Please help us efficiently help you meet deadlines for forms to be submitted.

Forms can be requested or sent to the office several ways – drop off, faxed, mailed, or by uploading using Patient Gateway with instructions on how you would like the completed form delivered. Unfortunately, Patient Gateway does not have the capability for forms to be sent back to you.

Forms may take 5–7 business days to complete.

Forms should be filled out as much as possible prior to being given to the office or they will be returned to the sender. The office will fill out the clinical sections of the forms.

Forms should have a copy of the last physical attached (if needed).

• College forms usually require the office to fill out information and a provider’s signature. Please attach a copy of your latest health form and fill out as much information as you can.
• Most school, camp, and sport forms may only require a copy of the latest health form to be attached. If this is not the case, please attach a copy of your latest health form and fill out as much information as you can.

RESOURCES FROM MASS.GOV

Additional testing resources

FAQ’s on COVID-19 exposure

Guidelines should you test positive

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

I have symptoms that I think might be COVID. Do I need a test?
If you have symptoms, you should get tested. Massachusetts has many testing options.
https://www.mass.gov/covid-19-testing

You can also use a home testing kit (often called antigen tests). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has more information about home testing.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/testing/self-testing.html

What is the difference between isolation and quarantine?
Isolation is for people who have tested positive for COVID-19. Quarantine is for people who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19. The CDC has more information.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html

I have been in close contact with someone who has COVID. What does this mean?
“Close contact” refers to time you spent directly with an infected person. This means you were within 6 feet of an infected person for a total of 15 minutes or more within a 24-hour period. The 15 minutes do not need to be at the same time. For example, three separate 5-minute exposures over the course of a day would total a 15-minute exposure. If you were in close contact with an infected person, you should be notified either by the person, by the school, or by the health department, though community contact tracing efforts have recently been reduced.

Guidance around the need for quarantine and testing after an exposure is changing. See the CDC or your state website for the most up to date guidance. Note that most Massachusetts public schools are following the Massachusetts Department of Public Health guidance. However, some schools may have different guidelines. Please call your child’s school to find out what their specific policy is on quarantining if your child has been exposed.
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/isolation-and-quarantine-guidance-for-the-general-public
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s1227-isolation-quarantine-guidance.html

I tested negative after an exposure. What should I do?
If you tested negative with a home test, follow the current guidelines (links above) related to quarantine and other testing. If you develop symptoms, you should test again. If a home antigen test is negative and you have symptoms, public health experts recommend getting a PCR test or testing yourself again with a home test after a few days.

In Massachusetts, unless local health departments have chosen otherwise, schools may allow a child to test and stay in school if they were exposed in school. Please call your child’s school to understand the school’s policy.

I tested positive at home. Do I need to get a PCR test?
If you use a home testing kit and test positive, you have COVID-19. You do not need a PCR test for confirmation. Please start home isolation immediately and notify your close contacts of your positive test. This guidance may change over time depending on how much COVID is in our community. We will let you know if this changes.

I tested positive. I’m worried about my symptoms. What should I do?
Mild Symptoms – Stay Home and isolate
Mild symptoms are a temperature below 100.4 degrees (below 102.4 degrees for children older than 3 months), aches and pains, or a mild cough. If you have these symptoms, stay at home and isolate. Rest, drink plenty of fluids, and monitor your symptoms. Hopefully you will start feeling better within a few days. You do not need to contact your doctor to let them know you have COVID.

Many parents have asked how our providers feel about our patients going back to school, preschool and daycare. This is an unprecedented situation, and unfortunately parents don’t have a lot of information on which to base their decision. You can however, take a few factors into account when figuring out what is best for your family:

1.  What does your household look like? Are there high-risk family members in the home? You can refer to this link for the most up-to-date list of risk factors for severe COVID disease: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html
2. What does your child need for their learning and overall social/emotional development? You can refer to the AAP statement on back to school and safety: https://services.aap.org/en/pages/2019-novel-coronavirus-covid-19-infections/clinical-guidance/covid-19-planning-considerations-return-to-in-person-education-in-schools/
3. What is your individual school or school district’s plan? If your child is attending daycare, consider visiting the center first to see what their safety protocols are. 

This is a personal situation for each family informed by your individual circumstances. We hope this gives you some information to use when making your decision.

We at Weston Pediatric Physicians (WPP) want to express our deep sadness for the tragedies related to racism, hatred, and violence that disproportionately affect people of color in our country. We support raising awareness that such tragedies can have on the health and wellbeing of our children, their families and the community at large.

We at WPP embrace all who come to us for care, regardless of ethnic or racial background, by providing a medical home that is both welcoming and culturally sensitive. We aim to work together as partners with patients and their families to promote their health and wellbeing and to foster a community of tolerance and respect for each other. More than ever, the emotional health and wellbeing of each and every one of us is vital, especially for our kids.

Please click here for information on how to talk with your kids about these difficult issues.

COVID-19 testing is now widely available in Massachusetts.

The department of health recommends that anybody with symptoms consistent with COVID-19, even if mild, should have testing.

Testing is also recommended for anybody who has been in direct contact with somebody who has tested positive for COVID-19.

We have received many calls from families whose children are well, without any symptoms,  yet need COVID-19 testing in order to go to camp, visit Maine or for a job. Unfortunately we do not have the resources to do this in the office. There are many pharmacies and urgent care centers that do perform this service. The best way to find them is with the locator tool found on the Massachusetts Board of Health website:

https://www.mass.gov/covid-19-testing

Please call to schedule a Virtual Visit if you prefer to discuss whether you think you or your child needs testing for Covid-19.

The Coronavirus is most commonly spread through coughing or sneezing between people in close contact with each other.  It presents as a mild to severe respiratory illness, with symptoms that include fever, cough, and shortness of breath.

Please see the links below for some helpful information and resources.

www.mass.gov

www.cdc.gov

Articles About COVID-19

Helping Teens Navigate Disappointment in Uncertain Times

Working and Learning From Home During COVID-19 Outbreak

The Importance of Social Distance

How to Talk to Kids About COVID-19

If You Are Sick or Caring For Somebody with Known/Suspected COVID0-19

We recognize that it is sometimes a challenge to schedule appointments to meet our patients’ various time schedules. In order to better accommodate your requests, we are asking that you notify the office as soon as possible regarding appointments that need to be cancelled or rescheduled. This will allow us time to fill that vacancy with someone on our waiting list.

Because of the frequency of missed appointments there will be a $50.00 charge if the office is not notified at least 24 hours in advance.

Thank you for helping us to provide better access to our practice.

Sincerely,

The Physicians of Weston Pediatrics

Despite the popularity of use for treatment of the common cold, over the counter cough and cold preparations containing antihistamine and decongestant have been shown NOT to be helpful, and in some cases, harmful to children, especially those less than 6 years of age. For this reason, these products are no longer available over the counter.

Uncomplicated upper respiratory infections have been shown to resolve equally well with symptomatic treatments such as saline nasal drops, humidified air and encouraging reasonable fluid intake.

Additionally, recent studies of the use of codeine for cough suppression indicate that there is no data to support its use as a cough suppressant in pediatric patients.

Therefore, WPP does NOT recommend the use of these medications for the treatment of common cold symptoms (in children less than 6 years of age) and there is little evidence of their effectiveness in older children.