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Updated COVID-19 Vaccines (Sep 2023), Flu Shots, RSV Shots

September 27, 2023

Dear Heights Pediatrics families: We all hope that you had a lovely summer and that the return to school was as successful and as worry free as possible. All of our clinicians were able to enjoy some time off and are ready to tackle whatever the Fall season will bring! We have some updates for you: 

UPDATED COVID VACCINES: As you probably know, the newest, updated Covid vaccine is available. We will be providing Pfizer vaccines only. It is recommended that all those who are eligible get a dose of the updated vaccine as soon as it is available. If you recently tested positive for Covid 19, you should wait 90 days before you receive the vaccine. Please read everything below prior to scheduling your appointment.

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Patient Service Plan 2023

June 2, 2023

The following letter is very important and we kindly ask you to read it fully, as it will require urgent action on your end.

As you all know, our office has always strived to provide the best service possible. At Heights Pediatrics, we consider ourselves to be fiercely independent. Our intimate office size allows us to maintain high quality family-centered services in a beautiful, low-stress environment run by exceptional staff. Our independence afforded us the ability to adapt to our ever changing community for the past 52 years, including needs throughout the early days of the pandemic.

Due to the tireless work ethic of our staff and doctors, our steadfast dedication to providing the best care, and our investment in technology, testing machines, etc. we became one of the first pediatric offices in Brooklyn to provide patients with COVID-19 tests and vaccines. We worked diligently to keep our office doors open for urgent and newborn visits and also provided well visits in the comfort of your homes, when most other practices only did telemedicine.

Throughout the ongoing mental health crises in our country, we have (and continue to) educate ourselves on psychiatry beyond that of which is typically included in pediatric general care. We now provide exceptional mental health services that are covered by insurance. High quality, accessible psychiatric care at a pediatric office is otherwise very difficult to find.

The huge efforts of our staff led to our practice being awarded the National Center for Quality Assurance’s “Patient Centered Medical Home Recognition Award” and we are 1 of 4 practices in NY State to be recognized with “Distinction in Behavioral Health Recognition Integration”. Read more about the NCQA’s PCMH program here.

In order for us to provide such a high level of service, we find ourselves spending several hours a day providing administrative support as well as using technology that is rather expensive. Unfortunately, neither are covered by insurance. Due to the unpleasant trajectory of our economy, these services have become unsustainable.

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POLIO Info

August 17, 2022
Dear Heights Pediatrics families, Not long ago, we sent out a letter about Monkeypox. This week, after many questions from our parents, we will be covering what you need to know about the polio virus. As you may have heard, the first case of polio in over a decade was confirmed in Rochester County in NYS. Since then, the polio virus has been detected in sewage water samples collected in New York City. This tells us that there are a number of people infected with an asymptomatic polio infection in New York City. It is important to understand that the polio virus has been detected in sewage water- not drinking water. Because these are completely different systems, there is no need to worry that your kids could get infected from drinking tap water or bath water. A little more information about the polio virus can be found here: What is Polio?   Vaccines: The good news is that Polio is an almost 100% preventable disease. The polio vaccine is up to 99% effective after 3 doses. All of our patients that are up to date on their check ups are fully protected. If you have been keeping up with your child’s check ups, you can rest assured that your child is protected. The polio vaccine is usually administered at your baby’s 2, 4, and 6 month check up with a final dose at 4 years of age. Vaccinating ahead of schedule is not recommended. Recently, the city of London has recommended booster shots for all children. As far as we know, the Department of Health in NY is considering the same step but at the moment, boosters are not yet recommended. As soon as the booster is recommended (if it is in fact recommended), our practice will be ready to immunize all patients that are eligible. Please encourage anybody who you know that may not be immunized against polio to start the immunization process. Prevention by immunization is our best weapon against polio. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of treatment. Stay well, and we will continue to update you as we monitor the situation.   From, Your team at Heights Pediatrics

Temporary Office Closure (12/20 – 12/24)

December 19, 2021
IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ ALL


Dear Heights Pediatrics families: We hope that you and your families are staying safe. For those who tested positive this past week, we wish a speedy recovery. Please let us know if there are any questions or concerns, we are always available.

Unfortunately, we have to announce the urgent (but temporary) closure of our office. There has been a severe spike of COVID-19 in the city and we have a few employees who have tested positive. As far as we can tell, there was no significant exposure that has occurred to our patients because we have strict and effective PPE precautions.  

WE WILL BE CLOSED FOR OFFICE VISITS THIS WEEK (DEC 20th - DEC 24th):

After that, we will reevaluate the situation. Dr. Silverblatt (who has not been in the office in the past week and has no exposure) will be in the office alone, seeing newborns and urgent visits that can’t wait.

We will also honor all existing immunization and booster appointments, so there is no need to reschedule those. All other visits (except well visits) will be done via telemedicine- available at all office hour times.

  THERE WILL BE NO COVID-19 TESTING THIS WEEK:

We are cancelling all COVID-19 testing appointments this week. Please look for alternative testing sites using the resources provided below:

We apologize for any inconvenience, but we feel that this is the right thing to do to keep our staff and our valued patients safe.

  RESCHEDULING APPOINTMENTS:

If you have an appointment this week for something other than vaccines, please do not call us to move your appointment. Our staff will reach out to you throughout the week to reschedule your visits.

Please be patient with our staff while rescheduling your appointments- remember that they are there to help you, but because we are short-staffed, rescheduling options may be limited. We will work with you to ensure that you are seen in a timely fashion.

  All the best and stay safe,
Your team at Heights Pediatrics

Important News

November 17, 2021
Dear Heights Pediatrics families, We hope that all of you are well and staying safe. Unfortunately, last weekend, Dr. B suffered an injury to her ankle and will be away from office duties for a while. On the other hand, she is feeling better and is expected to recover fully. We wish her a speedy and easy recovery! In the meanwhile, Dr. Silverblatt and Dr. Batool will continue to see patients as needed. Please be patient with our staff as they will be trying to reschedule Dr. B’s appointments. We will also be changing our hours slightly to accommodate all appointments needed. We will keep you informed. Sincerely, Your staff at Heights Pediatrics

Emblem Health Notice

October 6, 2021
To our families with Emblem Health insurance: If you recently received a letter from Emblem Health stating that Dr. Katerina Silverblatt is no longer in network, please disregard the letter.
  • Do not worry - Dr. Silverblatt is still IN-NETWORK and your child will still be covered.
  • The insurance made a mistake and they are actively working on this matter.
Due to this situation, we are currently unable to generate referrals under Emblem Health / HIP. If you have any upcoming appointments with specialists, please reschedule them for about 2-3 weeks from now. Sincerely, Your Team at Heights Pediatrics

Heights Pediatrics + Phreesia Intro

September 24, 2021
Dear Heights Pediatrics families, We are excited to announce that we are working with Phreesia, a patient intake software, to streamline your visits and make them as contactless as possible. QUICK | SIMPLE | SECURE By completing your mobile check-in before your visit, you can complete required forms and surveys ahead of time, minimizing the time spent in the office. Please be sure to complete the entire check-in or your responses will not save. If you need us to resend the check-in link, please let us know.

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Newsletter 5/11/2021

May 11, 2021
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE | THE COVID VACCINE IS NOW APPROVED FOR CHILDREN 12 TO 15! Most of you have heard the great news about the approval of the Pfizer vaccine for children 12 years and up. Children aged 5-11 are on track to be approved in September of this year and younger children will follow shortly after that. The CDC still needs to give a recommendation but after that we can start immunizing.

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Newsletter 5/3/2021

May 3, 2021
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE | We hope that all of you are doing well! It has been a while since our last letter (we apologize for the brief silence, it has been a little bit busy) but a lot has changed since!

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Newsletter 3/22/2021

March 22, 2021
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE | It’s nice outside— sunny, warm, with spring knocking on the door. Hope is in the air as the vaccination program successfully proceeds, with almost 25% of New Yorkers receiving at least the first dose of the vaccine.

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Newsletter 2/8/2021

February 8, 2021
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE | As we approach one year since the first case of a coronavirus infection was recorded in this country, let’s take some time to reflect on what we have achieved and what we have lost.

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Newsletter 1/11/2021

January 11, 2021
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE | We hope that you have all enjoyed happy and healthy holidays. We wish you a happy (and hopefully very different) New Year. We have some good news, the biggest of which is the arrival of the coronavirus vaccine. We think that this marks the beginning of a change in the course of the pandemic.

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Newsletter 12/14/2020

December 14, 2020
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE | Today is a great day with a glimmer of hope as America starts vaccinating. We feel great about the vaccine and hope that it will be available to everybody soon. The doctors at Heights Pediatrics will get vaccinated as soon as possible and we encourage our adult patients and parents to do the same. Unfortunately, as of right now, there is really no word on vaccines for children under the age of 18. However, we will follow the developments and keep you informed.

Until then, masks, social distancing, and frequent testing are strategies that we will need to continue using to control the spread. Some testing labs are becoming overwhelmed and results are consequently delayed. That being said, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to perform tests with a new lab partner to avoid delays. We are also extending our COVID PCR TESTING services to members of the community that do not have serious symptoms (if you have a fever, shortness of breath, headaches, lots of cough, or diarrhea, we think you should consult your doctor directly).

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Newsletter: New Patient Portal 12/3/2020

December 3, 2020
We hope that everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving break. Today’s letter will concentrate on a very important issue. Our software provider has decided to upgrade the patient portal to a product that is more patient-friendly that hopefully will resolve some of the issues that many of you have had with our current portal.

NEW PATIENT PORTAL - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

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Newsletter: Special Covid Testing Edition 11/13/2020

November 13, 2020
COVID-19 UPDATES | Unfortunately, as you all may know, the Covid-19 positive rates in the city are going up. But New York is not alone; the rates across the whole country are disastrous. Besides the usual precautions that we are all familiar with by now (wearing masks, social distancing and hand washing), frequent testing is an excellent tool that many people do not take advantage of as much as they should. We want to remind you of the testing options here at Heights Pediatrics:

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Newsletter 11/2/2020

November 2, 2020
COVID-19 UPDATES | Happy Halloween! We hope that you all safely enjoyed your Halloween and made it spooktacular despite the circumstances. We are very happy about the continuing low numbers of infections in New York City, even after schools have reopened. Keep doing what you’re doing--it is working well and we can’t slack off now!

This next week is a very important week and we hope that everybody that is able to will get out there and vote! We encourage you to exercise your civic duty and vote for what you believe in. Polling stations are a high traffic area so please make sure to observe social distancing guidelines whenever possible and to wash your hands after leaving the polling place.

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Newsletter 8/31/2020

August 31, 2020
COVID-19 UPDATES | It’s hard to believe that it has been 5 months since the beginning of the shut down. It has been a very long 5 months - and for many of us a very difficult one. We sincerely hope that the Fall will bring us nothing but good news- successful school opening and an early vaccine release.

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Newsletter 8/10/2020

August 10, 2020
COVID-19 UPDATES | Hello, we’re back! We apologize for several weeks of silence but vacation time and a busy schedule took over. We are extremely lucky to have seen many of you in the office. We do not take the trust you put in us lightly and we continue to try to improve our workflow and protocols to protect both you and our staff.

Unfortunately, our country has achieved a very sad milestone this weekend-- 5,000,000 people infected and over 160,000 Americans have lost their lives. We feel sad for those who have suffered a loss in their family, but we are also very proud of all the New Yorkers that have helped keep the infection rate in New York very low.

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Newsletter 7/2/2020

July 2, 2020
COVID-19 UPDATES | We hope that all is well. We want to wish all of you a Happy 4th of July!

We would like to be optimistic, but the news from around the United States continues to be concerning.  We can all continue doing our part by wearing a mask- simple and easy, but for some reason a daunting task for many. Here is an article on how to help your young child wear a mask.

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Newsletter 6/19/2020

June 19, 2020
COVID-19 UPDATES | We hope that all is well and that everyone is staying healthy. Given the amount of sick visits we see (close to zero), we like to believe that our families are doing a superior job at protecting their health. Well done!

We are excited to see that New York City did well with phase 1 reopening and will be progressing into phase 2 next week. The number of Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations in the city are continuing to drop. However, the reason for this being the case is the extraordinary discipline that the majority of New Yorkers have exhibited. This discipline must be kept up during the reopening phases- the virus can and will come back if we are not careful. Here is an article that can remind us about the phases of reopening and what it all really means.

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Newsletter 6/12/2020

June 12, 2020
COVID-19 UPDATES | We are glad to continue to see all the Coronavirus numbers fall (at least in NYC). We are going to be watching how we do with reopening. Hope people will continue to be careful and keep the infection rate at bay. Governor Cuomo has allowed pools and playgrounds to open- we found an article that could be helpful in deciding if and when to go.

As we expect that schools will open in the fall (fingers crossed) we want to encourage you to call and schedule your check ups! Our availability will be limited as we need to maintain social distancing in the office- our schedule is opened through the first week of September. We will not be able to fill your school forms without a recent, up to date check up.

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Newsletter 6/8/2020

June 8, 2020
COVID-19 UPDATES | What a week! While we wholeheartedly support and encourage the protests and calls for justice, we would like to remind everyone to stay safe if you chose to demonstrate. The coronavirus is still very much a concern with large gatherings. Governor Cuomo has recommended that all protesters get tested for Covid-19 due to possible exposure. This means: facemasks at all times, washing hands, and attempts at keeping a distance. We can test our families in our office or find a testing site near you.

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Newsletter 5/25/2020

May 25, 2020
COVID-19 UPDATES | We hope that all of you are staying safe and trying to make the best of quarantine. We have seen many of you in the office and it makes us tremendously happy to see everyone smiling and taking care of their health!

Our team continues to see patients in the office and via telemedicine. We continue to keep unique times for well and sick visits with separate teams. Our social distancing in the office has been very successful. That said we ask everyone to please come on time and fill your questionnaires at home to decrease the amount of time spent in the office. All of these precautions make our office a safe place to visit. As we all heard, the well care and immunization rates continue to decline all over the country because people are hesitant to visit their primary care providers. We are determined to stray from the norm and keep all of our patients protected from all of the other diseases that have not disappeared. We encourage all of our patients to schedule their well visit appointments.

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Newsletter 5/11/2020

May 11, 2020
COVID-19 UPDATES | First of all, we would like to wish you all a belated Happy Mother’s day! We hope that everyone was able to connect with their moms remotely and celebrations in immediate families, although very different, were joyous nonetheless. With fewer numbers of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations, we share everyone’s excitement about possible relaxations of current restrictions. However, we want to remind everyone that the virus is still very much present in New York City and that we need to continue social distancing and increased hygiene for the foreseeable future.

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Newsletter 4/26/2020

April 26, 2020
COVID-19 UPDATES | We hope that everyone continues to stay healthy. We also hope that everyone is keeping their spirits up. There’s a lot of good news lately. Social distancing seems to be working and there is a hope that at least some businesses will be able to open after May 15th. We have also encountered a book that may help children understand current situation and that you may enjoy: The Incredible Docs Vs. Billy the Bad Virus

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Newsletter 4/17/2020

April 17, 2020
COVID-19 UPDATES | We hope that everyone is keeping safe, healthy and enjoyed their remote holidays. We are hearing that all children are getting used to the online learning and settling to their new routines. Thank you for your continuous support- everyone in the office is doing well and we are still up and running! We are frequently asked about how you can help us- we would appreciate for everyone to settle their balances if possible and schedule as many appointments as you can - Telemedicine rocks!

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Newsletter 4/3/2020

April 3, 2020
COVID-19 UPDATES | As we are approaching what will probably be the hardest week, we hope that everyone is staying safe (and sane). Hopefully, we will reach the peak soon and will be able to resume some of our daily activities. After careful consideration, we have decided to hold off on well visits (other than newborns) for another week. As of today, we will open for check ups the week of April 13th. Please understand that this date is subject to change, based on the status of the virus throughout next week. We will be monitoring this closely, and will notify you if we chose to delay well visits any further than April 13th.

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Newsletter 3/20/2020

March 20, 2020
COVID-19 UPDATES | We hope that all is well and you are staying positive. It is our belief that these changes are temporary (though hard) and we will all get through it without harm. As the recommendations and restrictions are changing, we are changing our schedule as well. 

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Newsletter 3/16/2020

March 16, 2020
COVID-19 UPDATES | We want to let you know that our thoughts are with you in these trying times. As our families safety is our priority we would like to introduce to you our plan for the foreseeable future.

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Newsletter 3/12/2020

March 12, 2020
COVID-19 UPDATES | This week our practice has functioned as usual and without inconveniences, thanks to our well established daily protocols and high standards of care. As of this moment, none of the tests we have sent have turned positive, however it is probably only a matter of time until someone in our community contracts COVID-19. As we always do, we have been following the Department of Health, American Academy of Pediatrics, and CDC recommendations.

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2019 Novel Coronavirus

March 3, 2020
A letter to our families from Dr. Silverblatt and  Dr. Maidana.   Human Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that commonly cause mild to moderate illness. Almost everyone gets infected with one of these viruses at some point in their lives and most of the time the illness lasts for a short amount of time.   The new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was discovered in Wuhan, China and seems more contagious than the rest of the family but not necessarily more severe in healthy individuals and in particular in children.

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Tackling Cold and Flu Season

February 27, 2016
Influenza (the flu) is a viral infection of the nose, throat, and lungs caused by influenza viruses. This is different from the stomach flu, which causes vomiting and diarrhea. The flu has similar symptoms to the common cold, however symptoms are usually more severe with the flu than the common cold. Typically the treatment of the two is the same. You can find more information on flu virus and flu activity on http://www.cdc.gov/flu/.

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What is new in Childhood Immunizations?

February 27, 2016
Immunizations help prevent serious illnesses and diseases that can present a serious health risk to your child and to others. It is important for your children to be up to date on their immunizations, which is why regular immunization schedules are implemented by our practice. Regular immunizations are an important part of your child’s health and development.   At Heights Pediatrics, we provide up-to-date immunizations that follow the schedule recommended by the AAP, or American Academy of Pediatrics. We are sometimes able to make minor modifications to the immunization schedule based on parent’s requests, although this is not always possible; if you would like to make modifications to your child’s immunization schedule, please be sure to discuss your request with your child’s doctor.

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Vomiting and Diarrhea – What to Do

February 16, 2016
Vomiting and diarrhea are mostly caused by viral infections of the GI tract. Sometimes, they could be caused by bacteria or parasites (especially after travel) or spoiled food. Other illnesses that may cause these symptoms include respiratory infections, otitis media, strep throat, and urinary tract infections. In rare instances a more serious condition, such as bowel obstruction, appendicitis, meningitis, poisoning, or head injury, may cause vomiting with or without diarrhea. Bilious (green) vomiting, bloody vomiting, or bloody diarrhea need urgent evaluation.

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Flu Shot

November 16, 2015
To all our dear patients: As you all know, we strive to provide the best care possible for all our children. In order to do that, we pay close attention to research, science and breaking news. We think that our practice reflects our beliefs- our breastfeeding statistics are far above the nation average, our immunization rates are close to 100%, We have not seen a case of infant pertussis which we believe if a reflection of our recommendation to “cocoon” all our newborns. With increasing amount of information and misinformation on the WWW we find it imperative to provide parents with the most accurate and updated information. As help and a resource for our parents we have decided to start this blog, where we will try to post new, seasonal, interesting or even controversial information.

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As of 12/20/23, we ask for all patients to respond regarding the Patient Service Plan 2024[more info here]