Pediatric Care
As primary care providers, our team of physicians in Raleigh, North Carolina is pleased to care for children. We provide a wide range of pediatric care services, including annual well visits, sick visits and comprehensive pediatric physical exams. Since our primary care providers include both family medicine and internal medicine specialists, please check with your provider before making a pediatric appointment to determine who the best physician may be for your child.
Pediatric Care and Family Medicine
Caring for children is an important part of the care we provide Since we care for many families, we find that many kids and parents appreciate the benefits of sharing a family medicine physician. Parents get to know us well as providers, which can lead to a trusting relationship, and having a common physician can bring consistency in how children are treated for similar conditions. Finally, sharing a family medicine provider can save time for busy parents.
Pediatric Care Services
Children of all ages are changing constantly, making it important to visit your family medicine physician regularly. Depending on the age of your child(ren), many of the following pediatric care services our pediatricians provide can either help prevent illness and injury, or bring your child to better health.
Annual Well Visits
At a minimum, our providers should see your child(ren) once a year for an annual check-up. During this visit, our pediatricians review the child's overall health, vital signs (heart rate, blood pressure) and check them from head to toe. This includes a height and weight check to make sure physical development is on track. Our pediatricians will assess all major systems (respiratory, cardiovascular, nervous and gastrointestinal) to identify potential health problems. We may also perform routine blood work to assess for certain blood disorders like anemia or high cholesterol, lead poisoning and other nutritional disorders.
Sick Visits
Because kids are in school with lots of other kids and germs, getting sick is very common in children. Our pediatric physicians leave room in our day for unexpected sick and urgent care visits for the convenience of our patients. We can help treat the common cold, flu, ear or upper respiratory infections, rashes, bumps and bruises, just to name a few.
Disease/Condition Management
Our pediatricians can help children manage diseases or conditions such as asthma, diabetes, attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We specialize in educating parents and kids about their conditions, medications and how to best manage their health.
Screenings
Children should be screened regularly for vision, hearing and scoliosis. We can perform these important tests any time throughout the year or during an annual well exam
Immunizations
Our pediatric physicians can provide most immunizations throughout the year, including measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), varicella, polio, human papilloma virus (HPV), tetanus, hepatitis and meningococcal. Influenza vaccines come in once a year, just before flu season, which begins in October. If you have vaccine questions, please contact our office and we are happy to assist.
The Basics of Adolescent Medicine
The pre-teen and teen years can bring changes in physical development that adolescents and their families may not understand. Typically, during these years, adolescents will recognize significant changes in their bodies that come as a result of normal hormonal changes associated with puberty and development.
The ability to consult with our family medicine doctors who are knowledgeable about adolescent medicine, can help adolescents, parents and siblings manage these changes in a positive way during this confusing time. Teens often have issues or concerns they don't feel comfortable addressing with their families, which makes it important to provide your child with an adolescent clinic for questions and a source for accurate health-related information.
Adolescent Care Often Begins with a Physical Exam
Our team partners with families to help address any adolescent care issues that may arise, or to quickly identify the potential for any physical problems that can be prevented. Our providers may often recommend a comprehensive adolescent physical exam at the onset of puberty to get a comprehensive look at the patient's medical and emotional health.
What is Adolescent Medicine?
Adolescent medicine is the area of medicine focused on caring for pre-teens and teens during their adolescent years of development. While this age can vary for girls and boys, it can fall anywhere between the ages of 9 and 18. Adolescent clinic or a practice usually includes the treatment of a wide variety of adolescent healthcare conditions associated with the teenage years and typically encompasses physical, mental and emotional health.
Common Medical Topics Associated with Adolescent Medicine
The most common health-related issues and conditions that adolescents face include:
- Puberty
- Menstruation
- Skin Conditions such as Acne
- Social and Emotional Issues
- Adolescent Depression
- Stress and Anxiety
- Sexuality/Birth Control
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Eating Disorders
- Vaccines
- Scoliosis Screenings
Adolescent Medicine
Our providers, under the guidance and direction of parents, can address any of these issues for adolescent patients. With a family-centered approach to adolescent care, utilizing adolescent medicine can help make the transition from childhood to adulthood a healthy, safe and enjoyable time for your family. Specialized adolescent health care helps to prevent health conditions and behaviors with long-lasting implications for adolescent patients and their families.
The adolescent years present a great opportunity for parents to instill the importance of wellness and the prevention of health problems and issues before they arise with their children, providing a valuable lifelong lesson.