What is pediatric primary care, and why is it important?

At Advocate Children’s Hospital, our team of pediatricians provides coordinated and comprehensive care for your child during every stage of their development.

Pediatric primary care encompasses preventive care such as vaccinations and well-child visits, managing childhood illnesses and well-child checkups, school physicals, acute care for when your child is feeling ill, and guidance for nutrition and behavior development.

Pediatric primary care services

• Well-child checkups: Your child should have regularly scheduled well-exams annually to address concerns you have and to evaluate your child’s health and development. Infants should have more frequent visits due to their rapid growth.

• Immunizations: Your child will get all scheduled vaccinations [PDF] during their annual checkups. Vaccines are safe and they are the best way to protect your child against infections and disease.

• Acute care: We understand that stuff happens. Advocate Children’s Hospital pediatricians are there when illness and minor injuries occur, including everything from the common cold to rashes and fractures.

• Growth and behavior assessment: Evaluating your child's growth and development is essential to pediatric primary care. Our pediatricians are a liaison to assess your child’s behavior, learning and mental health issues.

How to get pediatric primary care

We provide high-quality pediatric primary care to keep your infant, child or teen healthy. Our 21 primary care clinics with 80 pediatricians cover suburbs across Chicagoland and extend into the city.

We know you have a busy schedule, so we offer extended hours for pediatric primary care and same-day appointments for urgent children’s health issues. You can also call us 24/7 and get timely answers to pressing questions and concerns.

Ways to get primary care:

• Find a doctor or a pediatric primary care location near you or call 855-312-5437 to schedule an appointment.
• Register or sign into LiveWell to make appointments and more.
• Discover virtual visit options for your child to receive medical care from their primary care provider, specialist or other members of the care team.
• Learn about the insurance plans we accept.

Choosing a pediatrician

Your Advocate Children’s Hospital pediatrician is your ally through all stages of your child’s development. Our doctors provide pediatric primary care that fits your family’s health needs and your busy life. Advocate Children’s Hospital pediatricians offer:

• World-class health care: Feel comfortable knowing your doctor trained at well-respected institutions. Our board-certified pediatricians went through extensive training and testing to demonstrate their expertise. Together, our doctors, nurses and support staff form the pediatric primary care team your child needs.

• Doctors’ offices close to you: You'll find convenient pediatric clinic locations throughout Chicagoland. You can find a doctor within 15 minutes of your home.

• Evening and weekend hours: All clinics offer appointments Monday through Thursday until 7 p.m. and on Saturday mornings.

• Comprehensive care: We provide all pediatric primary care services your child needs. If your child has a chronic illness, you have access to the full range of specialists at Advocate Children’s Hospital. We make referrals to and coordinate with the right doctor for your child. We also partner with area hospitals for further options.

Caring for your child at every age

Your child’s health care needs will change as they grow and mature into adults. Our pediatric primary care team of doctors are there for your needs at every stage of their life.

• Infants and toddlers: From feeding and teething to milestones and immunizations, your child’s development is joyful and hectic. Our infant and toddler primary care helps your baby grow and thrive with well visits, immunizations and support during illnesses.

• Preschool and school-age children: Your child’s school-age years bring many physical and emotional growth stages. Our pediatricians provide children's primary care that helps these little ones flourish.

• Teens: Your teen is quickly heading toward adulthood. Our doctors undergo extensive education to learn how to handle the unique challenges of teen primary care. We provide preventive care, treat illnesses and help your teen transition into adulthood.

Continued support for your family

Parenting does not always go as planned. Sometimes you need extra support or help outside of office hours. Take comfort in knowing our pediatricians are available 24/7 for urgent issues. We also offer:

• LiveWell: Health care does not end when our offices close. With LiveWell, you can find care, have a video visit, make appointments, pay bills, get medication refills and more.

• Educational information: Our pediatric team offers this list of family resources to help you and your child or teen thrive.

About the Chicagoland Children’s Health Alliance

We recognize the importance of teamwork. We are part of the Chicagoland Children’s Health Alliance, partnering with Pediatrics at NorthShore University HealthSystem and the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital in pediatric hematology/oncology, pediatric cardiology/cardiovascular surgery and general surgery. Through Advocate Children’s Hospital, your child has access to even more specialists and programs for their pediatric primary care.