Our Most Frequently Asked Questions

For the typical child, the easy answer is that your child keeps getting exposed to germs that make him/her sick. That doesn’t address the reason why you’re asking that question though, does it? There might really be one basic fear that drives that question: You’re worried your child might have some strange immune disorder that makes him/her more susceptible to illness. While this is possible, it is very rare, and it’s a reason why keeping your regularly scheduled well and sick appointments with your pediatric office is so important. Your providers are trained to spot, diagnose, and treat a wide range of conditions and illnesses – not just your garden variety ear infection. 

Being exposed repeatedly to germs is only part of the answer. The other part of this is that an illness that seems to have gone on for weeks and weeks could really be one of two things. It could be that your child has just gotten 2 or 3 different illnesses in succession, or it could be that the one illness has just morphed into symptoms affecting different systems of your child's body.

While it does seem like there are a lot of well visits in the first two years of life (ten including the 2-year visit), if you really think about the sheer number of developmental strides a baby makes in those two years, you might actually wonder why there aren’t more! First, at these visits, the majority of your child's immunizations will be received--spread out over those visits. Second, since pediatricians and pediatric nurse practitioners are trained to monitor the physical, emotional, and social health of children from birth to young adulthood, they understand the many factors that affect the growth and development of children. They also understand that children are not simply small adults. Children change rapidly, and they must be approached with a nuanced understanding and appreciation for their stage of physical and mental development.

At these well visits, even the slightest deviation from the expected is enough for a provider to look into a potential problem. With so many changes happening so quickly, only a trained eye can separate the normal from the potentially problematic. In the same way, a trained mechanic can tell when your car isn’t ‘humming’ right, a pediatrician or pediatric nurse practitioner may look at your child and know that something is ‘off.’ We are, after all, experts in our field.

Depending on what the concerns are, it may or may not be addressed during your well visit. A routine physical, or well visit, is where your child’s growth and development are assessed. It's where your child’s general well-being, social and emotional development, and the next stage in development may be discussed. It's also when your child will receive immunizations. Sick visits cover everything else that is “problem” focused. While a “sick” visit seems to refer to when your child is under the weather, it actually refers to anything that is a problem, concern, or issue, ranging from acne to warts, including constipation, rashes, emotional issues, or chronic headaches.

Well visits only have a certain amount of time allotted to them. If a parent needs the provider to address a certain problem, concern, or issue, the provider may decide to do one of three things:

1. Switch the visit to a sick visit and reschedule the well visit
2. Manage both in the time allotted for the well visit and bill your insurance company for both. See below for details.
3. Ask that you return to the office at another time that isn’t rushed to address those concerns under a "sick" visit.

If the concern is of an immediate or minor nature (head cold, diaper rash, etc.), the provider may decide to do either of the first two items above. Most typically, for your convenience and the child’s welfare, they will perform both visits together. If the concern is not of an immediate nature (behavioral or social concerns, trouble in school, etc.), the provider will continue with the well visit, but have you make another appointment when more time and attention can be focused on the issue.

Please keep in mind that if a provider chooses to perform both a routine physical and address a problem or concern (sick visit), you may be billed for both types of services. Most insurance plans pay for the services under two different benefit categories (well and sick). That means you will be financially responsible for your portion of each type of visit. For example, if your well visits cost you nothing, but your sick visits cost you a $25 copay, then your insurance will expect us to collect your $25 copay for the sick portion of the visit. If there is a $25 copay for each type of service, then we would have to collect two copays.

Please do not wait for your yearly well visit to bring up ongoing concerns like seasonal allergies, behavioral problems, or major emotional distress, and expect them to be covered under your well benefits. Insurance plans will classify concerns like these under your sick benefits, and we will not bill fraudulent claims to insurance companies by leaving those items off the claim intentionally. If you do not wish to be billed at your well visit for your concerns, we ask that you make a separate appointment so that our providers can devote their undivided attention to your concerns.

Nurse practitioners (NPs) are advanced practice nurses who provide high-quality healthcare services similar to those of a physician. NPs can also diagnose and treat a wide range of health problems. After receiving their bachelor’s degree in nursing and most typically working to advance their clinical skills, they go on to get their master’s degree in nursing. This is where they further their education and clinical training beyond their registered nurse preparation. They then are eligible for state licensure and board certification in their respective area of interest and study, much like a physician.

Board Certification is a process where a special independent organization provides credentials to a provider, signifying a high level of professional competency. Certifications are usually time-limited, meaning that the medical professional will have to re-certify after a given time period. The recertification usually involves comprehensive testing, among other things, and demonstrates their commitment to professionalism, lifelong learning, and self-evaluation.