Pediatrics

Care For Children Of All Ages In Salem, Virginia

At Salem Family Medicine, we treat the whole family—including its youngest members! Our compassionate, experienced providers are qualified to provide comprehensive care to children and teenagers in addition to adults. Our pediatric services include well-child checkups and preventative care, sports and school physicals, sick visits and more. We aim to educate and guide parents, and provide best practices for keeping their children safe and healthy throughout each stage of their development.

Well-Child Checkups

We recommend your child receives a well-child exam annually from age 5 through 21. Regular checkups help us get to know your child so that we are able to better treat them throughout their lives. During the visit, our providers monitor your child’s physical, mental and social health. It is also an opportunity to bring up any concerns you may have about your child’s growth and development.

We respect the unique relationships that children have with their parents, and we recognize that you are the expert on your child. We encourage parents to ask questions about all aspects of their child’s health. We can provide tips on potty training, safety, sleeping, eating and more. If necessary, we can also help you find more specialized care for your child.

What To Expect At Your Child’s Well-Child Visit

We value building relationships of trust between our providers and patients from a young age. Before starting the exam, our providers will make sure your child is comfortable. We will then will:

  • Perform a physical exam

  • Track how your child is growing

  • Ask about your child’s development and behavior

  • Talk about illness prevention, nutrition and exercise

  • Provide immunizations

  • Talk about how to navigate medical emergencies

Developmental Milestones For Children Discussed At
Well-Child Visits

There are certain physical and cognitive milestones that most children meet by a certain age. Every child develops at a slightly different rate. However, children who fail to meet these milestones may be exhibiting signs of intellectual or physical disabilities and could need specialized care. Milestones in your child’s early life include:

  • Developing skills for success in school such as paying attention to the teacher and listening to others

  • Reading and doing math

  • Bathing, teeth brushing and getting dressed without help

  • Learning from mistakes and trying again

  • Helping with simple chores

  • Following family rules

  • Making friends and socializing with others

  • Participating in activities such as school clubs, sports and music lessons

Vision Screenings

Vision screenings help identify potential problems with your child’s eyesight. During a well-child exam, we check to see if the eyes are working properly. We refer children with possible vision impairment to eye care professionals for confirmatory eye examinations, diagnosis, initial treatment and ongoing follow-up care.

Immunizations

Salem Family Medicine accepts patients 5 years and older who have completed all primary immunizations according to the latest recommendations from the AAP, AAFP and CDC and the school requirements by the Virginia Department of Health. From there, children and teens between the ages of 11 and 18 will need to visit us regularly to receive additional immunizations or “booster” doses. Your child’s annual wellness visit is the perfect time to get these vaccines.

Recommended Immunizations For Children Over Age 5

We provide immunizations based on age and professional medical guidelines. If you have questions or concerns about a vaccine, talk to your provider about it. We are more than happy to answer any questions you have. Common immunizations include:

Per the CDC’s recommendation, Salem Family Medicine recommends that your child get this vaccine every year before the flu begins spreading in your community (September and October).

Tdap boosters are recommended between the ages of 11 and 12

Children should receive a series of two doses—the first between ages 11 and 12 and the second at age 16.

Under specific circumstances, a series of two or three doses may be recommended between ages 16 and 18.

Nutrition Counseling For Children

Eating a balanced and nutritious diet is a great way to nourish young bodies and minds. What we eat directly affects our quality of life from birth, childhood, and beyond. During your well-child visit, we can discuss picky eating, weight gain or weight loss issues and provide general healthful pediatric nutrition counseling.

Trying new things can be scary, especially for young children. A common difficulty parents face is feeding a child who is extremely selective in what they eat. Not only can this be frustrating for the parent and the rest of the family, but picky eating can be detrimental to your child’s health if they are not getting the nutrients that they need.

Some tips for picky eaters include:

  • Offer a variety of options

  • Get creative with presentation

  • Let them help with meal preparation

  • Offer dips or sauces

  • Don’t make a big deal out of it

  • Don’t force feed

  • Introduce new foods slowly

  • Lead by example—show you enjoy what you want them to eat!

  • Make mealtime a positive experience

Well-Visits For Teens

During the teenage years, well-child visits become about puberty and the changes the body is going through. All children progress differently, and it can be difficult for them to understand everything going on in their bodies. It can be even more challenging to get teens to talk about these changes with their parents. Teen checkups are an excellent time for them to receive reassurance that everything happening to them is normal. It is also an opportunity for them to ask questions that they may not want to ask their parents. For this reason, we may ask to speak to your child alone during their visit.

Well-Visits For Teenagers

The teenage years are among the most exciting and challenging years of a person’s life. These years come with unique health needs and risks. In addition to a physical exam, our teen well-visits focus on education surrounding:

  • Puberty

  • Acne

  • Body odor

  • Hair growth

  • Drug and alcohol risks

  • Emotional changes

  • Sex education

  • Girls—menstruation and body changes

  • Boys —voice changes and body changes

Teens and Depression

It is normal for teenagers to experience behavioral and emotional changes that may seem extreme. But sometimes, a teenager’s mood swings can be a sign of a more significant problem. Depression is a complex issue that requires a clinical diagnosis and treatment. It can be difficult to properly identify in the teenage years. If your teen participates in self-harm or suicidal talk, seek medical help right away. Schedule an appointment with our providers if your teen experiences any of the following symptoms for more than a couple weeks:

  • Problems in school and at home

  • Frequent episodes of running away

  • Talk of death or suicide

  • Withdrawal from family and friends

  • Sudden changes in eating or sleeping habits

  • Loss of energy

  • Use of drugs or alcohol

  • Irritability or angry outbursts

School, Sports And Camp Physicals

Many sports or activities require a physical examination to participate. These physical exams not only evaluate your child’s health, but also ensure your child is up to date with vaccinations and immunizations. Requirements for the particular physical, but a physical typically includes an evaluation of your child’s overall health and a discussion about your child’s medical and family health history. A sports or camp physical specifically evaluates your child’s physical health to determine whether or not it is safe for your child to participate in strenuous activities. Physicals also check for:

  • Heart rate and rhythm

  • Vision

  • Hearing

  • Height

  • Joint mobility

  • Weight

  • Blood pressure

  • Flexibility

  • Reflexes

  • Bone health

  • Strength

  • Muscle health

  • Breathing

Salem Family Medicine offers $20 sports physicals for existing patients of the practice.

Pediatric Travel Medicine

Traveling requires careful preparation, especially when it involves children. Children are more likely to need hospitalization if they become ill. They are more prone to gastrointestinal issues such as travelers’ diarrhea than adults. Additionally, mosquito-spread infections such as malaria are more serious for young children.

During your travel consultation, we will check that your child’s routine immunizations are up to date and determine if there are any other vaccinations required, especially for international travel. If your family is traveling to a country with known cases of malaria, we can provide you with malaria-prevention medication. You can help prevent travelers’ diarrhea by bringing safe water, snacks and food for your child and avoiding sources of contamination abroad. Most importantly, we will educate you on the signs and symptoms of when to seek medical care for your child while traveling.

Sick Visits

Children can get sick often due to their developing immune systems and close proximity to other students at school, daycare and other activities. When your child is sick, we know how quickly it can happen and how concerning it can be. We do everything we can to get you and your child an appointment right away. Once your child has been seen, we can provide a diagnosis so your child can be treated and feel better as quickly as possible. If you are unsure whether to bring your child into the office, call our office at (540) 375-2686 and describe your child’s symptoms. As a general rule, you should make a sick visit appointment if your child experiences the following:

  • A high fever or a fever that lasts days or doesn’t respond to pain relievers

  • Abdominal pain

  • A serious injury/fall/accident

  • Broken bones

  • Trouble swallowing

  • Headaches with a fever or vomiting

  • Widespread or painful rash

  • Rashes that are accompanied by heavy breathing

  • Vomiting

  • Diarrhea

  • Earaches