Policies
At Growing Up Pediatrics, we believe well visits are one of the most valuable parts of your child’s care. These appointments are not just for measuring height and weight. These visits help us get to know your child deeply (their temperament, interests, and evolving needs). We monitor development, growth, and preventive health needs, as well as to provide timely guidance on sleep, nutrition, safety, emotional health, and parenting challenges. Consistent visits also help us build a strong, trusting relationship with your family, so we can notice subtle changes, celebrate milestones, and partner with you in decision-making as your child grows.
We follow the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended schedule (below) for well child visits throughout infancy, childhood, and adolescence. In the first year of life, visits typically occur every 2 months; in the second year, every 3–6 months; and beginning at age 2, once each year until your child transitions to an adult provider around age 18–19.
Because ongoing preventive care is essential to your child’s health and to maintaining an active patient relationship, failure to attend recommended well visits may result in dismissal from the practice. These visits are also required yearly before we can complete camp, school, or sports forms.
Well Check Ups Schedule:
- 2-5 days or per hospital discharge instructions (weight and color)
- 2 weeks (growth and evaluation)
- 4 weeks
- 2 months – 4 months – 6 months – 9 months – 12 months – 15 months – 18 months
- Annually from 2 years – 18 years
If you are more than 15 minutes late for your scheduled well child check up, you may be asked to reschedule. If you are late for a sick visit appointment, you will be placed in the next available slot.
We appreciate a 24-hour notice if you are unable to keep your child’s appointment. If you fail to notify GUP and miss your child’s appointment a letter will be sent advising you of the missed appointment and the need to reschedule the well child check up. If there is a third missed appointment by any child in your family within a 12 month period, your children may be discharged from the practice.
Effective June 2, 2025 Growing Up Pediatrics updated their Vaccine Policy as follows:
Minimum Requirements by 24 months of age:
- 3 DTaP’s by 18mos of age
- 1 MMR by 24mos of age
The following vaccines must be up to date by 72mos of age:
- 4 DTaP’s
- 3 IPV’s (polio)
- 3 Hepatitis B
- 2 MMR
- 2 Varivax
Parents choosing to not follow the recommended CDC vaccine schedule will continue to sign GUP’s Vaccine Refusal Form at each well visit that recommended vaccines are not administered.
Current patients of GUP who do not have the vaccines as outlined above will be given until July 1, 2026 to receive at a minimum 2 DTaP’s or Tdap’s depending upon their age and at least 1 MMR. Patients who fail to receive these vaccines without a verifiable medical exemption will be dismissed from the practice and will not be allowed to return to the practice until their vaccines meet current GUP policy. All other vaccines as outlined in GUP policy MUST be received by patients > 72mos of age by July 1, 2027 or patients will be dismissed from practice.
Current patients are encouraged to schedule an office visit/ phone visit to discuss their individualized vaccine plan which will be signed by both parent and GUP provider and placed in chart.
Providers will discuss the vaccine refusal form at the first well child check during which your child does not receive all of the recommended vaccines per the CDC guidelines. If parents decline to sign the form on that day they will be given 30 days to further review and then sign the form. If parents continue to refuse to sign the form, their children will be dismissed from Growing Up Pediatrics, PA.
We do not charge for forms completed at the patient’s well child check and we make every attempt after the age of two to give the parent a generic form as well as a copy of the child’s vaccine record at each well child check.
All forms excluding Kindergarten forms presented to the office at other times will be completed for a $10 fee that must be paid prior to the release of the form. If you fax or mail the form, please include payment. Also, please complete any portion of the form that requires parental/child information as we will only complete the medical portion of the form and our providers will not sign the form until it is fully complete.
Your child must have had a well-child checkup within the past year for our providers to complete any forms. Please allow 3 business days for the completion of forms.
There is no charge for medication forms. We ask that you complete all parent/child information prior to leaving the form for provider signature at our office.
We have recently transitioned to electronic prescribing for ADHD medications. This change allows us to send prescriptions directly to your pharmacy, making the process smoother and more efficient for families.
It is essential that you keep all scheduled appointments with your provider. These medications require ongoing monitoring to ensure safety and effectiveness, and we cannot prescribe them without regular follow-up visits.
While electronic prescribing offers convenience, the process takes additional time and accuracy is important. Please help us by confirming your preferred pharmacy information at the start of each appointment so we can avoid delays and ensure your prescription is sent correctly.
There is a fee for after hours phone calls if a patient is older than six months, has not been seen in the office in the past 7 days, or is not seen on the next business day following the call. If you would like to avoid this $10 fee, you may seek advice from our web resources or by calling the 1-800 number on the back of your insurance card as most carriers have a triage service.
There is no charge for vaccine records and growth charts. The charge for all other records is based on the number of pages needing to be copied and our staff will provide you the information regarding the amount of this fee prior to transferring records.
