LANSING, Mich. — Many people have started to question whether doctors are still open and meeting with patients. Today, we talk with Dr. Jane Turner about what local pediatricians are doing to make sure that even the littlest patients are taken care of during the COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic.
The MSU Health Team has transitioned many of their client visits to be completed through telehealth, and for those that cannot, they have several layers of protections in place to keep their youngest Spartans as safe as possible.
Who They are still seeing
- They are seeing only a limited set of young babies and children for well visits & vaccines in the office during office hours Monday–Friday. How we are seeing them • We are seeing most of our patients by Telehealth. Telehealth allows our doctors to provide care for many conditions and concerns while families stay home and stay safe. They are able to monitor chronic health conditions such as ADHD, asthma, depression, anxiety, constipation and many others. They are also able to take care of most minor acute illnesses such as vomiting, diarrhea, fever, coughs and colds by Telehealth.
- They are seeing sick patients that cannot be managed by Telehealth separate from the well child visits. Please call and speak with a doctor or nurse first to determine if your child needs to come in. They will help you decide if a face to face visit is needed or if we can take care of your child’s health using Telehealth.
What they need from parents
- If your child is scheduled for a well visit and if they or any household contact develop ANY fever or respiratory symptoms (runny nose, congestion, cough, sore throat) for the health and safety of everyone, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT that you call the office BEFORE coming and speak with a doctor to determine if your child should still come in.
- If your child is scheduled for a face to face visit, bring only the child with the appointment to the clinic. Each child should be accompanied by one adult. Other family members should stay home. Our goal is to keep everyone safe and “social distancing” is important to slowing the spread of the virus.
If you think your child may have COVID-19
- Any child with significant shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, should go to the Emergency Department. If you are unsure if your child should go to the ED, call us and we will help you decide.
- If you think your child or a member of your family might have COVID-19 illness, call us. We will help you know what to do. We will advise you if your child should be tested or should go to the emergency department or can be managed at home.
Resources
For excellent, up-to-date information about COVID-19, visit the Center for Disease Control (cdc.gov) and/or the State of Michigan Department of Health (michigan.gov/mdhhs). For information specific to children’s health (including COVID-19), visit healthychildren.org
Don’t Forget
- Practice social distancing of at least six feet at all times
- Wash your hands frequently
- Cover your cough
- Stay home if you’re sick
- Practice good hand hygiene avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick
- Clean and disinfect frequently used surfaces daily
Want to see more local news ? Visit the FOX47News Website.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Download our free app for Appleand Android
and
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox.
Select from these options: Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines and Daily Forecasts.
