Seasonal Awareness

Help for all seasons! From tick bites, to booster seats, to allergies, our "Seasonal Awareness" section addresses common complaints regarding kids.

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Pediatric physicians on staff
Also see: Contact info & office hours (pop-up window)

Pediatric Services

Our pediatric practice consists of newborn care, well child, and adolescent care, medical treatment of children and adolescents with acute and chronic health problems, and health education. We believe that all children and teenagers should have a medical home that provides continued, integrated care over time. Our daily office schedule is divided between well visits, follow up visits, and same day care for sick children and adolescents. As a general rule, well exams for children not in school are the first appointments in the morning and afternoon. Our purpose is to try to decrease the risk of exposing your well child to sick children who also need our medical care.

Well baby checkups should be done at the following ages:

• 1 week
• 1 month
• 2 months
• 4 months
• 6 months
• 9 months
• 12 months
• 15 months
• 18 months
• 24 months

Immunization Clinic

We offer an immunization clinic which is staffed by a nurse and operates four days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for your convenience. We are a participant in the Vaccine Plus Program which provides immunizations at a minimal cost. Please ask us if you are eligible for this program. If immunizations are obtained elsewhere, it is important that you bring your child's immunization card with you to scheduled visits. We are then able to add this information to your child's medical record. If you have any questions about the immunization clinic please call 815-625-4790 and ask for the Pediatrics Department.

Your office visit

Please plan to arrive for your appointment at your scheduled time. Unbundling children, transporting car seats, managing other children, and checking in at the business office all takes time, so, if needed, please budget a few extra minutes for these activities. Also, in order to give you and your child individual attention, you may choose to make daycare arrangements for your other children.

At the Sterling Clinic, please check in first at the business office located in the front entrance of the building. They will then direct you to the pediatric department. Please announce your arrival to our receptionist. At the Rock Falls Clinic, please check in at the receptionist's window to announce your arrival.

Your child will be weighed at each office visit, so consider clothes which are easy on and off. Believe it or not, getting undressed can be very stressful to a child, so the less time spent undressing, hopefully, the less stress they may experience.

Bring diapers, bottles, pacifiers, and blankets with you to your visit. This will help keep your child happy and content.

Educational materials are located in the waiting areas for your information and convenience. Feel free to take these home.

As you prepare to leave the office, let the receptionist know if you need another appointment. We advise you to schedule your well child exams and follow up exams immediately after being seen. This will insure that your child is seen in a timely manner and more options of appointment times.

Appointments, cancellations, and questions about your child

Patients are seen in the Sterling and Rock Falls offices by appointment. Please call in advance to arrange a time or to speak to a nurse to discuss if your child may need to be seen the same day. To assist you in an efficient manner, the nurse will ask you specific questions regarding your child's illness and it is helpful if you have the following information when you call:

• How long has your child been ill?
• Does your child have a fever? Please confirm this with a thermometer reading.
• Signs and symptoms of the problem.
• Name and dose of any medication you have used

If a problem should arise and you are unable to keep a scheduled appointment, notify us as soon as possible. Even if your child is scheduled for a recheck appointment after an illness, and has recovered, let us know. This will allow us to open your appointment time so that another child who is in need of medical care may be seen.

Emergencies

If you have an emergency or need assistance after hours, you have several options open to you:

If a severe emergency exists, you should go to the CGH emergency room. It is open seven days a week, 24 hours a day and is staffed with a full-time emergency trained physician ready to attend to your care. The hospital staff can contact us to aid in your care. If your insurance specifies, notify the doctor on call prior to going to the Emergency Room.

62-Nurse: Questions about your sick child and how to care for him/her until you are able to contact your pediatrician may be directed to 62-Nurse(815-626-8773). This service is provided by CGH Medical Center and is staffed with a professional nurse 24 hours a day. A toll free number is also provided: 1-800-626-8773.

A pediatrician from our staff is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you need to speak to a physician after hours regarding your child's medical condition, you may contact 815-625-4790 and ask to speak to the pediatrician on call. The answering service will take your name and phone number and the physician will return your call.

Booster Seat Law

Effective Jan. 1, 2004, the Booster Seat Law provides that whenever a person is transporting a child under age eight, the person is responsible for properly securing child in an appropriate child restraint system, which includes a booster seat. Every person, when transporting a child between ages 8 and 16, is responsible for properly securing that child in a safety belt. If the vehicle used to transport children under eight years of age is equipped with lap belts only in the back seat and the child weighs more than 40 pounds, the child may be transported in the back seat wearing a lap belt only. If a combination lap and shoulder belt is available, the child must be secured in a booster seat.

On the web:

www.pedinfo.org
www.kidshealth.org
www.aap.org
www.babycenter.com
www.brightfutures.org
www.kidsgrowth.com
www.aaaai.org

In closing

We hope this page has been helpful to you. We want to develop a confidential relationship with you and your child or teenager which is based on mutual understanding, trust, respect, and confidence. We strive to provide the best of two worlds, the highest standards of pediatric care along with compassion and understanding. If you need more information or have any questions or concerns about our practice, or the care you received, please feel free to talk with us. We want to understand your point of view and an open discussion can help this understanding.

We welcome your suggestions on ways to serve you better.

See also: Family Medicine