FAQs

A pediatrician is a medical doctor who specializes in the care of children. Pediatricians have undergone special training in the health and illnesses of infants, teens and young adults, and our pediatricians are certified by the American Board of Pediatrics after passing a comprehensive exam.

Pediatricians provide preventive health care for children in good health and medical care for children who are acutely or chronically ill. They also provide parents with support and advice with issues such as growth and development, safety and prevention, nutrition, and emotional wellness to foster a lifetime of good health.

**Yes, in fact we strongly encourage parents-to-be and new patients to the practice to call our office for a Get-To-Know-Highland Visit to meet a pediatrician and manager. This is a great way to get acquainted with our office ask questions that you have about our practice and take a tour. 

These welcome visits  are held once each month in our office. Please call 508-679-6833, press 0 and ask for upcoming dates.

**Unfortunately, the Get-To-Know-Highland Visits are temporarily suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but call our office anyway, and we will do our best to provide you with the information you are looking for.

For newborns, simply name Highland Pediatrics or one of our doctors as your pediatrician when you deliver. Our doctors will see you at Charlton, or if you deliver elsewhere, a hospital physician will provide care.

At discharge, call our office to schedule your first appointment.    

For older children, you must sign a release form to have your previous pediatrician send us a copy of your childs' medical records. We will need to review the medical records before we can assume the care for your child and schedule an appointment. Also, call your insurance company to assign Highland Pediatrics as your child's primary care provider (PCP).

Your child should not just see their pediatric provider only when they are ill. It is also important to schedule well-child-care exams regularly, beginning in infancy. Also called Well-Child Visits or Check-Ups, these routine examinations provide the best opportunity for your provider to observe the progress of your child's physical and mental growth and development; to counsel and teach parents; to detect problems through screening tests; to provide immunizations, and to get to know one another. Well-Child Visits are strongly recommended as part of preventive pediatric care.

Well-Child Visits are also a good opportunity for parents to raise questions and concerns about a child's development, behavior, nutrition, safety and overall well-being.

Highland Pediatrics recommends this schedule for routine well-care visits:

• 1 to 5 days after discharge from the hospital as decided by your provider
• 2 weeks
• 1 month
• 2 months
• 4 months
• 6 months
• 9 months
• 12 months
• 14 months
• 18 months
• 24 months
• 3 years
• 4 years
• And once every year thereafter for an annual health supervision visit that includes a physical exam as well as a developmental, behavioral, and learning assessment.

You can schedule an appointment by calling our office at (508) 679-6833 during regular business hours. 

You can also use the Message Section at the bottom of our website's Home Page to request appointments but only for routine Well-Child Visits (or Check-Ups). Sick or Problem appointments SHOULD NEVER be scheduled here.

We accept most insurance plans, so check with yours to see if we're on the list. It is your responsibility to determine coverage for services and referrals. We encourage you to get to know your plan well, including essential information such as:

• What are your out-of-pocket expenses, including any deductibles and co-pays
• Which medications and immunizations it will pay for and what lab you are able to use
• What are the procedures for referrals to specialist (many plans require you to see your PCP first and specify a list of specialists)

Yes, we always welcome new patients. Contact our office at (508) 679-6833 to ask what needs to be done to join our family at Highland Pediatrics.

Immunizations are a series of shots given to children at different ages to help ward off serious, and potentially fatal, childhood diseases. Making sure your child receives immunizations when scheduled is the best way to help protect your child from potentially fatal diseases.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, vaccinations have reduced the number of infections from vaccine-preventable diseases by more than 90%. If you're apprehensive about vaccinations, you may discuss this with your provider at an office visit.