Other Services

Call us to schedule your athlete's sports physical. Same-day appointments may be available. Please bring the TSSAA Forms with you to your appointment.

At your convenience, we kindly request that you give our office a call for any prescription refill needs you may have. Our team is dedicated to providing outstanding patient care and ensuring that your medications are readily available when you need them.

Children may experience a range of medical conditions that could benefit from the expertise of a pediatric specialist in a particular field. We emphasize the coordination of all healthcare providers involved in a child's treatment. 

If your child has a disability or a chronic illness, your journey may feel like the road less traveled. You probably have interactions with many different professionals and specialists. You need information, assistance, understanding, and support.

Breastfeeding provides essential nutrition for infants birth to one year and older. As with learning anything new, most breastfeeding mothers and babies (and dads too!) need some instruction and support during this learning period. Kassie is happy to offer lactation support in office. If you prefer in-home lactation services, we can provide you with local resources.

DOES YOUR CHILD NEED A BEHAVIORAL EVALUATION?

WHAT WE DO

In cooperation with community based mental health providers, we evaluate and treat children for behavior concerns and school problems including:

• Inattention and lack of focus
• Anxiety
• Depression

If you have concerns about your child's behavioral development, please call our office  and ask to speak to our Behavioral Health Coordinator. We will discuss your concerns and gather information that will be used to determine how we can best help your child. If a Behavioral Evaluation with one of our providers is needed, we will schedule this visit for you and provide you with assessment tools that you can complete prior to the your visit.

ASSESSMENT TOOLS TO COMPLETE FOR CHILDREN AGES 5-12:

• Vanderbilt Assessment - Parent Initial
• Vanderbilt Assessment - Teacher Initial
• Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED) - Parent
• Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED) – Child
• Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC)

ASSESSMENT TOOLS TO BE COMPLETE FOR CHILDREN AGES 13-18:

• Vanderbilt Assessment - Parent Initial
• Vanderbilt Assessment - Teacher Initial
• Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED) - Parent
• Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED) – Child
• Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC)
• Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ9)
• CRAFFT screening tool

Assessment tools used on a case by case basis include: 

• Child Obsessional Compulsive Inventory- Parent and Child (CHOCI)

COMPLETING THE ASSESSMENTS

• You will be directed to complete the Parent Assessments through the patient portal.
• Your child will be given a portal account so that they can complete their assessments through their private patient portal. 
• You will be directed to invite your child’s teacher to complete their assessment through the patient portal as well.

IMPORTANT! ALL ASSESSMENTS MUST BE COMPLETED BEFORE THE DAY OF YOUR CHILD’S APPOINTMENT.

WHAT TO EXPECT AT A BEHAVIORAL EVALUATION

At least one week prior to your appointment, complete assigned assessments noted above. On the day of your child's behavioral evaluation, please arrive 10 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment time. Ideally, your child should eat a nutritious meal prior to the appointment and be well-rested.

You and your child will meet with a nurse. Your nurse will  obtain pertinent medical and behavioral history. Both you and your child will then meet with the provider who will perform a thorough assessment and develop a behavioral health management plan for your child. Our providers may recommend additional counseling to best serve your child.  

If the provider prescribes medication, he/she will want to follow up with your child within 28 days to assess your child's progress and to determine if the medication can be refilled. A patient coordinator will schedule this appointment with you before you leave the office.

ONGOING MEDICATION MANAGEMENT

After your child's initial evaluation, if medication is started, your child must be seen within 28 days in order to continue the medication. If a  medication or dosage change is needed, your child must be seen within 1 month to assess your child's progress and to determine if the medication can be refilled.

NEWBORN CARE BEGINS FROM THE MOMENT YOUR BABY ARRIVES

Here at Ascend Pediatrics, we like to begin your newborn care in the hospital and continue as an integral part of the comprehensive care provided by our professional team!

Our provider understands the challenges of taking care of a newborn. They also provide the same gentle care they’d use for treating their family. If you’re pregnant, looking for a pediatrician, and you’d like to meet the team, or you need to schedule a newborn visit, call our office.

NEWBORN CARE FAQS

WHEN DOES MY NEWBORN HAVE THEIR FIRST CHECKUP?

Your new baby has their first checkup within two days after leaving the hospital. 

Your newborn’s checkup is a comprehensive exam to be sure they’re growing and developing normally. During the checkup, the pediatrician:

• Checks your baby’s weight, length, and head circumference
• Evaluates your baby’s feeding, bowel, and sleeping habits
• Does a physical examination, including an eye exam
• Performs a developmental evaluation

These visits also give parents time to ask questions about their baby, whether they’re not sure about how to bathe the baby, they have trouble with feeding, they’re worried about the baby’s sleep schedule, or any other concerns.

WHAT SCREENINGS DOES NEWBORN CARE INCLUDE?

Some states routinely screens for genetic and rare medical conditions, including 32 core and 24 secondary conditions. The goal is to identify and treat diseases early enough to prevent serious complications such as growth problems, developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, blindness, deafness, and seizures.

Within the first 24 hours after delivery, your newborn has a hearing screening, and blood is drawn from their heel to run the routine screening tests. 

WHAT ARE WELL-CHILD VISITS?

Well-child visits are ongoing checkups for children that follow a specific schedule. After the two-week newborn care visit, your newborn should see the pediatrician at one and two months.

During each visit, their pediatrician will evaluate their growth, developmental milestones, and behaviors. If your baby needs routine blood draws, they can also be done in the office.

Just like the two-week newborn care visit, every well-child checkup is an opportunity to talk with the pediatrician about baby care and your baby’s health and safety.

Your pediatrician also gives immunizations at the two-month visit to protect your baby from:

• Polio
• Hepatitis B
• Rotavirus
• Diphtheria
• Haemophilus Influenzae
• Pneumococcus

Small doses of the same immunizations are repeated several times over the first 18 months to be sure your infant is fully immunized against contagious diseases.

EVALUATE AND DIAGNOSIS OF SYMPTOMS

Our trained professional staff will do the initial evaluation if you think your child is having problems with focusing and attention.  We also continue to treat your child after the initial diagnosis has been made. This may include a referral to a mental health professional.  

The ultimate goal in the treatment of ADHD/ADD is to make your child as successful as possible in all aspects of his/her life.

ADHD FAQS

WHAT IS ADHD?

Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD have differences in their brains than those who don’t have ADHD. Certain areas of their brain may mature more slowly. Additionally, children with ADHD have imbalances in neural networks and neurotransmitters, the chemicals that nerves use to communicate.

Knowing that ADHD has a neurological basis is important because it helps parents understand that their child isn’t disobedient or oppositional on purpose. Instead, children with ADHD need help to learn to control their behavior.

The brain differences are also important because they occur in specific areas responsible for skills such as self-regulation, organization, working memory, problem-solving, reasoning, and time perception. The brain areas affected determine your child’s ADHD symptoms.

WHAT SYMPTOMS DEVELOP DUE TO ADHD?

ADHD symptoms fall into three categories: inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Some children may only struggle with inattention, while others have trouble with two or three categories.

Each child has a different range and severity of symptoms. However, their symptoms are severe enough to affect their performance at school, at home, and when socializing.

When children struggle with inattention, they:

• Can’t pay attention at school or while playing
• Have difficulty organizing tasks
• Avoid tasks requiring mental effort
• Lose important items
• Forget to do homework and chores

When children struggle with hyperactivity and impulsivity, they:

• Fidget, squirm, or get out of their seat during class
• Run or climb when it’s inappropriate
• Talk excessively and interrupt conversations
• Have a hard time waiting for their turn
• Act or speak without thinking

Children and adolescents with ADHD also have problems with working memory. Working memory allows them to hold several pieces of information in their head long enough to use them to plan, do calculations, or to coordinate one activity with another.

HOW DO YOU DIAGNOSE AND TREAT ADHD?

To evaluate and diagnose ADHD, our professional team use tools such as a checklist of symptoms, talking with parents and children about their challenges, and questionnaires completed by parents and teachers. Your child also has a thorough physical exam to be sure another problem is not the cause of their symptoms.

Once your child has an ADHD diagnosis, their pediatrician at our office prescribes treatment and schedules regular follow-up appointments to monitor their progress.

Your pediatrician may recommend conventional and/or holistic treatments, depending on each child’s needs. For example, your child may improve with a combination of medication, dietary changes, and behavioral support.

If you or your child’s teacher are concerned about your child’s inattentive, hyperactive, or impulsive behaviors, call our office to schedule an ADHD evaluation.