General Medical Questions

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Contacting the Office

To Schedule an Appointment

Established patients can login to your Patient Portal to schedule an appointment.

Otherwise, front desk staff are available to schedule your appointment starting at 8:30 a.m. Monday through Friday, and after 9:30 a.m. on Saturdays (during school year only on Saturdays).

After Hours

During the evenings and weekends when the office is closed, a provider is available to answer urgent questions. After 11 pm a nurse triage service will provide advice for urgent matters and will consult our providers if not able to answer your concerns. 

Please save non-urgent questions for our office hours. 

In Case of Emergency

If you suspect life-threatening injury or illness, please call 911 immediately.

Sick Child Care

Fever

Fever is the body's natural response...

Fever

Fever is the body's natural response to infection.  Even high fevers rarely need immediate care.  Fever reducing medications can safely be given after two months of life.  Dosing tables are available below.

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Stuffy Nose

The use of saline drops...

Stuffy Nose

The use of saline drops is a safe and effective method to clear mucus form the upper airway. These can be purchased at any pharmacy. Placing 2-3 drops into each nostril followed by gentle nasal aspiration will clear the obstruction.

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Thrush

A white tongue or colored saliva...

Thrush

A white tongue or colored saliva in the mouth may be oral thrush.  Thrush is an infection in the mouth caused by a yeast-like organism called Candida.  This infection is not harmful to the infant but may cause breast pain during feeding for the mother.  If you suspect this infection please schedule an appointment for evaluation.  If treatment is required you will receive a prescription for an antifungal medication.

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Cough

Cough is the body's natural response...

Cough

Cough is the body's natural response to mucus in the airway.  The cause is often from respiratory infection or allergies and is an expected part of illness.  Cough in isolation is rarely harmful.  If associated with high fever, rapid breathing or struggling to breathe, medial evaluation is needed.  Coughing from common colds can last for 3 weeks.  Over-the-counter honey-based elixirs are safe for use after 6 months.

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Chest Congestion

Chest congestion or raspy breathing...

Chest Congestion

Chest congestion or raspy breathing is caused by the presence of mucus in the child's airway.  Generally no medication is needed.  Home treatments like steam showers, nasal saline, and humidifiers are recommended to help manage symptoms and provide supportive care.  Congestion usually worsens over the first 3-5 days of a viral infection and can last 3 weeks after the onset of cold symptoms.  If you child is experiencing rapid breathing, wheezing or struggling to breathe, urgent medical evaluation is needed.

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Vomiting & Diarrhea

Vomiting and diarrhea are common...

Vomiting & Diarrhea

Vomiting and diarrhea are common and rarely require in-office evaluation.  Symptoms related to stomach viruses can often last 3-5 days.  Treatment requires intense home oral re-hydration.  Small and frequent drinking of water or Pedialyte (1-3 oz) given every 30-60 minutes can prevent dehydration.  No medication is recommended to stop vomiting or diarrhea.  Monitoring urine output determines levels of dehydration.  Our goal is for your child to have urine output at least once every 8 hours.

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Rash Following Colds & Fevers

Rashes are rarely dangerous...

Rash Following Colds & Fevers

Rashes are rarely dangerous and often only require simple home management.  The most common rashes are viral related and often linked to a recent febrile illness.  If you are concerned about a rash, it is best to schedule an appointment.

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Constipation

Infrequent stooling or hard difficult...

Constipation

Infrequent stooling or hard difficult to pass stools are common in childhood.  Treatment starts with diet modifications and can progress to use of daily stool softeners.  Adding prunes or prune juice to the diet is a simple home intervention.  If this isn't helpful, an office evaluation is appropriate.  Passing blood while stooling is common and a sign of more severe constipation that requires office evaluation.

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Well Child Care

Pre-Natal Consults

We have currently suspended in-person prenatal consultations...

Pre-Natal Consults

We have currently suspended in-person prenatal consultations due to COVID-19.  We are happy to schedule a TeleMedicine appointment to discuss our practice with your new family.

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A Guide to Starting Solids

Introducing your baby to solid foods...

A Guide to Starting Solids

Introducing your baby to solid foods will provide you with an excellent opportunity to teach him or her lifelong healthy eating habits.

Solid food introduction may start after 4 months of life.  The introduction of rice cereal and purees of fruits and vegetables is recommended to start.  Adding protein, eggs, dairy and nuts is encouraged after 6 months. 

Frequency is initially twice daily and advanced to 3 times daily by 9 months of life.

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My Child Has a Lump after Receiving Shots

After getting a vaccine...

My Child Has a Lump after Receiving Shots

After getting a vaccine your child may experience swelling and redness at the injection site.  Over-the-counter pain medications will improve discomfort.  Parents may safely monitor the reaction site for 3-5 days.  If the area is rapidly growing or associated with fever over 103, you should call for evaluation.

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Newborn Stool

Your infants first bowel movements...

Newborn Stool

Your infant’s first bowel movements are thick and dark green or black in color.  Medically called meconium stools, these are present for the first week of life

Meconium stools will transition to a stool that is yellowish, loose, and "seedy" in texture.  The color and texture of the stools varies based on the type of feeding.  Breast-fed infants often have watery stool, while formula-fed infants typically have thicker stool that comes less often.  It is not uncommon for infants to stool after every feeding, but that is not required.  Less frequent stool – including going up to 3 days without a bowel movement – is also normal.  Medical evaluation is only needed for no bowel movements in more than 5 days.

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Medication

Acetaminophen Dosage Chart

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Ibuprofen Dosage Chart

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Other Medicines

Other Medicines

Cough and cold medicine
Medications for cough and cold symptoms are not recommended for children under the age of 6.  Supportive care like nasal saline and humidifiers are encouraged to treat runny nose or cough.

Antibiotics
Your child's doctor may prescribe an antibiotic to treat a bacterial infection.  For viral infections the body needs to fight the virus on its own because antibiotics do not work on viruses.

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The information contained in this publication should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician.
There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.