Update on Office Changes
Now that we are starting to see more patients in the office, we want to let you know about the changes we have made to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. If you come in for an appointment here is what you can expect:
Our waiting room is now fully open to all patients (both sick and well) but will also continue to offer parking lot check-in via telephone and MyChart check-in to all patients. We highly encourage the MyChart option to check-in for all well visits (whether from the parking lot or the waiting room) so that all required questionnaires can be completed electronically before the office visit. If you prefer to wait in the parking lot rather than the waiting room, you can still call from your car to check-in and inform the staff that you prefer to be called into the office when your room is ready.
We are using designated separate rooms for “well visits” and for “sick visits”
Every room will have a thorough cleaning after every patient
Our staff is being asked to monitor for symptoms. If symptomatic, they are not allowed in the office until they are well or have a negative COVID19 test.
We are still offering Virtual Visits if you prefer this for certain types of appointments. If you are not already signed up for mychart, give us a call to have your account activated.
As always, if you have any questions feel free to call us. We want to make sure you feel comfortable about how your child receives their medical care.
Should My Child Get Tested?
Information about COVID19 is changing constantly and it can be difficult to follow the guidelines. We are currently testing symptomatic patients in the office. We are not able to test patients without an exposure who do not have symptoms. If you or your child have been exposed or have symptoms, please review the guidelines from the CDC website on what you can do to prevent the spread:
We are following the Department of Public Health guidelines to determine who should be tested and who needs to be excused from school or daycare due to symptoms or test results.
Please call us if your child has been exposed or they have symptoms and you would like them to be tested.
We will not be able to write a return to school or daycare note without evaluating a patient first.
Vaccines During a Pandemic
We are doing our best at RPA to try to keep you and your children healthy, especially during a pandemic. This is why we have recommended that patients due for a vaccine come in for their appointments as opposed to a virtual visit. We are still making sure that there is little to no waiting in the waiting room, we are cleaning rooms after every patient, and separating rooms and time slots for “well child visits” and “sick child visits”. Here is a great article from Boston Children’s Hospital explaining how important these visits are during these times:
https://discoveries.childrenshospital.org/vaccines-during-covid-19/
And if you have any questions about bringing your child into our office feel free to give us a call!
COVID-19 VACCINE
We are offering only the Pfizer vaccine in our office. If you were unable to come to one of our vaccine clinics, you can refer to the mass.gov website to find sites in Massachusetts where you can bring your child as well as information on the vaccine.
UPDATE: The CDC has a new recommendation for the COVID19 vaccine, the monovalent and bivalent vaccines are no longer available. We are now offering this vaccine in the office.
For updates on the new vaccine and answers to questions about whether you or your child should receive it you can check the CDC site here.
We will continue to put measures in place here in the office to decrease the spread of COVID-19 and we appreciate everyone’s patience during these difficult times.
Below are useful links with information about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine:
COVID-19 Vaccine: Stay up to date, 6 month and up
Healthy Children COVID19 Vaccine Info
Vaccines for Children Under Age 18
Parent FAQs for COVID19 Vaccine
Was the COVID19 Vaccine Rushed?
Feel free to call us with any questions.
How Do I Get My Child to Wear a Mask?
We know this is a big adjustment for parents and their children to be wearing masks when they are out and about, and it can be a little scary for kids to see everyone else wearing a mask. In order to make them seem more routine, Boston Children’s Hospital created a few resources we want to share with our families to help you get your child to wear a mask and not be as afraid. As you may already be aware, everyone entering our building over age 2 must be wearing a mask, and if you do not have one we can provide one for you. Just let the front desk know after they have let you in.
CDC: Which Mask and How To Wear
Helping Your Child to Wear a Mask
Resources For Families
We know the current situation with COVID-19 is putting a lot of strain financially on many of our patients’ families. Here are some services that may help you and your family in the coming months:
https://www.internetessentials.com/covid19#thingstoknow&all_DoIliveinaComcastarea
http://www.211.org/services/covid19
We are happy to help if you need anything from our office that may help with these services.
Also, www.healthychildren.org is a great resource for all topics about children and their health. They have a few new articles about COVID-19, please use the links below to access them:
Working and Learning from Home During the COVID-19 Outbreak
Social Distancing: Why Keeping Your Distance Helps Keep Others Safe
Tips for Coping with a New Baby During COVID-19
Positive Parenting & COVID-19: 10 Tips to Help Keep the Calm at Home
Isolation Instructions
If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19, you must stay in isolation until you are fever free with no medications for 24 hours and are feeling better, regardless of vaccine status.
If you have no symptoms, you can come out of isolation and wear a tight fitting mask around others for the next 5 days.
Once your isolation ends, you should wear a tight fitting mask when indoors and avoid being around high risk individuals.
If you have a positive rapid antigen test at home, this is considered a true positive and there is no need to also have a molecular test. Here are instructions on how to properly isolate from the CDC:
Return to Sports after COVID-19 Infection
If your child has been diagnosed with COVID-19 and plays sports, there are guidelines to returning to play due to cardiac concerns. Please call to schedule a clearance appointment before they participate in sports if they have had:
Greater than 4 days of fever 100.4 degrees or higher
Greater than 7 days of muscle aches, chills, fatigue
Hospitalized
For patients without symptoms or mild symptoms, call our office for a telephone assessment and return to sports guidance. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends avoiding physical activity for 10 days from symptom onset or a positive test.
Once cleared to return to sports, we recommend a stepwise progression listed below. If any symptoms arise, we recommend resting and calling us for guidance.
Stage 1: Day 1 and Day 2 - (2 Days Minimum) - 15 minutes or less:
Light activity (walking, jogging, stationary bike), intensity no greater than 70% of maximum heart rate. NO resistance training.
Stage 2: Day 3 - (1 Day Minimum) - 30 minutes or less:
Add simple movement activities (eg. running drills) - intensity no greater than 80% of maximum heart rate.
Stage 3: Day 4 - (1 Day Minimum) - 45 minutes or less:
Progress to more complex training - intensity no greater than 80% maximum heart rate. May add light resistance training.
Stage 4: Day 5 and Day 6 - (2 Days Minimum) - 60 minutes:
Normal training activity - intensity no greater than 80% maximum heart rate.
Stage 5: Day 7 - Return to full activity/participation (ie, contests/competitions).
