972-519-0545
**Next to Medical Center of Plano**
3801 West 15th Street
Bldg. D Suite 120
Plano, TX 75075
Mon - Thu: 8:30 am - 7:00 pm
Fri: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Sat 8:30 am - 12:00 pm
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**2 blocks north of Stonebriar Mall**
3550 Parkwood Blvd
Suite B-110
Frisco, TX 75034
Mon - Fri: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
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Have a question that wasn't answered by our website?
Frequently Asked Questions
Medical Questions
- Will my child get shots at their
next well check?
- As long your child is up to date on their
immunizations this is the immunization schedule, as recommended by
the American Academy of Pediatrics:
- What is a fever? What do I do?
When do I call the doctor?
- Fever is a temperature over 101° F. A fever too
high may cause restlessness, vomiting, or a loss of appetite. Most
fevers are associated with viral illnesses and usually range from
101-104° and can last for 2-3 days.
- Treat fever by:
- Providing plenty of liquids to drink. Popsicles and iced drinks
are helpful.
- Dressing the child lightly and remove excess blankets.
- Ensuring the child rests.
- Treat with Tylenol or Ibuprofen if your child is uncomfortable.
Advil or Motrin can be used ONLY if your child is greater than 6
months of age. Repeated doses will be necessary because the fever
will go up and down until the illness runs its course.
- DO NOT USE ASPIRIN!!!
- Call our office if:
- Rectal temperature over 100.4° F if infant is under 2 months of
age.
- Rectal temperature 103° F or more if child under 2 years of
age.
- Fever persists over 3 days (temp underarm of 100.4° or
more).
- Child has rapid or difficult breathing.
- Child cannot be comforted, is unusually quiet, or extremely
irritable
- Fluid intake is not enough to allow urine output at least once
every 6-8 hours
- Signs of dehydration: dry mouth, cracked lips, decrease in
urine output (no wet diapers in 4-6 hours in a child less than 2
years of age, or no urination for 8-12 hours in a child greater
than 2 years)
- Complaints of ear pain, pulling or tugging on the ears, visible
drainage from ears.
- Obvious trauma or injury
- How should I treat vomiting and/or
diarrhea?
- Vomiting and diarrhea are usually caused by a
stomach virus. Generally, there is no effective medication and your
child can be treated at home without an office visit.
- We need to check children if there is:
- Dehydration
- Fever of 102° F or greater that does not go away within a
day
- Blood in bowel movement
- Persistent vomiting that will not stop
- Diarrhea may occur on its own or with vomiting.
Loose (but not watery) bowel movements often indicate the beginning
of the illness. Diarrhea is defined as watery, frequent bowel
movements, 5 or more times a day. Often a child has diarrhea for up
to 7 days, but you should see a gradual decrease in the number of
bowel movements per day.
- SIGNS OF DEHYDRATION
Your child needs to be seen if any of these signs are present:
- Dry cracked lips
- Sticky tongue that is not wet or juicy
- No tears with crying
- No urination for 4 hours in young infants; 6 hours in toddlers;
3 times a day for older children
- Sunken fontanel (soft spot) in infants
- Treatment of Vomiting:
Stop all food and milk. Wait 1 hour after child vomits. Then the
stomach can be settled by using Emetrol (an over the counter sugar
syrup) or Heavy Syrup from a can of fruit (but not the fruit
itself), giving 1 teaspoon every 15 minutes for an hour, on an
empty stomach. When the child tolerates this without vomiting you
may begin small feedings of clear liquids or short frequent
breastfeeds.
- To begin these feeds, start with 1 tablespoon
taken every 15 minutes for 2 times; then 1 ounce every 30 minutes
for one hour; then increase to 2 ounces every 45 minutes 2 times.
The key is small amounts taken slowly. Once the vomiting has
stopped you may begin starchy foods. If vomiting occurs at any
step, drop back to the previous successful stage.
- Giving only water or juice for a prolonged time
can be dangerous. The best clear liquids are Gerber Electrolyte
Solution, Pedialyte or ReVital as they have the perfect balance of
salts and sugars. You can add Nutrasweet or Koolaid powder to
flavor or to disguise the salty taste; this will not change the
sugar balance. In older children broth, juices and Gatorade may be
helpful though Gerber, Pedialyte or ReVital remains the best
treatment.
- Treatment of Diarrhea:
It is not a good idea to use anti-diarrheal medicines when the
intestines are not working properly. Immodium paralyses the
intestines and will stop diarrhea but it doesn't make the intestine
better any faster. If your child has prolonged diarrhea, you child
can become dehydrated. It is important to replace fluids lost in
the stools.
- Younger children should not be given high sugar
drinks like juice that can make diarrhea worse. Once vomiting has
stopped, the best treatment is to feed your child plain protein
foods like boiled meats, yogurt, soups and plain starchy foods like
very ripe bananas, rice, noodles, potatoes and breads. Avoid high
fat foods. Realize that the more your child eats, the more stool
will be produced.
- A Good Eating Plan for Diarrhea:
BREAKFAST
- Hot or dry Cold Cereal
- Chicken Broth Toast, Bagel, English Muffin or Crackers
- Scrambled Eggs
- Cheese
- Limited Margarine or Cream Cheese to start
- Gatorade or Sports Drinks for Older Children
- Gerber Electrolyte Solution, ReVital or Pedialyte for Younger
Children
- Yogurt
LUNCH/DINNER
- Meat (Beef, Chicken, Fish, or Cheese)
- Chicken Broth
- Mashed Potatoes, Rice or Pasta
- Bread or Crackers
- Limited Margarine to start
- Gatorade or Sports Drinks for Older Children
- Gerber Electrolyte Solution, ReVital or Pedialyte for Younger
Children
- Yogurt
May add cooked vegetables, fruits, and milk if tolerated.
- When should I call the doctor?
- It is often difficult to know when to call the
Doctor's office. Sometimes parents call with simple problems that
can be easily handled at home. Here are some guidelines that can
help parents distinguish between illnesses that can easily be
handled at home, and those that require urgent care or an office
visit. Keep this information close at hand; share it with
grandparents, sitters, and daycare providers.
- The following is a detailed list of problems
that require an office visit:
- A child less than 3 months old with a fever of 100.4° F under
the arm
- A fever greater than 72 hours (fever = temp under the arm of
100.4° F or greater)
- Vomiting for greater than 24 hours in children less than 2
years of age
- Vomiting for greater than 48 hours in children older than 2
years of age
- Diarrhea - if persistent, can become serious if dehydration
occurs. Signs and symptoms of dehydration are:
- Dry mouth
- Cracked lips
- A significant decrease in urine production (no wet diapers in
4-6 hours in a child less than 2 years of age OR no urination for
8-12 hours in children greater than 2 years of age)
- Complaints of ear pain, pulling or tugging at
ears, visible drainage from ears
- Any obvious trauma or injury
- Once the office has closed for the evening or
the weekend, we prefer to handle URGENT problems that may be UNSAFE
to leave until the office re-opens. The following is a list of
problems requiring an after hours phone call:
- Fever greater than 104° F under the arm
- Signs and symptoms of dehydration, as outlined above
- Ear pain that does not improve with Motrin or Tylenol
- Difficulty breathing, such that the child has difficulty
catching breath accompanied with rapid breathing and/or is noted to
have a breathing pattern of seesawing chest and abdomen or
retractions (the pulling-in of the muscles around the chest), or
the flaring of the nostrils when breathing in
- Rash, ONLY if purple, and does not fade when pressed on with
finger, is accompanied with a severe headache, and fever greater
than 100.4° F, OR a rash accompanied by difficulty breathing,
especially if currently taking ANY antibiotic or new medication. IF
THERE IS AN OBVIOUS SUDDEN INCREASE IN MOUTH, LIP, OR EYE SWELLING,
ADMINISTER APPROPRIATE DOSAGE OF BENADRYL AND CALL 9-1-1.
- Fever accompanied by lethargy. Lethargy is when the child is
unresponsive, very flaccid or floppy, not just acting less perky
than usual. *Remember that fever worth treating is a temp under the
arm greater than 100.4° F, oral temp greater than 101.4° F, or
rectal temp greater than 102.4° F.
- Trauma or injury causing bleeding that does not stop after 10
minutes of direct pressure, a gaping wound, significant pain or
loss of function
- Head injury, if a loss of consciousness or vomiting have
occurred, or child appears to be unsteady or dizzy, of if unequal
pupils are noted
- Abdominal pain than limits the child's activity and does not
improve over the course of one hour
- When can I take my newborn out for
the first time?
- To go outside is fine, a stroller ride around
the block or to sit in the park. The weather will factor in how
light to heavy to dress your infant (as you dress yourself). To go
into crowds is not a good idea, especially if the baby is passed
around from person to person. If you need to go into a crowd, you
hold the baby, allowing others to look at your newborn from a
distance. It is quite OK to be "selfish" these first few weeks,
especially if it is high flu season, etc. Ideally, it is good to
wait on traveling until after the 2 month exam and immunizations
(particularly air travel).
- What can I do for teething?
- There are over the counter teething gels, and
teething tablets (from health food stores). Be aware that over the
counter teething gels must be used with care as they can decrease
your child's natural gag response. You may also swab Benadryl
liquid (for allergies) to the gums that are swollen every 4-6
hours. For severe cases you may try Tylenol at bedtime.
- How do I know if my baby has an
ear infection or is just teething?
- Only a visit to one of our doctors can tell you
for sure. If your child is fussier than usual, wakes frequently
crying (usually sleeps through the night), or has a fever you
should schedule an appointment. Some children will dig their finger
in the painful ear. In a toddler you may see your child falling a
lot or trying hard to keep their balance. All of these point to an
ear infection. It is very hard to distinguish between teething and
ear pain without checking the ear. At the fist sign of ear pain
call for any appointment.
- How do I know if my baby is
getting enough breast milk?
- Your baby should have 6-8 wet diapers a day and
bowel movements with every breastfeeding.
Billing Questions
- Why did I get a bill from
Pediatric Place?
- We only send statements out to parents/guardians
when we believe a balance is owed by you. We do not send out
"Information Only" statements. There are two common reasons you
would receive a bill from our office; either you owe a balance on
your child's account or you need to take action in order for your
insurance company to process your child's claim.
- If you owe a balance, the statement will
indicate which date(s) of service the balance is for. There are
many reasons you may owe a balance including, but not limited to,
copayments, coinsurance, deductibles, non-covered services, etc.
The exact reason your insurance company did not pay for a service
can usually be found on the Explanation of Benefits (sometimes
referred to as an EOB) you receive from your insurance company. In
some cases, it may be necessary for you to call your insurance
company for clarification. Please keep in mind that our office is
bound by our contract with your insurance company to collect any
balance the insurance company states is your responsibility.
- A common example of when you need to take action
in order for your insurance to process a claim would be when the
insurance company requires an update to your "other insurance"
(also referred to as "Coordination of Benefits" or "COB")
information. Typically, you can provide this information over the
phone by calling the customer service number on your health
insurance ID card.
- Did you bill this to my
insurance?
- We file all claims to the insurance company on
file at the time of the visit. Therefore, it is VERY IMPORTANT that
you provide us with accurate insurance information for your child
at every visit. Most insurance companies have strict timely filing
guidelines for claim submission. If a claim is denied due to being
past the timely filing deadline AND filing was delayed because the
correct insurance information was not provided to our office at the
time of the visit, you will be held responsible for payment.
- If we have valid information on file, we will
file the claim to your insurance. In fact, our insurance contracts
require that the claim be filed to them by our office. The only
time a claim would not be filed to insurance is when we do not have
any valid insurance information on file (i.e. you do not have
coverage or have not given us a copy of the insurance card). Please
communicate any changes in your child's insurance coverage to us
immediately.
- What insurance plans do you
accept?
- Our office participates with most major health
plans. Here is a list of plans we
participate with. If you do not see your health plan listed,
please feel free to contact our office by phone at 972-519-0545.
There are many smaller insurance companies that we access through
our relationships with the larger plans. The most common example
would be PHCS PPO which contracts with many smaller insurance
companies to provide coverage for its members.
- My insurance did not cover a visit
or immunization. Why didn't your office tell me I would have to pay
for it?
- We do make an effort to avoid these situations.
Unfortunately, it is impractical, if not impossible, for our office
to know the benefits for each patient's insurance policy. You may
be surprised to learn that all policies within the same insurance
company do not have the same benefits. For example, our office may
know that Insurance A normally covers immunizations. However, your
employer purchased a policy with Insurance A that excludes
immunizations. As a result, your child's immunizations were not
covered by the policy and you are responsible for the balance. In
most cases, the benefits of your policy are determined by your
employer, and only administered by the insurance company. We cannot
stress enough the importance of knowing your policy's benefits and
limitations so that you may avoid "surprise" out-of-pocket expenses
for your child's healthcare.
- I received a letter from my
insurance asking me for my "Other Insurance Information". My child
is only covered by this insurance policy. Should I just ignore this
notice?
- No. Even though you may not have any other
insurance, you still need to call your insurance company at the
customer service phone number listed on your insurance card. This
is also true if you just gave the updated information to your
insurance, and they are asking again. When you call, please make
sure to request them to reprocess all outstanding claims after your
information is updated. We have seen many cases where the insurance
company only reprocesses one claim and leaves others unpaid.
Remember that if the insurance company denied the claim pending
receipt of this information, they already have the claim in their
system. Therefore, it is not necessary for our office to refile the
claim. In fact, refiling the claim usually results in the claim
being denied as a duplicate submission. If you repeatedly have this
problem with your insurance, we suggest discussing the problem with
a supervisor at the insurance company and your employer's Human
Resources department, if applicable.
- The doctor was only in the room
for a few minutes. Why did my child's office visit cost so
much?
- Medical office visits are not typically billed
on a time basis. The level of service billed is determined by three
key factors: history, examination, and medical decision making.
Time only becomes a factor if more than 50% of the total time is
related to counseling and/or coordination of care. We utilize
national averages that are adjusted to this geographical area to
determine the fees for our services.
- What should I do if I cannot pay
my entire balance now?
- If you ever find yourself unable to pay your
child's balance in full, we simply ask that you communicate this to
our billing office in a timely manner. We are happy to set up an
acceptable payment plan to assist you in resolving the balance as
quickly and comfortably as possible.
- Who should I speak to if I have a
question about my bill?
- If you have any questions about your bill or
child's balance, you can contact our office in many ways. You can
speak to the billing staff while in the office, phone the billing
staff directly at 972-964-0651, email the Billing Staff, or write
to billing staff at the address shown on your statement. The
billing office is available Monday through Friday from 8:30AM -
12:30PM and 2:00PM - 4:30PM.
- What types of payment are accepted
at Pediatric Place?
- We accept cash, check, Visa, MasterCard,
Discover and American Express. You can also use your check card if
it has a Visa or MasterCard logo. Payments can be made in person,
by mail, or by phone if using a credit card.
- Is my insurance a "good
insurance"?
- We often hear this question each year in the
fall when employers begin offering new plans to their employees.
Unfortunately, it is not a question our staff can answer for you.
Most of our contracts with health plans contain language that
prohibits our office from recommending one plan over another. This
is in everyone's best interest, including yours.
- Our recommendation to parents selecting a health
plan is simple. You should select the insurance for your child that
best meets your needs. Keep in mind that lower monthly premiums
usually translate to higher out-of-pocket expenses. This is
particularly a problem if you have children under age 2. Please
make sure the policy covers Routine services like Well Child visits
and immunizations since these are VERY expensive. As long as the
plan in one of the plans we
participate with, that plan is a good one as far as our office
is concerned. We do not contract with plans that do not meet the
criteria our doctors have determined is necessary to continue
operating this practice.
- Why was my statement so many pages
long?
- On rare occasions, you may receive a statement
from our office that consists of multiple pages for a relatively
small balance. We understand this inconvenience; however, we cannot
change it at this time. Our computer system prints all activity
since your last account statement. Normally, this is not a problem
since the majority of parents receive statements every month or so.
It becomes a problem when a parent has never received a statement
or it has been a long time since the last statement. For example,
you have never received a statement and your child is now four
years old. You now owe a copay of $15 for which you receive a
statement. That statement will include all the account activity for
the last four years, and as a result, be several pages in length.
We know this is a waste of paper, postage and other resources.
Unfortunately, it is not a problem that can be easily and
economically corrected at this time. Thank you for your
understanding.
972-519-0545
Fax: 972-964-0563
Billing: 972-964-0651