Pediatric FAQs

These frequently asked questions, and their answers may give you the information you need without making a phone call. However, if you are at all in doubt about any given topic, don’t hesitate to call us.

• Can we contact the doctor after-hours?
• Should I Breast feed my newborn?
• How often should I schedule my child for a check-up?
• When should my baby start solid foods?
• Will I always see the doctor I want to see?
• What is the dosage of Tylenol for my child?
• Do you participate in my health insurance plan?
• My child is vomiting.  How do I know if she is dehydrated?
• My child needs to see a specialist.  What do I do?
• What immunizations will my child be getting?
• Do you “sign out” to other doctors or “cover” for other doctors?
• What days are you open?
• I just gave birth.  When should I schedule my baby’s first doctor visit?
• How can I tell if my child is obese?

Q:  Can we contact the doctor after-hours?
A:  Our professional answering service answers calls to our Newton Office number 973-383-9841 after-hours.  The service will contact our on-call physician immediately for emergencies.  A message will be taken and timely callback made for less urgent issues.  Please call right back if you have not received a timely response.

Q:  Should I Breast feed my newborn?
A:  Breast-feeding is the most natural way to nourish your infant, and is highly recommended.  Infant formula is an acceptable alternative for many.  For complete nutritional guidance for your infant, discuss diet and feeding concerns with the doctor at your well-care visit or call during office hours to speak with our experienced nursing staff.

Q:  How often should I schedule my child for a check-up?
A:  A check-up, or well care visit is an opportunity for you to ask questions and learn more about various health, growth and development issues as well as for the physician to perform a physical exam.  In the first two years, these visits are frequent, and are arranged around the immunization schedule. We usually will schedule your infant at 2 and 6 weeks, 2, 4, and 6 months, 9, 12, 15, and 18 months, then every year until age six.  After that, every other year until the teen years when a well visit is again recommended yearly.

Q:  When should my baby start solid foods?
A:  There are several appropriate steps in advancing your child’s diet based on age and development.  Please discuss these at your well care visit as they may vary with the individual.

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Q:  Will I always see the doctor I want to see?
A:  Every effort is made to arrange your child’s well-care and follow-up visits with the doctor of your choosing.  When your child is ill, any of our doctors will see your child.  Please understand that with two offices and four doctors this policy helps smooth office flow and reduce waiting time in our office and allows the physician to focus more on your child’s needs.

Q:  What is the dosage of Tylenol for my child?
A:  Fever is a symptom of an illness, not the disease itself.  Anti-fever medications (acetaminophen and ibuprophen) reduce fever and give comfort but they do not make your child better.  Dosages are based on age or weight.  If your child’s illness with fever is causing you concern, call the office for advice or to request an appointment.

Q:  Do you participate in my health insurance plan?
A:  We have contracts with most health insurance plans serving our area including Aetna.  In addition, in most cases, if your insurance is not an HMO, we can still treat your children and process the claim even though we do not have a contract with your plan.  Please call our business office at 973-383-9841 for specific questions.

Q:  My child is vomiting.  How do I know if she is dehydrated?
A:  When your child is ill, many questions like the above will arise.  Fortunately, our office is open seven days a week so you never have to worry long before your child can be evaluated.  Moreover, if you just cannot wait until the next day, our physicians are available after hours through our answering service.  Remember to call 973-383-9841.

Q:  My child needs to see a specialist.  What do I do?
A:  If our doctors have referred your child, or agree a specialist should be consulted, you should first make the appointment with the specialist.  For urgent referrals (especially when you are still in our office) you can wait while the referral is processed.  For non-urgent referrals, call our office within 60 days of your appointment.  Generally, the referral will be available in 3-5 days.  You should then pick it up.

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Q:  What immunizations will my child be getting?
A:  Our immunization schedule closely follows the schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.  There are some differences as there are some variety of combinations and manufacturers of vaccines.  By following our schedule, we can protect your family from many serious infectious diseases.

Q:  Do you “sign out” to other doctors or “cover” for other doctors?
A:  No!  We never ask other doctor groups to cover our practice after hours, (or visa versa).  If your child needs after-hours care, one of the physicians you have chosen, a pediatrician from Sussex County Pediatrics, will be available to you.

Q:  What days are you open?
A:  Sussex County Pediatrics is open seven days a week.

Q:  I just gave birth.  When should I schedule my baby’s first doctor visit?
A:  Many newborns are held in the nursery for less than 48 hours.  Current recommendations are for seeing newborn infants in the pediatrician’s office one or two days after discharge.  Our staff understands the importance of this first visit.  We’ll get you in.  It’s another reason our seven-days-a-week office hour schedule is right for you.

Q:  How can I tell if my child is obese?
A:  The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure of body fatness.  Children with a BMI in the 85-95th percentile for age are “at risk” for overweight, while those with a BMI above the 95th percentile are defined as overweight.  We will calculate your child’s BMI and discuss treatment options and outcomes with you at well care visits and at other visits when the concern is raised.

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