We have great news to share. Yesterday, September 11th 2025, the governor of Arizona, Katie Hobbs, signed an executive order to protect Covid vaccine availability for all Arizona residents who would like the vaccine. Her executive order acts as a "standing order" that will serve at the prescription for pharmacies to administer the vaccine. Her order also encourages health insurance providers to continue to cover Covid vaccines. However, this is not guaranteed so please check with your insurance prior to making an appointment with pharmacies. The Covid vaccine for children is not yet available in Arizona, but we anticipate it should be available in the next few weeks.

Many families are having questions regarding the new CDC recommendations for Covid vaccine for children. We understand the need for further guidance. We are still awaiting the information that will help us provide the best guidance for our families on the next steps. The American Academy of Pediatrics is continuing to recommend the Covid vaccine for all children 6 months or older. We are following the AAP vaccine recommendations and want to make sure that all families who would like to get the vaccine are able to. However, the pediatric Covid vaccine is not yet available in Arizona, and we are awaiting the official recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting that is expected to happen in the next few weeks. After this we should be able to help guide families on what the requirements will be to get the vaccine and where the vaccine will be available. Unfortunately, we will not be having the vaccine in the office this season. Continue to monitor this page as well as our social media for the most up to date information and recommendations on this and other vaccine changes. We look forward to guiding you through this process.

Jennifer Valentine has over 30 years of nursing experience in all areas of pediatrics. She completed her Masters in Nursing at ASU in 2002 with an emphasis in Pediatric Primary Care. She has been practicing as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in the Valley for over 23 years. She is bilingual in English and Spanish. In addition to primary care, she also has an interest in behavioral health and autism.

Keep your kids safe and healthy while enjoying the outdoors this summer! 🌞 From using sunscreen to staying hydrated, check out these simple tips can make a big difference. 🧴💧 Ensure your children have fun in the sun without the risks. Apply sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher liberally and frequently (every 2 hours). Seek shade and indoor activities in the hottest part of the day from 10am to 4pm (or 8 am to 6pm in Phoenix!) Don't wait for children to say they are thirsty. Offer hydration frequently. Also enjoy plenty of popsicles! Make sure your children are constantly supervised around water. Trade off on designated "water watchers" to allow everyone to take part in the fun. Keep your children away from burn hazards such as BBQ's, bonfires and fireworks. Enjoy the beauty of fireworks from at least 500 feet away. This will prevent burns and also help prevent potential hearing damage. Children should always wear helmets when riding bikes, all-terrain vehicles, scooters and skateboards.

We always knew they were the best and Phoenix magazine agrees with us. Congratulations to Drs. Padrez and Maiden on being named Phoenix magazine Top Doctors of 2025!

We are proud to announce that Drs. Padrez, Day and Maiden have been selected for the 2025 Castle Connolly Top Doctors List. We are so proud of their accomplishment and all of the amazing care they provide for our families.

We are so excited to welcome Dr. Bowen! She will be starting with us and accepting new patients in February. Call today to schedule with her and welcome her to our Pediatric Associates family! Check out her bio to find out more about our new team member.

Happy New Year! We will be open for sick visits only on New Year's Eve (December 31st) and closed on January 1st as our staff celebrates the coming of the new year. Please call first thing in the morning to on New Year's Eve if your child needs to be seen. We want to take this opportunity to wish you a healthy 2025 and look forward to seeing you in the office in the new year.

We will have a modified schedule this week as we celebrate the Christmas holiday. On Tuesday, December 24th we will be open for sick visits only. If you would like your child to be seen, please call our office in the morning to get scheduled. Please call our office on Monday or after the holiday for refill requests and other non-urgent matters. We will be closed on Christmas Day. We will resume our normal schedule on Thursday December 26th. We wish you a wonderful and safe holiday.

Our office will be closing at 2:30 pm this Wednesday, December 11th for our staff Christmas celebration. Please call the office early in the day for refills and questions or concerns. We will resume our normal business hours on Thursday.

We will have special holiday hours during the week of Thanksgiving.