FLU VACCINES AND COVID-19 BOOSTERS

It’s that time of the year again – Flu Vaccine time. We are in the process of planning our flu clinics, which will likely begin in a few weeks on the weekends. In the interim, if you are able to get your flu shot elsewhere, do not hesitate to do so. They are easily available through local pharmacies.

We are also hoping to provide COVID-19 booster shots, including the new bivalent vaccine, at upcoming clinics. We are recommending that those patients eligible for the new bivalent vaccine do get it. There are a few community based clinics going on as well, all listed on the vaxfinder website. The below clinic is in JP on Sept 16th:

https://vaxfinder.mass.gov/locations/jamaica-plain-ellis-childrens-pediatric-5-11-years-september-16-only/

Check back here and through the patient portal for updates on dates and availability for our clinics. If you are coming to our office for a visit, ask about the flu or COVID-19 vaccine, as we are often able to give them at visits. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to try to get as many of our patients vaccinated as quickly as possible!

Product Recall - Magnesium CItrate Saline Laxative Oral Solution

We have been notified that there is a recall on the product below. If you have this please dispose of it and reach out to us to discuss alternative medications. You can also click the link below for more information and to find out about rebates.

·         Product Description: Magnesium Citrate Saline Laxative Oral Solution

·         Reason for Recall: Microbial testing identified the presence of Gluconacetobacter liquefaciens.  Immunocompromised patients, who consume this product, may be at increased risk for invasive infections caused by this organism that could lead to serious, life-threatening adverse health consequences

·         Full recall information is available here

·         At this time, alternatives to magnesium citrate for all indications must be considered.  One such alternative is Polyethylene Glycol-Electrolyte Solution (Miralax).

COVID-19 Vaccines for 6 month to 5 year old patients

We at Roslindale Pediatrics are excited about the FDA’s approval and the CDC’s recommendation for COVID-19 vaccinations for patients 6 months to 5 years old.

At the first possible opportunity, RPA ordered the COVID vaccine for our patients under 5 years. We continue to await shipment, which will not occur until the vaccine has been formally approved and recommended by the FDA and CDC. We anticipate that the vaccine will be shipped and available as soon as next week.

We have ordered the Pfizer vaccines, which is a 3 dose series. We chose Pfizer due to the efficacy data we currently have available.

We are currently offering vaccine clinics for this age group. You should have received a mychart message with information on how to sign up. If you are unable to come to one you can call to schedule a vaccine appointment, or if you are bringing in your child soon, we can give it at their next visit.    

We will continue to have vaccine clinics over the next several weeks in order to meet the needs of our patients. 

If you would like to have your child vaccinated at a vaccine site, please visit the mass.gov website with a link to the vaxfinder page and information about the vaccine. You can also read more about the vaccine for this age group on the CDC’s website here and through the American Academy of Pediatrics website here.

How to discuss School Shootings with your Children

At Roslindale Pediatrics we are in shock about the recent Robb Elementary School shooting. As a practice that dedicates our work to the overall health and wellness of our youth, we are devastated with the news that these children’s lives were lost with such a senseless act of violence. Our hearts go out to the victims and their families.

We know this can be very difficult to discuss with your children and they often have a lot of questions.

Here are some resources for families to help talk about these topics with your children. If you have any concerns about how your child is reacting to this event please reach out to us.

https://www.nctsn.org/

https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources//talking_to_children_about_the_shooting.pdf

www.healthychildren.org

Baby Formula Shortage

We are aware of the current baby formula shortage right now and know that this can be very frustrating trying to find nutrition for your baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics has some tips that may be useful during this time. Please read about it here and reach out to us if you have any questions.

Here are some resources that might help you find formula:

Community Resources

• Harvard T.H Chan School of Health - Navigating infant formula shortages

• United Way’s 2-1-1 - Dial 2–1-1 to be connected to a community resource specialist affiliated with United Way who may be able to help you identify food pantries and other charitable sources of local infant formula and baby food.

• Feeding America - Call your local food bank to ask whether they have infant formula and other supplies in stock.

• Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA): Certain HMBANA-accredited milk banks are distributing donated breast milk to mothers in need; please note that some may require a prescription from a medical professional. Find an HMBANA-accredited milk bank.

Manufacturer Hotlines

• Gerber’s MyGerber Baby Expert - Reach a certified nutrition or lactation consultant by phone, text, Facebook Messenger, web chat, or video call, who can help you identify a similar formula that may be more readily available.

• Abbott’s Consumer Hotline: call 1-800-986-8540

• Abbott’s urgent product request line for specialty formulas - Ask your OBGYN or your infant’s pediatrician to submit an urgent product request by downloading and completing the form

• Reckitt’s Customer Service line: Call 1-800 BABY-123 (222-9123)

The Loss of Robert Stacks, MD

We are saddened to share that Dr. Robert Stacks passed away on Friday, March 4th.

Dr. Stacks was the face and soul of Roslindale Pediatrics. He was an incredibly talented pediatrician who cared deeply for the community he served. We are so proud to have worked with him and learned from him for many years.

Dr. Stacks joined Dr. John Bowers in 1971 as the second pediatrician at Roslindale Pediatrics. He dedicated himself to Roslindale Pediatrics for 45 years. During those years, he touched the lives of thousands of children and their families. If you were lucky enough to have known Dr. Stacks, you remember a clever nickname he gave you, his quick wit, his friendly disposition, and his calm demeanor.

In addition to caring for patients, Dr. Stacks was also a mentor to the pediatricians and staff who joined him at Roslindale Pediatrics. He wore many hats at RPA, also running the administrative and business aspects of RPA, a job that came to him naturally from the years he spent helping to run his family’s pharmacy before he became a doctor.

Throughout his years, Dr. Stacks was recognized for his exemplary work as a pediatrician. Dr. Stacks was named Community Pediatrician of the Year by Children’s Hospital and was recognized as one of Boston’s Best Pediatricians by Boston Magazine. We would argue he was also one of the best dressed pediatricians in the country.

After his retirement, he helped to continue to run the administrative aspects of Roslindale Pediatrics for several years. He oversaw the design and building of our current space on Centre Street, and would often stop by to check in and share some stories. The entire staff will miss those impromptu visits.

Over the past few years, he had spent his winters in California, which is where he passed away suddenly this past week.

We extend our deepest sympathy to his wife Leslie, their children and grandchildren.

Details of the services can be found through this link.

FORMULA RECALL

As many of you have already seen, there is a recall on Similac Pro-Advance, Alimentum and Elecare products. Please use the link below to check if the formula you have at home is part of the recall. If it is, please stop using it. You will be able to find the lot number at the bottom of the container. Impacted lots will start with a 22 through 37, not including the letter at the beginning. Example: L31465SH00.

Similac Formula Recall

Moderna COVID-19 vaccine approval by FDA on 1/31/22

The FDA has fully approved the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine on January 31, 2022. It meets the rigorous standards for safety, efficacy, and manufacturing quality to ensure that it is safe for patients to receive. It is now referred to as “Spikevax”. It is currently approved for patients age 18 and older, and is given as a primary dose, a second dose at 4 weeks, and booster dose 5 months after the second dose. You can access more information here. Although we do not have a supply of the Spikevax in our office, you can use the vaccine finder website to find a location nearby that offers it. Please let us know if you have any questions!

Free at Home COVID-19 Tests

As you may have heard, the government is sending out 4 free rapid antigen at home COVID-19 tests per household. Although they are not as accurate as a molecular test if they result negative, they are just as accurate if they result positive. If you have symptoms and have a negative at home test, please call us to discuss or obtain a molecular test nearby and stay in isolation. The link to order the tests can be found here.

COVID-19 Update

COVID UPDATES:

Roslindale Pediatrics is experiencing an unprecedented amount of phone calls, requests for visits and COVID testing demands during the current COVID surge. Many of our staff are currently ill, and we ask for your patience as we work together with limited resources to provide the best care for your children. We understand that the current surge has created significant illness as well as painful social and emotional situations in many homes. We continue to strive to provide the best care possible.

Response Time

You may experience longer than usual wait times when you call or send MyChart messages, particularly outside of business hours. Your messages and calls are being triaged and returned in the order of medical urgency, not in the order of receipt. This is medically appropriate and necessary given the large volume of calls and messages we receive on a daily basis. Please reserve after hours phone calls for urgent medical concerns only. Calls for lab results, non-urgent refills, appointment scheduling requests, or referrals should be made during business hours only. Many calls outside of business hours for these types of requests are contributing to longer than usual wait times.

High Emotions

RPA is sympathetic to our parents' frustrations and concerns regarding their children and the current pandemic. Unfortunately, at times some parents of our patients have directed that frustration towards our staff. We value each and every one of our staff members who have been working tirelessly over the past 2 years during the COVID pandemic, and we can not tolerate abusive behavior towards them. Our staff members have been instructed to discontinue these types of conversations and refer them to their administrator for further attention if necessary. We appreciate your patience with our staff during this difficult time.

Testing Constraints

Please Note: We currently do not have any rapid tests. This is related to extreme demand on a national level. Last year, our practice purchased many testing machines and supplies, which were invaluable in getting real time results on COVID questions. However, we are currently unable to use these machines due to lack of testing supplies. We are working with our suppliers to regain this resource and anticipate we will be able to do so relatively soon. The only option for COVID testing through our office is a PCR, which can take several days to result. We encourage you to utilize other testing resources, including state and city run testing sites, if you are able. Please visit our website for more information.

COVID Test Results Communication

We understand that you are anxious to receive your COVID results and would appreciate your utilization of MyChart for all results. COVID results are released to MyChart as soon as they are available. In fact, you will receive the results simultaneously when our office receives them. Calling our office will not expedite your access to the results.

Isolation and Quarantine Information

We know that isolation and quarantine guideline changes have been confusing. Our website is updated to reflect the most current information. Please access our website if you need any clarification. https://roslindalepediatrics.org/covid19-info/#quarantine

Thank you for your continued patience during this difficult time.