Our Services

Adolescent Care

Your teen needs routine and preventative care, just like they did during childhood. When it’s time for your adolescent to see a doctor, make an appointment at Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics. Your young adult meets with the expert pediatric team at Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics who specializes in working with teens (and their parents). The practice also helps with school and sports physicals, if your teen needs to have those performed. If you’re in the Alexandria area, make your child’s first visit by calling the office, or booking an appointment online.

What types of preventative care does my teenager need?

Your teenager continues to grow, experience puberty, and develop throughout teen years. When they have a relationship with a pediatrician, your teen has someone they can trust to help with medical questions or concerns. Beginning at age 12 or 13 we routinely set aside some time for the doctor to speak with the teenager alone at the well visits.

If your adolescent is healthy, plan on bringing them in for a checkup about once a year. Of course, you’re more than welcome to come in more often if needed.

During those visits, your teen’s pediatrician starts looking for any red flags that may become health concerns later on in life and works to prevent any medical issues. Preventative care can include:

• Obesity screening
• Nutrition counseling
• Immunization updates
• Behavioral counseling
• Sexually transmitted disease (STD) screening
• Birth control discussions
• Blood or urine lab work

When does my daughter need her first pelvic exam?

Your daughter’s first gynecological exam should occur between the ages of 13 and 15. This exam is a chance for your teen to talk with her pediatrician about menstruation, cramps, sexual activities, or other health concerns.

This teen well visit usually includes a general physical exam and an external genital exam only. Unless your daughter has abnormal circumstances, like a sexually transmitted disease or severe menstrual cramps, she most likely won’t need an internal pelvic exam during her teen years. You, as the parent, may be present for all or part of this exam, depending on your daughter’s needs and comfort level. We recommend establishing routine care with a gynecologist and beginning pap smears and pelvic exams around age 21.

Which immunizations does my teenager need?

Newborn Care

Caring for your newborn baby is undoubtedly an overwhelming task. But, when you have a caring pediatrician on your side, they take out all the guesswork. After you become established with Alexandria’s top pediatricians at Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics, the team of trusted providers makes sure you learn everything you need to know about newborn care. Call the office of Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics or use the convenient online booking tool to schedule your baby’s first visit.

When does my newborn baby need to go to the doctor?

Your dedicated pediatrician at Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics wants to see your newborn regularly to ensure he or she is happy and healthy. Typically, you bring in your newborn for their first visit three to five days after discharge from the hospital and again at age two weeks. If our doctors did not see your baby in the hospital, please bring your baby’s discharge papers with you to the first visit.

After that, plan on bringing them in at one month, two months, four months, six months, nine months, and twelve months. Of course, if you have any health concerns between visits, you can certainly come in for additional appointments.

What happens during a newborn doctor appointment?

We have a separate waiting room for our newborns. During the visit, your newborn care visit often starts with discussing any concerns or questions you may have. Because your baby needs to be weighed and measured while undressed, plan on dressing them in comfortable clothing that’s easy to get on and off.

Your pediatrician checks your baby’s:

• Eyes and ears
• Heart and lungs
• Reflexes and muscle tone
• Head, including soft spots
• Mouth and gums
• Belly and umbilical cord
• Genitals
• Hips and legs

At the two week visit, the baby will have a blood test done to screen for rare but serious disease. Typically your pediatrician waits until the end, so you have a few moments to comfort your baby before leaving if they get upset.

How do I know if my newborn is getting enough to eat?

It’s easy to monitor how much your child is eating if you’re formula feeding, but it’s more difficult if you’re breastfeeding.

Either way, everything that goes in must come out. If your newborn is getting enough to eat, they likely produce about six wet diapers daily (plus several bowel movements).

Because your pediatrician carefully monitors your newborn’s growth, you know if your little one isn’t getting enough to eat.

If you have concerns about feedings, your baby doesn’t seem interested in eating, or if you’re breastfeeding and your infant isn’t latching easily, talk with your pediatrician. They can help you determine what you need to do and what to watch for during mealtimes.

Asthma

Watching your child struggle to breathe is gut wrenching for any parent. While asthma isn’t curable, it’s certainly manageable with the help of the team at Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics. Our dedicated team of Pediatricians are experts in diagnosing asthma in children and finding just the right treatment. Whether your child has already been diagnosed or if you suspect your child has asthma, call the office or make your first appointment online.

What are the symptoms of asthma in children?

Asthma causes certain symptoms that are often obvious for parents. If your child is asthmatic, he or she may:

• Coughregularly, especially at night
• Get frequent chest colds
• Wheeze when breathing
• Have difficulty breathing
• Regularly take shallow fast breaths
• Complain of chest tightness
• Feel weak or tired

How is asthma diagnosed in children?

It depends on your child’s age, since it’s tricky to diagnose asthma in children under five. Infants, toddlers, and very young children are still developing, so their bronchial tubes are small and narrow to begin with.

Nevertheless, this is also the age bracket where children tend to show symptoms. With a little inflammation, your child may show signs of asthma, but you could find out that it’s just a minor chest cold.

Sometimes just the opposite occurs: your child gets diagnosed with a chest cold, but it never really goes away. This is why asthma is often overlooked or misdiagnosed in small children.

The diagnosis process for young children often involves monitoring their symptoms and some lab work to check for inflammation.

Your child may also go through allergy testing to see if an allergen is triggering asthmatic symptoms. Sometimes treatment is as simple as removing that allergen from your child’s diet or environment.

For children over five, the diagnosis is usually a little simpler since they can describe their symptoms. Your pediatrician might have to administer a pulmonary function test to measure breathing. They simply breathe into a special tube for this test.

Laboratory work to check for inflammation, allergy testing, or chest X-rays are common diagnostic tools your pediatrician might suggest.

Which treatments are best for children with asthma?

It depends on your child’s age and the severity of his or her symptoms. Your dedicated pediatrician at Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics puts together a custom asthma treatment plan for your child, then schedules routine follow-up appointments as needed to monitor your child’s progress.

Typical asthma treatment and management plans include:

• Avoiding allergen triggers
• Inhaled medications
• Nebulizer solutions
• Dry powder inhalers
• Controller medications
• Rescue medications

Allergies

There are several types of allergies that children suffer from today, including environmental allergies, food allergies, and skin allergies. It’s important to identify your child’s allergies so that your doctor can prescribe an appropriate treatment plan and lifestyle changes. The experienced pediatricians at Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics in Alexandria specialize in all types of children’s health care, including allergy treatments. Use the online appointment tool or call for an allergy screening appointment anytime.

What kinds of allergies are commonly seen in children?

There are three general categories of allergies, and your child can suffer from any of them.

Food allergies

Food allergies occur in many children today. Some of the most common food allergies include nut allergies (particularly peanut allergies,) milk allergies, soy allergies, and egg allergies.

Environmental allergies

There are a wide range of environmental allergies. Among children, some of the most common of these include pollen allergies, dust mite allergies, and pet dander allergies.

Skin allergies

Skin allergies can include reactions to nearly any substance. Particularly common skin allergies in children include reactions to laundry soaps, lotions, bubble baths, and other chemical products.

What are the signs that your child may have an allergy?

The signs that your child may have an environmental allergy can include sneezing, constantly runny nose, teary eyes, and breathing problems. With food allergies, their symptoms may include swelling around the mouth, breathing problems, redness around the mouth, and itchiness in and around the mouth. Skin allergies are usually easy to recognize because your child will typically have a rash, raised and swollen skin, or other disruptions to the skin.

Should your child be allergy tested?

If you suspect that your child has allergies, it’s important to speak with a pediatrician at Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics. Pediatricians recommend allergy testing if your child’s symptoms are severe enough that they cause missed school or missed social activities. This type of testing can be the best way to isolate the cause of the allergy in some cases — especially when there’s no real indicator of what it might be.

In other cases, you may already suspect a particular allergen. For example, if you suspect your child’s allergen is nuts, then a diet that eliminates nuts might provide a quick answer.

How can your child’s allergy be treated?

Allergy treatment can take several different paths. Doctors customize treatment according to the type of allergy, the type of reaction your child has, and other individual factors. Doctors treat allergies with a combination of methods, including:

• Avoiding the trigger substance, food, or environment
• Special diet
• Oral medications
• Allergy shots
• Inhaled medications (corticosteroids)

Is your child dealing with allergies of any type? The pediatricians at Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics have the expertise to help. Use the convenient online appointment tool or phone the office for an appointment anytime.

Throat Pain

When your child has throat pain or inflammation, they can be sick for days. Most of the time, a sore throat isn’t a major concern. But if throat inflammation gets so severe or frequent that your child regularly misses school or extracurricular activities, it’s time to see a physician. The expert team at Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics, welcome new patients. If your child is suffering from a sore throat, make an appointment online, or call the office to schedule.

What are the differences between strep throat, tonsilitis, and pharyngitis?

Strep throat, tonsilitis, and pharyngitis are all causes of a sore throat. With strep throat, your throat becomes infected with the streptococcus bacteria. Strep throat is sometimes severe, persistent, and long-lasting (often for several days).

Tonsillitis means that your tonsils are infected. Your tonsils are responsible for helping keep harmful bacteria and other organisms out of your body. When they are infected, you can become sick very quickly. Tonsillitis is typically caused by either a virus or bacteria, such as the bacteria that causes strep throat.

Pharyngitis is the most common reason children come in for doctors visits. This type of sore throat means that the pharynx at the back of your throat is inflamed from either a bacterial or viral infection. It makes your throat feel scratchy and makes swallowing difficult.

Which treatments are available for a sore throat in children?

It depends on the cause and your child’s age. With older children, you can have them gargle warm salt water to ease sore throat pain. Drinking lots of warm tea, water, soup, or other hot liquid is beneficial for minimizing inflammation and getting rid of mucus.

In some cases, your child’s pediatrician can prescribe antibiotic medications, but this only works with bacterial infections. Viral infections, including some types of tonsillitis, may just need time. But, if your child has a severe viral infection, they may need pain medications or decongestants while the virus runs its course. Sometimes the doctor can tell whether the infection is caused by a virus or a bacteria with the examination, but often a lab test with a throat swab is required.

Your child may need his or her tonsils removed if tonsillitis is severe. This is usually only an option if tonsillitis:

• Causes sleeping problems
• Impacts breathing
• Occurs frequently
• Causes an abscess

When do I need to see a doctor for a sore throat?

You know your child better than anyone else, so you can probably tell when something’s seriously wrong. While most sore throats don’t require a doctor’s visit for treatment, it also depends on your child’s age.

Younger children, for instance, might not be able to tell you everything they’re feeling, so you need to watch for signs of a severe sore throat.

Some of the sore throat concerns you need to be aware of include:

• Poor appetite
• Difficulty swallowing or drooling
• Earaches
• Rashes or high fevers
• Throat swelling or lumps

If your child has a severe sore throat or symptoms that last for more than a week, make an appointment right away.

Immunizations

Immunizations and vaccinations help protect your child against some of the most harmful diseases around. As avid proponents of routine immunizations, our team of pediatricians ensures that your child is up to date on all of his or her essential injections. Their Alexandria-area clinic, Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics, offers flexible scheduling, even for new families. Book your appointment online, or use the practice’s convenient online booking system to schedule your child for an immunization visit.

What is an immunization?

Getting an immunization protects your body against a disease. You become immunized when you get a vaccine or vaccination. A vaccine helps your body become immune to a particular disease, or strain of diseases.

A vaccination occurs when your doctor injects a destroyed or weakened organism into your body. Your immune system immediately starts building up antibodies, forcing your body to become immune to the disease-causing organism.

Being immunized doesn’t mean you won’t get sick, but it does mean that your body has what it needs to fight off the harmful organism.

When do I start immunizing my child?

Your child is given immunizations shortly after birth. Usually, for your child’s first two years of life, they get a series of vaccines and vaccinations. By age six, your child needs fewer immunizations, while your teenager is introduced to an entirely new set of immunization requirements.

Throughout your child’s life, and often throughout adulthood, your child needs boosters for certain vaccines and vaccinations. Your pediatrician documents everything on a schedule, so you know exactly when you should get started and how often you need to visit your doctor.

Are immunizations safe?

Yes. The practitioners at Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics follow immunization guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics. These organizations have spent decades researching and evaluating various types of immunizations to ensure that they’re safe and effective.

Parents often ask if immunization injections can make their child sick. In some cases, yes. But the risk of suffering from a life-threatening disease is higher than the minor risks associated with immunizations, such as feeling sick or allergic reactions.

Why should I get my child immunized?

When you keep your child updated on essential immunizations, the risk of contracting certain diseases decreases drastically. As children start falling behind on vaccines, diseases start showing up again, causing outbreaks. That’s why measles still shows up every once in awhile.

The cost of getting a routine vaccine or vaccination is far less than treating a disease. Plus many schools, sports teams, and extracurricular activities require that your child is up to date on shots before participating.

Immunizations and vaccinations help protect your child against some of the most harmful diseases around, but figuring out which vaccines and immunizations your child needs and when to get them is overwhelming for any parent.  As avid proponents of routine immunizations, our team of pediatricians ensures that your child is up to date on all of his or her essential injections. Their Alexandria-area clinic, Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics, offers flexible scheduling, even for new families. Book your appointment online, or use the practice’s convenient online booking system to schedule your child for an immunization visit.

Vaccinations

Figuring out which vaccines and vaccinations your child needs — and when to get them — is overwhelming for any parent. When your child becomes a patient of Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics, you get a custom immunization schedule. At Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics, our pediatric team in Alexandria ensure that your child is up to date on all of their required injections. Whether you’re a new or established patient, you can book your child’s appointment online or call the office to schedule.

Are Vaccines, Vaccinations, and Immunications Different?

No. Vaccinations introduce the disease-causing organisms into your body in a dead or weakened state. That way your immune system starts building up antibodies to fight them.

The terms “immunizations,” “vaccines,” and “vaccinations” are often used interchangeably. Immunization is the technical term that describes the process your body goes through to build strength and ward off specific harmful organisms. Vaccines/vaccinations ultimately immunize your body against a particular disease.

Which vaccines does my child need?

Your child starts getting vaccines right after birth and continues this process for much of his or her life. Typical vaccine schedules include:

• Chickenpox
• Influenza
• Tetanus
• Hepatitis A and B
• Human papillomavirus (HPV)
• Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR)
• Whooping cough
• Bacterial meningitis
• Polio

• Pneumococcus

• Hemophilus Influenzae

Your child may need additional vaccines, depending on their age.

If your child is behind on certain immunizations, they might need to catch up and receive other types of injections. By the end of your first visit with your dedicated pediatrician, you know exactly which immunizations your child needs and can book those future appointments on the spot.

Should I worry if my child reacts to a vaccine?

Earache

Earache is one of the most common problems physicians see at Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics in Alexandria. Your child’s earache can be quite serious, especially if it isn’t recognized and treated right away. The experienced team of pediatricians at Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics is here to relieve earache pain so that young patients can enjoy being kids again. When you need earache relief fast, use the convenient online appointment maker or call the Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics for help.

Why do children get earaches?

The most common cause of children’s earaches is an infection. Your child might develop an earache because of an upper respiratory infection like the common cold. Children might also experience earaches because of a sudden injury to the ear.

What type of middle ear infection does your child have?

There are three categories of middle ear infections, each with its own specific set of symptoms. These are:

Acute otitis media

In this, the most common kind of ear infection, your child’s middle ear is swollen and infected. This swelling traps fluid in the back of the eardrum and the pressure causes your child to have an earache. Acute otitis media may also cause a fever.

Otitis media with effusion

This type of ear infection causes fluid to remain in the back of your child’s eardrum, even after the pain and other symptoms have passed. Your child may have few or no symptoms, so this type of ear infection can be hard to identify. Children who have otitis media with effusion may tell you that their ears feel stuffed or full.

What is the treatment for ear infections in children?

Treatment depends on the type of infection, your child’s symptoms, and other individual factors. In many cases, doctors treat acute middle ear infections with antibiotics. Your child will typically take antibiotics for 7-10 days in total. Be sure that your child finishes the entire prescription, even though they’ll usually start feeling better after just a day or two.

The pediatrician may also recommend pain relief medications such as acetaminophen (brand name Tylenol) or ibuprofen (brand name Motrin) to help alleviate pain and reduce body temperature if your child has a fever.

If ear infections are causing trouble for your child, the team of pediatric specialists at Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics can help resolve the pain and other symptoms for good. Make an appointment through the online tool or call us anytime.

Fever

A fever is a sign of illness that you shouldn’t ignore — especially in your young child. Whether the fever is low grade or is rapidly climbing, it’s always best to have your child checked out by experienced pediatricians who can diagnose the cause of the fever and take the appropriate steps to lower it quickly. Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics is a pediatric care facility that’s here to help your children and provide parents with the support they need. Use the online appointment maker or call the office for help with a fever anytime.

When should you call Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics if your child has a fever?

This varies based on the age of your child. If your infant (especially if three months of age or younger) has a rectal temperature measuring 100.5°F or higher, contact Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics right away. Fevers can be especially dangerous for very young babies.

At toddler age and beyond, it’s just as important to observe your child’s behavior and symptoms as it is to measure temperature. A temperature alone may not be serious if your child still behaves normally, eats and drinks normally, and seems alert and happy. If your child has a temperature of 100.5° F or higher and has symptoms such as lethargy, irritability, loss of appetite, and lack of alertness, call Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics promptly for help.

When should you administer medication at home for your child’s fever?

In most cases, your child won’t need medication for a fever unless their temperature is 102° F or higher. When your child’s temperature is lower than that, administer medication at home only if your child is feeling uncomfortable.

What types of medications are safe to give for a fever at home?

Children’s versions of acetaminophen (brand name Tylenol) and ibuprofen (brand name Motrin) are generally safe to give children when they have a fever. However, it’s always best to speak with one of the pediatricians at Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics before you administer medication for a fever since you might need to bring your child in for a visit instead.

Can teething cause your child to have a fever?

Yes, but temperature rise due to teething rarely exceeds 100° F. If your child’s temperature is significantly higher than that and you don’t see any other symptoms other than teething, contact Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics for advice.

What is the best way to take your child’s temperature?

Rectal thermometers are very reliable and are usually the best way to obtain accurate temperatures in infants and young children. Once your child is old enough to reliably sit still for an oral temperature reading, this is also a good option. Other options such as forehead and ear thermometers are not reliable enough in most cases.

If your child has a temperature, don’t hesitate to call on Pediatrics of Mansoor Pediatrics for help. Use the convenient appointment maker or call the office anytime!

When can your child drink cow’s milk?

Doctors typically recommend that you give your child cow’s milk only after they’re 12 months or older. During your child’s first year of life, they need all of the nutrients in breastmilk or formula. Until your child turns two, use full fat cow’s milk. After the age of two, you can switch to any type of cow’s milk.

What about fruit juice?

It’s very easy to give children too much fruit juice. In fact, juice adds extra calories without much nutritional benefit.

Your child should have no more than two small (two ounce) servings of fruit juice daily until age six. From 7-12, kids can have a total of 8-12 ounces of juice a day. Whole fruits are always better for your child than fruit juice because they have fiber that fills your child up and contains more nutrients.

Is snacking okay for children?

Snacking is fine as long as you monitor and control it. Many children ask for food every three to four hours. Instead of telling your child no, allow them to choose from healthy low-calorie options like raw veggies or a piece of fruit, especially if their next meal is coming up in an hour or two.

If your next meal is at least three to four hours away, put together a well-balanced snack that fills your child up but still allows them to eat at mealtime. Some good options for snacks can include:

• Cheese, crackers, and meat like turkey breast
• A sliced apple and a small amount of yogurt
• A small cup of milk and a slice of toast

Is your child overweight?