Tennessee Valley Pediatrics

02/11/2026

Expecting a little one soon? We'd love to answer your questions! It's okay to come by yourself or bring a partner/friend! We will talk about basic newborn care, breast-feeding and bottle feeding, what to expect and so much more. Each new mom who attends is entered to win a prize. You will leave with information and goodies! Sign up here:https://forms.gle/yA49jsBgEdgicM4j6

02/06/2026

School routines sometimes suck the life right out of us! Making sure backpacks are gone through, homework is done, forms are signed, kids are in bed at a decent hour and off their phones, kids are up and getting ready, hair is brushed, teeth are brushed, breakfast is fixed or we leave early enough to eat it at school, lunch is taken care of either packed or money in an account.

Dr. Melvin and Karmen once showed up to school with a kindergartner with no shoes! He said in the drop off line that he couldn't get out of the car-we asked why-he said because my shoes are at home🫣😳

We hear you! We see you! We all have the same struggles!

01/27/2026

We love Reach Out and Read - Alabama! Together, we provide new age-appropriate books for every child at their check-ups from 6 months through age 6. Help us wish them a very happy 20th anniversary!

01/27/2026

All Clinics will open at 8am on Tuesday, except the Adolescent Clinic, which will remain closed until Wednesday. Please be safe driving. Less traveled roads are still icy in places!

01/26/2026

Are your kids stuck inside and bored? Are they driving you crazy? It's easy to turn to screens on days like this. However, our pediatric providers encourage hands-on activities that are fun and bring families together to make lasting memories. We found these creative winter activities online and tweaked them a little. We did include a movie day because sometimes a screen is okay with snuggles, especially if your family has one of the bugs going around. We'd love to hear what fun thing you're doing today!

01/26/2026

Please call on Tuesday, and we will get you rescheduled! We want to keep our patients and staff safe. Our after hours number is 256-381-9350 if you need to speak to a provider.

01/25/2026

Welcome to Alabama where the weather is all over the place!  Although the roads seem to be better this morning, we are worried about the rapidly dropping temperatures during clinic hours. Many of our staff and patients live in Russellville and Northern Laudadale County, and we want to make sure they can get home safely. Remember that we always have a provider on call. For after hours advice and care, please call us at 256-381-9350.

01/24/2026

01/23/2026

Dr. Maxie wants snow this weekend! Drop a winter emoji if you hope it snows too!

01/23/2026

Repost from last year! It's that time of year!

Let's talk cold and car seats. Winter coats and thick clothing should not be worn in car seats underneath the car seat harness because they leave the harness too loose to be effective in a crash.

For Babies: Keeping babies warm in the winter takes a little extra effort, from the tiny gloves and hats to blankets and layers. You can tuck a blanket around your child in their car seat, or purchase the cover, fitted blanket, or canopy designed and tested by your car seat manufacturer for your specific model.

Warm pajamas are an easy go-to for babies, especially the type with convertible footies that can be folded over. Just make sure there’s no bunched-up fabric that might prevent the buckle from fastening correctly.

For Toddlers and Older Children
The backward coat trick is a parenting hack. After securing them in the car seat, turn the coat around and put it on backward (with arms through the armholes), so the coat serves as a blanket resting on top of the harness.

Dress children in layers, such as a “base” layer with cold-proof gear, followed by a sweatshirt. You can also look for fleece zip-up jackets that offer warmth without bulk.

As always, make sure your car seat is installed in a backseat per the manufacturers directions. We want these babies to stay warm, but we also want them to stay safe!

(Picture is Parker, one of the Melvin-Somers grandchildren. This was the best face he was offering last night!)

01/22/2026

Some words of wisdom from Amanda Hill, CRNP who has taken care of children with ADHD for over a decade! As the school year winds down, we get many calls from parents worried about their child's grades. Don't wait until the last grading period. Call us today and let us help your family. Our providers at TVP can test, diagnose and follow up with medication and/or therapy.