Pediatric Care

Nutrition advice, including breastfeeding support

Urgent care for acute illness or injury

Well-baby visits and health maintenance

Infant nutrition counseling and advice

Vaccinations and immunizations

Development monitoring including assessment of developmental milestones

Behavioral health screenings

Check-ups based on The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended

schedules

Lab tests

Appears dazed

Headache or feelings of pressure

Nausea or vomiting

Balance problems

Slow to answer questions

Sluggish

Mental fog

Mood or behavior changes

and more.

Lab tests

Prescribe medication

Diagnose common illnesses including:

• UTI – A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection that can occur even in very young children.  The majority of infections typically affect the lower urinary tract, which includes the bladder and the urethra.  UTI’s are one of the reasons it is important to teach even very young children the importance of good hygiene and girls the importance of proper wiping techniques. 
• Sore Throat – Everyone knows what a sore throat feels like.  If your child’s throat is red or inflamed, or it hurts to swallow, or the glands in the throat are swollen, your child has a sore throat.  Sore throats affect different parts of the throat differently. 
  • Pharyngitis causes swelling and soreness in the throat. 
  • Tonsillitis when there is swelling and redness of the tonsils.  The tonsils are those glands on either side of your throat.  If they are swollen, you can see them and you can even feel them from the outside if you press on the sides of the neck under the jaw.  
  • Laryngitis is when the voice box, or larynx, is affected and this will cause the voice to be hoarse or even cause a temporary loss of speech. 
• Strep Throat – Sometimes a really red or sore throat can be the result of strep, a bacterial infection that is common in children.  When your child comes in with a sore throat and a fever, and/or white patches in the throat, we will check for strep since strep requires antibiotics.   
• Bronchitis – Bronchitis affects the bronchial tubes (the airways that carry air to your lungs). It is characterized by a cough that usually brings up mucus from the lungs.  it can also cause difficulty breathing, fever and tightness in the chest.  Acute bronchitis is the most common and usually develops from a cold or other existing respiratory infection.  
• Earache – Earaches can be the result of a number of issues.  Usually, an earache is cause by an ear infection.  If your child seems to get earaches regularly, especially during spring and fall, they may have allergy issues that are causing the infection in the ears.  Sometimes the pain is caused by an outside object that the child has put into their ear.  Other situations can include a buildup of ear wax, or an infection in the tooth, jaw or throat that is causing referred pain. 
• Pink Eye – The bane of all schools, pink eye, also called conjunctivitis, is both uncomfortable and extremely contagious.  If you suspect your child has pinkeye, please bring them to see us right away.  Although it is rarely serious, it is best to prevent it from spreading to others and to get it cleared up as quickly as possible.

Upper Respiratory Infection – The common cold is the most common infection for children. Most children will get multiple colds during the year but those in daycare will get even more. There is no cure for the common cold and since it is a virus, we do not prescribe antibiotics. Instead, treatment targets the symptoms to hopefully speed recovery. These treatments include:

• Consuming plenty of fluids.  This can be in the form of water, soup, apple juice and electrolytes like Pedialyte.  Dehydration is one of the dangers of a cold, so lots of fluids is essential.
• Sleep!  The average child needs 10-13 hours of sleep, depending on age.  When a child is sick that number increases.  So, make sure your child gets plenty of rest.
• Nasal congestion is one of the symptoms that can make it difficult for children to rest.  To combat this, you can use saline nasal sprays and steam to help thin mucus. For young children a nebulizer with saline may help loosen mucus.  Do not use nasal decongestant sprays unless you speak to one of our pediatric doctors first. They may make symptoms worse.
• Use children’s-strength medicine to treat symptoms. Discuss all over-the-counter (OTC) products with us before using them. For children 6 months or younger, never give ibuprofen.  For children under 4, don’t use OTC medications until you have talked to a pediatric doctor.  Most importantly, never give aspirin to a child under the age of 18 when they have a cold or flu.  There is a risk of a rare condition called Reye syndrome if you do.

Allergies – While allergies are common, sometimes it can be difficult to determine whether your child is suffering from allergies or a cold.  Since hay fever or other allergies can affect your child’s breathing just like a cold, it can be hard to tell the difference. If your child is getting frequent ear infections; if your child develops a dry, hacking cough with clear mucus, especially in the Spring and Fall; If your child seems to tire more quickly than other children because they are frequently out of breath; all of these can be signs of allergies.  If you think your child may be developing allergies or already have them, contact Founders Family Medicine & Urgent Care.  We can help you determine if your child has allergies and what they may be allergic to. 

• Skin allergies – The skin, the body’s largest organ and part of the immune system, will sometimes react in protest to an allergen. Check your child’s skin for eczema, which shows up as dry, red, scaly patches that itch. Watch for hives, which may also signal an allergy. These red welts on the skin can range in size. They can be as small as the tip of a pen or as large as a dinner plate, 
• Food allergies 

According to the Mayo Clinic, these eight foods contribute to the majority of of food allergies:

• milk 
• eggs 
• peanuts 
• tree nuts, such as almonds, cashews, and walnuts 
• fish, such as bass, cod, and flounder 
• shellfish, such as crab, lobster, and shrimp 
• soy 
• wheat

Pet allergies

• Cats, dogs, even hamsters can be a source of allergens.  It is not the pet but the pet dander or fur that can be the problem.  If your child is sneezing or has runny eyes or nose after playing with or holding a pet, consider having them tested for animal allergies.