Your Coronavirus questions answered
(updated 5/23)
Over the past several weeks, we’ve made many adjustments to our office procedures to accommodate you during COVID-19. Our priority is to ensure the safety of your family, which includes continuity of care – both for sick and well visits.
Well visits are an essential cornerstone of pediatric care and children’s well being. If your child is due for a routine visit, we assure you that it is safer coming to see us than to skip important visits.
We want to assure you that we are your medical home throughout this uncertain time of COVID-19. As we encounter the evolving situation and daily onslaught of news on Coronavirus, we will post new information as it becomes available. Be sure to follow our Facebook and Instagram pages to remain up to date.
Following are some recent changes in our office:
- Well visits are only in the mornings: We no longer offer sick walk-in during the morning and only schedule well visits at that time. Sick visits take place in the afternoons.
- We only allow one well caregiver per patient and no siblings.
- We’ve streamlined our checkin process so that sick patients do not have to use the waiting room.
We offer telehealth
For your convenience, be sure to check out our telehealth option if your child needs a sick visit. We offer them during business hours with our providers. All you need is a phone or computer to speak to us through our secure application. Most insurance companies now cover telehealth. Call our office at 847-676-5394 to schedule an appointment.
Current hours
Please note that while Illinois is in a state of shelter in place, we are closing our office earlier. We will keep you posted as the situation in our state evolves.
Monday through Friday: 8AM – 5PM
Saturday: 9AM – 12PM
Sunday: 8AM – 11AM
As always, when our office is closed, there is a provider on call to help you for urgent medical matters. You can reach the provider on call by calling our normal office number 847-676-5394.
Benefits of annual checkups for kids
Well visit check ups provide us with an opportunity to evaluate your child’s growth and development — from the earliest smiles and words to their concerns about sex and drug use as teens. Patients from birth through age 21 are required to have a complete physical examination to participate in our practice.
New patients receive record release forms to be sent to your previous doctors so we may receive past records. It is ideal if we receive such records prior to a check-up so we can determine if any further immunizations or laboratory tests should be done.
A complete physical exam at our office includes height, weight, head circumference (for infants), evaluation of vision and hearing (in older children), an estimate of development and any necessary vaccinations. We allow ample time for discussions of issues related to your child’s home, school and peer relationships.
Since most camps and schools require physical exam forms to be current, it is important that physical exams be performed yearly. Such regular exams set the tone for anticipatory guidance and good preventative health care. While recalls for yearly check-ups are sent out periodically, please try to call well in advance for your child’s exam.
Wishing you all well and looking forward to continuing to serve you safely. See you soon!
New office policies
(updated 3/23)
Beginning March 17, we temporarily suspended our walk in sick hours. Although we will remain open during the usual office hours, from 8AM to 7PM, please call to schedule a sick visit.
We will be seeing all our well visit patients in the morning of each day and will schedule sick visits for the afternoons to minimize exposure for our patients. We will also minimize time spent in the waiting room for everyone.
We ask that you limit the number of people in our office to the patient and only one caregiver. We kindly ask that no siblings other than patients visit the office, including during well visits.
If your child is scheduled for a well visit that needs to be adjust, we will be in touch with you to reschedule.
We are also happy to announce we now offer telehealth visits with our providers. Call the office at 847-676-5394 to schedule an appointment.
We encourage you to stay on top of the news and commit to being stewards of public health to limit the global spread of this virus. However, it’s important to emphasize that the risk of getting Coronavirus remains low, and the illness for someone like you and your children is typically mild or even asymptomatic. The good news is that it’s almost never severe in children. This is the message that you should continue to explain to your children as they overhear news reports and chatter at school.
We also want to encourage you to refer only to reliable health sources at all times, especially now when there is an inundation of information online about COVID-19.
What do we know about the virus?
From time to time new coronaviruses emerge with the potential to cause severe disease and global epidemics. For example, the SARS and MERS viruses are both coronaviruses that previously caused outbreaks of severe respiratory illness around the world. We are learning more about COVID-19 every day and are in constant communication with public health officials to minimize risks to our patients, families and staff.
What should I do if my child is sick?
Call us! If you think you or your child have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms, such as cough or difficulty breathing, call us for medical advice.
Steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 if you or your child is sick
Stay home except to get medical care
- People who are mildly ill with COVID-19 are able to recover at home. Do not leave, except to get medical care. Do not visit public areas.
- Call us before you get medical care. Of course, be sure to get care if you feel worse or you think it is an emergency.
- If you do have to go out, avoid using public transportation, ride-sharing, or taxis.
Separate the patient from other people in your home
- As much as possible, set up a specific “sick room” away from other people in your home. Use a separate bathroom, if available.
- You should restrict contact with pets and other animals, just like you would around other people.
- Although there have not been reports of pets or other animals becoming sick with COVID-19, it is still recommended that people with the virus limit contact with animals until more information is known.
- When possible, have another member of your household care for your animals while you are sick with COVID-19. If you must care for your pet or be around animals while you are sick, wash your hands before and after you interact with them. See COVID-19 and Animals for more information.
Call ahead before visiting your doctor
If you have a medical appointment, call your doctor’s office or emergency department, and tell them you have or may have COVID-19. This will help the office protect themselves and other patients.
Wear a facemask if you are sick
- You should wear a facemask when you are around other people and before you enter a healthcare provider’s office.
- If the person who is sick is not able to wear a facemask (for example, because it causes trouble breathing), then people who live in the home should stay in a different room. When caregivers enter the room of the sick person, they should wear a facemask. Avoid having visitors, other than caregivers.
What counts as exposure to the virus?
Currently, those at greatest risk of infection are those who have had prolonged, unprotected close contact with a patient with symptomatic, confirmed COVID-19 and those who live in or have recently traveled to high risk areas. Close contact is defined as spending at least 10-15 minutes within six feet of someone who has tested positive to the virus.
What should you do if you or your child have contact with someone who has COVID-19?
If you or your child has had contact with someone who has been confirmed to have COVID-19, shelter in place.
What should I do if I suspect my child has COVID-19?
The CDC is recommending that patients shelter at home under isolation precautions for seven days after symptoms and after 72 hours of fever free. Let us know if you have the following symptoms: fever, coughing shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
The Illinois Department of Health is not testing for COVID-19 that can be managed at home. The only testing will be for patients who are in distress and need to be evaluated for hospital admittance.
How dangerous is COVID-19?
Currently, the general risk to those living in the U.S. is low. This is especially true for children. The full public health impact of COVID-19 worldwide is not yet completely understood, however, COVID-19 severity of illness and risk of dying seems less than other epidemics, like SARS and MERS.
There have been 29 million infections and 16,000 deaths from influenza this flu season in the U.S. Because the risk of influenza and an influenza-related death is much higher than COVID-19, those who have not yet been vaccinated this season should get a flu shot. A flu shot can still prevent and/or minimize severity of influenza and protect against influenza-related deaths.
The reason for the heightened public health concern over Coronavirus is because the mortality rate of COVID-19 is 10 times higher than influenza.
What precautions are necessary?
Currently, there is no vaccine for the virus causing COVID-19. The best way to prevent infection of any communicable disease is to avoid exposure using common sense preventive measures:
- Wash hands with soap and water often, for 20 seconds each time
- When soap and water is not available, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
- Avoid close contact with individuals who are sick
- Avoid public places and practice social distancing
- Cover your cough and sneeze
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces such as phones, tables and doorknobs
- Teach your children to follow these steps
- Do not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, or bedding with other people in your home. After using these items, wash them thoroughly with soap and water or put in the dishwasher.
Is it safe to travel?
The CDC is recommending you avoid non-essential travel to highly affected areas and take precautions in many other areas. Please refer to CDC’s travel health notices relative to COVID-19 at the following link: CDC Travel Health Notices. Travel throughout the U.S. is currently considered safe. Consider getting travel insurance in case you need to change your plans.
Please refer to the resources below for more information on COVID-19
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH)
Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)
Of course, you can always contact us at the office with any questions or concerns at 847-676-5394
The cash price for a COVID-19 diagnostic test is $80. We provide this information to our patients, health insurers, and the general public, pursuant to Section 3202 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.