Lewis Pediatrics

Happy summer to everyone. We are busier than ever with routine health supervision visits, but here to help with any other concerns you might have.

SUNSCREEN - It is very important to prevent sunburn. You don't need to be at a beach or pool. Anytime you are outdoors for an extended period of time, please apply and reapply every hour. SPF 30-50 should be sufficient.

Lyme Disease - Because of our mild winter, this is proving to be a very "bad" tick season. The best way to prevent Lyme Disease or any other tick borne illness is to wear appropriate clothing when in tall grass or woods, use insect repellent (DEET 33% or less) and perform thorough tick checks at the end of the day.

Best wishes for a happy and healthy summer.

Dr. Lewis Featured in a NY Times Article

Dr. Lewis was featured in the 12/12/23 edition of the NY Times. "New Drugs Can Fix Teenage Obesity, but Young People Don't Get Them" Although these medications seem to be the answer to obesity and curbing appetites, they are very new, have not been studied for extended periods of time. Both side effects and long term effects are unknown. Pediatricians tend to be cautious when new medications come out. They do not withhold critical therapies from their patients, they want to make sure that the medications are truly safe before prescribing them to patients who are still growing and developing.

New Drugs Can Fix Teenage Obesity, but Young People Don’t Get Them (Gift Article) Pediatricians are hesitating to prescribe medicines like Wegovy, citing their newness and uncertainties around them.

Couldn’t have done it without them! And you!

Rochester Community Choice Awards Winner

Dr. Lewis received the Rochester Community Choice Award for Best Pediatrician last evening. This is really a team award and could not have been accomplished without the help of the entire practice.

Although she retired last year, Bess Lewis, PNP, MSN needs to be recognized for her role (over 41 years of caring for our patients and their families) in establishing our reputation as a premier pediatric practice. Even in the 1 year she has been working here, Dr. Sophie O’Rourke has shown that she will be able to carry on the legacy of our practice. And it goes without saying that Lewis Pediatrics is a team. None of the work we do could be done without the selfless devotion of our staff, Margie Benza, Karen DiPonzio, Rebecca Lepel, RN and Betsy Unterborn, RN, BSN and the many staff members with whom we have had the privilege of working over the past 42 years.

And thanks to all of our wonderful patients and their families. Without you, there would be no Lewis Pediatrics.

And Now There are Three!
We have discussed the return of Covid-19 and Respiratory Syncitial Virus. But, this week I have had two cases of influenza. Both Influenza A and Influenza B have arrived. Please call to schedule flu vaccines.

On another note, we have learned that there may actually be an inadequate supply of RSV immunization for the under 8 month olds. We will keep you informed as to the availability.

COVID-19 Vaccine Update

Cases of COVID-19 are back on the rise. We may not know the true extent of infection since testing and reporting is no longer mandated. Many patients test at home, some with mild symptoms don’t test at all.

Now that COVID-19 vaccine has to be purchased from Moderna or Pfizer, the roll out of the 2023-2024 vaccine (much like the annual flu shot) has been anything but efficient. We are trying to obtain vaccine for out patients, but are limited because we cannot order in the required large quantities for one version of the vaccine and are waiting for one manufacturer to fill an order placed in September. We are trying to keep things simple but there are 5 versions of the 2 vaccines, so we are working on a system to maximize our inventories and available resources to provide everyone who wants the vaccine a chance to get it.

If you are interested, please call the office so we can put you on our list and plan our schedules accordingly.

RSV Update

It’s that time of year again. Traditionally we looked forward to flu season, then COVID-19 came on the scene. But for decades, respiratory syncitial virus (RSV) has been one of the top causes of serious illness in infants and toddlers and there was little we could do other than treat symptoms.

Now, we have Beyfortus (Nirsevimab), a monoclonal antibody, that can be given to babies less than 8 months old to prevent serious RSV illness and hospitalization. It is a single injection that is very effective at preventing hospitalization, ED visits and serious illness.

We are in the process of obtaining inventory for this year and working with insurance companies to secure coverage for the immunization. When we obtain our supplies, we will reach out to all eligible patients. Please contact us (text or call 585 442-1421) with questions or go to the CDC website or The Pediatrician Mom for more information

Community Choice Awards - Please Vote

I am honored that someone nominated me for Best Pediatrician in the Rochester Community Choice Awards. Over the past 42 years of having the privilege of caring for so many families, it has never been about the accolades. However, this is fun so, please vote for me. Vote often (I believe you can vote daily).