At Home with Coronavirus
We are in the midst of very difficult times. It is certainly inconvenient to stay home in lockdown during the current coronavirus pandemic, but please understand that it is absolutely necessary, and is the right thing to do to combat and control the spread of COVID-19. Stay home. Wash your hands frequently for 20 seconds (plain soap and water is preferred). Kids frequently put their fingers in their eyes, mouth and nose, so teach them proper hand hygiene as well. If you must leave the house, wear a mask and practice social distancing. Please call the office if your child is sick and/or you have questions. We can help you decide if he/she needs to come in. We also offer Telehealth visits. We do recommend that infants continue to come in for their routine visits and immunizations.

Can kids get COVID-19?
They can, but it is much less common in children, and is usually a mild illness. It is uncommon for kids to get severely ill or be hospitalized, and very rare to end up in the ICU.

Prevent Boredom
Children need a routine. Set up a healthy and productive daily schedule and post it on the refrigerator or other visible place. Include wake time, meal and snack times, learning time, play time, exercise, and bedtime. Have the kids help set up the schedule. If you are working from home, include the adults' work time on the schedule as well. Have dinner together as a family every night: eat, talk, discuss the day. It's a good idea to have a designated spot for school/learning. Sometimes a timer can be useful to warn children that it will soon be time to transition to the next activity. Have them help with the household chores. Set expectations. Communicate.

Formula Shortage
Given supply chain issues and formula recalls, it may be getting harder and harder for you to find the formula your child needs. If you are unable to find formula at your regular supplier try these alternatives: • Pharmacies, smaller grocery stores, large convenience stores, food banks • Call your local WIC office (supplemental nutrition for women, infants, and children) • Order online (but only from reputable sources) • Call your pediatrician office to see if they have samples available • Check with other parents, through local Mom's groups or social media, to see if they have unopened formula they no longer need. Never use anything that has been opened by someone else or is expired. • Most infants are on cow's milk formula and can usually switch to a similar product without any concerns. If your pediatrician or a GI specialist suggested a specific formula for your child, please contact them before switching. Do not: • Never water down the formula. Always make as directed by the manufacturer or your pediatrician. • Do not make your own formula at home. • Do not use toddler formulas if your child is under one year of age. They do not have the same nutrients. • Do not use animal milk or plant milk (cow, goat, almond, soy, etc). Infant digestive tracts are not ready for these and they do not have the necessary nutrients. Please do not hesitate to contact your pediatrician's office with questions about how to best feed your baby. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services also offers a Formula Fact Sheet with a list of manufacturer hotlines, community resources, and more.

Fall Sports - Middle and High School
Middle school and high school fall sports start mid August to early September. Get your DIAA (Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association) form completed for the 2022-23 school year any time after April 1, 2022. If your child has had a physical in the last year, you just need to fill out the parent portion of the DIAA form and drop it off to our office for completion. It may take up to a week for this to be done. If your child has NOT had a physical in the last year, then they will need to get scheduled for a physical as soon as possible - please call the office to set that appointment up.

Flu Vaccine
Beacon Pediatrics has available quadrivalent preservative-free flu shots. To schedule your flu vaccine, please call our office 302-645-8212. All of the providers at Beacon Pediatrics, STRONGLY RECOMMEND all patients age 6 months of age and older get their flu vaccine. Getting your flu vaccine this season during the COVID-19 pandemic is especially important to help protect your child from the flu. We are especially concerned about this upcoming respiratory season and want to have our patients as protected and prepared as they can be.

Meredith Luckenbaugh, MD, FAAP

I was born in Pensacola, Florida and moved to Lancaster County, PA when I was four years old. I grew up in Lancaster playing soccer and tennis, and went to undergraduate school at Messiah College near Harrisburg, PA. I played on the women's soccer team my first year, then played on the women's tennis team for my second, third, and fourth. I met my husband who played for the men's soccer team my first week at Messiah, and we have been together ever since.

After graduating in 2007, I started medical school at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA. I discovered my passion for pediatrics while rotating with pediatric surgery at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children during medical school. Before this rotation, I was expecting to go into obstetrics and gynecology. After working with so many kids during my pediatric surgery rotation, my curiosity in pediatrics ignited. My rotation through pediatrics confirmed my new interest, and I realized that my purpose for going to medical school was to specialize in pediatric medicine.

My husband and I married between my first and second year of medical school, and spent the next three years commuting between Philadelphia and Baltimore where he was attending the University of Maryland Dental School in downtown Baltimore, MD. After completion of medical school in 2011, I moved to Baltimore to start my residency in pediatrics at the University of Maryland pediatric residency program, and will complete my training in June of 2014.

I loved my experience while working with University of Maryland Pediatrics. Now after three years of pediatric residency, I am thrilled to join the Beacon Pediatrics family. My husband, our dog Sophie, and I look forward to growing with you in the community.

Undergraduate Education:
Messiah College, 2007

Graduate Education:
Drexel University College of Medicine, 2011

Post-graduate Education:
University of Maryland General Pediatrics Residency Program, 2014

Board Certifications:
Board Eligible, General Pediatrics, October 2014