What is a developmental screening?

Developmental screenings check many aspects of your child’s growth and mental development. The screening involves a detailed questionnaire about your child’s learning, development and behavior. We follow the recommendations of the AAP for routine age-based developmental screenings.

A developmental screening from Centennial Pediatrics of Spokane can evaluate the following of your child:

• Language

• Movements

• Behaviors

• Thoughts

• Emotions

• Communication

Childhood immunizations are shots your child can get to protect them from certain illnesses. Vaccines can have one or more doses or boosters, and the Centennial Pediatrics of Spokane team can help you stay on track with getting all the vaccines your child needs. 

Immunizations contain proteins from specific pathogens like viruses and bacteria or weak or inactive versions of the viruses or bacteria. In either case, your child’s immune system registers the germs and can create protective antibodies against them. 

Thanks to vaccines, there are many illnesses that were once deadly to children and are now almost completely eradicated. While you might find mixed information about vaccines online, all major medical organizations urge your child to get them if they’re eligible. 

Which immunizations do children need?

Children can benefit from immunizations against many diseases. There is a recommended schedule for these immunizations, which the team at Centennial Pediatrics of Spokane helps you follow. 

Centennial Pediatrics of Spokane provides immunizations for children against:

• Chickenpox

• Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis

• Hemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)

• Pneumonoccus (PCV 20)

• Hepatitis A and B

• Human papillomavirus (HPV)

• Meningitis A, C, W, Y

• Meningitis B

• Measles

• Polio 

• Rotavirus

• COVID-19

• Influenza

The flu vaccine is different from the others because it changes every year according to which strains are projected to be the most active. This means your child needs to come in every year sometime before flu season to get the annual flu shot. 

We are so excited to have Chelsea Wilhelm, RN, IBCLC as part of our clinic who is here to help families navigate the breastfeeding experience. Breastfeeding can come easy to some, but for many moms and babies it can have lots of hurdles along the way. That's where Chelsea comes into play!

She has many years of experience as a mother-baby nurse and lactation consultant. She brings a calm, cheerful attitude to the visit. Some services Chelsea offers:

• Prenatal lactation consultations: Ahead of welcoming your new arrival, come in and meet with Chelsea to figure out how to prepare and what gear you might need.

• Lactation consultations: Meet with Chelsea to work with her on getting a good latch, figuring out how much breastmilk your baby is transferring and getting the breastfeeding experience solidified.

• Pumping tips: Chelsea can help you perfect the pumping regimen early in the breastfeeding experience or when it's time to return to work.

• Tips on weaning: Many forget that part of the breastfeeding experience is eventually weaning. This can be tricky at times, and Chelsea can help with this.

• Classes: Chelsea has a lot of experience teaching classes and we hope to get these up and running soon. Some examples of classes we plan to offer are: sibling classes, newborn care classes, group lactation classes, etc.

Our lactation services and classes are available for both patients of Centennial Pediatrics of Spokane and also other pediatric practices in Spokane.

Please call our office to schedule an appointment with Chelsea.

We have been asked many times during our careers where is the best place to get a child's ears pierced. We are excited to now be able to offer this service to our patients and others in our community. Multiple members of our staff including providers have been trained in using a medical-grade piercing system from Studex. Using our knowledge of working with children, the Studex sterile equipment, infection control and appropriate post-piercing care, we will be sure to make the experience a positive one for your child and you. We have intentionally selected earrings that are nickel-safe and allergy-free.

A few notes about ear-piercing at Centennial Pediatrics of Spokane:

• You must show proof of at least one DTaP vaccination for your child. The youngest age that we will do an ear-piercing is 3 months old.

• A parent or guardian must accompany the child to the appointment and complete all required paperwork.

• This is not an insurance-covered procedure. The cost is $100 and due at the time of service. This covers the ear-piercing procedure, a pair of earrings from our selection, and after care solution. As a practice, we decided that the Advanced 2-in-1 Aftercare and Cleanser is the best way to care for the pierced ears and provides the best healing so that will be included.

• The child needs to be willing to sit still or gently held. Our staff will not restrain nor force a child to have the ears pierced. We want this to be a positive experience.

• We intentionally purchased two piercing systems to be able to pierce both ear lobes simultaneously in older children. Unfortunately, with younger children, it is technically difficult to get a good position for both people at once. 

• We only do ear lobe piercing (no cartilage nor other locations).

Some of the most common office procedures the Centennial Pediatrics of Spokane team offers include:

Circumcision

Circumcision removes the foreskin, the skin that covers the head of the penis. Many parents choose circumcision for religious beliefs or hygienic reasons. This procedure is typically performed within the first 2 weeks after birth.

Nail Plate Avulsion

In the setting of refractory ingrown toenails or a significant nail injury, we are able to perform a partial or total nail plate avulsion in order to allow the infected area to heal, or in the case of a nail injury, remove the injured nail to decrease pain and allow the new nail to begin growing.

Abscess Incision and Drainage

An abscess is a pus-filled sac with inflamed tissue. Abscesses are painful and can become larger if not treated. Creating a small incision in the abscess and carefully draining the pus relieves pain, reduces swelling, and accelerates healing.

Cerumen (Earwax) Removal

If your child has an earwax blockage, the team can gently remove the excess buildup with either a curette or using ear lavage/irrigation with warm water.

Foreign Body Removal

Whether your child has a pebble stuck in an open wound or an object lodged inside their nose, the team can perform a simple foreign body removal to extract the item.

Simple Laceration Repair

Sometimes children get a cut that is too large or deep for a bandaid to fix. In these cases, Centennial Pediatrics of Spokane is able to do simple laceration repairs with sutures or skin glue in-office. Please call the office to see if we are best-suited to take care of your child's injury.

Office procedures offer many advantages for children and their parents. Popular benefits include:

• Reduces travel time

• Lowers stress

• Streamlines coordination of care

• Eliminates the need to see a specialist

Seeing a provider your child already knows and trusts can also minimize any anxiety they have surrounding the procedure. It already helps your child build a lasting relationship with their pediatric team. The pediatric team strives to create a warm, welcoming environment for children before their office procedures at Centennial Pediatrics of Spokane.

Telemedicine is a virtual visit conducted with one of our providers via a secure HIPAA-compliant platform. This option is convenient, allows your child to be seen without coming into our office, and provides care by your regular pediatric provider who is familiar with your child.

Virtual visits are not for all conditions. When you call to schedule, we can help navigate what type of visit is most appropriate for your child or for your concerns.  

We also provide telemedicine appointments for behavioral and mental health concerns. We may ask that you schedule an in-office visit for your first visit.

It is also possible that after a telemedicine visit we may ask you to bring your child in for an in-person sick visit if we need to perform a physical exam that reaches beyond the abilities of video conferencing.

Appointments for telemedicine visits can be made by calling our office. 

We offer a complimentary meet and greet with new expecting parents. Please call our office to schedule this.

We are here to support you!

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.

We're here to help.

If your child has significant medical needs, we will partner with you to help you manage your child's condition. Our goal is to provide complete care for your child and family. We look forward to getting to know you and your child, and will be your dedicated point of contact through this journey.

Centennial Pediatrics of Spokane routinely uses a range of lab tests to provide top-tier care to kids and adolescents. A few common tests your child may need are:

• Hemoglobin testing

• Blood glucose testing

• Lipid testing

• Lead testing

• ​Urinalysis

• Flu tests

• Strep tests

• COVID-19 tests

• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) tests

• Pregnancy tests

• Guaiac (stool test for blood)

These and other lab tests help detect pathogens and other substances the team cannot detect with a standard physical exam or even by observing a fluid sample with the naked eye. 

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. Our role involves working with specialists to ensure the best care for your child, including providing guidance on when specialty care is recommended.

In order to facilitate a productive relationship between the patient, primary care provider, and specialist, it is typically essential for us to conduct an initial assessment at our office before making a referral. This step enables us to furnish the specialist with comprehensive and current information regarding the child's health condition, as well as details about their recent physical examination. Additionally, this allows us the opportunity to potentially consult with the specialist, especially if the health concern requires urgent intervention or if we are able to facilitate some of the evaluation prior to your visit with the specialist.