Faqs

What is a primary care provider? How do we expect to be involved in your child’s life?
What is well child care? What is the schedule for well child visits?
What is our immunization philosophy? What schedule do we recommend?
The Role of Fever
When do we use antibiotics?
What is Homeopathy?

What is a primary care provider? How do we expect to be involved in your child’s life?

A primary care provider is the person who knows your child’s health well and helps you make decisions relating to your child’s needs. David Springer M.D., Claire Hebner M.D., and Betsy Ormond ARNP, all serve as primary care providers. We will get to know you and your children, their medical history, lifestyle and habits. We care for you as a whole family and can act as coordinators and experts in navigating the medical system. We learn about your child and can help you make important decisions about large and small things (ie: from which healthy foods to feed your child to decisions when your child is very ill). We ask you to have all other providers participating in your child’s care to supply us information about what care they give (ie: homeopaths, naturopaths, physical therapists, psychologists, etc). This enables us to provide comprehensive care.

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What is well child care? What is the schedule for well child visits?

Well child care in our office is recommended at ages 2,4,6,9,12,15,18, 24, and 30 months. Starting at age three years we like to see children and adolescents on or around their birthdays regardless of health status. Well child checks are an opportunity to complete a full physical at different stages in a child’s life. This helps us monitor height and weight, achievement of developmental milestones, and answer any questions you or your child may have relating to physical and emotional health.

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What is our immunization philosophy? What schedule do we recommend?

All our providers strongly recommend immunizations but believe the choice is ultimately yours to make. Our providers and staff will supply you with the most recent and important information relating to vaccines The clinic has published information you can receive at your visits and this web page gives you links for websites related to immunizations. We encourage every parent to research and ask questions. Our office is here to work with you through the process and make sure all your concerns get answered. No one will ever be denied access to health care in our office due to decisions you make regarding immunizations. It is important to realize that if you elect not to immunize you need a plan in case of illness or epidemic

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The Role of Fever:

Your child’s body is designed to mobilize an immune response to any foreign invader. The first line of body defense is a temperature above normal (99.8 degrees F or 37.5 degrees C).

Temperature elevation in your child over three month of age can sometimes be as high as 105 degrees and not cause harm. Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can be used if your child is uncomfortable. Febrile seizures are the worries of many parents. These seizures occur in the first 24 hour of the febrile illness on the upswing of the fever curve before you are even aware your child is hot.

If you need help in deciding whether to use anti-fever meds, please call the office. The comfort of your child is always our first priority.

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When do we use antibiotics?

Antibiotics have been used to prevent the growth; destroy the cell covering; or disrupt the internal metabolism of bacteria. Overuse of antibiotics has lead to bacterial resistance to the commonly prescribed medications as well as systemic changes in children’s bodies.

Illnesses in children are predominantly caused by respiratory; intestinal; or skin viruses which can not be affected by antibiotics. Our practice uses antibiotics for specific infections where the bacteria have been identified; viral causes have been eliminated; or in the presence of other chronic conditions requiring protective antibiotics.
We believe children’s bodies have the resiliency to overcome most infections with supportive methods relieving discomfort.

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What is Homeopathy?

Homeopathy is a method of healing developed in the United States in the middle of the 19th Century. Homeopathy is based on a theory of ‘similars’, i.e. a substance when given in large doses to a healthy person causes certain symptoms. When that same substance is given in molecular-sized doses, this extremely small dose can cure a sick child with ‘similar’ symptoms.

Homeopathic remedies are regulated by the Department of Agriculture and produced in only a few factories around the world. Homeopathic remedies are extracted in large part from animals, minerals, plants, or other biological products. The potency of the medications is determined at these factories with the higher the potency the less concentrated the remedy. The remedies are usually present in a lactose-based pellet.

The effectiveness of homeopathic remedies is based on clinical trials and perhaps the ability of these substances to alter immune cells. The practitioners in our office will use those remedies most suitable to the specific symptoms of your child. The decision to use homeopathy is at the parent’s discretion.

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