News from Dr. Schramm

Is coronavirus still a big deal? YES. Just because we are tired of this doesn't mean it is going away. The virus doesn't care how we feel about it. I continue to get calls EVERY DAY from families in my practice who have been exposed to or caught coronavirus.  Some family members have become seriously ill,  fortunately none of them children.  As studies have shown, symptoms in kids range from nothing at all to mild congestion and runny nose, or low-grade fever, to high fevers, coughing, vomiting, and loss of taste or smell.  So potentially any sign of illness could be coronavirus.  Please continue to wear masks and socially distance to prevent spread and stay home for 10 days if your child has any sign of illness.  1500 people died from the flu in L.A. County in all of 2019, but 5381 people have died from COVID in L.A. County as of today, only 6 months after it started. See  publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/data/index.htm Back-to-school time Because kids themselves (a

Updates from our office! It is very quiet now in the office so we can open up to more well visits.  We are now seeing 0-4 year olds and 11 year olds for checkups. In addition, any child who is overdue for a vaccine may have a nurse-only visit at any time. Please call for an appointment.  For everyone's safety: We have only one patient in the office at a time. Morning and early afternoons are reserved for well visits only. Only one parent may attend and no siblings. There is no check-in; you can go straight to your room upon arrival. Only the minimum in-office is done: Maggie does the measurements and screenings and Dr. Schramm's exam, then shots. In the afternoon a separate 15-minute video chat from home with Dr. Schramm gives you plenty of time for discussion and questions.  You can download the sprucecare app on your phone from the top of my website. We all wear masks and we ask that you and your child do too (if they are 2 or older.) Dr. Schramm is in

Stay well everyone! We are open every day 9-5 and you can call me anytime! We have strictly limited in-office visits so that those that need to come can be safe. In the office, we are seeing the following:     MORNINGS      - well infants and toddlers for checkups and vaccines      - well kids of any age who are due for vaccines (vaccine visit only) AFTERNOON      - sick kids via telemedicine      - not "sick" but having a problem, via telemedicine (ADHD, injury, developmental issues etc.)      - sick kids in the office in the rare cases that telemedicine is not appropriate

     As more cases of community spread have been reported in Los Angeles, it has become clear that it is time to not only be vigilant about hygiene (using hand sanitizer, soap and not touching our faces) but also to practice social distancing.  This means staying home as much as possible and avoiding unnecessary contact with others.  Please do this if you or your child shows any sign of illness, but even if not.      Kids appear to be at low risk for serious illness, fortunately, but are frequently carriers of illness to friends and family members, as we all know.  For this reason, I recommend that as much as possible kids are kept away from older family members (over 60) who are at higher risk for serious illness.  Even kids who appear perfectly healthy can be less than 24 hours from developing fever or cough (and thus contagious during this asymptomatic time).      If we can "flatten the curve" so that the virus spreads more slowly, then we can avoid overwhelming hospit

The Los Angeles County Dept. of Public Health website is the best way to stay informed! Here is a wonderful, detailed guide to what you can do to protect yourself:  http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/GuidanceParentsEnglish.pdf You can also subscribe to their twitter feed for updates!

Public Health Statement About the Facts of Coronavirus LOS ANGELES - In the face of a significant increase in the numbers of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus (2019 nCoV) in mainland China, many LA County residents are worried and fearful. The Los Angeles Department of Public Health (Public Health) urges residents and visitors to get the facts and take positive steps to reduce their risk. There is only 1 case of novel coronavirus in LA County, in a non-resident traveler from Wuhan City, and there has been no subsequent community transmission of the virus.  There are only 12 cases of novel coronavirus across the entire United States and while it is likely that there will be additional cases, actions have been taken to limit the spread of the virus in our country.  Recent travelers who have visited mainland China are screened at the airport and provided with information about restricting their movements, monitoring their health and connecting with their provider and local pub