Expectant Parents

Having a baby is one of the most joyful experiences of your life. We look forward to helping you raise your child into a healthy and happy adult.

Tips on What to Do Before Your Child’s Birth:

Two to Four Months Before Your Child Is Born

Attend one of our Complimentary Prenatal Classes
Click on the link for more information regarding Prenatal Health.

One to Three Months Before Your Child Is Born

Schedule a Prenatal Visit
We encourage expectant parents to schedule a FREE prenatal visit. This visit provides expectant parents an opportunity to meet/interview one of our providers and our staff. It’s also a chance to tour our office, learn about our practice philosophy and how our office runs. To schedule a prenatal consultation, call our office or schedule online.

One to Two Months Before Your Child Is Born

Install Your Child’s Car Seat
You will not be able to leave the hospital with your newborn without a safely-installed car seat. Please have your child’s car seat installed ahead of time. You don’t want to be caught in the hospital with the seat still wrapped in its box. We also have car seat safety inspections at our office.

Two Weeks to One Month Before Your Child is Born

Register at the Hospital
Premier Pediatrics providers are on staff at Cedar City Hospital. When you register at the hospital, please let them know the name of the pediatrician you selected from our group or if you’re unsure, just say “Premier Pediatrics” so that your baby will be seen by one of our providers. You do not have to register your child ahead of time at Premier Pediatrics.

If for any reason, you did not register your child with us when you were admitted to the hospital, but would like your child to be seen by one our providers, just call our office and let us know you are in the hospital and that your baby was born.

Your child’s pediatrician or one of his/her colleagues will visit your child each morning that you’re in the hospital and keep you posted on your baby’s progress. You will be discharged by your obstetrician, but your child will have to be discharged by our pediatrician before you can both leave the hospital.

Click on the link for more information regarding Delivery.

Your Child’s Health After Birth:

Getting Your Child on Your Insurance Plan

Add your newborn to your insurance. Most insurance plans require newborns to be added within 30 days of their date of birth. Please contact your employer’s Human Resources Department or your Insurance plan as soon as possible. If your plan requires you to select a primary care physician make sure to select any Premier Pediatrics provider, which will allow you to be seen in our office.

Newborn Visit

Call Premier Pediatrics to schedule your child’s first appointment, which typically is 3 to 5 days after birth. At the Newborn Visit our Providers review critical developmental progress including, feeding, weight gain, amount of diapers, jaundice, umbilical cord sanitation, car seat safety, safety tips, and more. Our Providers will take the time to ensure all of your questions have been answered, as well as set up a plan for your child’s next appointment.

2 Week Visit/ Newborn Screening/ Circumcision

Your child’s two-week visit is a critical appointment. For the visit, your Provider will review feeding, weight gain, amount of diapers, jaundice, umbilical cord sanitation, car seat safety, safety tips, and development milestones. One of the most important aspects of this appointment is the Newborn Screening.
Newborn Screening is a special blood test done on each Utah baby. It is specifically designed to reduce the occurrence of diseases or conditions that alter health and quality of life and increase the risk of death due to certain metabolic, endocrine, and hematological disorders by identifying the disorder prior to the onset of symptoms. This allows treatment to begin before clinical symptoms of morbidity (i.e. permanent brain damage, growth retardation, sepsis, or severe anemia) or death can occur in the newborn. Utah collects two newborn screening specimens which test for 39 disorders. The first screen is usually done right before discharge from the hospital. (If you had a home birth please inform your Provider that you will need the first test completed at the newborn visit.) The second screen is done at the two week well-child check. Identifying and treating infants with these disorders early can help ensure a long, healthy life, so it is important to get these tests done correctly and on time. The hospital will provide you with a newborn screening card to bring to this appointment.

If your child is male and you choose to have him circumcised, the 2 week visit is typically when this procedure is done.

Male Circumcision is a surgical procedure in which the skin covering the end of the penis is removed. Scientific studies show a number of medical benefits of circumcision. Parents may also want their sons circumcised for religious, social, or cultural reasons. Because circumcision is not essential to a child’s health, parents should choose what is best for their child by looking at the benefits and risks. Click the link to learn more about circumcision.

Medical Benefits Include:

A markedly lower risk of acquiring HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
A significantly lower risk of acquiring a number of other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including genital herpes (HSV), human papilloma virus (HPV), and syphilis.
A slightly lower risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs). A circumcised infant boy has about a 1 in 1,000 chance of developing a UTI in the first year of life; an uncircumcised infant boy has about a 1 in 100 chance of developing a UTI in the first year of life.
A lower risk of getting cancer of the penis. However, this type of cancer is very rare in all males.
Prevention of foreskin infections.
Prevention of phimosis, a condition in uncircumcised males that makes foreskin retraction impossible.
Easier genital hygiene.

When Should I Have My Son Circumcised? How Much Does it Cost?

Circumcisions are performed at Premier Pediatrics between birth and 6 weeks.
If your insurance plan does not cover your child’s circumcision, there will be a fee at the time of service. Please feel free to call our office for pricing details.

2 Month Visit

The 2-month visit introduces many discussion points with your Provider including, sleep patterns, infant interaction, baby-sitters, injury prevention, development, and safety tips. Monitoring these early stages of your child’s development are critical to your child’s health. At this appointment your child will receive their first vaccinations. We provide many combination vaccines which means less pokes for your little one. See link for information on Well Visit Schedule, and Immunizations.

4 Month Visit/ Ear Piercing

At 4 months your child has reached a big milestone… FOOD! There is a lot to introducing food along with discussions on motor skills, read/play, teething, sleep patterns, and development. At this appointment your child will receive vaccinations. See link for information on Well Visit Schedule, and Immunizations.
Premier Pediatrics provides ear piercing for just $35 at time of service. When scheduling your child’s appointment, please inform our scheduling team member that you would like us to provide your child with this service at their 2 month visit.

6 Month Visit

Our Providers are trained to detect early signs of delayed development (i.e. Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Intellectual Disability, Asperger) As your little one grows, so does the importance of their visits. The 6 month visit includes vaccines, iron testing, and educating. Discussions will focus on weaning nighttime feeding, child-proofing home, motor skills, safety tips, self feeding, cup use, sleep patterns, and development. See link for information on Well Visit Schedule, and Immunizations.

9 Month Visit

You (and baby) are probably noticing more and more teeth making a grand entrance which means it’s time to introduce dental care, along with discussions on appetite changes, sleep patterns, development, milestones, safety sheets. See link for information on Well Visit Schedule, and Immunizations.

12 Month Visit

Can you believe your baby is already 1 year old? At this check up your provider will review a lot with you. Water safety, separation anxiety, transitioning to whole milk, diet, car seat safety, lead exposure, development, milestones, and safety sheets. Your child will also get vaccines, lead and iron testing at this visit. See link for information on Well Visit Schedule, and Immunizations.

After Your Child’s First Year:

15 Mo, 18 Mo, 2 Yr, 30 Mo, 3 Yr Visits

Tests/Vaccines

Lead Testing
Iron Testing
Autism Screenings
Vaccines

Discussion Points

Temper Tantrums
Bedtime Routines
Child Obedience
Following Instructions
Diet
Development
Vocabulary
Safety Tips
Helping with Tasks
Toilet Training
Combining Words
Nutrition
Social Skills
Motor Skills
Verbal Skills
Dental Care
Age Appropriate Topics

See link for information on Well Visit Schedule, and Immunizations.

Annual Well Visits (4 years- 21 years)

Tests

Vision
Hearing
Vaccines
Iron
Urinalysis

Discussion Points

School Performance
Homework
Bullying
Mood Behavior
Self Esteem
Hygiene
Puberty
Child Interaction
Nutrition
Physical Activity
Development and Mental Health
Oral Health
Safety- Seat belt
Safety-Tobacco Drugs and Alcohol
Social and academic competence
Emotional well being
Risk Reduction
Violence & Injury

Teens

Tests

Vision
Hearing
Iron
Urinalysis for females

Discussion Points

Physical growth and development
Social and academic competence
Body Image
Healthy Eating
Physical Activity
Family, friends, peers, community; interpersonal relationships
Emotional well being- coping, mood regulation, and mental health, depression
Sexuality
Risk Reduction- tobacco, drugs, alcohol, pregnancy, STI’s
Violence and Injury- seat belt, substance abuse, guns, interpersonal violence, bullying

Why so much emphasis on annual well check-ups?

Dr. Dowse Says: “Parents often ask me why their children should have a well visit. I answer them by sharing with them the time when I diagnosed the high-school athlete with a potential life-threatening arrhythmia; or the 2 yr old who was found to have a malignant tumor; or the 5 yr old who was found to be in early stage diabetes. They all seemed perfectly healthy. You can’t be too careful. I can’t emphasize enough the importance of the annual check-up. It is our best tool for early detection and continued good health.”
Staying on top of your child’s well exam can ensure complete healthcare at their sick appointments. Our Providers stress the importance of a full medical history. Each child is unique and that is why it can be difficult to properly diagnosis a child when they are sick, without a baseline of when they are well.
Annual well exams are FREE for insured patients
An annual well exam is the best insurance you can provide for your child’s health
We stay on top of it for you! Premier will schedule your child’s next appointment a year in advance and remind you as their appointment approaches. This way you can schedule the day and time that works with your schedule. For convenience, we offer reminders through text, email, or personal phone calls. We are flexible to patients needs and can easily reschedule appointments at any time.
Premier Gives Back- Premier Pediatrics donates towards vaccinating children around the world each time a child is seen for a well preventive care visit. Visit our Premier Gives Back page to learn more.

Sensitive to Parents’ Needs

On average, our overall time in office is 30 minutes or less
Same-day service for all illnesses
On call Provider 365 days a year
Extended hours: available nights and Saturday’s for working parents
Up-to-date technology, including CBC testing, and non-invasive Hemoglobin testing
Ample parking (front and rear of building)
Clean, comfortable facilities
State-of-the-art family-friendly office
Free Wireless Internet in Most Waiting Rooms

See link for information on Well Visit Schedule, and Immunizations.