Cary, Fuquay-Varina and Apex Pediatrics

Our Apex and Fuquay-Varina offices will be closed on Independence Day (July 4). Our Cary office will be open from 8am to 12 noon for sick visits only.

CHANGES AHEAD

Cary, Fuquay-Varina and Apex Pediatrics are making changes we hope will improve your exprience in our office, and enhance our ability to care for your child. You may notice in the coming months changes in our phone system and in our check-in procedures. These changes are designed to improve communication and quicken flow in our office, hopefully keeping you waiting less in lines, and less on the phones.

Part of this change is changing our patient management software. With our upgrade, we will be able to offer more, from improved reminder messages for checkups to reminder calls for already scheduled appointments. We will also be able to further improve the tracking of our high-risk children during flu season.

Please be patient while we make these changes, and let us know how we can better serve your needs.

Spring is Here!!

As chilly nights turn into warm days, we know that spring is on the way. With that come allergies, injuries, bug bites, and other summertime-fun related concerns. Cary, Fuquay-Varina, and Apex Pediatrics are here to help. Please see our RESOURCES section for information about summer safety!

It's also time to plan ahead for school physicals and sports physicals. Summertime is a great time when the kids are on vacation or tracked out to catch up on their well-child care. The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends yearly checkups for all children from 1 through 18. These visits are an opportunity to "catch-up" with the doctor, to make sure that health and development are proceeding normally, and to anticipate any changing needs of the child emotionally and physically in the year to come.

Checkups sometimes serve as an opportunity for a family to discuss other concerns, like asthma, allergies or medications. If you have concerns beyond routine for your child, please let our staff know ahead of time so we can ensure you have an appropriate amount of time with the provider during your visit.

New Vaccine Requirements

North Carolina schools now require a booster of "tetanus" vaccine or Tdap prior to entering the 6th grade, if it has been more than five years since their last dose of DTaP or a tetanus containing vaccine. This rule change also states that if the child is over 12 years of age by August 1st, 2008, they should also get a booster, whether or not they attend public school.

Adolescent and Childhood Vaccines

You may have heard from our providers or your friends about new vaccines being offered at your child's checkups. New information about immunity after the chicken pox vaccine (varicella) and new recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Center for Disease Control as well as new available products have increased the number of children receiving vaccines. You will notice that many of these vaccines will be offered to school age children and adolescents.

These vaccines are in addition to the "routine" immunizations suggested for your child such as "tetanus" boosters during adolescence, and the "school" immunizations. You can learn more about vaccines and the diseases they prevent at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia website.

Current changes include:

Chicken Pox booster for all children 5 and up. Two full doses for children who have not had the chicken pox illness is now recommended, and is offered at all checkups. Once older children have been "caught up" this will most frequently be offered at the kindergarten physical.

Hepatitis A- A two-dose vaccine to be given in the second year of life. Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by the Hepatitis A virus. It can cause significant jaundice, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, more frequently in adults than children, although children often transmit the disease through their stool. Read more here. This vaccine is recommended for all individuals over one year of age.

Gardasil- A revolutionary vaccine directed at Human Papiloma Virus (HPV). HPV is a major contributor to cervical cancer in women. It is a three-dose series vaccine approved and recommended for young women ages 9 through 26. It will frequently be offered at the 11 or 12 year checkup and for older adolescents. For more, read here.

Rotateq- An oral vaccine against Rotavirus . Rotavirus is a serious cause of vomining, diarrhea and dehydration in young children. This three-dose vaccine (to be given at 2, 4 and 6 month checkups) has a low side-effect profile and good effectiveness against this viral illness. Read more here.

Menactra: Menactra is a vaccine against a devastating form of meningitis (brain infection) that occurs most frequently in adolescents and young adults. The vaccine is effective, and lasts at least 10 years. It is offered and recommended for all children over 11 years of age.

Combination Vaccines

For most children, combination vaccines can be used to safely and effectively provide immunity to children with fewer needle sticks. Two such vaccines are listed below.

Pediarix- a combination of DTaP/IPV/HepB, for 2, 4 and 6 months of age
ProQuad- a combination of MMR and Varicella (chicken pox) for 1 year and kindergarten visits (this vaccine is currently unavailable due to manufacturing supply problems)

Not all children can receive these vaccines. Please ask your provider about it at your next checkup if you have any questions.