ADDRESSING YOUR ATTENTION CONCERNS

If you think your child is having problems with focus and attention or your child's teacher has suggested an evaluation, be sure to share your concerns with your pediatrician. Call our office to schedule an appointment with your PCP to begin the discussion and testing. 

The ultimate goal in the treatment of ADHD/ADD is to help your child be as successful as possible in all aspects of his/her life.

What symptoms develop due to ADD/ADHD?

ADHD symptoms fall into three categories: 

1. Inattentiveness
2. Hyperactivity 
3. Impulsivity                                                 

Some children may only struggle with inattention, while others have trouble with two or three categories.  Each child has a different range and severity of symptoms. However, their symptoms may be severe enough to affect their performance at school, at home, and when socializing.

When children struggle with inattention, they:

• Can’t pay attention at school or while playing

• Have difficulty organizing tasks

• Avoid tasks requiring mental effort

• Lose important items

• Forget to do homework and chores

When children struggle with hyperactivity and impulsivity, they:

• Fidget, squirm, or get out of their seat during class

• Run or climb when it isn't appropriate

• Talk excessively and interrupt conversations

• Have a hard time waiting for their turn

• Act or speak without thinking

To evaluate and diagnose ADD/ADHD, we may suggest a thorough family and patient history, a complete physical exam, possible lab tests to eliminate other medical diseases, using tools such as a checklist of symptoms, and talking with parents and children about their challenges.  You may also be given questionnaires that will need to be completed by parents and teachers.

My child has ADHD.  Now what?

Once your child has an ADHD diagnosis, their pediatrician works with your child to set goals, prescribe medications if indicated and schedule regular follow-up appointments to monitor their progress. Once a child is on medication and is on a stable course, the provider will ask to see him/her every 4 months to be monitored.  

How does the prescribing of medications work?

Many ADD/ADHD medications fall into the category of controlled substances. This means:

• We cannot send more than 1 month supply

• We cannot have refills on a medication

• We cannot phone orders to a pharmacy

• All medications must be sent to the pharmacy electronically

Due to these restrictions, it works best when your own pediatrician is responsible for the refills and not a different physician in the office. Your pediatrician knows your child well, is familiar with your child's plan and can prescribe the medications most efficiently. However, your physician may be out of the office or already gone for the day when you make your refill request or the following day may be their routine day off. For this reason, we ask for 48 business hours to refill prescriptions.  Please help us help you by staying on top of your child's medication needs. Request your medication refills in advance of running out of the medication.  

How do "Med Check" Appointments work?

If we prescribe a medication for your child, then we must see him/her every 4 months to determine that your child is on an effective medication and dosage with minimal or no side effects.  

Asthma Management

Our practice provides a asthma management program for our patients. Our pediatricians are trained in the diagnosis and management of childhood asthma. Diagnosis is usually made during a sick visit when a child is wheezing or having other respiratory symptoms. 

Occasionally, we may diagnose your child with asthma during a preventive care visit based on patient or parent concerns or our exam findings.

What is asthma?

Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that usually develops during childhood. It occurs when the airways in the lungs become inflamed (swollen) and constrict (become smaller), making breathing difficult.

Asthma affects all the airways in the respiratory system, from the windpipe (trachea) in the neck to the smallest airways in the lungs. No two children with asthma experience it exactly the same way. Asthma affects the airways of children in three ways:

• Inflammation (swelling) of the lining of the airways decreases the amount of room there is for air to flow in and out. This swelling can last for weeks after an acute episode, called an asthma attack, or it may become a condition that never completely goes away.
• Bronchospasm is a tightening of the muscles that surround the airways. This narrows the airway, preventing air from getting in or out of the lungs.
• Excessive mucus produced in the lungs often blocks the airways.

Symptoms occur when asthma triggers, such as a cold or allergies, irritate the airways. Proper treatment can control asthma in the majority of children. Because symptoms vary from child to child and from episode to episode, four keys to successful treatment include:

1. Individualized care programs
2. Recognizing warning signs of a severe episode
3. Early treatment
4. Avoiding things that trigger asthma attacks as much as possible

Congratulations!! We are here for you and your family!

Starting a family or welcoming another child into your family is a wonderful experience and truly a gift.  Along with the beauty and joy of pregnancy, delivery and then coming home, there are bound to be times when you have quetions about how to care for your baby and family. 

We are excited and honored that you are considering us for your child's care.  The continuity of care and the amazement of watching a baby grow and develop into a wonderful child is one of the primary reasons that we all feel previleged to work in pediatrics. 

Newborn Care Begins From the Moment Your Baby Arrives

Our pediatricians and nurse practitioners understand the challenges of taking care of a newborn.  They also provide the same gentle care they would use for treating their own family. 

Notify Us

The best time to notify our office and schedule your child for their first visit is after you have been discharged from the hospital.  We like to begin care of your newborn when they are 3-5 days of age as an integral part of care provided by our professional team!

Children may experience a range of medical conditions that could benefit from the expertise of a pediatric specialist in a particular field. 

We emphasize, and your insurnace may require that Children's Medical Center of Tucson provide a referral to any healthcare specialist that may need to be involved in your child's care. 

If your child's provider requested you to schedule with a specialist and you have any questions, please call to speak with our Referral Specialist. 

If you feel that your child needs to see a specialist, and you have NOT yet discussed  the particular issue with your child's provider, please call to make an appointment. 

At your convenience, we kindly request that you call our office for ADD/ADHD prescription refills.  Our team is dedicated to providing outstanding patient care and ensuring that your medications are readily available when you need them.  We ask that you call 5 days prior to your child running out of their medication. 

For ANY and ALL other medication refills, please contact your pharmacy.

Regular physicals are an important part of preventative pediatric care. Getting your child a sports physical gives the provider an opportunity to examine your child, evaluate their health and fitness, and determine whether or not they are prepared for sports or school activities.

Can you do a Sports Physical at my Annual Well Visit?

We CAN include a Sports Physical at your child's Well Visit. This is done by having you also fill out a Sports Physical Form prior to their Well Visit. Please note that this typically must occur after March 1st of the preceding academic year. 

If your child has already had their Well Visit within the previous 6 months but it did not include the Sports Physical component, you may bring in the completed Sport Physical Form to any of our locations for the provider to complete their portion.  We would charge a $10 fee.  

If your child had a well visit within the previous 7-12 months, child will need a 'Sports Physical'. We charge a $50 out-of-pocket fee for these visits.