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Parent Resources

An online resource center providing you with additional helpful information.

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Holiday Hours

 

2020

Memorial Day

Monday, May 25

10:00am to 3:00pm

Urgent Care Only 

 

Independence Day (Observed)

Friday, July 3

10:00am to 3:00pm

Urgent Care Only 

 

Labor Day

Monday, September 7

9:00am to 5:00pm

Urgent Care Only 

 

Columbus Day

Monday, October 12

9:00am to 5:00pm

Urgent Care Only 

 

Thanksgiving Day

Thursday, November 26

9:00am to 12:00pm

Urgent Care Only 

 

Christmas Eve

Thursday, December 24

8:00am to 5:00pm

 

Christmas Day

Friday, December 25

11:00am to 2:00pm

Urgent Care Only 

 

New Year’s Eve

Thursday, December 31

8:00am to 5:00pm

Link to MyChart Patient Portal 
 

Click here for  Virtual Visits using a Smart Device

Click here for Virtual Visits using a Computer

 

 

NEW OFFICE HOURS:
-The NAP Amherst office is now CLOSED temporarily

-NAP Northampton office will remain open 7 days a week
NO walk-ins
Monday – Friday 8am - 6pm
Saturday, Sunday, Holidays 10am - 3pm

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COVID-19 Update

June 23, 2020

We often have parents asking for resources that can help them explain to their children all the changes in the world right now related to the COVID pandemic. Topics such as: explaining COVID to young children, easing anxiety around wearing masks, and understanding how and why doctor’s office appointments are very different now are common examples of information that parents have been asking for.

As we begin to slowly expand our social circles and venture outside of our homes a bit more, we would like to provide our patients and families with some resources to help answer these questions for your child.  
 
Article:

Helping People with ASD Manage Masks and COVID Tests 
Tips and suggestions to address the challenges of wearing masks and getting tested for COVID, for both children and adults with autism spectrum disorder (and others with sensory intolerances and social communication challenges)

Social Stories:

What is Coronavirus? 
A story designed for young children, to help ease anxiety and to address a range of emotions arising from the COVID pandemic. Available to download in seven languages

Why does my doctor look different?
A story for children explaining the types of personal protective equipment worn by doctors and nurses

Masks, face shields, and gloves, oh my! 
This story explains why masks are important, and illustrates the different types of masks people might wear
 
Getting tested for COVID 
This story explains the process of drive-up COVID nasal swab testing. It includes an additional animated version

Haircuts during COVID 
A social story to ease anxiety around visiting the salon or barber during the COVID pandemic

Podcast:

A Mom’s Retreat by Lynn Lyons
Available to download on your smartphone or tablet. This podcast focuses on managing worry, modeling emotional literacy for our children, and the prevention of anxiety and depression by raising courageous, resilient and flexible children. It also addresses children’s emotions and parenting and how they are more complex during the COVID pandemic.

 

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June 5, 2020 How to Open Up (cautiously!)

Now that our state is starting the slow process of reopening, we are getting many questions regarding which activities are safe for children to attend, and what precautions still need to be taken. To answer that question, we need to keep in mind what we know of COVID-19 – how it is spread, what helps lower chances of infection—and what are the consequences of continuing isolation and social-distancing.  

First, the virus has not just gone away, the risks are still there, but with declining rates of infection the risks are decreasing somewhat while the effects of isolation are increasing. We know that wearing a mask, maintaining 6 feet or more of separation, and careful self-quarantine of persons with symptoms of illness or known COVID-19 exposure are important measures to reduce the likelihood of spreading infection. So being in close talking distance, longer (e.g. > 15 minute) interactions, interactions with persons with fever or actively coughing or not wearing a mask, places you at much greater risk of contracting the virus than simply walking by someone wearing a mask who stays 6 feet away.  

Second, we are seeing the unintended consequences of children who are being isolated at home and getting less exercise, presenting with more depression, anxiety, and troubles resulting from too much screen time.  We are receiving reports of more child neglect, decreased vaccination rates and delayed care for fear of going to doctors’ offices. 

Finally, we know that the vast majority of children who get COVID-19 illness still have mild disease compared to those who are older and those who have a chronic disease. And yet we also need to make sure what our kids do does not place others at undue risk.

To continue providing your child with good medical care, everyone on your team at NAP will work with you to place these considerations into balance, determining what is reasonably safe and what should still be avoided for your individual child, knowing that each child and family has unique circumstances. This balance will certainly continue to be an ever-changing mark as we move through the phases of reopening.

Here are some specific suggestions to get you started: 
o Begin to think about increasing the number of people who are in your circle of interactions. A somewhat larger circle that includes 1 best friend or favorite family [that regards you the same way] will work better than each child or family with their own network of interactions.

o Start by asking difficult questions of your friends (and family) who you might want to join in that circle—how careful are they in maintaining distances, wearing masks, and avoiding contact with others? Can you have confidence in them following the same sorts of precautions as you would for them?

o Make sure people in your group are honest and will report symptoms of a possible infection, meaning they should promptly exit the circle for a period of time. 

o Prioritize activities that will help your child get exercise, feel good to be outside, and that lead to fun, healthy experiences.

o Start slowly, and set the expectation that the amount of interaction may increase or decrease over time based on the prevalence of COVID-19 in our community and the risks and benefits of looser isolation.

o Still avoid those activities that are not necessary; most often, children should still not be going to stores or participating in family errands where their participation is not essential.

o Think about those family members or friends who are most vulnerable and if you want to visit them make sure that your child has not recently been exposed to someone with symptoms of an infection, wear masks, keep distance.

Of course, there are many variables to this equation, and you might need more guidance on what activities or visits are safe and necessary for you and your family. If you are looking for more specific guidance, your primary care provider at NAP can help. Please call our office and schedule a virtual visit to discuss the specifics of how you can start doing more outside your home but in a reasonably safe way.   

If you are feeling like the changes and uncertainty are never-ending, so are we. Yet we have been tremendously encouraged by how thoughtful and cautious NAP patients and families are being, and this gives us hope as we travel together, one step at a time, through the COVID-19 era. Please reach out to us if we can help in any way.

For more information on this topic here is an article from a nationally recognized pediatrician, Perri Klass.

And an article about hugs.

 

For previous COVID-19 postings, please click COVID-19 News Archive