Dear Marblehead Pediatrics Families,
During the next week, our roof will be under repairs. We apologize for the limited parking in front of our practice as well as any noise during your visit with us. We also ask to please not use the walkway between our building and ACE hardware to get to our back door.
Thank you!
Dear Marblehead Pediatrics Families,
We have received and been administering Beyforus injections to help protect our infants against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). 2 in 3 children by age 1 will have contracted RSV and Beyfortus is used to help prevent a serious lung disease caused by Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) called bronchiolitis. Not everyone is eliglble or needs an RSV injection but if you had interest in it, please call us to schedule an appointment.
This injection is generally only recommended for infants less than 8 months of age. Certain patients with high risk lung conditions such as cystic fibrosis may be eligible to receive this beyond 8 months of age. An infant was born to a mother who received the Pfizer RSV vaccine called Abrysvo between 32-36 weeks of prengancy and at least 2 weeks before delivery will have antibodies against RSV and also do not need this injection. RSV injections are done only during RSV season (October - March)
~ Marblehead Pediatrics
Dear Marblehead Pediatrics Families,
At the request of our staff, we will be closing slightly early on 10/31/2024 at 4PM so that we can trick or trick with our families. If you require medical care, we request that you contact us earlier in the day for an appointment. We hope you enjoy spending time with your children and family. Thank you for understanding!
~ Marblehead Pediatrics
Dear Families,
Thanksgiving Day is Nov 28, 2024. Our office schedule for this weekend will be as follows:
Thursday - 11/28/2024 - closed
Friday 11/29/2024 - open from 9AM to 6PM (schedule unchanged)
Saturday- 11/30/2024 - open from 9 AM - 1 PM (sick visits only - schedule unchanged)
Sunday - 12/1/2024 - closed (schedule unchanged)
If you would like your child to have an appointment on 11/29/2024, please call us as soon as you can as we will have limited number of appointments on that day.
~Marblehead Pediatrics
Dear Marblehead Pediatrics Families,
Our office will be closing early on Thursday 10/17/2024 at 4PM because of a required training event for our providers as part of the new MGB accountable care organization. We apologize for any inconvenience.
If your child does require care, we will be open earlier in the day from 9AM - 1PM and from 2PM- 4PM.
Marblehead Pediatrics
Dear Marblehead Family,
Our office hours during the holiday weekend will be as follows:
Saturday 10/08/2024 - no change; open from 9 AM - 1 PM (sick visits only)
Sunday 10/09/2024 - no change; closed
Monday 10/10/2024 - open from 9 AM - 1PM (sick visits only)
If you would like your child to have an appointment during the weekend, please call us at 781-631-7800 earlier in the day as appointments can fill up.
~Marblehead Pediatrics
Marblehead Pediatrics is proud to announce the date of our 5th annual drive-thru flu clinic!
Saturday Oct 5th 2024 8:30 AM - noon
Location: Parking Lot - Across from the church - Our Lady, Star of the Sea (We will be located in the back parking lot next to the tennis courts which is behind the Seaside Nursery School Building).
Our preferred method to contact us about scheduling an appointment is by sending a patient portal message. Please make sure to list your preferred dates/times if possible and the name(s) of all the children that will be participating. If you do not have a working patient portal account, you can also call us at 781-631-7800 to schedule your influenza vaccine today!
Dear Patients and Families,
Our office will be closed on Labor Day, Sept 2nd. If you require care this weekend, we will have our regular Saturday morning hours from 9AM - 12:45 PM on Aug. 31st. Please call us at 781-631-7800 if an appointment is needed or you need to speak with the on-call doctor after hours.
Although we are also excited for all our students to return to school, the beginning of school also marks the beginning of flu and cold season for us. As such, we will be returning back to our original hours on Friday and will be open from 9 AM - 5:45PM.
~Marblehead Pediatrics
Dear Families of Marblehead Pediatrics,
We are aware some insurance companies have sent letters recently saying that we are no longer in network for your insurance and that you may need to change your primary care provider. This information may not be correct.
As of August 1st 2024, we will be changing our accountable care organization (ACO) from Steward Health Care to Affiliated Pediatric Practices (APP). An ACO is a group of healthcare providers who work together to provide coordinated care for patients. APP is the pediatric ACO for the Massachusetts General Brigham system and this new ACO has contracts with all the major insurances such as Harvard Pilgrim, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Massachusetts General Brigham, Tufts, etc… Our office has already contacted the few patients who are impacted by this and we apologize to those patients whose Steward’s bankruptcy has impacted. If you have not been contacted by our office, then you likely have a health insurance that is still accepted by our practice. If you have any questions about coverage, then please call your insurance company or contact us at 781-631-7800.
Dr. Shen / Marblehead Pediatrics
Dear Families,
Happy 4th of July!
Our office will be closed on July 4th. We will be having regular office hours on July 3rd and July 5th. If you would like your child to have an appointment on the 3rd or the 5th, please call us at 781-631-7800.
~Marblehead Pediatrics
Juneteenth is June 19, 2024. Our office schedule for this federal holiday be:
Wednesday - 6/19/2024 - open from 9 AM - 1 PM (sick visits only)
If you would like your child to have an appointment on 6/19/2024, please call us at 781-631-7800 earlier in the day as appointments can fill up.
~Marblehead Pediatrics
Dear Marblehead Pediatric Patients,
As many of you know, the Marblehead Public Health Department has sent an advisory to families of the high school students about whooping cough. As of May 25, the CDC has confirmed 4,864 whooping cough cases this year among U.S. residents. This tally is up nearly threefold from the 1,746 cases reported in 2023 from this time last year and is present in the local community.
Whooping cough is a respiratory illness caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis.. Whooping cough bacteria attach to the cilia (tiny, hair-like extensions) that line part of the upper respiratory system. The bacteria release toxins (poisons), which damage the cilia and cause airways to swell.
it usually takes 5-10 days for symptoms to appear after exposure to the bacteria, and sometimes symptoms don't develop for as long as three weeks. Early symptoms of whooping cough appear similar to a common cold, according to the CDC, and can last for one to two weeks. These symptoms include: runny nose, fevers, and cough.
One to two weeks after the first symptoms start, people may develop paroxysms, or coughing fits, that usually last one to six weeks but can last up to 10 weeks. These coughing fits generally get worse and become more common as the illness continues, according to the CDC. Eventually, whooping cough can cause serious and sometimes deadly complications, especially in babies and young children. Additional information can be found at the CDC website here.
Our office’s recommendations are to make sure you have scheduled your regular well visit appointments and are up to date with your immunizations. If you have concerns that you may have whooping cough, then please call us to schedule an appointment. Most teens will have gotten their updated Tdap which includes pertussis coverage around age 11, and are considered up to date per CDC guidance until 10 years later, when they are due for a Tetanus booster. However, the pertussis component of the vaccine does not provide very consistent protection, and wanes significantly by 5 years later (though possibly by as little as 2-3 years later), which is why people who are around young infants are recommended to get an updated Tdap every 5 years. With present pertussis cases in the community, we have not yet received any recommendation to increase community coverage as of yet, but you can always consider getting an additional Tdap vaccination. As of the time of this message, we are currently out of stock of Tdap vaccines and advise contacting a local CVS for this added protection. We would especially recommend considering this if you have regular contact with infants under 4 months of age (eg, working in babysitting, daycare, routine contact with a relative).
~Marblehead Pediatrics
Addendum: We anticipate on receiving some additional 19+ year old Tdap vaccines next on 6/13/2024.
At Marblehead Pediatrics, we are excited to announce that our office will be getting a fresh new look with brand-new flooring! Over the next 1 to 2 weeks, we will be undergoing renovations to enhance the environment for our patients and their families.
Our office will be open for sick visits until our regular closing time of 6PM. Starting at 5PM daily, the flooring company will begin work. If you wish to avoid the noise/construction debris, then please consider scheduling a sooner an earlier appointment during the day.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding during this time. Rest assured, our team is committed to providing the same quality care as always. Thank you for choosing Marblehead Pediatrics for your child's healthcare needs.
Dear Families of Marblehead Pediatrics,
It has come to our attention that a student at Marblehead High School was recently diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. Signs and symptoms of bacterial meningitis include headaches, a stiff neck and fevers. If these symptoms occur together in your child, then please seek medical care.
Students are routinely immunized against many of the strains of meningitis at age 11 and at age 16 and therefore our immunized high school students are at low risk for this infection. If you have been notified as a close contact of the individual by either the school or the department of public health and asked to follow up with us, then please call and schedule an appointment at 781-631-7800.
If you have additional questions about the risk factors for meningitis, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, or treatment, then many of your questions can be found through the CDC’s website (Click here)
Dear Families,
Presidents Day is Feb 19, 2024. Our office schedule for this weekend will be as follows:
Saturday - 2/17/2024 - open from 9 AM -1 PM (schedule unchanged)
Sunday - 2/18/2024 - closed (schedule unchanged)
Monday - 2/19/2024 - open from 9 AM - 1 PM (sick visits only)
If you would like your child to have an appointment on 2/19/2024, please call us as soon as you can as we will have limited number of appointments on that day.
~Marblehead Pediatrics
Dear Families,
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Jan 15, 2024. Our office schedule for this weekend will be as follows:
Saturday - 1/13/2024 - open from 9 AM -1 PM (schedule unchanged)
Sunday - 1/14/2024 - closed (schedule unchanged)
Monday - 1/15/2024 - open from 9 AM - 1 PM (sick visits only)
If you would like your child to have an appointment on 1/15/2024, please call us (781-631-7800) as soon as you can as we will have limited number of appointments on that day.
~Marblehead Pediatrics
Dear Families of Marblehead Pediatrics,
Our office schedule will be as follows:
Saturday- 12/23/2023 - open from 9 AM - 1 PM (sick visits only - schedule unchanged)
Sunday - 12/24/2023 - closed (schedule unchanged)
Monday - 12/25/2023 - closed
Saturday - 12/30/2023 - open from 9 AM - 1 PM (sick visits only - schedule unchanged)
Sunday - 12/31/2023 - closed (schedule unchanged)
Monday - 1/1/2024 - closed
If you would like an appointment, please call us as soon as possible. There are a limited number of appointments on the days before and after the holidays.
Wishing You Happy Holidays!
~Marblehead Pediatrics
Dear Marblehead Families,
We regret to inform you that the Beyfortus RSV injection will not be available for the 2023-2024 RSV season at our office.
Shortly after the injection was supposed to be supplied to medical offices, we were notified of a delay in delivery due to supply chain shortages for Beyfortus. Subsequently, both the CDC announced (click here) and manufacturers announced (click here) rationing of Beyfortus. The MA VFC program has specifically notified us that, “[The] ordering shutdown will continue thru the end of this RSV season and sites will not be able to request any doses. Doses will be allocated to birthing hospitals across the state.”
Facing criticism for the supply shortfall, Sanofi noted it had encountered “higher than anticipated demand” and said it had an “aggressive supply plan” in place to exceed past performance of pediatric vaccine launches.
AstraZeneca also noted that demand for Beyfortus had “far surpassed any previous standard.”
In a recent letter, United States Senators requested detailed information on the situation, along with measures to ensure equitable distribution and prevent future shortages.
Marblehead Pediatrics
Dear Families,
Thanksgiving Day is Nov 23, 2023. Our office schedule for this weekend will be as follows:
Thursday - 11/23/2023 - closed
Friday 11/24/2023 - open from 9AM to 6PM (schedule unchanged)
Saturday- 11/25/2023 - open from 9 AM - 1 PM (sick visits only - schedule unchanged)
Sunday - 11/26/2023 - closed (schedule unchanged)
If you would like your child to have an appointment on 11/24/2023 or 11/25/2023, please call us as soon as you can as we will have limited number of appointments on that day.
~Marblehead Pediatrics
Dear Marblehead Pediatrics Families,
We know there has been a lot of interest in Beyfortus to protect our infants against RSV. All pediatric vaccines are received through the MA State Vaccine Program and this is the current response we are receiving when inquiring when it will be available:
“Ordering of RSV Beyfortus through the State Vaccine Program is currently suspended due to a temporary supply chain shortage. Sites will not be able to request additional doses of either nirsevimab product through the MIIS during this ordering shutdown. Please note this shortage also affects the private purchase market so we do not recommend hospitals or provider offices trying to purchase privately as you may run into reimbursement issues if you were able to obtain any doses.”
Our office will continue to provide updates when possible.
~Marblehead Pediatrics.
The information provided herein is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your physician or healthcare provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.