. The DNP curriculum concentrates on direct care, specifically research utilization, improved delivery of care, patient outcomes and clinical systems management.

A medical doctor is another term for a physician or surgeon. All MD’s must completed an undergraduate degree, medical school, residency and sometimes a fellowship. After completing school a physician must obtain a license to practice and complete a series of exams. According to MedlinePlus, “the practice of medicine includes the diagnosis, treatment, correction, advisement, or prescription for any human disease, ailment, injury, infirmity, deformity, pain, or other condition, physical or mental, real or imaginary.

According to the American Osteopathic Association, “Both DO’s and MD’s are fully qualified physicians licensed to prescribe medication and perform surgery. Students complete a bachelor’s degree, medical school, internships and residencies and pass comparable examinations to obtain licensure. Osteopathic medicine is a parallel branch and can add an extra dimension to health care. DO’s focus on preventative, “whole person” care and incorporated osteopathic manipulative treatment.