West Alabama Pediatrics COVID-19 Guidelines- updated 7/23/2020
Masks/Cloths Face Coverings- All West Alabama Pediatrics physicians and staff will continue to wear masks, and will continue to follow the ADPH guidelines that require all parents and patients 7 years and older to wear masks or other cloth face coverings. We also encourage mask/cloth coverings as tolerated in ages 2-6.
We have separated our practice into 2 clinics- The Well Child Clinic (including Newborns & Lactation) is on the right side of our building and the Urgent Care Clinic (UCC) is on the left. Each clinic has its own separate entrance, exit, designated exam rooms and staff. Exam rooms will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after every use, with our COVID-19 cleaning protocols, no matter the reason for the visit.
Social Distancing- To help ease congestion and maintain social distancing in the office, we’ll continue to ask that only 1 parent accompany any child over 2 months old. We also ask that, if at all possible, siblings and other children without appointments stay home.
Well Child Clinic Waiting Rooms are Open- Our Well Child & Newborn Waiting rooms are open again, with chairs spaced out to ensure plenty of safe physical distancing. We’ve designed our schedules and our patient flow to minimize wait times and to get you to your exam room as quickly as possible. Patients and families who come to see us for Well Visits must be WITHOUT fever and/or respiratory symptoms, AND have NO exposure to anyone POSITIVE for COVID-19 (or anyone with a COVID-19 test pending) in the last 14 days.
We do House Calls!- See one of the West Alabama Pediatrics physicians via video or phone call from your own home! We are performing Telemedicine Visits for any questions or concerns you may have about your child.
In-Office Sick Visits are scheduled by the physician as directed from the Telemedicine Visit. We’ll continue the added safety measure of having all patients with fever and/or respiratory symptoms check-in and wait from their cars. Text when you arrive at the office, and we’ll text you when your exam room is ready. You will enter through the UCC doors on the left side of our building.
Thanks for helping us keep everyone safe!
It’s that time of year!! 🍁🍂🌻🕸🕷🎃 Doesn’t everyone loves Fall?
West Alabama Peds has Flu Shots available for patients and parents! We have a Flu Vaccine Clinic every Wednesday and due to high demand we have opened up additional appointments on Tuesday 9/13, Wednesday 9/14 and Wednesday 9/21. Please call our office to schedule your child/children’s appointment. We also ask that parents also call to schedule an appointment as this helps to expedite your visit.
*Note- We are still waiting on VFC Flu Vaccines. We will post here as soon as they are received from the State*
Dr Petitt performing a Telemedicine appointment 😊.
As your Primary Care Provider, and with access to your child’s EMR (Electronic Medical Record) & medical history, Dr Petitt believes that telemedicine has allowed our physicians to diagnose and treat many conditions over the phone/iPad. As well as address a good number of growth and development concerns that parents have between check ups.
Dr Petitt has loved being able to connect with kids and parents in the safety of their home! He has also enjoyed seeing family pets and the various things that kids love to share.
We also offer In-Office Sick Appointments if deemed necessary during the telemedicine visit or if parents prefer.
Please read this post regarding Covid Testing and School Excuses:
West Alabama Peds is performing Covid testing for our patients through a test called a PCR test. The PCR test is sent to our lab and is performed by directly detecting the Covid virus. If your child’s PCR test is negative, we may also check a reflex respiratory panel through our lab (from the same specimen) that looks to identify the pathogen or virus causing your child's symptoms, aka rhinovirus, adenovirus, enterovirus, influenza, etc. This test has been helpful in reassuring parents that their child is not only negative for Covid but also which virus they may have. The results of the Covid test usually take 24-36 hours.
Our PCR test is more accurate than the 15 minute rapid test that is available at other places. If you choose to go get one of these rapid tests, it’s extremely important to remember that if your child’s test is negative, he/she may still have Covid and should still be quarantined.
We are following the SCHOOL ALGORITHM (see photo above) provided to us by the American Academy of Pediatrics or AAP and will provide school excuses based off of this.
If one of our patients is symptomatic and has a negative PCR Covid test at our office (through our lab), we will provide a school excuse for this child to return to school WHEN this child has been fever free for 24 hours and his/her symptoms have improved to mild or none.
If one of our patients is asymptomatic but has had a known exposure to Covid and was sent home from school, this child may be tested at our office (if the parent desires) BUT must quarantine for 14 days. If this child’s test is positive for Covid, they must quarantine for 10 days. The difference in 10 days vs 14 days is that the positive Covid patient has 10 days of potentially shedding the virus. The patient that has to quarantine for 14 days, must do so as this patient may still become infected with Covid up to 14 days after their exposure.
*Note- Many schools are requiring that your child’s school excuse come from their Primary Care Provider or PCP. We will not be able to give an excuse for any tests not performed at our office.*
West Alabama Peds understands the hardship that comes from children being quarantined and parents missing work. We will be happy to provide school/work excuses or documentation for your employer that requires your child to quarantine for 14 days. We will also be happy to complete FMLA paperwork for parents if needed.
Call 205-752-PEDS(7337)!
We have daily Telemedicine or In-Office Sick appointments,
and Curbside Covid testing performed by THE BEST PEDIATRIC NURSES!
Want to join the WAPeds Team and be a SUPERHERO?
West Alabama Peds is looking for a full time RN, LPN or Certified Medical Assistant. Please send resumes to sbutts@westalabamapeds.com.
Thank you to ALL of our West Alabama Pediatrics families & our community! It’s a blessing to do what we do on a daily basis and an honor to be nominated. Thank you. ☺️♥️
CONSUMERS.SECONDSTREETAPP.COM
Check out West Alabama Pediatrics.
VFC flu vaccines are in!
We now have flu vaccines for all insurances! 😊
Call today to schedule your appt!
(205) 752-PEDS (7337)
Is it a Cold, the Flu or Covid-19?
Election Day 2020!
Hope you have a SUPER Happy Halloween!
A salute to HEROES all around!
Have fun & be safe! 🎃💥⚡️
Tara Fuller Davis
October 28 at 8:12 PM ·
Y’all, this kid! ❤️🙌🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼.
‘You can be anything ABCs’.
ADDITIONAL FLU CLINIC OPENINGS!
Wednesday, 10/28/20 8-11am (tomorrow)
Thursday, 11/5/20 1:00-4:30pm
Call 752-7337 to schedule!
Are you coming down with a cold? The Flu? Could it be COVID-19?
Getting COVID + Flu at the same time = trouble.
In the United States, flu season occurs in the late fall and winter. While influenza viruses circulate year round, most of the time flu activity peaks between December and February, but some activity can last as late as May.
We have not seen our peak this year, most likely because of wearing mask and social distancing. We still believe that getting a FLU VACCINE is more important than ever during 2020-2021 to protect yourself and the people around you from flu, and to reduce the strain on healthcare systems responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
West Alabama Peds has FLU VACCINE appointments available daily and encourage everyone who has not received their Flu Vaccine to get one. Getting your Flu Vaccine can reduce the risk of FLU-associated hospitalizations for children, working age adults and older adults.
Call 205-752-PEDS(7337) to schedule your Flu Vaccines. We have them available to our patients and parents.
The physicians and providers of West Alabama Pediatrics have all received both doses of the COVID-19 Vaccine. They recommend and strongly encourage everyone to get it as soon as it becomes available to you.
Safer At Home Order extended until March 5th at 5pm. 😷
Update 1/5/2021-
We are still offering telemedicine, in office sick appointments and Curbside Covid testing for our patients and parents.
West Alabama Pediatrics
December 12, 2020 at 5:48 PM ·
CURBSIDE COVID-19 TESTING
FOR PATIENTS AND PARENTS 🦠
Due to the increase in Covid cases and the need for testing, we will begin offering testing for PARENTS (of WAPS patients) on Monday 12/14. Please schedule a Telemedicine visit on your child to discuss symptoms and household exposure and then patient/parent can be scheduled for Curbside Covid testing. Copays for telemedicine visits continue to be waived until the end of the year. We do NOT do rapid tests for Covid due to the inaccuracy of these tests. One of our amazing pediatric nurses will come out to your car to collect the nasopharyngeal swab and then send the swab for a PCR test to LabWorks in Birmingham. Results are received and reported to you within 24-36 hours. Call 205-752-PEDS (7337) to schedule!