FAQs

lease take a moment to read our most commonly asked questions. We're always available to answer your questions and we encourage you to contact our office if you have a question that is not answered below.

Q: What is a Pediatrician?

A: 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 the majority of 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.

Q: Can I meet my pediatrician before my baby is born?

A: Yes, in fact we strongly encourage parents-to-be to visit our office and bring all of your questions or concerns. This is a great way to get acquainted with our office and our medical staff. Please visit our expectant mom's page for more information.

Q: How often should my child see the pediatrician?

A: Your child should not only see the pediatrician for an illness. It is also important to schedule well-child-care exams regularly, beginning in infancy. Also called well-care visits,kidmed visits or checkups, these routine examinations provide the best opportunity for the 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-care visits are strongly recommended as part of our preventive pediatric care.

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

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends this schedule for routine well-care visits:

  • 3 to 5 days
  • 1 month
  • 2 months
  • 4 months
  • 6 months
  • 9 months
  • 12 months
  • 15 months
  • 18 months
  • 24 months
  • 30 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.

Q: What is the best way to schedule an appointment with your office?

A: You can schedule an appointment by calling our office at 318-487-1602  during regular business hours or by requesting an appointment online through our patient portal.

Q: Is your office accepting new patients?

A: Yes, we always welcome new patients. Contact our office at 318-487-1602  for additional information to schedule an appointment.

Q: Why does my child need to receive vaccinations?

A: 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, please do not hesitate to contact our office at 318-487-1602.

Contact Us

Telephone Calls

We encourage all parents and guardians to contact our office during our working hours, as our staff has access to your child’s medical records during this time. However, should that not be possible for you, do still contact the office to reach our answering service. Please leave your name, the patient’s name and date of birth, and a reliable call-back telephone number with your medical concerns or questions. Remember to remove all call blocks at that time to allow a return call. Caller ID is not an appropriate means for reaching our provider(s). Please have a pharmacy number ready in case a prescription is needed. Allow our on-call provider to respond promptly.

For true emergencies, please call 911

Our Website

We advocate for all families to visit our website regularly. It provides office updated, medical and physician information, our wellness exam and immunizations schedule, and multiple pediatric resources to help you care for your child. In addition to a link to the American Academy of Pediatrics website, there are other approved pediatric website links to assist you in the care of your child – especially if they are sick. You will also be able to complete new patient forms to limit your wait time at your office visit.

Our Facebook Page

We encourage the frequent use of our Facebook page to keep us connected daily. We appreciate all of your comments and suggestions as we partner with you in keeping CENLA littles healthy!