howardcounty

Forms Season Is Upon Us

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 19:30:47 GMT

We are managing a very large number of forms, and we need your help to maintain a smooth process.

Dear Patients and Families,

As we are squarely in the middle of "form season" for schools, childcare programs, and sports, we would like to share a friendly reminder to help ensure a smooth and timely process.

If your child is due for a well visit and has not been seen within the past year, please contact our office to schedule an appointment. A current well visit (within one year) is required in order for our providers to complete any school, childcare, or sports-related forms.

All parent portions need to be completed before we can complete our portion. For med forms, you must list the name of the medication, strength, and the medication administration instructions you are following so we can confirm that correct information is being transmitted to schools and camps. For meds prescribed by a specialist, you may have to have the specialist provider verify the instructions and sign the forms since we do not always have the correct information on medications we did not prescribe.

We currently have availability and are happy to help get your child promptly scheduled for any visits needed to properly complete your submitted form(s). To make an appointment, please call our office at 410-992-9339 , and our front office staff will be glad to assist you.

Please also keep in mind that once forms are received, completion may take 3-5 business days . Please plan accordingly and allow sufficient time for forms to be returned.

We appreciate your assistance with keeping well visits up to date and doing your part so forms can be completed as quickly as possible.

Warm regards,
Howard County Pediatrics

Travel Season is Upon Us

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 17:51:13 GMT

With summer vacation time fast approaching, families will be traveling to many destinations for fun and relaxation. Below are links to some quality websites that provide information to help your family stay safe during your journeys away from home.

AAP Travel Tips

Traveler's Health Page from the CDC

KidsTravelDoc

FAA -Flying With Children

TSA-Traveling With Children

Pack Smart for Travel Abroad

Also remember to download our app for easier access to medicine doses, practice news, and the practice portal from your mobile device. Click on the Parent Tool Kit to see download info.

Inclement Weather Alert

Sun, 25 Jan 2026 17:19:59 GMT

OFFICE CLOSED TOMORROW

Our Office will be CLOSED on Monday January 26, 2026, due to the inclement weather. Our clinical staff will remain accessible through the patient portal from 8AM to 5PM to assist with routine questions. Please allow at least 30 minutes for a response.

For urgent medical issues between 8 am and 5 pm that cannot wait for at least 30 minutes, please call the office and follow the prompts on the message greeting.

Our after-hours medical partner, Hello Pediatrics , will be available starting at 5PM for telemedicine appointments and overnight nurse triage.

For routine advice including medication doses, you use the purple box titled “ Is Your Child Sick ” on our homepage to get answers to most questions.

Check out our Winter Safety article for helpful information on dealing with winter related issues.

We hope everyone stays warm and safe!

Welcome Dr. Priya Kasturirangan

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 17:21:35 GMT

HoCo Peds is very excited about rounding out our clinician group by adding Dr. Priya Kasturirangan ("Dr. K") to our clinician roster.

Dr. K comes with a global experience and a broad medical background adds a unique clinical perspective in providing an inclusive medical home. Her passion for providing quality mental health care along with her diverse training will serve our patients very well.

Please see Dr. K's bio on our provider page.

Product Recall: ByHeart Infant Formula

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 17:23:41 GMT

Please see the detailed FDA Announcement regarding outbreaks of infant botulism that are potentially associated with contaminated ByHeart formula. Outbreak-Investigation-of-Infant-Botulism-Infant-Formula.png

As of the date of this alert, there are no cases reported in Maryland but there has been 1 case each in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

If your child has been getting ByHeart formula, you should immediately discontinue and switch to another appropriate infant formula . There is nothing to do if your child is feeding and behaving normally. There are no blood or stool tests advised for children who have consumed the formula and are symptom free.

Please contact us immediately if your child is experiencing poor feeding (taking much less than usual), loss of head control, difficulty swallowing, or decreased facial expression.

HoCo Peds is Now a Part of Aspen Pediatrics

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 17:25:18 GMT

Dear Families,

We are thrilled to share some exciting news about the future of Howard County Pediatrics. We have officially joined the Aspen Pediatrics family!

This partnership with a pediatric ownership group allows us to strengthen what we’ve built over so many years — a trusted, local, community-focused pediatric practice — while gaining the support of a larger organization that shares our values and vision for compassionate, high-quality care. This will allow us to better focus on the clinical care of our patients

What’s most important for you to know:

Howard County Pediatrics will remain a single office pediatric group. We are not changing our practice policies or protocols.

Our team remains the same. You’ll still see the same smiling faces at the front desk, the same nurses, and the same providers who know your children and your family.

Our name, location, and hours are unchanged. Your appointments, care plans, and records stay right where they are — and there’s nothing you need to do.

Your experience will only get better. Over time, you’ll see enhancements in technology, scheduling, and communication as we integrate with Aspen Pediatrics’ systems and support network.

For billing purposes, you will begin to see “White Oak Pediatrics” on your explanation of benefits, beginning with visits from 10/17/2025 forward. Our billing team and our billing practices will remain the same.

We’re deeply grateful for your trust, loyalty, and friendship over the years. This change reflects our commitment to ensuring that Howard County Pediatrics remains strong, stable, and here for your family for decades to come.

Thank you for continuing to choose us as your pediatric home. We look forward to caring for your children, together, for many years ahead.

With warm regards,

Dr. Mailander & Dr. McKay

Welcome to Dr. Limary García-González

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 17:26:57 GMT

HoCo Peds is thrilled to announce that Dr. Limary García-González has joined our practice!

Dr. García-González comes to us after having worked at another local pediatric office in for the last few years. We are fortunate to be able to provide her with a chance to expand her opportunities to do both preventive and acute care and, we are excited about her thorough and compassionate demeanor.

Please see Dr. García-González's bio on our provider page

COVID VACCINE 2025

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 17:30:28 GMT

Howard County Pediatrics, LLC supports the science backed recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for protection of all persons from COVID.

The AAP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COVID VACCINATION 2025 are as follows:

Who SHOULD receive the COVID vaccine?

All children age 6 months through 23 months , since they are at high risk for severe COVID and hospitalization.

Who CAN receive the COVID vaccine?

Children age 2 through 18 years without risk factors can get a single dose of the updated COVID vaccine. Talk with your pediatrician.

The COVID vaccine can safely be given at the same time as all other routine immunizations, including Flu and RSV immunizations.

We are not aware that Pfizer plans to release an updated COVID product, so we will only have the Moderna brand mRNA vaccine called SPIKEVAX. If your child has completed any previous COVID primary series, then they will only need 1 dose of the Moderna vaccine. If they have not, then they will generally need 2 doses.

*Please send a message via the patient portal if you would like to schedule a nurse visit for the COVID vaccine.*

Children and teens age 2 years through 18 years with these risk factors:
Health conditions that increase their risk of severe COVID
Living in long-term care facilities or other group settings
Never having been vaccinated against COVID
Having household contacts who are at high risk for severe COVID

RSV Immunization 2025

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 17:36:13 GMT

We have begun receiving our 2025 supplies of Beyfortus , a single dose monoclonal antibody injection which offers protection against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) .

The AAP recommends that ALL infants under age 8 months entering their first RSV season (birthday March 1, 2025 or later), whose mother HAS NOT received an RSV vaccine, should receive a single dose of Beyfortus from October, 1 2025 through March 31, 2026.

Beyfortus is also recommended for a small group of children between 8 and 19 months who are at risk for severe RSV disease (premature infants with chronic lung disease; children severely immunocompromised; children with severe cystic fibrosis; Native American or Alaskan children).

The immunization should be given as part of the well visit and IS SAFE to combine with any other recommended immunization, including COVID and Flu vaccine. Pregnant mothers are generally offered an RSV vaccine, Abrysvo, starting in September and when they are between 32 and 36 weeks of gestation. If a mother has received this vaccine at least 14 days prior to delivering, then her infant is considered protected and does not need to receive Beyfortus as well.

If your child does not have an upcoming well visit, then Beyfortus can be given as a nurse shot visit.

Please SEND A PORTAL MESSAGE if you think your child should receive Beyfortus. We will review your child's age and medical history to make sure they are eligible to receive Beyfortus, and then schedule your child for a nurse shot appointment.

This immunization has been covered by most private health insurance plans. Also, most cover the maternal RSV vaccine, but there may be a cost to you depending on your plan. As always, you should check with you insurance company to be sure the immunization is covered to avoid being assessed an out of pocket charge.

For Additional information on protecting your child from RSV check out RSV Immunization: Two Ways to Protect Your Baby at the AAP's parent information site Healthychilden.org .

Note: Much of the CDC’s website information is still helpful and accurate as it came from scientifically sound research. The CDC’s newer guidance may not always be based on the same careful review and consideration of medical research. For more recent CDC content and updates, it’s smart to check a few trusted sources and talk with your doctor when making health decisions.

Vaccine Availability

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 17:39:39 GMT

Contact the CDC by September 13th to advocate for you right to vaccinate your child against serious and preventable illnesses.

The CDC's Advisory Committe on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is meeting on September 18-19. They will be discussing the following vaccines:

COVID: We believe that all children whose parents want this vaccine should be able to get it and that all children from 6-23 months SHOULD get this vaccine. Young children have an increased risk of serious illness caused by COVID and have higher hospitalization rates than older children.

Hepatitis B: This vaccine should be given at birth, 1 month, and 6-9 months of age. This strategy has had significant impact in lowering hepatitis B prevalence in society.

MMRV: This vaccine can be given at 12-15 months of age and SHOULD be given at 4-5 years of age. No child should suffer from measles, mumps, rubella or varicella (chicken pox). No parent should lose a child to these illnesses.

RSV: This vaccine should be given to pregnant women and the elderly. The immunization should be given to young infants (< 8 months) during their first RSV season and to certain children (8-19 months) who have high risk conditions during their 2nd RSV season. RSV in infancy can be a terrible disease that can cause oxygen deprivation, distressed breathing, and severe dehydration. This can be a heartbreaking illness to witness.

The CDC is accepting public commentary until September 13th . Take the opportunity to help ensure that you have the opportunity to properly vaccinate your child

The link to comment is on this web page: https://www.cdc.gov/acip/meetings/index.html

HoCo Peds is IN-NETWORK with Cigna

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 17:37:36 GMT

INFORMATION ALERT!!

We want to address a recent communication you may have received from Cigna regarding our network status. If you are a Cigna-insured patient and received a letter stating that our providers are out of network, please be assured that this information is incorrect.

All providers at Howard County Pediatrics are currently in-network with Cigna. We are actively working with Cigna to resolve this error and ensure their records are updated accordingly.

In the meantime, please continue to schedule appointments as usual. We appreciate your understanding and patience as we work through this issue.

Thank you for being a valued part of our community.

Vaccination Updates

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 17:42:15 GMT

There has been a lot of false and misleading information on the internet about vaccines and their safety. Because of this, it’s not surprising that parents still have many questions about vaccines. Social media makes it easier than ever for incorrect or scary vaccine information to spread. That’s why we encourage families to look to trusted sources that use scientific research and come from respected health organizations. On this page, we want to share important facts about why vaccines matter and why we believe they are so important.

The truth is simple: vaccines save lives! They are a key part of protecting people from dangerous diseases, especially infants and children who are most at risk. At Howard County Pediatrics, we require all of our patients to be vaccinated in order to be part of our medical home. Some families want to vaccinate but may prefer a schedule that is different from the one recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and its Committee on Infectious Disease. In our experience, using a schedule that is very different from the one recommended can:

lead to more illness in the community,

increase mistakes with vaccines,

put patients and staff at higher risk, and

result in more children being harmed or dying from preventable diseases.

Because of this, our policy is not to delay required vaccines by more than six months from the recommended ages set by the AAP.

You can click here to see the general schedule of vaccinations that we follow. The order and timing of the recommended vaccines may be adjusted, by our physicians, based on the medical needs of an individual patient. Our practice Vaccine Policy is critical in stopping dangerous illnesses from spreading to anyone who visits or works in our office. We welcome any questions or clarifications regarding our position on the need for vaccines for children and adolsescents.

Please see the list of links below to view science supported information on vaccines

World Health Organization (WHO) Vaccine Home Page

Immunizations, What You Need to Know (AAP)

Immunization Action Coalition

Vaccine Education Center (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia)

Flu News 2025-26

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 17:44:15 GMT

UPDATED

We are administering the 2025-26 Flu Vaccine.

**Flu clinic appointments will only be available via self-scheduling through our Patient Portal . If you need to activate your portal account to start self-scheduling, then call our office to get your child's PIN to complete the registration. Once on the portal, you can provide your email address so that you may receive notification of appointment availability and other important office related events.

We will once a gain open up flu clinics for self-scheduling 2-3 weeks at a time. If you log onto the patient portal and do not see any available times, then we are booked up for the upcoming time period. Check back every Wednesday to see if the next set of dates has been added. Please DO NOT call our office inquiring about additional flu clinic times.

For those patients who are coming to the office for appointments, parents may call or message to inquire about bringing extra siblings to the visit, to receive a flu vaccine.

To make all of your office visits as efficient as possible, we encourage you to register here with Instamed to view and pay your bill online

Welcome to Dr. Kunbi Kosoko

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 17:45:32 GMT

HoCo Peds is thrilled to announce that Dr. Kunbi Kosoko is joining our practice!

We are fortunate to be able to welcome Dr. Kosoko to our group at this particular time, and she will begin seeing patients in late August.

Dr. Kosoko has recently completed her pediatric residency at the University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, and has received an excellent foundation in primary care pediatrics. We anticipate Dr. Kosoko to successfully integrate into our practice and to provide a wealth of knowledge as a parent physician of two young children.

Please see Dr. Kosoko's full bio on our provider page

A Fond Farewell!

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 17:47:43 GMT

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Please join us in celebrating and congratulating Dawn Doctor, R.N., as she embarks on a new chapter after 25 amazing years with our practice! ��

Dawn started with us as a medical assistant in 2000 and quickly became a leader in our team structure. She quickly rose through the ranks, becoming our Lead Medical Assistant and eventually our outstanding Clinical Manager. Her dedication, heart, and strength helped carry our practice through the most challenging times, including the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While managing her full-time duties, Dawn earned her nursing degree with honors and is now moving on to fulfill her dream of working in a Neuro ICU unit. Her quiet determination and incredible work ethic are truly inspiring.

Dawn, we’re so proud of you and thankful for all you’ve given to this practice and our families. You’ll be deeply missed—and always celebrated. ��

Year Round Walk-In

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 17:52:11 GMT

In order to improve the availability of sick appointments throughout the year, we are happy to announce the start of Morning Express. This is in addition to our Afternoon Access period in the afternoon.

Starting Monday 03/31/25, we will have a limited number of walk-in appointments available Monday-Friday for two time periods, 9:00 am to 11:00 am and 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm , for acute onset symptoms such as: pink eye, ear infections, sore throats, new breathing problems, or acute non-head injuries.

This walk-in availability is only for existing patients of the practice 3 months and older. New patients or to the practice or those arriving outside of the designated time period will have to schedule an appointment to be seen during our regular hours.

Patients are seen in order of arrival and based on acuity. Patients/parents cannot select a specific provider for the visit. Visits with specific providers have to be scheduled.

Any existing patient who presents with a chronic issue or a non-acute ailment will have any immediate aspect addressed and then will be required to make an appointment in the regular schedule (M-F) or evenings (M-Th) to follow up on any chronic aspect of the problem. This allows us to optimize the time required to meet your child's medical needs in the most appropriate manner.

Stay tuned for additional changes we hope will make it easier to schedule with our providers and to keep your child's management within their medical home.

Measles 2025

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 17:56:43 GMT

This page serves as a quick information source for Measles Infection. If you suspect your child has a measles infection, we ask that you please DO NOT come to the office . This is a very contagious illness, and suspected patients need to remain isolated from all group settings.

What is Measles?

A highly contagious illness caused by a virus (Measles Virus or Rubeola) occurring in humans. It is passed by respiratory droplets expelled during coughing or sneezing.
Exposed persons generally are at risk of developing symptoms 7-21 days after exposure with the average time to infection being 10-14 days.

What are the symptoms of Measles?

Fever (usually >101), dry cough, red/watery eyes, and runny nose are the primary presenting symptoms.
After a few days, there are white spots on the inner aspect of the cheek and then a rash (small red spots that can change to bumps) occurs starting from the hairline (forehead and behind the ears) and progressing onto the face and down the body.

Who is at risk of getting Measles?

Measles primarily occurs in UNVACCINATED children (those who have not received 2 MMR vaccines—usually given at 12 months and 4 years); immunocompromised individuals (on chemo, taking immunosuppressive medications, or having no spleen).
Infected persons are considered contagious starting 4 days prior to the development of the rash until 4 days after the development of the rash.

How is Measles treated?

There is no specific treatment for measles. Care is generally supportive (fever reduction, hydration, and nasal cleaning).
Infected persons should be observed for complications: ear infections, eye infections, pneumonia, diarrhea, encephalitis (seizure, altered mental status, irritability)
Vitamin A is NOT considered an empiric treatment and should only be given to children with confirmed cases of Measles when recommended by a doctor.

What we know about the case in Howard County (directly from the Maryland Dept of Health):

... a positive case of measles in a Howard County resident who recently traveled internationally. This case is not associated with the measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico. Out of an abundance of caution, health officials are coordinating an effort to identify people who might have been exposed, including contacting potentially exposed passengers on specific flights.

There has been one documented case of Measles in Maryland in each of the last two years (2024 and 2023), and no widespread outbreak occurred after those cases. So, as of now, there is no need for alarm.

The MMR vaccine (routinely given at 12 months and 4 years) remains the best method of preventing measles infection (93% are immune after 1 dose and 97% are immune after 2 doses). We do not have any concerns about the present or future availability of the MMR vaccine, and there is no need for anyone to receive extra doses of the MMR vaccine.

See the AAP's Parent Information Page on Measles for additional trusted information from National Health Experts

Please see our Vaccine Policy as additional information.

Anyone who visited the following locations during any of the following hours may have been exposed:

Washington Dulles International Airport: Terminal A, on transportation to the main terminal and in the baggage claim area

March 5th, 4:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center Pediatric Emergency Department

March 7th, 3:30 pm - 7:30 pm

If your child is not fully immunized and may have been exposed to this contact, then please call Howard County Health Department’s Infectious Disease Surveillance and Response Program at 410-313-6284 for additional guidance.

What should you do if you suspect your child has measles symptoms (fever AND runny nose AND watery/red eyes AND cough; especially if followed by a whole-body rash starting at the hairline)?

Contact your local Health Department
If your child is within 72 hrs of the exposure:
is 6-11 months, and has not received their 1st MMR, then they can come to our office to get an MMR Vaccine (they will still need to receive a dose after their 1st birthday to be considered immune).
Is 12 months or older and has received their 1st MMR more than 28 days ago, then they can come to our office to get an MMR vaccine.

Other Things you should know:

Parenting Podcast

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 18:00:33 GMT

Our very own Dr. Sylvia Bank is a co-host for a podcast which provides a unique perspective from pediatrician parents. The hosts are doctor-moms who incorporate fun along with their combined wisdom and experience to share parenting insights in a practical, and often humorous, fashion. You can check them out on the following platforms.

Ten Kids Two Docs Podcast: Parenting insight from Pediatrician Moms

Webpage: https://tenkidstwodocs.com

Facebook Podcast Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565601774604

Instagram: tenkidstwodocs

Twitter/X: https://x.com/tenkidstwodocs

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHpS5KHrtgRaMrlayM63NRg

The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the speakers and do not reflect the official policy or position of Howard County Pediatrics. Any content provided is for informational/entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as professional advice from Howard County Pediatrics.

Flu 2025

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:02:59 GMT

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Rates of influenza are the highest in the past decade. It is not too late to get the flu vaccine. Call our office to schedule.

Weather Related Update

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:02:05 GMT

See our Weather Alert for updated information about our status during adverse weather events.

Parent Support Group

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 18:04:36 GMT

We are happy to announce that Crossroads Psychological Associates is offering a monthly parent support group in our office the last Wednesday of every month. It will be an open ended discussion to help provide ideas and support in navigating the challenges of raising children and adolescents.

The cost is $15/person. See the attached flier for information and a QR code to sign up.

Welcome to Dr. Cynthia Gao

Tue, 07 Jan 2025 18:07:06 GMT

HoCo Peds is thrilled to announce that Dr. Cynthia Gao is joining our practice!

We are fortunate to be able to welcome Dr. Gao to our group at this particular time, and she will begin seeing patients at the end of January.

She comes to us from the University of Maryland Pediatric Residency Program and is solidly trained in primary care pediatrics. Dr. Gao is very well suited for our practice and should be a caring and knowledgeable resource for our patients and their families.

Please see Dr. Gao's bio for more information.

Weather Related Closing

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 18:07:59 GMT

See our Weather Alert for updated information about our status during adverse weather events.

Winter Safety

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 18:10:24 GMT

The winter season can be beautiful to view and is full of fun activities. However, there are some important safety tips to remember during this time of the year.

Make sure you children and comfortable yet safe when traveling in automobiles this winter. Check out these excellent Winter Car Safety Tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

It is important to review safe winter gear and to know the signs and symptoms of cold injury. The CDC Cold Weather and Travel page has some simple things to remember.

With holiday gatherings and the increased need for shopping efficiency, proper food storage is a must during the winter season. The FDA has a downloadable food storage chart along with excellent tools to help you keep foods safe .

The American Red Cross provides Winter Storm Safety advice that can help you and your family prepare for blizzards and regular winter storms as well.

Hopefully, this information will help you and your family safely navigate the winter months.

Halloween Safety Tips

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 18:12:04 GMT

From costumes, to candy, to pumpkin carving, Halloween can be loads of treats. But, there can also be some tricky aspects to this fun filled holiday. Check out these wonderful Halloween Safety Tips by the American Academy of Pediatrics

RSV Immunization 2024

Sun, 13 Oct 2024 18:14:42 GMT

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We have begun receiving supplies of Beyfortus , a single dose monoclonal antibody injection which offers protection against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) . The CDC advises that ALL infants whose mother has not received an RSV vaccine and are under age 8 months entering their first RSV season (birthday March 1, 2024 or later) receive a single dose of Beyfortus from October 1 2024 through March 31, 2025.

The immunization should be given as part of the well visit and is safe to combine with any other recommended immunization, including COVID and Flu vaccine. Pregnant mothers are generally offered an RSV vaccine, Abrysvo, starting in September and when they are between 32 and 36 weeks of gestation. If a mother has received this vaccine at least 14 days prior to delivering, then her infant is considered protected and does not need to receive Beyfortus as well.

If your child does not have an upcoming well visit, then Beyfortus can be given as a nurse shot visit. Please SEND A PORTAL MESSAGE if you want to schedule a nurse appointment to receive Beyfortus. We will review your child's medical history to make sure they are recommended to receive Beyfortus, and then schedule your child for a nurse shot appointment.

This immunization has been covered by many private health insurance plans. Also, most cover the maternal RSV vaccine, but there may be a cost to you depending on your plan. As always, you should check with you insurance company to be sure the immunization is covered to avoid being assessed an out of pocket charge.

Schedule Your Flu Shot Today

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 18:16:06 GMT

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It's not too early to get your child immunized against the flu. Please log into our Patient Portal to schedule your child to receive her/his flu shot during one of our flu clinics. We have dedicated time on select Saturday mornings to administer the flu vaccine.

Your child may also receive the flu vaccine at a regularly scheduled appointment (either well or sick visit).

Back To School Preparation

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 18:19:12 GMT

The return to school can be stressful for many children no matter what the age. Here are some items for the "Parent Backpack" that can help you make your child's return to school as productive, safe, and happy as possible.

Back to School Tips- AAP

Prepare Your Kids to Be Home Alone

Welcome Krista Shanholtz, FNP to our Practice!

Mon, 27 May 2024 18:20:45 GMT

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We are thrilled to welcome Krista Shanholtz, FNP to our provider group!!

Krista graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of Maryland in 2013. She then earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Rutgers University in 2016. Krista worked for several years as a RN in the operating room at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and University of Virginia Medical Center . In 2020, she graduated from George Washington University with her Family Nurse Practitioner degree. Since then, she has worked in the pediatric outpatient setting. Krista comes to us with solid experience in a busy private pediatric office, and we are excited to add her perspective and insights to our clinician group.

In her free time, Krista enjoys spending quality time with her husband and their young children. She is also an avid marathon runner, loves the beach, and enjoys trying new restaurants with her husband.

Respiratory Viruses

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 18:24:26 GMT

RESPIRATORY VIRUSES......

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic four years ago, there has been a gradual reduction in the frequency and severity of COVID-19. While it is still an important public health threat, it is no longer the emergency that it once was, and its health impacts are much closer to those of other longstanding respiratory viral illnesses. Therefore, the CDC has provided updated guidance for all respiratory illness in general, and does not single out COVID-19 as a predominant virus over others.

The updated guidance focused on steps to prevent spread when you and your child are sick rather than on finding out a specific virus that is causing symptoms. This approach is more like our pre-pandemic state when we did not typically know what specific virus was the source of a particular infection.

Unlike early in the pandemic when COVID-19 was nearly the only respiratory virus causing illness, it is now one of many, including influenza , RSV , adenoviruses , rhinoviruses , enteroviruses , human metapneumovirus , parainfluenza virus , and other common human coronaviruses . The CDC is focusing guidance on the core measures that provide the most protection across respiratory viruses. The updated guidance emphasizes the importance of staying home and away from others when sick from respiratory viruses, regardless of the virus, as well as additional preventive actions.

The goal is reduce your contact with others when your child is the most likely to be contagious. For most viruses, this period is from the onset of symptoms until your child is BOTH fever free for (without the use of fever reducing medication) AND having improvement in symptoms for AT LEAST 24 HR. After that period, it still takes more time for the body to fully get rid of a virus, so it is still possible to spread the germ. Therefore, there are additional strategies advised for the next 5 days.

Please check out the CDC's general information page on Respiratory Viruses for additional information.

Should you have any questions that are not answered by the resources above, feel free to call our office or contact us via electronic message using the patient portal. Please remember to always call the office for urgent issues as messages on the patient portal are not routinely checked when we are closed.

(Originally created 04/09/2024)

Welcome to Lauren Hess

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 18:25:28 GMT

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Lauren Hess, CRNP

Lauren Hess earned a Bachelor of Science in Biobehavioral Health in 2015 from The Pennsylvania State University. She then graduated with an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing from The Pennsylvania State University in December 2016. Lauren worked as a registered nurse in the Pediatric Intermediate Care Unit at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital, as well as, Labor and Delivery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. In 2022, she earned a Master of Science in Nursing at Thomas Jefferson University as a Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner.

Lauren and her husband are from Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, and now live in the local area with their young daughter and rescue dog. She enjoys going on family walks, visiting with friends and family, library classes with her daughter, and summer vacations on the Delaware beach.

Weather Related Information

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 18:26:55 GMT

HoCo Peds will utilize Website Alerts and our phone greeting to alert our families of any changes to our regular schedule due to inclement weather.

There will typically be an initial status posted by 7 am, and we will provide updates throughout the day as the weather dictates.

When we do close early or open late, all affected appointments will be automatically canceled. Once we determine our adjusted schedule, we will contact you to reschedule your appointment.

Please remember not to send urgent portal messages when the office is closed. Rather call our regular number and select the appropriate option to be connected to our regular staff or after hours triage partner for appropriate advice.

Winter Illnesses

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 18:30:15 GMT

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UPDATED: 01/15/2024

We are continuing to see high rates of COVID, Influenza, and Respiratory Syncitial Virus (RSV) in our office. We are also seeing plenty of cases of Strep throat and common cold viruses as well. Even though there are plenty of germs around, there are simple things to remember which can help decrease you and your child's risk of getting sick.

Use of masks and appropriate distancing, just like with COVID, is very helpful in preventing these other infections from taking hold. Frequent hand washing, decreased contact with the face, minimizing kissing and hugging, not shaking hands are actions which will reduce you exposure risk.

Cleaning your mobile device and wiping down keyboards and phones in your home and work place is helpful. Don't forget your doorknobs and light switches; especially after hosting other people.

Eating well, getting plenty of rest, consuming enough water, and regular physical activity also go a long way in improving immunity. You still may get sick, but your illness duration and intensity of symptoms should be improved if you maintain healthy and consistent lifestyle habits.

Please remember there are no safe and effective over the counter medications for viral symptoms for kids under 6 years of age, and they can actually be very dangerous for infants and children under 2 years. Fever reducers and pain relievers are safe to use, but products that contain aspirin should be avoided in all children with sick symptoms due to the risk of Reye Syndrome . Antibiotics are not helpful against viruses, so they should not be used unless a bacterial infection is diagnosed.

There are safe things you can do to help relieve your child's symptoms. You can find this information, medication doses, and other helpful tips using our " Is Your Child Sick " tool.

Below are some additional helpful links.

County Specific Info on Flu/COVID/RSV

RSV Info from Healthychildren.org

CDC: About COVID-19

CDC: RSV Main Page

CDC: About Flu

Mayo Clinic: Cold Medicines for Kids

Caring for Your Child's Cold or Flu: HealthyChildren.org

Don't forget about the flu vaccine!

Even if the flu vaccine doesn't prevent everyone from getting the flu, it can help reduce the severity of symptoms, the risk of complications, and the risk of spread to other individuals.

MASKS REQUIRED FOR ALL APPOINTMENTS

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 18:31:29 GMT

Due to the current rates of hospitalization for COVID/Flu/RSV, the Maryland State Department of Health has recommended universal masking in ALL health care environments.

Therefore, in order to ensure the safety of both our staff and patients, we have reinstated universal masking protocols for all office encounters. This means that everyone, regardless of vaccination and symptom status, will be required to wear a mask while in our office.

It is clear that wearing masks can significantly reduce the spread of COVID-19, Flu, RSV, and other respiratory illnesses. As healthcare professionals, it is our responsibility to prioritize the health and well-being of our patients, staff, and community. By implementing universal masking protocols, we are taking optimal measures to prevent the spread of these illnesses.

Furthermore, we kindly request that you restrict the number of individuals accompanying you to only those whose presence is absolutely necessary.

We truly understand how these steps may make visits more challenging; however, face protection on all who enter our workspace will reduce the risk of spreading AND acquiring germs during your time in our office.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding.

Mental Health Services at HoCo Peds

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 18:33:26 GMT

Dear Valued Patients and Families,

We are writing to inform you of some significant changes to our mental health services at Howard County Pediatrics. We are committed to providing comprehensive care to our patients, and part of that commitment involves the continual evaluation and optimization of our services.

Over the past year, we have had an in-house psychologist who was credentialed with insurance companies and provided services directly to our patients to help meet the significant need for mental health services in our community. However, after careful consideration, we have concluded that continuing to accept insurance reimbursements for mental health care is no longer a sustainable model for our practice. As such, Dr. Anna Kaufman will be transitioning to her own private practice called Ellicott City Behavioral Health.

Moving forward, we are excited to announce a collaboration with Crossroads Psychological Associates , a longstanding quality provider of mental health services in Howard County. Starting in mid-January, Crossroads will assign select mental health experts who will see our patients in our office. These providers will diagnose and provide treatment for most psychiatric conditions. Based on the severity of the condition, our clinicians can provide medication management when appropriate. This collaboration will allow us to continue to offer mental health services directly within our office, maintaining the familiar and comfortable environment you have come to know.

If you need diagnostic, treatment, or counseling services for mental health issues (e.g. depression, anxiety, OCD, ADHD, ODD or behavioral challenges), then please contact Crossroads Psychological Associates at 410-964-0425 , identify yourself as a patient of Howard County Pediatrics, and ask about having an appointment to be seen in our office. The pediatricians and nurse practitioners in our office can do initial ADHD evaluations; however, appointment availability is more limited compared to the access to our colleagues from Crossroads Psych Associates.

Please note that Crossroads Psychological Associates are considered out of network with most insurance companies. Despite this, they will submit claims to your insurance as a courtesy. All scheduling and payment details will be handled directly through Crossroads. Importantly, while they are out of network, Crossroads offers flexible reimbursement arrangements to make their care as affordable as possible. Should your needs include more long-term care, then you may be asked to continue those appointments at the offices of Crossroads Psychological Associates in Columbia, MD.

Thank you for your understanding during this transition. We believe this change will enhance our ability to provide your family with the high-quality care you deserve.

Best Regards,

The Team at Howard County Pediatrics

Coronavirus Update

Sun, 17 Dec 2023 18:39:52 GMT

UPDATED

Use the CDC's COVID Vaccine "Up To Date" page to find out if your child is considered "up to date" with their COVID vaccinations. The updated bivalent booster covering the Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 can be given to children 6 months and older (depending on the specific vaccine) at least 5 months after the final dose of their primary series or 2 months after a booster dose. There are different recommendations based on a patient's age and vaccine product they have received. Click the button "Find Out When to Get a Booster" for the specific recommendations for your child.

If your child or you have tested positive for COVID, use the CDC's Quarantine and Isolation Tracker to get the most up to date info on how long you should isolate and/or quarantine. It also has info on when and if to test/re-test in specific scenarios.

Search Vaccine.gov for zip code based locations where you or your child can receive the COVID vaccine.

As a medical facility, we are still requiring masks for those 2 years and older who present to our office. Please see our policy on mask exemptions.

On May 20, 2022 the CDC recommended a booster dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children 5-11 years of age and a second booster for immunocompromised patients age 12 and older. The booster dose is approved for use at least 5 months after the 2nd dose of the vaccine. If a child tests positive for COVID near the time of their planned booster dose, then they should wait until their isolation period ends and their symptoms are improved before getting the dose. You may consider delaying the vaccine dose by 3 months. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine after recovering from a COVID-19 infection provides added protection from future COVID-19 exposures.

We are continuing to offer both Rapid COVID antigen testing and COVID PCR testing at our office for patients being seen for a sick appointment.

As of May 2021, the CDC provided clearance for the COVID vaccine to be given along with other vaccines. Therefore, COVID-19 and other vaccines can be given together without regard to timing.

Check out the CDC Guidelines When You've Been Vaccinated for updated exposure recommendations after a person is considered fully vaccinated (>2 weeks after their final vaccine dose).

See these additional links for important office related COVID-19 related information:

Coronavirus Symptom Checker provides recommended actions and resources for various COVID related situations

COVID-19 Scenarios addresses the most common questions we are receiving about COVID-19

Click MIS-C to learn what we currently know and when to be concerned

When can my child return to daycare, school, work, etc? See how our doctors will determine whether your child is cleared to return to public activities.

Please view our procedure for in-office evaluation of patients with symptoms possibly related to COVID.

Click the link for specific information on COVID testing in the state of Maryland.

=============================

Below are links to both national and local resources for helpful and up to date information on COVID-19. These links are regular updated by the hosting organizations.

COVID-19 Vaccine Information (CDC)

CDC Coronavirus Disease 2019

US Food and Drug Administration COVID-19 Testing Basics

Coronavirus--Maryland State Dept of Health

University of Maryland Coronavirus Update

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Johns Hopkins Medicine

Howard County Health Dept COVID-19

Should you have any questions that are not answered by the resources above, feel free to call our office or contact us via electronic message using the patient portal . Please remember to always call the office for urgent issues as messages on the patient portal are not routinely checked when we are closed.

(Originally created 07/09/2020)

RSV Immunization

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 21:01:57 GMT

Updated*

We have received an initial supply of Beyfortus, a new single dose monoclonal antibody injection which offers protection against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). The CDC has published that the immunization is advised for ALL infants under age 8 months entering their first RSV season (birthday March 1, 2023 or later), and select children under age 19 months entering their second season (born betweeen Feb 28, 2022 and March 1, 2023). The immunization should be given as part of the well visit and is safe to combine with any other recommended immunization, including COVID. If your child does not have an upcoming well visit, then Beyfortus can be given as part of a short visit with one of our clinicians to allow time to exchange the appropriate information regarding the immunzation. Please CALL THE OFFICE if you need to schedule an appointment to receive Beyfortus.

An unfortunate initial roadblock is that Insurance companies have not yet indicated that they will cover the cost of this recommended preventive therapy. The cost to receive the immunization is $550 and must be paid via credit card prior to your child receiving the immunization. The cost may be doubled for older children (between 8 mo and 24 mo) who have certain risk factors. If and when your insurance provides reimbursement for Beyfortus, we will refund your credit card. The American Academy of Pediatrics is diligently working to speed up the process for insurance coverage and to encourage the government and insurance companies to work together to ensure equal access to the product in hospitals, birthing centers, and community physician offices.

Until insurance coverage is obtained, we encourage you to contact your insurance companies to encourage them to provide reimbursement for Beyfortus.

Initial posting on 09/18/2023

Updated COVID Vaccine

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 20:58:01 GMT

We are now offering the updated Pfizer COVID vaccine for our patients under 3 years of age. Because local pharmacies will give the vaccine to patients 3 and older and due to inventory factors, we need to focus our supply on the youngest patients who do not have an option of getting the COVID vaccine elsewhere. We are not currently getting any Moderna vaccine.

We are giving the COVID vaccine along with all other routine immunizations during well visits. If your child under 3 years of age does not have an upcoming well visit, then call the office and schedule a nurse visit to receive the vaccine.

If your child has received 2 or more doses of any COVID vaccine in the past, then they only need 1 booster dose (at least 8 week from any previous dose).

If your child has received 1 prior dose of any COVID vaccine, then they will need 1 dose of the updated booster >3 weeks after the last COVID vaccine AND a 2nd dose of updated COVID at least 8 weeks after the 1st updated dose.

If your child has never received a COVID vaccine, then s/he will need 3 doses total over 12 weeks.

Insurance companies have not notified us yet that they will cover the cost of the COVID vaccine. Therefore, parents will be charged $75 via credit card prior to their child receiving the updated COVID vaccine. If and when your insurance company provides reimbursement for the vaccine, we will credit the charge back to your credit card.

Flu News 2023

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 21:03:00 GMT

UPDATED

In order to best manage our flu vaccine supply, we are continuing to offer appointments for flu shots one week at a time.

Every Wednesday around 1:30 pm, we are continuing to open additional future flu clinics for self-scheduling. If you log onto the patient portal and do not see any available times, then we are booked up for the upcoming week. You will need to log into the portal on following Wednesday to check for newly opened appointment times. Please do not call our office inquiring about additional flu clinic times.

For those patients who are coming to the office for appointments, parents may call or message to inquire about bringing extra siblings to the visit, to receive a flu vaccine.

**Flu clinic appointments will only be available via self-scheduling through our Patient Portal. If you need to activate your portal account to start self-scheduling, then call our office to get your child's PIN to complete the registration. Once on the portal, you can provide your email address so that you may receive notification of appointment availability and other important office related events.

To make all of your office visits as efficient as possible, we encourage you to register here with Instamed to view and pay your bill online. With curbside remote check-in, you can receive a link directly via text message to resolve your visit copay when you arrive in the parking lot, before you even enter the office. This can help speed up your appointment and help in our efforts to optimize social distancing during your visit to our office.

Mask Optional Policy

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 21:03:38 GMT

Effective Thursday, April 20th, our office will transition to a "Mask Optional" policy for our non-contagious part of the office. This will apply to anyone arriving to the office who is vaccinated, symptom free, and has an appointment for a non-illness related reason. We will only be requiring anyone (including parents) who have symptoms of cough, fever congestion, rash, known COVID exposure, or has not received the COVID vaccine to wear their mask while in our office. We do ask that you continue to bring your mask with you to each appointment just in case we ask you to wear it.

Check Your Portal for Upcoming Appointments

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 21:04:11 GMT

We would like to remind parents to keep track of your child's/children’s appointments when they are made with our office. Automated appointment reminders are a courtesy, but delivery and receipt are not guaranteed. The best way for you to see if your child has an upcoming appointment is to check your child’s patient portal account.

If an appointment is missed or canceled with less than 24hr. notice, a $50 fee will be assessed. If you don’t see an appointment listed for your child in the portal and feel like you have an appointment already scheduled, then please call our office during normal business hours to confirm.

After Hours Nurse Triage

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 21:06:42 GMT

Starting Friday, January 6, 2023, our practice will be utilizing the services of a pediatric nurse triage company for urgent medical issues when our office is closed. After hours, all phone calls should be made to our regular phone number (410-992-9339) and will automatically be forwarded to Triage 4 Pediatrics . The nurses at this company utilize the same protocols as our in-office triage staff for symptom management and medical advice. We will have documentation of the calls and will review them during operating hours.

The nursing staff at Triage 4 Pediatrics will contact our on-call clinician based on escalation parameters set by our physicians. Our clinicians do not check our patient portal when the office is closed, so any portal messages sent after hours will not be viewed until the next business day.

We request that you do not call our office after hours for non-urgent/routine medical advice. Also, remember to use our " Is Your Child Sick " applet for excellent care instruction, medication dosing , and info on specific conditions .

Preventive Screenings

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 21:07:11 GMT

Our Doctors follow the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics for appropriate preventive screenings at all ages. These recommendations include screening for normal developmental progress in children from Birth to 5 Years of Age, including screening for autism.

We also perform screenings for vision, lead exposure, anemia, elevated cholesterol, mental health issues, substance use, and sexually transmitted infections. While the majority of insurances cover these screenings at no additional charge to our patients, some insurance plans pass on some portion of the charges to you as the subscribers; either because there is an initial deductible that needs to be met or the insurance plan may not cover all of the recommended screenings.

We ask that you please check with your insurance company to see if you may be subject to a charge for these important screening procedures.

Please contact our Billing Department at Extension 505 if you have questions regarding any charges assigned to you by your insurance company

COVID Test To Treat

Wed, 25 May 2022 21:09:55 GMT

Patients with certain chronic medical conditions, who test positive for COVID-19, are able to receive appropriate therapies to help reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 infection. The treatments need to be initiated by 5 to 7 days of symptom onset to be effective.

If you need to be tested for COVID (or you already have a positive test) and are seeking details about treatment options, then you have several options for care. The

Test to Treat Locator can identify nearby clinical centers that will test for COVID and/or provide an assessment to determine if a person is eligible to receive treatment. The various anti-COVID treatment therapies, available under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), are indicated for individuals with chronic medical conditions that are associated with a greater risk of severe COVID disease. The Test To Treat Centers will also be able to prescribe, and in most cases dispense, the oral medication Paxlovid, which is currently approved for high risk individuals 12 years and older. The Test to Treat center can also make an appropriate clinician referral for treatment via monoclonal antibody if that is determined to be the best course of action.

For those who have already tested positive, our practice has a limited number of virtual appointments to determine if patients are eligible for treatment (i.e. have appropriate high risk chronic conditions). The process involves a complete review of medical history, evaluation of list of all meds and supplements, and discussion of detailed risks and benefits of treatment. If a patient is deemed eligible, then we can provide a prescription for Paxlovid for filling at a local pharmacy. Please call our office if you wish to schedule a virtual appointment for COVID medication review with one of our physicians (limited number of appointments per day).

Advice for COVID Scenarios and Testing Info

Wed, 29 Dec 2021 21:29:54 GMT

UPDATE**

ISOLATION: Most people have mild illness and do not require care in the emergency department or an inpatient hospital stay. Any fully vaccinated person can serve as caregiver and keep your child away from rooms regularly visited by unvaccinated household members.

-If your child visits common areas, s/he should wear a mask (if over 2 years of age); wash hands often; wipe down common contact points and clean bathroom as needed

-Call our office for: fever >100.4 for more than 4 consecutive days, severe cough/significant problems breathing; whole body rash; profuse diarrhea.

-Isolation should continue until: 24 hrs fever free off medication ; at least 3 consecutive days of improving symptoms ; at least 10 days from start of illness. Isolation can also end if your child has a negative PCR test at least 3 days from the start of symptoms and your child is assessed by a physician who determines COVID-19 infection is not highly suspected.

-If your child with symptoms has a negative PCR COVID test : Your child probably was not infected at the time your sample was collected. Still take steps to protect your child from spreading germs to others ; including staying at home until feeling better, wearing a mask when outside the home, and practicing social distancing.

A negative test result only means that your child did not have COVID-19 at the time of testing or that your sample was collected too early in your child's infection.
A negative rapid antigen point-of-care test has to be confirmed by a PCR test in order for your child's isolation to end.

-See CDC page for more details: How to Isolate When to end isolation What to do if you are sick

Unvaccinated child tests positive for COVID-19 but is not sick:

ISOLATION (10 days): Any fully vaccinated person can serve as caregiver and keep your child away from rooms regularly visited by unvaccinated household members

-If your child visits common areas, s/he should wear a mask (if over 2 years of age); wash hands often. If symptoms develop then see 3.

-Isolation should continue until 10 days from the positive test; even if repeat testing is negative.

-See CDC page for more details: How to Isolate When to end isolation

Unvaccinated child tests positive for COVID-19 and develops symptoms:

ISOLATION : Any fully vaccinated person can serve as caregiver and keep your child away from rooms regularly visited by unvaccinated household members

-If your child visits common areas, s/he should wear a mask (if over 2 years of age); wash hands often; wipe down common contact points and clean bathroom as needed

-Isolation should continue until: at least 10 days from start of illness and; 24 hrs fever free off medication; and at least 3 consecutive days of improving symptoms;

-Call our office for: fever >100.4 for more than 4 consecutive days, severe cough/significant problems breathing; whole body rash; profuse diarrhea.

-See CDC page for more details: How to Isolate When to end isolation

Unvaccinated child is a close contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days:

*QUARANTINE : when possible, your child should stay home for 14 days. Updated CDC guidelines allow doctors to consider ending the quarantine at 10 days without testing or 7 days with a negative result on a PCR test obtained on or after the 5th day of illness . During the quarantine period, the child should avoid any contact with unvaccinated housemates, especially those considered high risk for having more severe COVID-19 infection. If the child is >2 years, then try to have the child wear a mask when around other people in the same house. If the child develops symptoms, see Scenario #1.

See When to Quarantine and Sick Parent and Caregivers for more specific scenarios

Unvaccinated child is a close contact with a person suspected of having COVID:

Given the current status, we recommend the same approach as when there is close contact with someone who has a confirmed case of COVID, see Scenario #4.

Unvaccinated child is a close contact with a person who is identified as a contact of a person who tested positive for COVID in the past 14 days:

Your child does not need to be quarantined or isolated unless the person identified as a close contact tests positive; then see Scenario #3.

Unvaccinated child is a close contact with a person who was or has become sick with Non-COVID symptoms in the past 14 days:

Follow regular recommendations for social distancing and mask wearing

(Originally created 08/11/2020)

Fever or chills, cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea

**See the CDC COVID Self-Checker for advice on what to do if you are exposed to or test positive for COVID-19

**CDC Shortens Isolation and Quarantine Periods. See the Press Release for full details.

The Howard County Health Department is scheduling appointments for COVID-19 vaccination clinics for 12 yr + on specific dates for specific products. They are also providing appointments for COVID-19 vaccination clinics for 5-11 years to give the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. We advise you utilize these services to get your child a vaccination as soon as possible.

We are no longer able to offer curbside COVID testing for patients who are not being seen for sick appointments. We need to keep our entire staff available for assessing patients who are ill and providing medical advice. Click COVID testing in the state of Maryland to find one of the many locations which offer testing for those who need documentation of a negative COVID test to return to public activity.

See when you've been fully vaccinated for the CDC's recommendations for any specific restrictions for individuals considered fully vaccinated. Even though you or your child is considered fully vaccinated (>2 weeks from the final dose), the CDC recommends testing between 5-7 days following future exposures. You should wear a mask for public indoor locations for 14 days or until your test is negative. Other specifics about contact with unvaccinated high risk individuals, attending, large gatherings and travel precautions are further outlined on this CDC information page.

We now have a steady supply of doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to give by appointment only. Please check our COVID Vaccine page for additional information.

Check out the covidLINK , Maryland's statewide resource on the COVID vaccine.

Also see COVID information for additional resources.

================================ As of 12/27/21 the much of the information below has been updated. Please refer to the information in the section above ===================

The situations presented below represent the most commonly occurring scenarios involving the possibility of COVID exposure or infection. It is impossible to cover all scenarios so please feel free to contact our office if you need more specific advice than what is outlined on this page.

A negative COVID test does not mean your child does not have COVID-19 infection. Your child may still need to follow the quarantine (stay home) or isolation (separate from others in your house) guidelines listed below. CDC guidelines allow our doctors to consider options for a shorter quarantine period for those who have had a significant contact but have no symptoms. See Scenario #4.

*Close contact is defined as being within 6 feet for at least 15 min; hugging/kissing; sharing personal items.

Please follow the advice under the section that applies for your child’s situation. Not every scenario can be easily covered here, so please visit the CDC COVID Page to see additional information or if your particular circumstance is not included here. Children who are considered fully vaccinated should follow the recommendations provided by the CDC when you've been fully vaccinated

Unvaccinated child has symptoms of illness (regardless of whether there has been close contact with a COVID + person):

Vaccinations

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 21:39:21 GMT

There has been and continues to be misleading and inaccurate information posted on the internet regarding vaccines and their safety. So, it is no surprise that vaccine safety continues to be an important topic to parents. The popularity of social media also makes it easier than ever to find inflammatory and erroneous vaccine information. Therefore, we encourage people to focus on reliable sites that are based on peer reviewed research and are published by reputable organizations. This page contains important information we would like our patients to know and understand about the importance of vaccines from our perspective.

Simply put, in our minds, vaccines save lives! They are a vital and necessary part of our fight against contagious illnesses that can cause significant harm to all people; but especially to infants and children. Therefore, our physicians at Howard County Pediatrics require all of our patients be appropriately vaccinated to be part of our medical home. Families may come to us with a desire to vaccinate but may prefer to use a schedule that is different from the schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Advisory Commitee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). In our experience, choosing a schedule that significantly varies from the guidelines provided by the AAP and ACIP: increases rates of illness in the community, results in a greater chance for vaccination errors, increases the health risks to the patients and personnel who enter our office, and causes more children to be harmed or die from vaccine preventable illnesses. With this in mind, It is our practice policy not to delay required vaccines more than six months from the ages recommended by the AAP.

Please see the list of links below to reputable and accurate information on vaccines. You can click here to see the general schedule of vaccinations that we follow. The order and timing of the recommended vaccines may be altered slightly, by our physicians, based on individual circumstances of a patient. We welcome any questions or clarifications regarding the vaccine information posted below.

World Health Organization (WHO) Vaccine Home Page

CDC Vaccine Home Page

Immunizations, What You Need to Know (AAP)

Immunization Action Coalition

Vaccine Education Center (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia)

Coronavirus Testing

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 21:32:01 GMT

Update as of 07/08/20: Testing at MD VEIP stations no longer requires a physician order. Visit MD Dept of Health- COVID testing and scroll down to find the link to schedule at the desired site.

===================================

07/03/20

Due to increased testing capacity nationwide, health care officials are advising COVID testing for anyone who wants it, whether they have had symptoms or not. If you have symptoms, it is important that you self quarantine until at least 10 days from the start of your illness or until you have had 3 consecutive days without fever; whichever is longer.

We are not able to perform testing at our office. See the link below for a complete list of test sites in our state. You can find locations that don't require any physician order and some sites offer testing times that do not require an appointment.

Testing at Howard County General Hospital and the MD VEIP locations still do require a physician order and are by appointment only. If you want to get tested at one of these sites, then send us a message, via the patient portal , that contains your child's name, an email address, and a mobile phone number. We need this information to generate the order. You will then be contacted by the testing center via email or phone to schedule.

Coronavirus--Maryland State Dept of Health (click to get up to date info on testing sites)

Coronavirus Information

Mon, 18 May 2020 21:37:01 GMT

Update:

Click Changes in Our Practice to see how we are continually adjusting our protocols to more safely serve our community

=============================

03/18/2020

Below are links to both national and local resources for helpful and up to date information on COVID-19. These links are regular updated by the hosting organizations.

CDC Coronavirus Disease 2019

Coronavirus--Maryland State Dept of Health

University of Maryland Coronavirus Update

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Johns Hopkins Medicine

Howard County Health Dept COVID-19

Should you have any questions that are not answered by the resources above, feel free to call our office or contact us via electronic message using the patient portal .

Our practice wants you to stay up to date with appropriate and helpful information on the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Because of the state of emergency declared by our governor and the implementation of social distancing to protect every one, medical providers will have to practice differently. In order to limit the spread of novel 2019 Coronavirus (COVID-19) , it is imperative that people who are showing signs of illness remain in their house and apart from other people. In order to achieve this, we will have to handle many more phone calls and even make medical decisions without the advantage of being able to examine your child. We will need to decide whether to use over the counter (OTC) and prescription medications based solely on information exchanged between parents/patients and our clinical staff. Unfortunately, this means that, if you are having respiratory symptoms or fever, you SHOULD NOT come to your doctor's office or visit an urgent care facility unless you are specifically instructed to do so. In accordance, until further notice, we are not allowing any walk-in visits; all visits will be by appointment only.

Though government officials have stated that tests for COVID-19 are available at local labs and health departments, the necessary protective equipment required for medical professionals to safely assess patients and obtain samples IS NOT readily available to primary care providers. We cannot get that equipment so we cannot test. Thus, mass testing is not possible at this point in time. This is one of the reasons why the state of emergency was declared; so that we can limit spread of the virus since primary care doctors cannot easily determine who has been infected or exposed

We want you to remember that the treatment for COVID-19, as it is for most viral infections, involves supportive care that matches the level of the person's distress. There is no treatment that will specifically be used if your child has COVID-19. There is no known medication or homeopathic substance that can stop someone from becoming infected. Please only follow the advice of certified medical professionals and understand that there is plenty of false/misleading information available on the internet.

We ask that you refer to the purple "Is Your Child Sick" toolbox, that appears on every page of our website, to find helpful information on COVID-19. You can also view info on treating fever , cough , and other types of symptoms . There are also useful tips that alert parents when specific symptoms are concerning and warrant contacting your child's doctor.

What you should do:

* Wash hands frequently

* Keep your hands away from your face

* Frequently wipe down doorknobs, handles, and other frequently touched areas

* Avoid visiting a medical facility if you have had fever and respiratory symptoms in the prior 14 days, without calling the facility first; be honest and upfront about your symptoms

* Avoid going to social events with more than 25 people

* Avoid being around at risk household members (heart, lung, kidney disease; diabetes; and conditions that suppress the immune system) if you have respiratory symptoms or fever

We appreciate your cooperation during this very challenging time. Our hope is that these measures will help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and help protect everyone from suffering significant morbidity from this new infectious agent.

howardcounty

Forms Season Is Upon Us

We are managing a very large number of forms, and we need your help to maintain a smooth process.

Travel Season is Upon Us

Inclement Weather Alert

OFFICE CLOSED TOMORROW

Welcome Dr. Priya Kasturirangan

Product Recall: ByHeart Infant Formula

HoCo Peds is Now a Part of Aspen Pediatrics

Welcome to Dr. Limary García-González

COVID VACCINE 2025

RSV Immunization 2025

Vaccine Availability

Contact the CDC by September 13th to advocate for you right to vaccinate your child against serious and preventable illnesses.

HoCo Peds is IN-NETWORK with Cigna

INFORMATION ALERT!!

Vaccination Updates

Flu News 2025-26

UPDATED

Welcome to Dr. Kunbi Kosoko

A Fond Farewell!

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Year Round Walk-In

Measles 2025

This page serves as a quick information source for Measles Infection. If you suspect your child has a measles infection, we ask that you please DO NOT come to the office . This is a very contagious illness, and suspected patients need to remain isolated from all group settings.

What is Measles? ﻿

What are the symptoms of Measles?

Who is at risk of getting Measles?

How is Measles treated?

What we know about the case in Howard County (directly from the Maryland Dept of Health):

What should you do if you suspect your child has measles symptoms (fever AND runny nose AND watery/red eyes AND cough; especially if followed by a whole-body rash starting at the hairline)?

Other Things you should know:

Parenting Podcast

Flu 2025

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Weather Related Update

Parent Support Group

Welcome to Dr. Cynthia Gao

Weather Related Closing

Winter Safety

Halloween Safety Tips

RSV Immunization 2024

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Schedule Your Flu Shot Today

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Back To School Preparation

Welcome Krista Shanholtz, FNP to our Practice!

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Respiratory Viruses

RESPIRATORY VIRUSES......

Welcome to Lauren Hess

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Weather Related Information

Winter Illnesses

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MASKS REQUIRED FOR ALL APPOINTMENTS

Mental Health Services at HoCo Peds

Coronavirus Update

UPDATED

RSV Immunization

Updated*

Updated COVID Vaccine

Flu News 2023

UPDATED

Mask Optional Policy

Check Your Portal for Upcoming Appointments

After Hours Nurse Triage

Preventive Screenings

COVID Test To Treat

Advice for COVID Scenarios and Testing Info

UPDATE**

Vaccinations

Coronavirus Testing

Coronavirus Information

Update:

What is Measles?