Dear SBP Families,

We are excited to share a few important updates regarding after-hours care, including weekends.

Earlier this year, we partnered with a high-quality dedicated nurse answering service to support our families during evenings and weekends. This team helps triage calls and provide guidance for non-urgent concerns, while all emergent issues (requiring ER referral) continue to be directed to our on-call physicians for timely care and support.

Our Saturday urgent office hours remain unchanged – 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. Appointments are scheduled by phone on Saturday morning starting at 9 am, and are reserved for urgent concerns, such as fever in young children, wheezing, or required follow-up for illnesses evaluated earlier in the week. To ensure our weekend team can focus on these time-sensitive needs, we kindly ask that medication refills, chronic or non-urgent concerns be addressed during regular weekday hours (Monday-Friday).

We understand that you may have important health concerns that arise after our office closes on Saturday. We are pleased to introduce self-scheduled Sunday telemedicine appointments, available from 8:30–10:00 am. These visits can be conveniently booked online via the patient portal (not by phone or through our nurse answering service) and are ideal for concerns such as pink eye, rashes, and other non-emergent issues that would benefit from timely evaluation by our physician on call. We will adjust this time frame as needed.

As always, our goal is to provide accessible, high-quality care for your family. Please reach out to our office with any questions you may have.

Dear SBP Families,

Today, we received news from the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) that the state confirmed its first case of measles since 2021. According to DPH, the patient is an unvaccinated Fairfield County child under the age of 10, who recently travelled internationally and began showing symptoms of measles infection a few days later.

Measles is a highly contagious airborne disease caused by a virus that spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes, or coughs.

The MMR vaccine is highly effective at preventing measles. It is routinely administered at 12–15 months of age, with a second dose at 4–6 years. While it can be given as early as 6 months in specific circumstances—such as upcoming international travel—there has been no change in the routine vaccination schedule at this time. If state guidance evolves, we will notify the practice immediately and make adjustments accordingly.

For information from AAP/HealthyChildren.org, click here. For more information from CT DPH, click here.

If you believe your child has measles, or has been exposed to measles infection, please call our office for guidance and next steps – (203) 363-0123.

Sound Beach Pediatrics has upheld a clear and unwavering vaccination policy since our practice opened, grounded in the evidence-based recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics. We know that vaccines save lives and protect our entire community. Thank you for continuing to entrust us with your children’s care and for keeping up with their routine vaccinations. Your partnership helps us keep all families safe.