Tennessee Valley Pediatrics

09/30/2025

This is an Alabama law that all pediatricians must follow. We know it will be appreciated by many parents. We also know it might be an inconvenience for some of you who have been able to drop your children off for therapy and medical visits. Please feel free to call our office with questions.

09/27/2025

TVP's Ouchies & Oars are killing it this morning in the practice runs! We are all about having fun together while supporting our community! Come grab lunch at a food truck and watch the races at the Dragon Boat Festival!

09/25/2025

TVP is racing to raise money for Shoals Scholar Dollars!! Come watch us on Saturday at the Shoals Dragon Boat Festival!

09/24/2025

As your pediatricians, we want to set your mind at ease about the confusing information that has come out this week. Let's talk about correlation and causation. Think about ice cream and sunburns. If we did a study using these two variables, we would see that as ice cream sales go up in the summer, the incidences of sunburns also go up. We could say this is a correlation. However, once we control for the hot sun, it is obvious that the sun is the factor that makes both increase in the summer. It would be the causation.

There were in fact early studies that showed a correlation between pregnant mothers taking acetaminophen, a.k.a. Tylenol, and rates of autism. However, in a study of over 2 million children where this correlation was present, scientist also controlled for siblings (genetic factors), it was shown that genetic
factors were more likely to be the contributing factor, like the sun in a previous example.

Also remember that most women need to take acetaminophen at some point during pregnancy. It is their only safe option. Therefore, most women have taken acetaminophen; however, most children do not have autism.

Mamas, you do not have to tough it out. Taking acetaminophen for pain and fever during pregnancy is safer on the baby than the stress that the fever and pain put on your unborn baby. It is also our only safe option in babies less than six months old. And we all know how miserable those babies are when their fever goes up.

We can't set deadlines on scientific studies. That's not how science is performed. Most people agree that Dr. Melvin is brilliant, but you would not take him to represent you in court. Maybe we should think twice about letting politicians and attorneys decide how we care for our children. Talk to your pediatrician. We are here for you!

09/19/2025

This should not affect appointments or care at our office; however, it could affect the availability of medicines at the pharmacy tomorrow. Parents might want to make sure they grab any medicine prescribed today if possible.

The Alabama Medicaid System will be down Friday, September 19 from 6:00 p.m. until Monday, September 22, 6:00 a.m.

The downtime may affect your pharmacy’s ability to fill or refill your child’s prescription. Be Prepared To:
Show your child’s Medicaid Card
Pay out-of-pocket with cash or card if needed
Only get 2-3 days of the medication

For more information, visit Medicaid Alabama below:
https://medicaid.alabama.gov/alert_detail.aspx?ID=16623

09/12/2025

When thinking about su***de, risk factors are factors that can contribute to suicidal thoughts. Protective factors act as buffers against risk factors.  Unfortunately, we cannot put our kids in a bubble. Hard things happen. Let's be aware of what works against and what works in favor of our kids and as parents, guardians,  teachers, relatives, friends stay connected to them.

09/12/2025

09/12/2025

Su***de Prevention Week

09/12/2025

Check on your kids and talk to them to be sure they are processing tragedy in healthy ways. News is at our fingertips every minute and that is a lot even for adults.

09/10/2025

Su***de is very real to us at TVP. Rarely a week goes by without a parent calling with a child who has threatened or attempted su***de. We will be posting some information over the next couple of days for awareness and to help our families. Pay attention to your kids. Call if you need help.  As parents and guardians, we don't want to think about it, but the next child could be our child.

09/08/2025

This is her week!! Meggin believes in helping children with programs grounded in research. Lacking accessable resources for our patients, she and a team at our Adolescent Clinic have built our Healthy Futures program, which has shown measurable positive results. She's helping our children build a healthy future and, ultimately, changing the landscape of Alabama health. We are so proud of her and all of her hard work. She was chosen to speak at TedX Wilson Park on Friday. Our clinics will be closing for a longer lunch to attend and support her! This is what dedication looks like!

Meet Meggin Tallman! 👩‍⚕️

Family Nurse Practitioner serving rural Alabama communities with a passion that goes far beyond standard healthcare protocols.

Meggin specializes in pediatric care with a focus on childhood obesity, but her approach is revolutionary: she believes in individualistic care that meets families exactly where they are.

Working in rural communities has taught Meggin that one-size-fits-all healthcare solutions simply don't work. Cultural factors, economic realities, geographic challenges, and family dynamics all play crucial roles in health outcomes.

Her TEDxWilsonPark talk explores how healthcare providers can create more effective, compassionate care by abandoning rigid protocols in favor of personalized approaches that honor each family's unique circumstances. Meggin's work proves that when healthcare meets communities where they are, rather than where we think they should be, the results transform not just individual health, but entire community wellbeing.

Tag someone who works in healthcare or advocates for rural communities!