Health Resources

Expecting

For our expectant parents, we offer complimentary appointments to meet the pediatrician(s) of your choice. Please call to schedule an appointment if you are interested in a pre-natal visit with us.

We do not currently examine patients in the nursery as our community hospitals have doctors that care for all of the babies born at Lake Pointe Medical Center and Presbyterian Hospital of Rockwall.

Please let the doctors in the nursery know that you will be following up with our clinic after discharge and call us to make an appointment for a newborn follow up or 2 week check up.

Newborns

Most newborns will have a newborn check up a few days after discharge, especially if mom is breastfeeding for a weight check or if your baby needs to have a jaundice check. Your nursery doctor should let you know when your baby’s first check up should be. Babies are also seen at 2 weeks for a weight check and follow up appointment.

It is normal for newborns to lose up to 10% of their birth weight regardless of if they are breastfeeding or taking formula! However, if you are concerned about your baby’s growth, let us know.

Babies typically feed every 2-3 hours around the clock. If mom is breastfeeding, they may want to nurse even more frequently to help mom’s milk come in. Mom’s milk may not come in for 2-3 days and up to 5 days for some mothers, you do not need to supplement in most cases, please call our office if you are concerned.

Coughing, sneezing, and hic-cups are normal. If your baby is persistently breathing hard and fast or has trouble breathing, this is not normal and should be evaluated as soon as possible.

You may see some bloody discharge from your baby’s umbilical stump as it falls off and this is NORMAL. If you start to see any redness in or around the belly button area or note a foul-smelling or purulent discharge, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible.

You should not bathe your baby in a submersion bath until after their umbilical cord has fallen off and, if your child is a circumcised boy, until they have instructed it is safe to. Using a soft washcloth to cleanse the baby’s skin will be fine.

Baby boys that have not been circumcised do not need to have special cleaning of their foreskin. It is not recommended that you retract the foreskin until it retracts on its own, typically around school-age.

Baby boys that have been circumcised will require some attention to the area; however, this will depend on the type of circumcision they had. Please refer to the instructions given to you by the practitioner who performed the circumcision.

We do not perform circumcisions in our office, but can assist you if a referral is needed to have this performed.

It is normal for babies to have a black, tarry stool after birth. This is called meconium. As your baby begins to have stools as result for breastmilk or formula, this will change.

Babies that are breastfed have a yellow, seedy stool and will have very variable stooling patterns. Some babies will stool after every feeding, some will not stool for up to two days. If you are baby has not stooled for three or more days, you may want to check in with us.

Formula fed babies can have many different colored stools. Most of the time this is normal. If you notice blood in the stool or a white or gray colored stool, you should seek medical attention right away.

Plain water should not be given to babies to drink at any time before 6 months of age because their kidneys are not ready for it.

Extreme fussiness or lethargy needs immediate evaluation.

If your baby has a rectal temperature >100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, this is a medical emergency and you should SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY. After the age of 2 months, the urgency for evaluation is less, but you should still be seen as soon as possible.

Infants

We do not recommend introducing solid foods, such as rice cereal, until after 4-6 months of age. For each infant, the appropriate time to introduce solid foods is different. Signs that your baby is ready for this change include being able to sit well, have good head control, and when their tongue does not push food out of their mouths.

Mothers may breastfeed for as long as they’d like. We encourage breastfeeding for as long as possible. If your baby is formula-fed, we recommend formula until at least the age of one.

After one year of age, you may introduce whole milk.

We do not recommend juice for infants.

Ibuprofen (brand name Motrin or Advil) should not be given to infants under the age of 6 months.

Childhood and Adolescence

We recommend a yearly examination for children and adolescents.

Our clinic allows for our older children and adolescent patients to feel comfortable in an environment that is not too childish.

Our clinic is equipped and our staff is well-trained to provide health care for female adolescent patients.

Immunizations

We support the vaccine schedule supported by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Vaccines help to reduce the incidence of many illnesses that once caused significant morbidity and mortality. In addition to preventing illness in the child who receives the vaccines, vaccines help our population as a whole maintain health, protects unborn babies, and protects fertility.

We are happy to discuss immunizations, their benefits, their risks, and your concerns about immunizations. There is no conclusive evidence that vaccines cause autism or toxicity, or that its components are harmful in the amounts found in the vaccines that we use.

We understand that vaccinating according to CDC recommendations is not the choice some families make for their children. We respect your family’s decision and do not want to alienate families who chose an alternative schedule or do not vaccinate. We also ask that you respect our support of the CDC recommended guidelines and sign a vaccine refusal form if you choose not to follow this schedule. Let us know if you will be vaccinating on an alternative schedule or do not wish to have your children vaccinated.

Antibiotics

We will prescribe antibiotics when clinically appropriate. We do not routinely prescribe antibiotics for every upper respiratory infection because many upper and lower respiratory infections are caused by viruses, which are not cured or reduced by antibiotics.

Dosing Reference Sheets

The information on these dosing charts is not intended to give medical advice. It is for informational purposes only. The content is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of content found on this website.

Please note:

Do not give to infants < 8 weeks of age without speaking to a physician. Fever >100.4 in a child less than 8 weeks of age is considered a medical emergency and needs a full evaluation regardless of the time of day.

Be aware that many over the counter (OTC) medications such as cough and cold medicines may contain acetaminophen, ibuprofen or diphenhydramine, which can lead to double dosing. Read all OTC labels carefully. Pecan Tree Pediatrics advises against using multi-ingredient OTC medications in children.

Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen Dosing Sheets for Fever and Pain

Allergy Medication Dosing Sheets

Benadryl Dosing Sheets

Miralax Dosing Sheets