Family Wellness, M.D.

04/03/2024

Farewell letter from our Nurse Practitioner,
Rachel Poage.

01/16/2024

Hello Family Wellness Family! Do not forget to pick up your lost items from our lost and found at your next visit! Stay warm!

01/30/2023

We did it!
We have officially moved!

Our new address:
3625 Savannah Place Suite 101A-B
Duluth, GA 30096

We can't wait to see you there.

01/02/2023

Hello Family Wellness Family!

It's been a long time since I have posted on Facebook. We have been busy! We have been trying to find ways to provide the same great care and service to your family in a bigger and better way.
So with that being said:

We are moving!!

Our new address will be 3625 Savannah Pl, Duluth GA 30096

We will start seeing you children in our new office on
January 31, 2023.

We can't wait to see you there!

06/25/2022

June25, 2022

The development of every child is important to their health and wellness. There are important milestones that every child needs to meet throughout their life. If milestones are not met in an appropriate timeframe, action should be taken in order to give the child the framework needed for success.
At Family Wellness MD we take the development of each of our children seriously which is why we ask for parental involvement in completing developmental assessment forms. We now have a new system called CHADIS. With our new system, we are able to send an email with the developmental forms 1-2 weeks prior to your child's appointment for you to complete at home. But no worries, if you don't get the email, we can use a QR code to send the forms to your phone for you to complete while you are in our office for your child's appointment.
Another way to follow your child's development is through a new app by the CDC called Milestones. The app will allow you to follow your child's development, keep notes for questions or observations and will give you Tips and Activities to do with your child.
If you have questions about any of the new developmental tools at our office please give us a call.

04/24/2022

Hello Family Wellness Family!

I am so happy to bring you good news of the new addition to our staff. I am happy to welcome Barbara Richardson, our new on site nutritionist.

She is offering services in our office in Friday mornings 1-2 times per month.

If your child has a diagnosis of picky eater, failure to thrive, underweight or obesity, call our office to schedule an appointment.
If you have questions about your child’s nutrition and would like to schedule an appointment, please call and speak with our staff.

Please help me in welcoming her to our office.

01/17/2022

Due to inclement weather, our office will be closed for the AM session on 1/17/22. Please contact our office after 1:40 PM if you have any question or concerns.

10/30/2021

Hello everyone. It is with a heavy heart that I bring you this message from our beloved nurse practitioner Ms. Maggie. We are going to miss her dearly.

Goodbye Family Wellness ..... A Note from Ms. Maggie

My family and I moved earlier this year to a new home. Because of this, I have made the difficult decision to leave Family Wellness and be closer to home. I will miss all of you dearly!
As a Family Nurse Practitioner, it has been a privilege to be a part of your family's health and wellness journey. I am so very grateful for the trust you placed in me, to care for your children through joyful milestones, croupy coughs and boo boos! It has been a blessing to watch your little ones grow, and your families too. I wish you all much happiness and many blessings in the years to come. I know you will continue to be well cared for by Dr. Hodge-Spears and her wonderful staff.
Wishing you the very best!
Ms.Maggie (Mary Magdalena Symonette FNP-C)

10/02/2021

https://www.facebook.com/gabfpeds/posts/160255922944246

The Georgia Breastfeeding-Friendly Pediatrician Certification Program is proud to introduce our program participants. Each of these physicians have chosen to undergo a period of evaluation and study, in order to be better advocates and resources for breastfeeding families in Georgia. Their participation is a sign of their commitment to the promotion and support of breastfeeding and the use of human milk for infant feeding.

Dr. Kimberly Hodge-Spears is a general pediatrician located at Family Wellness MD in Berkeley Lake Georgia. Dr. Spears has over 20 years of experience in pediatric medicine. When asked about her participation in the program, she said, "I chose to be a participant in the Breastfeeding-Friendly Certificate program so that I can learn as much as possible about breastfeeding and how I can support the mother and infants in my practice. I believe breastfeeding is the best way to feed infants and some mothers struggle unnecessarily and end their breastfeeding journey early due to lack of support.
Breastfeeding is important because it offers proven benefits for children.

As a pediatrician, my main objective is to make sure children have the best nutrition and best start to their lives and breastfeeding is the best way to start their journey. It helps with bonding between baby and mother and is convenient and cost-effective.

The pediatrician is the first line of support for families after they leave the hospital. Often times, parents respect and follow the advice of their pediatricians so if we stress the importance of breastfeeding, they will often make efforts to maintain healthy breastfeeding habits."

Learn more about Dr. Spears at: https://www.familywellnessmd.com/about.

08/08/2021

Hello Family Wellness Family!

I hope everyone is doing well.

We have a new app available through Healow that I would like to tell you about. The app is called Healow Kids. I have made a short tutorial about the app and I have detailed some of the more important features of the app in the video below.
I hope the video is helpful for you. It will provide a better way to stay informed of your child's medical information.
The app is an optional feature of our office medical records portal that is available for you if you desire.
Please let us know if you need help setting up your child's portal account. We are happy to help in getting you going with the app.

P.S. The app code is HGHCCD.

06/20/2021

June 19, 2021

Fathers are so important to the development and love in every child's life. From the rough and tumble play to the strength and direction that fathers bring to lives of their children, it must be said; fathers are awesome.

I am always so pleased to see fathers at the office visits with their kids. There are fathers with presence and very few words and there are fathers that have a multitude of insight and questions. There are fathers that brave an office visit on their own and act as videographers as they hold the camera of their phone to show their wives all the details of the visit. There are also the fathers that call their wives during the visit to make sure they haven't forgotten any important details.

Fathers are important and a father's love and care for their children is irreplaceable.

I am so proud of the fathers that come into our office. They are an important part of the family in Family Wellness MD.

Thank you to all of the fathers out there.

Happy Father's Day!

Dr. Hodge-Spears and Family Wellness MD staff

05/09/2021

As I reflect on Mother’s Day this year, my thoughts are drawn to the sacrifices we make as mothers. No matter where on the earth you may have been for the past 15 months or so, we have all experienced something we have never experienced in our lifetime.
We may have had the privilege of spending more quality time with our household family members.
We may have suffered a job loss, watched as our partners lost their jobs or had unexpected changes in our living circumstances.
And unfortunately for some of use, we may have lost a loved one.
Despite how the last year may gone, I am reminded everyday of the love of mothers; the dedication of a mother to her child.
Even in sometimes difficult circumstances, most mothers do their very best to make sure their children are loved and well cared for.
I am so proud of the mothers I interact with every day. They are concerned parents wanting the very best health for their child. They are the best advocates for their child and they seek the knowledge to provide life long wellness and longevity for their sons and daughters.
So, on this Mother’s Day, I salute all of our mothers at Family Wellness MD.
I salute their strength, tenacity, willingness to do their best and most of all, the love they have for their children.

Happy Mother’s Day
Dr. Hodge-Spears and Family Wellness Staff