/ Services / Children’s Health

Health Care For Children

Services Include
  • Newborn visits
  • Well child checks
  • Same day sick visits
  • Injuries
  • Infections
  • Physicals – school, camp, sports, drivers test
  • Centering Parenting

Berks Community Health Center is your child’s medical home both for when they are sick and well.  Board-certified family physicians or nurse practitioners will care for all aspects of your child’s health needs and focus on their well-being from infancy through adolescence.

BCHC accepts all forms of insurance, including CHIP and Medicaid, and offers a sliding fee discount program for those (with or without insurance) who have income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.  BCHC is here to help.  Call 610-988-4838 to make an appointment.

About Newborn Care

Baby’s first visit is scheduled about one to two days after hospital discharge.   Often your hospital care team will call us to make the appointment.  If not, you can call to schedule the first visit, and we make sure newborns are seen promptly. From then on, your little one will be seen regularly for well-child checks, all immunizations, school and camp physicals, and same day sick visits if needed.

About Centering Parenting

Centering Parenting® is a model that brings a groups of moms, partners, support people and their same age infants together with their healthcare provider to discuss common experiences.  Individual assessments of your child take place at every visit: tracking growth, development, immunizations and oral health.

What will my child’s first appointment look like?

During your child’s first well child visit we will collect important information about his or her medical history, weigh and measure your child, complete a full head to toe examination and any screenings your child needs like vision or hearing testing.  We will make sure your child’s immunizations are up to date – IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO BRING ANY IMMUNIZATION RECORDS YOU HAVE FOR YOUR CHILD WITH YOU TO THAT APPOINTMENT.  We will complete necessary school or childcare forms, driver’s physical forms, sports physical forms during or soon after the appointment, depending on what is needed to complete them.  At some visits there are options for integrated dental or mental health care.

How can I reach my Provider when my child is sick?

Do not hesitate to call us, no question is too silly when it comes to a sick child.  On weekdays 8 am-5 pm call the main Berks Community Health Center number at 610-988-4838 and pick option to speak to the location your child is usually seen and then the option to speak to  a nurse for a same day appointment.  Leave a message with your child’s name and date of birth and one of our nurses will return your call within an hour.  There is a provider on call for Berks Community Health Center 24 hours a day 7 days a week and holidays. Dial the same main number and press the option to page an “on call” provider for assistance.

For routine prescription refills and scheduling followup or well child visits follow the prompts on our phone system.  Using these mailboxes rather than the “sick child” nurse line allows us to return all calls most efficiently.

What are my confidentiality rights as a teenager?

Teens age 14 and over have the right to confidential care around sexual health and contraception, substance  abuse counseling and treatment and mental health care, as well as other care in the case of a medical emergency. This means that health care providers are not allowed to share information about these issues without the teen’s permission.  There are some rare exceptions to this including when a teen is a danger to themselves or others, or a crime is suspected to have been committed.  Our providers will always encourage teens to have open communication with their parent/guardian, but we respect their rights to seek care confidentially.

Our Pediatric Providers