Advanced Pediatrics

Family meals are about more than what’s on the plate. 🍽️❤️

At Advanced Pediatrics, we know that mealtime can be an important opportunity for families to connect, talk, laugh, and build healthy habits together.

And family meals don’t have to be fancy! Leftovers, sandwiches, breakfast for dinner, or takeout all count. What matters most is making time to be together.

Try starting with 3 family meals a week and see what happens around your table! 🥦💬

Swipe through for simple ways to make family meals work for your family.

📚 Source: American Academy of Pediatrics / HealthyChildren.org, Benefits of Family Meals: Eat Together, Thrive Together

Good news — the flu vaccine & COVID shots are now available at Advanced Pediatrics!

Appointments may be made using our online portal scheduling or by calling the office at:
📞 703-938-5555 ext. 158 (lines open Mon–Fri, 8 am–5 pm).

👉 Parents can get their flu shots here, too! Just check with us to confirm if we accept your insurance. If not, no worries — an out-of-pocket option is available (ask when calling).

When scheduling, please let us know everyone in your family who’ll be getting a flu shot so we can keep our clinics running smoothly.

Let’s work together to keep your family healthy this fall & winter season! 💙

🤒 Should you send your child to school—or keep them home?

It's not always an easy decision, especially when your child has a runny nose or isn't feeling 100%.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), as general guidelines, children should stay home if:

🌡️ They have had a fever above 101°F within the past 24 hours

🤢 They have had vomiting or diarrhea within the past 24 hours

🎒 They're not well enough to participate in class

What about a child who is feeling better but still has a little congestion, runny nose, or a mild headache? If none of the above apply, they may be able to return to school, depending on local school attendance policies.

Remember that school and district policies may differ, so it's always a good idea to check your school's specific requirements. And if you're unsure whether your child is well enough to return, we're happy to help.

💙 Advanced Pediatrics
📞 703-938-5555

Source: American Academy of Pediatrics / HealthyChildren.org

Labor Day Closure Notice

Advanced Pediatrics will be closed on Monday, September 1st for Labor Day. We will reopen with normal business hours on Tuesday, September 8th.

We wish all our families a safe and happy holiday! 💙❤️🤍

Skip “How was school?” Try These Questions Instead! These will give you an inside scoop, especially during this first week of school.

Sometimes the best way to find out about your child's day is to ask questions that invite a story—not just a one-word answer.

Try asking:

🔊 What was the loudest part of your day?
🥪 Who did you eat lunch with?
🏠 What was the moment you wished you were home?
👩‍🏫 What did you notice about your teacher?
😂 What made you laugh today?
💡 What surprised you, today?
🤝 Who helped you today? Who did you help today?
⭐ Who did you spend time with today?
❤️ What's something your teacher said that stuck with you?

You don't have to ask all nine! Pick one or two and let the conversation happen naturally.

These little check-ins can help parents learn more about their child's feelings, friendships, challenges, and successes—and remind kids that you're interested in their world.

💙 Sometimes, the best conversations happen when we're simply willing to listen.

— Advanced Pediatrics

Happy First Day of School!

The backpacks are packed, the alarm clocks are set, and another school year is officially underway!

Whether your child is starting kindergarten, middle school, high school, or heading back for another year with familiar faces, we hope today brings plenty of excitement, confidence, and maybe just a few butterflies.

Here's to a school year filled with:
📚 New things to learn
👫 New friendships and experiences
💪 Growing confidence and independence
😊 Lots of reasons to smile

Parents, don't forget to take a deep breath, snap that first-day picture, and enjoy the moment—it goes by quickly!

From all of us at Advanced Pediatrics, we wish our patients and their families a happy, healthy, and successful school year!

Helping Advance Pediatric Care

At Advanced Pediatrics, we believe great pediatric care means not only caring for children today, but also helping shape the future of pediatric medicine.

We’re proud to have participated in research published in Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The study, “Telemedicine Use in Primary Care for Children: 2019–2024,” examined how telemedicine was used for problem-based pediatric visits across different clinical areas and what happened following those visits.

Research like this helps pediatricians better understand where virtual care can be helpful—and where an in-person visit remains important.

We’re honored to contribute to research that can help improve care for children and families across the country. ❤️

Read the study: https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article-abstract/doi/10.1542/peds.2025-075498/208518/Telemedicine-Use-in-Primary-Care-for-Children-2019

The authors will also be discussing the research on the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Pediatrics On Call podcast. We’ll share the episode when it’s available! 🎙️

⚠️ RECALL ALERT: Vitasia Asian Style Wok Spice Mix ⚠️

Parents and families who shop at Lidl: please take a moment to check your spice cabinet.

Lidl has recalled one lot of Vitasia Chinese Style Asian Style Wok Spice Mix due to potential Salmonella contamination. The product was sold at Lidl stores in Virginia, including the Northern Virginia area.

🔎 Check your container for:
• Vitasia Asian Style Wok Spice Mix
• 1.58 oz (45 g)
• Lot #155846
• Best By: JUN 2028
• UPC: 4 335619 355491
• Purple lid

🚫 If you have the recalled product, do not use it. Return it to Lidl for a full refund or discard it.

Salmonella can cause diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms. Young children can be particularly vulnerable to complications from foodborne illness.

No illnesses had been reported in connection with this recall at the time of the recall announcement.

If your child consumed the recalled product and develops symptoms or you have concerns, contact your pediatrician.

💙 Advanced Pediatrics is committed to keeping our families informed about important health and safety alerts.

Is your child ready for the new school year?

One of the most important back-to-school checklist items is making sure your child's immunizations are up to date. Virginia requires certain vaccines for school entry to help protect students, families, and our community from vaccine-preventable diseases.

➡️ Swipe through to see:
🎒 Required immunizations for Kindergarten
🏫 Required immunizations for Middle & High School students

Every child is different, and vaccine recommendations may vary based on age, medical history, or previous immunizations. If you're unsure whether your child is due for any vaccines, we're here to help.

Scheduling your child's well visit before school starts is a great opportunity to:
✔️ Review immunization records
✔️ Receive any recommended vaccines
✔️ Complete school health forms
✔️ Ask questions about your child's health

Let's work together to help your child start the school year healthy, protected, and ready to learn!

📞 Call Advanced Pediatrics at 703-938-5555 to schedule your child's well visit or discuss any questions about school immunization requirements.

Back-to-School Forms Made Easy!

As the new school year approaches, many families are preparing Virginia School Entrance Health Forms and VHSL Sports Physical Forms. We're happy to help complete these forms during your child's visit!

To help your appointment go as smoothly as possible, please remember these important steps:

✅ Complete the parent/guardian sections of all forms before your appointment.
✅ Bring the forms with you and hand them to our front desk staff when you check in.
✅ If your child needs a school entrance physical or sports physical, be sure to let us know when scheduling your appointment.

Having your forms completed ahead of time helps our providers review them efficiently and ensures we have everything needed for signatures before you leave.

Thank you for helping us make the process as smooth as possible for your family and our staff. We look forward to helping your child start the school year healthy and ready to learn!

📞 Questions? Give us a call at 703-938-5555.