North Seattle Pediatrics
Your Family Matters
Fifty Years of Caring
North Seattle Pediatrics has been committed to caring for children for over fifty years. Our mission and tradition is to establish a medical home for patients, from birth to young adulthood, that provides outstanding, evidence-based pediatric care.
In the News
March 24, 2020
We Will Remain Open
Dear Parents and Families,
We are thinking of you during this COVID-19 crisis and wishing all of you the best of health. As your medical home, we want you to know what steps we are taking to keep you, our staff and our community healthy and safe. We remain open to serve you during this challenging time and Stay at Home order. The preventive care visits and vaccinations we provide for your child are essential in preventing disease. We are following the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations. We are taking care of well visit patients during our morning office hours and sick patients in the afternoons. We are cleaning everything thoroughly and frequently. We are offering telemedicine appointments for many types of visits. Please call our office for more information. We are here to help, and we want you to have access to your child’s physician. Please be aware that when you visit us, our building has limited entry to only patients who have appointments (no siblings who do not have appointments) and one parent/caregiver. We also recommend caregivers over 60 years old not attend office visits if possible. We endorse taking all necessary steps to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus; thank you for your concern and caution.
Your NSP Family
March 22, 2020
March 22, 2020 update
As your children's primary care office, North Seattle Pediatrics is remaining open from 8am-6pm. We are offering virtual telemedicine visits with our physicians as an alternative to some office visits and may be recommended by staff when you call with concerns about your child.We are currently encouraging families to have their well checkup appointments in the mornings and offering sick appointments in the afternoons. Keep your scheduled well care appointments. However, if you are ill and have a well checkup appointment, please consider rescheduling. Children still need to get physicals and the vaccines that protect them from illnesses much more serious than coronavirus. Our offices have implemented procedures to keep you safe. We are following appropriate CDC recommendations. We are cleaning intensely and often. Here are two good links from the AAP and CDC regarding children and the importance of social distancing.March 17, 2020
Telemedicine appointments
Virtual telemedicine visits are available with our physicians as an alternative to some office visits and may be recommended by staff when you call with concerns about your child.
We are experiencing a higher volume of calls, and this may result in longer than usual wait times. We apologize, please continue to check here and/or our website for updated information. Thank you. We are all in this together.
Your Family Matters.
March 16, 2020
3/16/20 More information for our families
Dear Families,School closings, social distancing and quarantines are ramping up Coronavirus anxiety amongst all of us, from the youngest, who respond to our stress, to the elderly, who are most affected, to those of us in the middle, who feel responsible for the whole family.Your doctors at North Seattle Pediatrics are here for you, not only for medical care but as a source of reliable and sane information. We suggest you look at COVID-19 information from two perspectives.1. Personal Safety: the vast majority of people infected by COVID-19 will have mild illness, especially children.2. Community responsibility: the CDC and Health Department are trying to limit spread, or at least slow it down. Self-quarantine, containment areas and social distancing are being implemented for these purposes.The best way to stay healthy is by practicing good hand washing, remembering not to touch your face, and staying away from large gatherings when possible. Take advantage of the nicer weather and socialize outdoors. If you or anyone in your family is sick, stay home. When needed, cough into your elbow.Your North Seattle Pediatrics team will help you through this crisis, as we have so many times in the past. Our doctors were on the front line of H1N1 infection - we made it through that, and together, we will make it through this.If your child is sick please call us. We are screening patients carefully and doing what is needed to keep our families safe. In order to serve our families better,we are currently implementing telehealth appointments during our office hours. Please call our office with specific questions.We are currently attempting to keep our well checkup appointments in the mornings and offering sick appointments in the afternoons. Keep your scheduled well care appointments. If you are ill and have a well checkup appointment, please consider rescheduling. Children still need to get physicals and the vaccines that protect them from illnesses much more serious than coronavirus. Our offices have implemented procedures to keep you safe. We are following appropriate CDC recommendations. We are cleaning intensely and often.March 14, 2020
2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
Guidelines for gatherings of children and youth while schools are closed.
The virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is thought to spread mainly from person to person
• between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) and
• via respiratory droplets produced when someone who is sick coughs or sneezes.
You can help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses like COVID-19 by following simple daily precautions and social distancing.The health and safety of our patients and their families has always been our top priority. We have always adhered to strict infection control policies and have built on those with extra precautions at this time.
To learn more about prevention, visit www.cdc.gov/covid19.Click here for up to date information from the King County Health Department.
We understand that this may be a stressful time while you continue to monitor your own and your child’s physical and mental health during an outbreak. The following resources are available to help you and your child during this time: 2019 Novel Coronavirus and Helping Children and Teens Cope with Anxiety.
March 11, 2020
A Message For Our Families
We would like to give an update about how North Seattle pediatrics is handling the Coronavirus (COVID-19) infections in our area. Our main concern is the health and well-being of our patients and their families. The situation is evolving rapidly and we are making every effort to implement protocols to maximize safety within our office.
We understand there is a significant amount of fear and concern right now. We are working with local experts to provide science based information.
Fortunately, children have experienced less severe infections. Children are exposed to many other coronaviruses every winter and this is thought to be one of the reasons why the infection is less severe in younger people. However, they can expose others who may be at greater risk for more severe outcomes. Those at risk should currently be practicing social isolation and contact their care providers for direction.
In order to reduce the risk to our patients and their families, we are REQUESTING the following:
- We are requesting families limit the number of caregivers bringing the child to the office. One parent per child.
- We are requesting families to bring only the patient to the office, no siblings.
- We are requesting people over 60 to avoid the office unless there is absolutely no alternative, and they are the child’s caregiver.
March 11, 2020
A Message for Our Families continued
If your child has fever and cough and is not ill-appearing, we may recommend Influenza testing or home care. Currently we are limiting testing for COVID-19 in the office for those patients who have fever, cough and known exposure or underlying medical conditions. We are not offering requested testing, unless it meets these requirements.
Remember that washing hands and being aware of our surroundings is very important to staying healthy. There is no current need to wear masks unless instructed by medical professionals.
The most important aspect is to remain calm and rational. North Seattle Pediatrics physicians will continue to be accessible and provide the level of care you have come to expect. We are still doing well visits.
As things change, we will update our families as quickly as possible.
We are taking all appropriate steps. Please still come see us, we are your best option.
Thank you for trusting us with the care of your families. (3/11/20)
January 2, 2020
Changes in Car Seat Laws 1/1/20
Important changes to Washington State's Child Restraint Law, effective January 1, 2020. Keeping up-to-date with this law helps ensure you are correctly using the right seat for your child's age and size. Please read here for more details about this law change.
August 20, 2019
MMR Vaccine Exemption Law Change 2019
In May 2019, the Washington State Legislature passed a bill that removes the personal and philosophical option to exempt children from the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine required for school and child care entry. Read about this law change and find more detailed information from the state health department.
September 17, 2019
North Seattle Pediatrics has been honored with Gold Status!
The Health Plan Partnership recently unveiled the winners of the 2019 Immunize Washington Provider Recognition Awards during National Infant Immunization Week. Congratulations to all the clinics who received awards this year.