Please take a moment to read our most commonly asked questions. We're always available to answer your questions and encourage you to contact our office if you have a question that is not answered below.
A: A pediatrician is a medical doctor who specializes in the care of children. Pediatricians have undergone special training in the health and illnesses of infants, teens and young adults. All of our pediatricians are certified by the American Board of Pediatrics after passing a comprehensive exam.
Pediatricians provide preventive health care for children, teens and young adults, and care for children who are acutely or chronically ill. They also provide parents with support and advice with issues such as growth and development, safety and prevention, nutrition, and emotional wellness to foster a lifetime of good health.
A: Yes, some of our doctors do prenatal visits. Please call our office and talk with our Medical Home Coordinator. She will be able to introduce you to the office and provide answers to many of your questions.
A: Your child should not just see the pediatrician for an illness. It is also important to schedule well-child-care exams regularly, beginning in infancy. Also called well-care visits or checkups, these routine examinations provide the best opportunity for the doctor to observe the progress of your child's physical and mental growth and development; to counsel and teach parents; to detect problems through screening tests; to provide immunizations, and to get to know one another. Well-care visits are strongly recommended as part of preventive pediatric care.
Well-child visits are also a good time for parents to raise questions and concerns about a child's development, behavior, nutrition, safety and overall well-being.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends this schedule for routine well-care visits:
And once every year thereafter for an annual health supervision visit that includes a physical exam as well as a developmental, behavioral, and learning assessment.
A: You can schedule an appointment by using our MyChart patient portal any time, day or night, or calling our office during regular business hours.
A: Yes, we always welcome new patients! Referrals of new patients from our existing families are our most sincere form of flattery! Please contact our office for additional information or to request an appointment.
A: Immunizations are a series of shots given to children at different ages to help ward off serious, and potentially fatal, childhood diseases. Making sure your child receives immunizations when scheduled is the best way to help protect your child from potentially fatal diseases. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, vaccinations have reduced the number of infections from vaccine-preventable diseases by more than 90%. If you're apprehensive about vaccinations, please do not hesitate to contact our office, however, the physicians at Framingham Pediatrics firmly support the current vaccines guidelines from the AAP, CDC and DPH.