Children's Health Care 257 Low Street, Newburyport, MA 01950

"Adore the providers at Children's Healthcare! Also really love that they allow walk-in 8-9 (sick-call) Mon-Sun and love that they’re open Mon-Sun! Huge huge help and brings great confidence without having to go to urgent care!!"

"Our kids have been patients of Children's Health Care for 18 + years and we continue to be grateful for the personalized care this practice provides. Dr. Riccardi delivers such individualized attention to her patients and delivers the highest stand of care. She connects with the kids and listens to the parents. Dee & Kristin, as well as everyone at check in are kind, compassionate, and took our needs seriously. What more could you ask for?! We are lucky to have this gem of a practice in our home town. (And a big shoutout to Dr. Sheehan as well!). THANK YOU, Children's Health Care!"

"I wrote this on august 3 in the note section of my phone and never posted it. But I’m posting it today. Childrens health care I’m going to start off by saying the first 2-3 years of coming here with my daughter I really had nothing but good things to say. I understand that COVID has been a scary and different experience for everyone especially health care workers. As a young mom during the pandemic I followed the rules - vaccinated, masks and lots of tests on my little ones. Once I had my second child, I felt like the novelty wore off. My second child had constant double ear infections all the while two people in my immediate family were sick with glioblastoma and COPD. My head was spinning as a mom - and every time I left CHS I felt a lack of empathy (unless my visit was with Terry. She was very sweet to me and my kids.) Our doctor made me feel stupid for not remembering exact dates of appointments (scheduled or rescheduled) for specialists like the eye doctor and the ENT. I was in the office yesterday with kids (both with ear infections) because despite countless trips to the ENT and surgery for tubes, my son is still getting ear infections. While Dr. Thumser looked at my daughters ears my son jumped down and started to walk towards her stool “keep ____ germs over there” is what she said. And then the questioning whether I followed up was offensive to me. I’ve been back and forth between CHS and Anna Jacques ENT because of his ears and his chart alone should be able to show that I’ve been trying my best going back and forth on top of whatever else my family has been juggling (hospice, funerals, work - life.) Fast forward an hour - prescriptions were filled and I went to CVS were they told me amoxicillin was sold out in a 20 mile radius and to call our doctors back and ask if there was something else they could fill. Maybe I didn’t call the correct line. Kristin, the nurse that has been answering the nursing line - was rude, matter of fact and cold. Went to two different pharmacies with sick kids in tow for two different prescriptions for the kids. If she was nice on the phone I probably wouldn’t have cared. Her tone made it clear she was annoyed. As was mine by the end of the conversation. 5 years at CHS. It wasn’t all bad. But as a young, empathetic mom, I’m done here. Dr. Thumser and Kristin the nurse who answers the phone have left me in tears. I’m posting it now because I just called the nursing department again about why my daughter got sent home from pre school and I got nothing but attitude from Kristin. Again."

"I can't say enough good things about Dr. Lundgren and his staff. They have been kind and professional and I recommend him to parents looking for a qualified Pediatrician. However, I have had a few interactions with Dr. Thumser now that have been less than positive. To provide background, I am a Master's prepared RN with years of experience in both inpatient and outpatient settings (adult, family medicine, and cardiology settings). During sick call last year, she almost misdiagnosed my son's cellulitis from a bad vaccine until I pushed the issue (I've seen many patients with cellulitis in my work and his was down to his elbow from his deltoid muscle). Additionally, she never looked at his chart and referred to his other parent as my wife (We are a married male LGBTQ couple). I can accept a mistake but then she brushed it off and never apologized for it. Recently, she shamed me for coming to sick call because my son has been experiencing a cough x 4 weeks (which is not normal, and in my opinion, an acute illness since it hasn't been effectively resolved after multiple visits). I pulled him out of school for a normal visit for this prior to this but the directions I received were not helping and he has been missing sleep/not in optimal health and I didn't want him to miss school again. Her bedside manner needs an adjustment, and if she wants people to come to visits during business hours they need to offer more evening hours on the upper level for working parents and kids with busy schedules. Lastly, through years of Pediatric nursing experience, as a nurse you learn to listen to parents concerns as they know their children best. She has a very inflated opinion of herself and doesn't seem to practice this. I will continue to come to this practice because I love the care my son gets from Dr. Lundgren but I will be very careful of coming if she is covering."

"Great doctors. Unfortunately, 7:45 morning sick call requires arriving at 7:25 or so to be 1st in line. Also be careful there's a Low St AND a High St entrance. Great doctors and kind reception staff. Great practice."