Redbird Pediatrics

01/26/2026

We will continue to monitor the roads and make a decision on if we can open for the afternoon around 11 AM. A provider is on call if you have urgent questions. If you have an appointment this afternoon, please send us a message and let us know if you would like to keep it or have it rescheduled.

01/06/2026

We are having computer issues. Some patients are receiving a message that their appointments have been canceled. Any patient that was originally on Melissa Thole’s schedule has been transferred to Katie Conkling’s schedule for the same time and date, but has NOT been canceled. You do not need to worry or call.

Melissa NP is no longer at Redbird Pediatrics because she started a new chapter in adult wellness care. Katie NP joined our practice in January. Welcome! 🤗

We are sorry for any confusion and inconvenience. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

01/05/2026

01/01/2026

12/10/2025

We are excited to announce the newest addition to our Redbird Family: Katherine (Katie) Conkling, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. She will be joining our practice in January.

Katie grew up in Glen Carbon, IL and obtained her Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College in 2013. She worked at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital for 5 years on the Infant/Toddler Medical/Surgical unit. During that time she became a Certified Pediatric Nurse. She completed her Masters of Science in Nursing, focusing on Pediatric Primary Care, from Maryville University in 2017.

She is board-certified by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB). Katie has been practicing as a primary care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in Illinois since 2019.

Katie resides in Illinois with her husband Ben, their daughter Bailey, and their son Grayson. She enjoys spending time with her family, listening to music, being outside, and swimming in their pool!

12/05/2025

A statement from more than 40 leading medical, health and patient advocacy organizations in response to this week’s ACIP meeting:

"We are deeply alarmed by the actions taken this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The apparent goal of this meeting was to sow doubt in vaccines rather than advance sound vaccine policy, and we will all pay a price for that.

This is a significant departure from the historic role ACIP has played in shaping vaccine policy in the United States. Previously, we could expect science to drive decisions, experts to debate evidence, and consensus to lead to shared, clear recommendations. That is not the case with the current committee, and this change puts Americans’ health at risk.

The evidence remains clear: the hepatitis B birth dose is safe and an essential component in helping children develop immunity against a serious, potentially lifelong disease. In fact, since the U.S. implemented the hepatitis B birth dose in 1991, annual hepatitis B infections among infants and children have dropped 99%, from 16,000 to less than 20. This progress is directly attributable to timely vaccination.

ACIP’s actions will harm children, their families and the medical professionals who care for them. That is why we are joining together to speak up. American families deserve information grounded in science and clear, consistent guidance – not speculation intended to scare them. We urge the CDC leaders to reject ACIP’s new recommendation and instead retain the current, evidence-based approach.”

Read the full statement: https://bit.ly/4a0EyFN

11/22/2025