Some parents with COVID-19 concerns are choosing not to take children to the doctor. And a Maryland doctor says it’s important to keep your child’s doctor’s appointments.
鈥淵ou need to take your baby in for their well-child ,鈥� said Dr. Toni Thompson-Chittams, head of in Bowie.
Though Thompson-Chittams said she respects that people are anxious and fearful about the coronavirus at their pediatrician’s office, she said that risk is very low.
鈥淏ut, there are other ailments out here that we are certainly concerned about as pediatricians and health care providers,鈥� Thompson-Chittams said.
For example, Strep pharyngitis, known as strep throat, is common this time of year and can develop into .
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鈥淣ow you have a collection of infection in the back of the throat, and the child may have issues with breathing,鈥� requiring the abscess to be drained and IV antibiotics used, Thompson-Chittams said.
New mom Jennifer Jean-Pierre, of Upper Marlboro, is sticking to her 3-month-old daughter Teagan’s vaccination schedule at TLC Pediatrics.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really important to be on the schedule, especially for your babies. You never know what may happen,鈥� Jean-Pierre said. 鈥淚f people aren鈥檛 vaccinating, then measles are going to be on the rise, or whooping cough.鈥�
鈥淲e are part of the world, we are citizens of the world; and I want to make sure that we are protecting not only our daughter but others, as well,鈥� Jean-Pierre said.
Vaccinations are just part of wellness checks.
鈥淲e鈥檙e doing surveillance of how that baby is developing and (watching for) certain pediatric conditions that are really, really important to make that diagnosis sooner than later,鈥� Thompson-Chittams said.
The doctor tells of a recent close call with a baby who missed a wellness check.
鈥淭he baby missed her two-week visit because her mom was concerned about COVID-19. When we say the baby at a little over a month, we had an astute pedestrian who noticed that the baby鈥檚 head circumference went from the 25th to the 95th percentile,鈥� Thompson-Chittams said.
The baby was rushed to the emergency room and diagnosed with which is fluid on the brain.
Jean-Pierre admits that the pandemic is scary, especially with a new infant, but she believes that communicating with your health care provider is critical. She felt comforted, for example, to receive newsletters, emails and text messages about precautions being taken.
鈥淲hen we went for our last vaccination, they were constantly cleaning,鈥� Jean-Pierre said. 鈥淭here weren鈥檛 any other patients there, and they even had us at a different location, one that they don鈥檛 use that much, to limit exposure.鈥�
This week is also .
