Membership
How We Help Families
Many kinds of families benefit from a direct pediatric care (DPC) model. Read below to learn more about them.
The Brown Family Newborn child
The Brown Family had their first child a few months ago, a baby girl named Ella. They are learning that families with newborns greatly benefit from our DPC model—particularly the in-home visits the first three months (where they didn’t have to pack up a loaded diaper bag and baby equipment) and the ability to access us directly via text and phone. Mom was able to receive lactation help from Dr. Dovico in her own home, using her own nursing pillows and equipment. They were able to discuss safe and effective sleep strategies with continued follow-up to make sure things were improving. Parents were able to FaceTime Dr. Dovico while at the pharmacy to figure out which vitamins were recommended for Ella. She also appreciated being able to text photos and questions whenever concerns popped up, not needing to make a list and wait until her next doctor’s appointment to have her questions answered. The Brown family appreciates the continuous and real-time reassurance they are able to get with Joyful Pediatrics.
The Nelson Family Two healthy children, toddler and school age
The Nelsons have two healthy boys, Jackson, 2, and Ryan, 6 years old. The Nelsons appreciated how they were able to call Dr. Dovico when Jackson was going through a picky eating phase. Mom was able to call her from work and discuss the concerns for as long as she needed, without having to take time off or pick Jackson up from daycare. They texted regularly throughout the next few months to monitor his progress and discuss what strategies worked and what didn’t. He also had constipation and when Dr. Dovico recommended a clean out, she was able to text and send stool photos throughout the day to see how it was going in real time. Ryan cut his arm badly at the playground one Saturday and was able to see Dr. Dovico within the hour to get it cleaned and stitched up by a pediatrician they know and trust, without waiting hours in the ED and paying large medical bills. Parents also realized they had scheduled his well child check during a big class performance and they were able to easily switch it to an opening the next day. A couple months later, Ryan had a pretty harsh sounding cough. He was able to pop by Dr. Dovico’s office after school multiple times over the week to make sure his lungs still sounded good. Ryan was able to avoid unnecessary antibiotics or steroids with close follow-up. The Nelson family appreciates the peace of mind knowing their children have high quality care from the same pediatrician who knows them well.
The Johnson Family Two children, one with ADHD
The Johnson’s have 9-year-old twins, Ava and Michael. They are overall healthy, however, last year Ava was diagnosed with ADHD. They were able to schedule multiple visits for as long as they wanted to discuss symptoms, Ava’s strengths, weaknesses, and how her ADHD was affecting her life at school and at home. They were also able to schedule visits without Ava in the room (in-person and virtually) so Ava wouldn’t miss school and her parents could talk freely. They appreciated being able to email during their workday about different scenarios and receive advice they could refer back to at a time that was convenient for them. Dr. Adam Dovico was able to explain to them the potential accommodations a school can provide, what exactly 504 and IEP plans are, and advise them on how to communicate well with the school. He was also able to discuss possible classroom accommodations that Ava can use and then check back with them to see how they are working. When trialing medication options, parents were able to text Dr. Dovico directly and quickly make adjustments. The Johnson family appreciates the whole child care in addressing not just medical concerns, but also educational concerns together at Joyful Pediatrics.
The Perez Family Three children, one is medically complex
The Perez Family has three children, Grace, 6 years old, Ava, 3 years old, and Alex, 18 months. Alex was born with a genetic syndrome that affects his heart, lungs, and ability to gain weight. He has already had three heart surgeries in his young life. His oxygen needs to be monitored closely and even a simple cold could be much more serious in someone with his condition. He sees multiple specialists and appreciates that Dr. Dovico is able to have frequent communication with his medical team and able to monitor him closely, helping him avoid many ED visits. When he did need emergency care, Dr. Dovico was able to evaluate him in the evening and speak directly to the emergency room doctors. This allowed Alex to avoid a long time in the waiting room. She was also able to update his heart surgical team (located an hour away) and facilitate communication between them and the doctors taking care of him in the local hospital. Alex has frequent appointments to monitor his weight and vital signs, and often the whole family joins the appointment. Instead of having to squish into a small exam room, there are multiple areas the older children can play safely, so the parents can focus their attention on Alex’s care. The Perez family appreciates the consistency in care and coordination that Joyful Pediatrics provides.
The Thomas Family Six children, ages two through fourteen
The Thomas family has 6 children, ages 2-14 years old. Their children are generally healthy, but being in school and numerous sports and activities, they are constantly exposed to germs and injuries. Their 6-year-old Sarah woke up with vomiting and belly pain at night, and she was able to quickly be evaluated by Dr. Dovico to make sure she didn’t have appendicitis. Dr. Dovico was able to give Sarah nausea medication in the office and send her home with the medication in hand, without needing to wait at a pharmacy. When their 8-year-old Charlie had similar symptoms the next day, they were able to FaceTime Dr. Dovico and safely get him the medication he needed. Parents appreciate being able to text photos of rashes, cuts, etc. to Dr. Dovico and receive care while they’re on the go. While their 14-year-old Leah was at soccer practice, mom was able to step to the car and have a private conversation with both Drs. Adam and Jaclyn Dovico about behavioral issues their 10-year-old Jackson was exhibiting in school. The whole family (including parents) were able to get their flu shots together, which helped the younger siblings feel more comfortable. The Thomas family appreciates that the medical care from Joyful Pediatrics is able to fit conveniently into their busy schedule.
The Chen Family Three children, two with eczema and one with asthma
The Chen family has three girls, Olivia, 7 years old, Harper, 4 years old, and Anna, 9 months old. Olivia has eczema as well as asthma. She had an asthma exacerbation a few weeks ago with the change of seasons and appreciated that Dr. Dovico was able to monitor her treatment for a few hours in her office rather than needing the ED. She was also able to follow-up frequently days after, minimizing the use of oral steroids, which are often necessary, but have side effects. They are able to keep in frequent communication with Dr. Dovico about adjusting her asthma controller medications, without waiting months for a specialist visit. She also manages her eczema and can pick up her ointments directly in the office, without having to make an additional pharmacy visit. Having everything in the office and the time to spend, Dr. Dovico is able to show Olivia and her parents exactly how to use the inhalers and ointments to manage her asthma and eczema. Anna also has eczema and often wheezes with colds, like her big sister used to. When Olivia was little, parents felt like they were in the ED with breathing concerns almost monthly and they appreciate how close and frequent follow-up (both in person and virtually) has prevented Anna from the same. The Chens appreciate Joyful Pediatrics for the quality care that has allowed their family to avoid many urgent care, ED, and specialist visits.
The Smith Family One child with obesity
The Smith family has one daughter, 11-year-old Lila. The Smiths have a strong family history of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. They have noticed that Lila seems to have gained a lot of weight over the last year, but were not sure what to do next. They want her to be healthy, but do not want to do the wrong thing and fuel any negative eating habits or negative feelings about her body. Dr. Dovico was able to bring Lila in for a well child check to measure her growth, vital signs, and gauge if Lila had any concerns about her health. Dr. Dovico then followed-up privately with her parents to get a more in-depth history on her nutrition, physical activity, sleep, and other healthy habits. The family was able to make positive household and lifestyle changes while continuing to ensure Lila kept a healthy relationship with food and a confident body image. The Smith family appreciates the collaborative care with Joyful Pediatrics in handling a sensitive subject.
The Miller Family One child with emergency mental health concerns
The Miller family has two teenagers, Luke, 16, and Riley, 14. They’ve been patients of Dr. Dovico for years. Luke has had anxiety off and on over the years, which had been well controlled with counseling and medication, until he lost his best friend in a car accident. Mom got a call from school saying a teacher had noted cutting on his wrists and she didn’t know what to do, so she called Dr. Dovico, who saw him right away. They were able to spend as much time as they needed at the office talking individually and together. Dr. Dovico was able to make sure Luke was safe and give mom strategies to help keep him safe at home. She worked on medication adjustments, fast track a counseling appointment, and Dr. Adam Dovico was able to assist with strategies to help at school. Dr. Dovico texted Luke directly and his parents almost daily over the next few weeks to monitor progress. The Miller family appreciates they can trust Joyful Pediatrics for their quick access and high-quality mental health care for their children.
