A Healthy Start to 2023!

Muskegon Pediatrics will continue to provide you with the #BESTCARE. Here is some important information for our patients.

Camp Scholarships Available

There are scholarships for camps available from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Here is the press release for more information:

The Family Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs is excited to let you know about our Camp Scholarship opportunity! Camp scholarships are not just limited to face to face, virtual camps are considered as well.

Effective immediately, we would like to invite families to apply to receive a Camp Scholarship for up to $250. The Camp Scholarship is designed to assist families with sending their child with special health care needs to a camp of their choosing. Applications are being accepted now through the end of March 2023. Applicants do not have to be enrolled in Children’s Special Health Care Services (CSHCS) to be eligible for a camp scholarship. Families will be required to submit a completed Camp Scholarship Application along with an Attendance Registration Form, which will need to be filled out by the Camp Director. We are attaching the required forms as one PDF file. Please feel free to share this with families within your network or families may request the forms through the Family Phone Line at 800-359-3722. Funding is limited, so please encourage families to apply as soon as possible.

COVID vaccine

We continue to offer the Pfizer COVID vaccine for patients ages 6 months and older. All patients can have the Bi-Valent COVID vaccine. If you or your child needs a booster vaccine or if you are unsure if you need one, please call the office to schedule an appointment 231-638-4120.

Influenza vaccine

We are currently experiencing a surge of influenza in our state. If your child still needs an influenza vaccine, please call the office at 231-628-4120 to schedule.

What is influenza? Many people mistake influenza for the “stomach flu”. The vaccine for influenza protects against the influenza virus which causes high fever for 5+ days, harsh cough, runny nose, and sore throat.

Care Closet

We have winter coats, gloves, and hats available. If you are in need of diapers, wipes, clothing, underwear, bras, feminine products, soap, toothbrush/toothpaste or deodorant please call our office so we can help, 231-638-4120.

If you are able to donate to our care closet, we appreciate any donations of toiletries, diapers, and wipes.

If you, your neighbor, your coworker, or your friend is in need of clothing items, hygiene products, or winter clothing please contact our office, 231-638-4120.

Prescription Refills

As a reminder, there are two ways to request a prescription refill.

1. You can call our office and leave a message on the prescription refill line.

2. You use the portal to request a refill.

We do not receive requests or honor prescription refills from pharmacies. Please contact our office first if you are in need of refills.

Insurance Updates

Please share any new insurance information with us so when your child does need to be seen, there are no delays when your child needs care.

Patient Centered Medical Home

As a reminder, we are committed to being your child’s patient centered medical home. What does that mean? It means that we will take a lead in helping you coordinate your child’s medical needs. This means we are available to you after hours to help guide you on caring for your child when urgent needs arise, we help coordinate care with other physicians your child may need to see, and review visits your child may make to the emergency room to make sure there are no other ongoing needs. To learn more about patient centered medical home you can go to Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) | Muskegon Pediatrics.

Fun things to do around town

• Lakeshore Museum - free for Muskegon County Residents with events and activities weekly

• Muskegon Art Museum - has a fun spot for kids to do art. Free admission on Thursdays.

• Hackley Library and the Muskegon Area District Libraries have story time, fun kits to take home and beautiful children’s sections for the child to enjoy MADL Events

• Parks, parks, parks - we have an abundance of parks to explore - parks for just walking, parks for playing on playgrounds, parks with both. Take a snack or lunch to spend time trying a new park with your kids.

Muskegon County Parks

City of Muskegon Parks

• Winter Sports Complex - winter luge, ice skating, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, and winter zip line

Here's to a healthy and happy year in 2023!

Sincerely,

Dr. King

Fall Updates

We made it through the first few weeks of school, congratulations! I wish every family and child a wonderful school year filled with much growth and joy. As the school year has started, there have been more viruses/colds circulating causing runny nose, coughs, and sore throats. As a reminder the best medicines are nasal saline and spoonfuls of honey (if older than 12 months).

CONSTRUCTION ALERT

The City of Muskegon is in the process of working on Terrace St. There is a sign on Webster that says the road is closed to thru traffic - we are NOT thru traffic and you can still enter our parking lot from Webster St. You can also enter our parking lot from Muskegon Ave.

Influenza Vaccine

We are now offering the influenza vaccine for the season. For those older than 2 years of age we have the nasal flu vaccine, which is a spray and no poke option.

If you missed the drive-thru flu vaccine clinic, we will have another one on Saturday, October 8th from 8am-11am. We will send out another link for registration as we get closer to the date. The drive thru clinic allows your children to stay in the car while they get the nasal flu vaccine. You can come anytime between 8-11am.

If you are unable to come on October 8th, if your child is less than 2 years of age or you would like your child to get the injectable flu vaccine (the flu shot), please call 231-638-4120 to schedule your child’s visit.

As a reminder, the flu vaccine does not protect against the illness that causes vomiting and diarrhea, referred to as the "stomach flu". The flu vaccine protects against the illness that causes high fever for 5-7 days, cough, runny nose, achey body, and sore throat.

COVID Vaccine Update

The FDA has approved the Pfizer Bivalent COVID vaccine booster. The bivalent vaccine has protection against the omicron strain of COVID and provides the best protection. This vaccine is recommended for all age 12 years and older. It can be given if there has been 2 or more months from the last COVID vaccine. For the best protection, I recommend getting this vaccine asap as the community levels of COVID are higher than reported due to the number of home tests that are being used. Please call 231-638-4120 to schedule.

The FDA is expected to approve this vaccine for children 5-12 years in the next week or so and we should be able to offer it in the next month. Stay tuned!

Care Closet

If you are in need of diapers, wipes, clothing, underwear, bras, feminine products, soap, toothbrush/toothpaste or deodorant please call our office so we can help, 231-638-4120.

If you are able to donate to our closet, we would appreciate donations of diapers, wipes, and hygiene items.

Happy Anniversary from Muskegon Pediatrics

This week we are celebrating two amazing years as Muskegon Pediatrics. Thank you for the privilege of caring for your children. We pledge to offer you the very #BESTCARE.

New National Suicide and Crisis Hotline

988 This is the new national number to dial if you, your child, or a loved one is experiencing a time of crisis or thoughts of suicide. A time of crisis is substance use, stress, mental health problems, emotional distress, etc. Calling this number will get you in touch with a crisis counselor who will help you at that moment and provide further resources. Please share this number with others, just dial 988 on a cell phone or landline.

School Forms

It is that time of the year that schools are collecting forms for the coming school year.

If your child has had a check up and needs a form completed, you can send it to us through your child’s portal, found at www.muskegonpediatrics.com or call the office.

Most kindergarteners will need their hearing and vision checked for registration. If your child has had a check up in the last year, we did those at the check up and we provide you with the information.

If your child has not had a check up yet, please call 231-638-4120 to schedule an appointment.

Sports Physicals

If your child will be in 7th -12th grade, they will need a sports physical form on file at the school to participate in school sports. At Muskegon Pediatrics, the sports physical is part of the yearly well exam. Please call 231-638-4120 to schedule your child’s well exam appointment.

Masks

We are required by OSHA to continue wearing masks in our office. Please come with a mask to your appointment.

Care Closet

If you are in need of diapers, wipes, clothing, underwear, bras, feminine products, soap, toothbrush/toothpaste or deodorant please call our office so we can help, 231-638-4120.

If you are able to donate to our care closet, we appreciate any donations of toiletries, diapers, and wipes.

COVID vaccine

We have the Pfizer vaccine for ages 6 months and older available in our office, call to schedule an appointment, 231-638-4120. If you have any questions about these vaccines, please call or send a message in your child’s portal.

A booster vaccine is recommended for anyone who received the 2 doses of COVID vaccines AND it has been 5 months since the second vaccine. Please call if you have any questions or would like to schedule your child’s booster vaccine before school starts.

Prescription Refills

There are two ways to request a prescription refill.

1. You can call our office and leave a message on the prescription refill line.

2. You use the portal to request a refill.

We do not receive requests or honor prescription refills from pharmacies. Please contact our office first if you are in need of refills.

Fun things to do around town

1. Parties in the Park at Hackley Park https://partiesinthepark.com/

2. Lakeshore Museum - free for Muskegon County Residents with events and activities weekly

3. Muskegon Art Museum - has a fun spot for kids to do art. Free admission on Thursdays.

4. Hackley Library and the Muskegon Area District Libraries have story time, fun kits to take home and beautiful children’s sections for the child to enjoy MADL Events

5. Muskegon Farmers Market - EBT accepted, try the new food challenge - every visit get 1 new vegetable/food to try with your kids to see foods they may like, but never tried.

6. Parks, parks, parks - we have an abundance of parks to explore - parks for just walking, parks for playing on playgrounds, parks with both. Take a snack or lunch to spend time trying a new park with your kids.

Muskegon County Parks

City of Muskegon Parks