Sick today?
Phones open at 7:30am and we hold same-day slots at every clinic. Saturday mornings at Ingersoll are sick visits only.
Des Moines · West Des Moines · Ankeny
Small people deserve unhurried doctors.
Pediatric primary care from the first weigh-in to the last physical before college, in three clinics built around toddlers rather than around a waiting room television.
- Newborn visit within 48 hours of discharge
- Same-day sick slots at all three clinics
- A pediatric nurse answers the line, 24 hours
Newborn visits within 48 hours
Start a request
Two questions here, the rest on the next page. We call you back within one business day, and the same morning for newborns.
or call (515) 555-0186
If this is a medical emergency, or your child is struggling to breathe, unresponsive, having a seizure, or badly injured, call 911 now. Call 911.
Newborn in 48 hours
Call us from the postpartum floor. We book the first weight check before you are discharged.
Newborn careNurse line, 24 hours
A pediatric nurse works through real triage protocols with you, at 2am on a Sunday if that is when it happens.
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The visit schedule, birth to 21
The AAP Bright Futures periodicity schedule, as we actually run it. Each visit has its own job.
- 3 to 5 daysWeight, jaundice, feeding, newborn screen resultsScreening: Transcutaneous bilirubin, weight trendUsually due: Hepatitis B if not given at birth
- 1 monthWeight gain, sleep position, parent moodScreening: Edinburgh Postnatal Depression ScaleUsually due: Hepatitis B dose 2
- 2 monthsSocial smile, tummy time, feeding volumesScreening: Growth, EPDSUsually due: DTaP, IPV, Hib, PCV20, rotavirus
- 4 monthsRolling, drooling, sleep consolidationScreening: Growth, EPDSUsually due: DTaP, IPV, Hib, PCV20, rotavirus
- 6 monthsStarting solids, teething, early peanut introductionScreening: Growth, EPDSUsually due: DTaP, IPV, Hib, PCV20, rotavirus, first influenza
- 9 monthsSitting, babbling, object permanence, home safetyScreening: ASQ-3, vision photoscreenUsually due: Influenza if due
- 12 monthsFirst steps, whole milk, first dental homeScreening: Hemoglobin, lead, ASQ if flaggedUsually due: MMR, varicella, hepatitis A, Hib, PCV20
- 15 monthsWords, tantrums, weaning from the bottleScreening: Growth, oral healthUsually due: DTaP, boosters as due
- 18 monthsPointing, pretend play, language explosionScreening: ASQ-3 and M-CHAT-R/FUsually due: Hepatitis A dose 2
- 24 monthsTwo-word phrases, BMI begins, toilet learningScreening: M-CHAT-R/F, lead, BMIUsually due: Influenza annually
- 30 monthsSpeech intelligibility, play with other childrenScreening: ASQ-3Usually due: Catch-up as needed
- 3 to 6 yearsSchool readiness, vision, hearing, blood pressureScreening: Acuity, audiometry, blood pressure percentileUsually due: DTaP, IPV, MMR, varicella at 4 to 6
- 7 to 10 yearsSports, screen time, friendships, puberty questionsScreening: Lipid panel once between 9 and 11, BMIUsually due: Influenza annually
- 11 to 14 yearsConfidential time begins, sleep, mood, sportsScreening: PHQ-9 modified for adolescents, SCARED, scoliosisUsually due: Tdap, MenACWY, HPV series
- 15 to 21 yearsIndependence, driving, transition to adult careScreening: Depression, substance use, lipid panel once at 17 to 21Usually due: MenACWY booster at 16, MenB shared decision
General information, not medical advice. It is not tailored to your child and it does not replace a visit.
- 11Years caring for Des Moines familiesSince 2014
- 6Clinicians across three clinicsAll board certified
- 48hNewborn visit after dischargeSample service standard
- 24/7Pediatric nurse lineA nurse, not a call centre
03Niche tool
Growth percentiles and milestones, by age
Pick an age band to see how we plot growth at that visit, what most children can do, what we screen for and the handful of things that mean call us.
2 months · 8 weeks
The first visit where the growth curve has enough points to have a shape. Most of this visit is feeding, sleep position and the first big vaccine set.
How we plot growth
- Charts usedWHO 0 to 24 months
- Typical gainAbout 25 to 30 g a day
- Head circumferenceMeasured and plotted every visit
- LengthMeasured lying down on a length board
Most children can
Social
- Calms when picked up or spoken to
- Looks at your face
- Smiles when you talk to or smile at them
Language
- Makes sounds other than crying
- Reacts to loud sounds
Cognitive
- Watches you as you move
- Looks at a toy for several seconds
Movement
- Holds head up when on tummy
- Moves both arms and both legs
- Opens hands briefly
What we check at this visit
- Naked weight, length and head circumference plotted together
- Red reflex, hip stability and femoral pulses
- Feeding history and output
- Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale for the parent in the room
Tell us if
- Does not respond to loud sounds
- Does not watch things as they move
- Does not bring hands to mouth
- Cannot hold head up when pushing up on tummy
None of these means something is wrong. They mean book a visit so we can look properly.
9 months · 9 months
The first formal developmental screening visit. We run the ASQ-3, check the hemoglobin drawn at 12 months is planned, and talk about the household becoming mobile.
How we plot growth
- Charts usedWHO 0 to 24 months
- Weight rule of thumbMost babies have roughly doubled birth weight by 4 to 5 months and tripled it by 12
- Crossing percentilesCommon between 6 and 18 months as babies settle onto their own curve
- Screen usedASQ-3 at 9, 18 and 30 months
Most children can
Social
- Is shy or clingy with strangers
- Shows several facial expressions
- Reacts when you leave
Language
- Makes different sounds like mamamama and babababa
- Lifts arms up to be picked up
Cognitive
- Looks for objects when dropped out of sight
- Bangs two things together
Movement
- Sits without support
- Moves things from one hand to the other
- Rakes food toward self
What we check at this visit
- ASQ-3 developmental screen scored in the room
- Instrument-based photoscreening for vision
- Oral exam and fluoride varnish
- Home safety: stairs, outlet covers, window cords, water temperature
Tell us if
- Does not sit with support
- Does not babble
- Does not respond to their own name
- Does not transfer toys from one hand to the other
None of these means something is wrong. They mean book a visit so we can look properly.
18 months · 18 months
The densest visit of the toddler years. ASQ-3, M-CHAT-R/F autism screening, a long vaccine list and the beginning of real language.
How we plot growth
- Charts usedWHO 0 to 24 months
- AppetiteSlows sharply around 12 to 18 months. This is normal and not a feeding failure
- Head circumferenceLast routine plot at 24 months
- Screens usedASQ-3 and M-CHAT-R/F
Most children can
Social
- Moves away from you but checks back
- Points to show you something interesting
- Helps you dress them
Language
- Tries to say three or more words besides mama and dada
- Follows one-step directions without a gesture
Cognitive
- Copies you doing chores
- Plays with toys in a simple way, like pushing a toy car
Movement
- Walks without holding on
- Scribbles
- Drinks from a cup without a lid
- Feeds self with fingers
What we check at this visit
- M-CHAT-R/F, with the structured follow-up interview for medium-risk scores
- ASQ-3 across five domains
- Lead screening reviewed (Iowa recommends 12 and 24 months)
- Fluoride varnish and a first dental home discussion
Tell us if
- Does not point to show you things
- Does not walk
- Does not copy others
- Loses skills they once had
None of these means something is wrong. They mean book a visit so we can look properly.
2 to 3 years · 24 to 36 months
Language should be taking off. We switch from WHO to CDC charts at 24 months and start plotting BMI.
How we plot growth
- Charts usedCDC 2 to 20 years from 24 months
- New measureBMI percentile begins at age 2
- HeightMeasured standing from 24 months, which usually reads shorter than lying down
- Screen usedASQ-3 at 30 months
Most children can
Social
- Notices when others are hurt or upset
- Plays alongside and sometimes with other children
Language
- Says about 50 words by 24 months
- Uses two-word phrases by 24 months
- Is understood by a stranger about half the time at 2 and most of the time at 3
Cognitive
- Uses switches, knobs and buttons on a toy
- Plays with more than one toy at the same time
Movement
- Kicks a ball
- Runs
- Walks up a few stairs with or without help
- Eats with a spoon
What we check at this visit
- BMI percentile plotted and explained
- Blood pressure annually from age 3 with a correctly sized cuff
- Speech intelligibility to a stranger, which is a better screen than word count
- Screen time, sleep routine and toilet learning
Tell us if
- Fewer than 50 words at 24 months
- No two-word phrases at 24 months
- A stranger cannot understand half of what they say at 3
- Loses skills they once had
None of these means something is wrong. They mean book a visit so we can look properly.
4 to 6 years · School entry
The kindergarten readiness window. Vision and hearing testing become formal, and the school entry paperwork starts.
How we plot growth
- Charts usedCDC 2 to 20 years
- Typical growthAbout 2 to 3 inches and 4 to 5 pounds a year
- BMIPlotted annually, interpreted by percentile not by number
- Adiposity reboundBMI normally reaches its lowest point around age 5 to 6 and then rises
Most children can
Social
- Follows rules in a simple game
- Comforts others who are hurt or sad
- Separates without distress
Language
- Tells a story with at least two events
- Answers simple questions about a book
- Says most sounds clearly
Cognitive
- Counts to ten
- Names some letters
- Writes some letters of their name
Movement
- Hops on one foot
- Buttons some buttons
- Holds a pencil between fingers and thumb
What we check at this visit
- Optotype visual acuity and audiometry
- Blood pressure percentile by age, sex and height
- Iowa vision screening certificate for kindergarten entry
- School readiness, sleep and the dental screening certificate deadline
Tell us if
- Speech that a teacher cannot understand
- Cannot hop or hold a pencil
- No interest in playing with other children
- Fails a school vision or hearing screen
None of these means something is wrong. They mean book a visit so we can look properly.
11 to 18 years · Adolescence
Growth becomes fast and uneven, confidentiality becomes real, and mental health screening becomes routine.
How we plot growth
- Charts usedCDC 2 to 20 years, plus Tanner staging
- Peak height velocityTypically around 11 to 12 in girls and 13 to 14 in boys
- ScoliosisForward bend test at the annual visit through the growth spurt
- Screens usedPHQ-9 modified for adolescents and SCARED, annually from 12
Most children can
Independence
- Manages their own medication with supervision
- Knows their own allergies and history
- Can describe their symptoms to a clinician
Mental health
- Has at least one trusted adult outside the home
- Sleeps 8 to 10 hours on school nights
- Has activities outside of school
Health behaviour
- Understands vaping and nicotine risk
- Knows what a concussion is and when to report one
- Has a plan for getting home safely
Transition
- Starts taking part of the visit alone from age 12
- Begins planning the move to adult care around 18 to 21
What we check at this visit
- Confidential time alone with the clinician from age 12
- Depression and anxiety screening, with safety planning where indicated
- Lipid screening once between 17 and 21
- Sports clearance and concussion history
Tell us if
- Any talk of self-harm, which we treat the same day
- A drop in school performance or withdrawal from friends
- No growth over a year during the expected growth spurt
- Fainting or chest pain with exercise
None of these means something is wrong. They mean book a visit so we can look properly.
General information, not medical advice. It is not tailored to your child and it does not replace a visit. Milestones describe what most children do by a given age, not a deadline.
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Your first visit, start to finish
Four steps. Nothing is a surprise and nothing waits on a fax machine.
- 01Call or request onlineTell us your child's age and what is going on. Newborns are booked the same day we hear from you.
- 02Paperwork before you arrivePortal invite, records release and the questionnaires for your child's age, sent 72 hours ahead.
- 03The visit itselfVitals and growth with the medical assistant, then a full exam and time to actually talk.
- 04Before you reach the carWritten summary, growth curve, any forms and the next appointment are already in the portal.
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A clinic built at toddler height
Sick and well hallways that do not cross. A quiet corner in every waiting room with no television in it. Steps up to the exam table so a four-year-old can climb up by themselves. Books at the front desk rather than a sign-in screen.
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Sensory-friendly appointments
Drag the handle to see the same exam room set up two different ways. None of this is expensive. It is scheduling attention, which is why so few practices do it.
Standard setup
Sensory-friendly setupWhat actually changes
- First or last appointment of the day, so the waiting room is nearly empty
- You wait in the car and we text when the room is ready
- Overhead fluorescents off, lamp lighting only
- Noise-reducing headphones and a weighted lap pad available in the room
- The same room and, wherever the schedule allows, the same nurse each time
- A written or picture sequence of exactly what will happen, sent to the portal the day before
- Nothing is done without a warning, including the blood pressure cuff
- Blood draws and vaccines are the last thing, never the first
Ask for a sensory-friendly appointment once and the flag stays on your child's chart. You do not need a diagnosis and you do not need to explain anything at the front desk.
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The Iowa forms desk
Four separate certificates, four different deadlines, one appointment.
- Iowa Certificate of ImmunizationEvery child entering an Iowa school or licensed childcarePrinted while you wait
- Dental screening certificateKindergarten entry and ninth grade entrySame visit if a qualifying screening has been done
- Vision screening certificateKindergarten and third gradeSame visit
- IHSAA and IGHSAU sports physicalEvery student athlete in Iowa high school sportsSame visit when the form is uploaded in advance
- Medication at school authorizationInhalers, epinephrine, insulin, stimulants and daily medicinesTwo business days
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Referrals that close the loop
A referral is not finished until the specialist's letter is in the chart and one of us has read it.
- 01We decide together that a specialist helpsNot every problem needs one. When we refer, we tell you the specific question we are asking the specialist to answer, so the visit is not a fishing trip.
- 02Prior authorization, before you are bookedOur referral coordinator checks whether your plan requires authorization and submits it. We do this before you are given an appointment, so nobody turns up to a visit that will not be covered.
- 03Records go with the referral, not after itGrowth charts, relevant labs, imaging reports, medication history and our actual clinical question are sent with the referral. Specialists see children faster when the packet is complete.
- 04You get the appointment and the prepWe call you with the date, the address, what to bring and whether your child needs to fast or hold a medication. Anything that needs to be stopped before testing is written down.
- 05The loop gets closedA referral is not finished until the specialist's letter is in your child's chart and one of our clinicians has read it. Open referrals are reviewed weekly and chased.
- 06We take the care backFor most conditions the specialist sets the plan and we run it: refills, monitoring labs, school forms and the next review. You should not need a specialist appointment for a routine refill.
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Six clinicians, all board certified
Tap a portrait for what each of them actually spends their week doing.
Work here
Thirty-minute well visits, a real lunch break, and nobody is asked to run two rooms at once. We are hiring a pediatric RN and a float MA.
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Around the clinics
Waiting rooms, play corners and the sprout motif that gave us the name.
- Play wall, Ingersoll
- Wooden toys, Ankeny
The sprout motif
Play corner, Jordan Creek
Toddler blocks, Ingersoll
Waiting room, Ankeny
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Where Little Sprouts families live
Three clinics cover the metro from Beaverdale to Bondurant. Most families are inside fifteen minutes of one of them.
- Beaverdale
- Sherman Hill
- Drake
- Waveland Park
- South of Grand
- West Des Moines
- Clive
- Waukee
- Urbandale
- Windsor Heights
- Ankeny
- Johnston
- Polk City
- Bondurant
- Altoona
- Grimes
- Norwalk
- Pleasant Hill
Not on the list? We take families from across Polk, Dallas and Warren counties. Call and ask.
Clinic hours and directions
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The whole childhood schedule, in stock
Every vaccine on the ACIP child and adolescent schedule is stocked at all three clinics, so nobody has to drive somewhere else. We are a Vaccines for Children provider, and catch-up plans use the ACIP catch-up schedule rather than starting over.
- Nurse-only vaccine visits, no full appointment needed
- Iowa immunization certificate printed while you wait
- Questions about spacing get a conversation, not a leaflet
General information, not medical advice. It is not tailored to your child and it does not replace a visit.
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From the health library
Plain language, written by the people who see your children.
- Sick care · 7 min read
Fever in children: what actually matters
August 18, 2026 · Dr. Priya Raghunathan - Growth and development · 6 min read
Reading a growth chart without panicking
July 22, 2026 · Dr. Priya Raghunathan - School and sports · 5 min read
How to survive the Iowa school forms season
June 9, 2026 · Ava Lindqvist, CPNP-PC - Behavior and development · 6 min read
What a sensory-friendly appointment looks like
May 14, 2026 · Dr. Samuel Kaufman
12What parents say
“Dr. Kaufman ordered a hearing test before anything else. It came back abnormal. Two years of school notes suddenly made sense.”
More parent reviews
“The action plan is one page and our school nurse actually accepted it. First winter in three years without a hospital trip.”
Aisha Nourani, Clive · Asthma and allergy
“Called at 7:32am, seen at 9:15am, strep result before we left. Parking is tight at pickup time, which is the only reason this is not five stars.”
Dana Whitcomb, Urbandale · Same-day sick visits
“Uploaded the IHSAA form the night before and walked out with it signed. Took ten minutes off the whole summer.”
Elliot Farkas, Johnston · School and sports physicals
“The weighted feed told us in one number what four weeks of guessing had not. My supply was fine. The latch was not.”
Grace Oyelaran, West Des Moines · Feeding and lactation
“Same pediatrician since my eldest was three days old. She remembers things about my kids I have forgotten.”
Ruth Kaminski, Beaverdale · Well-child visits
“I had real questions about spacing. Instead of a leaflet I got twenty minutes and a straight answer. We vaccinated on schedule.”
Owen Delacroix, Waukee · Immunizations
“First appointment of the day, lights off, headphones ready, and the picture sequence in the portal the night before. He walked in by himself.”
Priscilla Hammond, Altoona · Sensory-friendly visits
“The nurse line told us to go straight to the emergency department rather than wait for a clinic slot. She was right.”
Jonas Ahlberg, Polk City · Same-day sick visits
“Jaundice level checked in clinic instead of a drive to the hospital lab. We had the number in fifteen minutes.”
Lindiwe Mbeki, Grimes · Newborn care
Pick up the phone. We answer.
A pediatric nurse answers our line 24 hours a day, every day. Not a call centre, not a voicemail box, not a menu tree.
(515) 555-0186If this is a medical emergency, call 911 instead. Do not wait on our line.
- Ingersoll(515) 555-01864120 Ingersoll Avenue, Des MoinesMonday to Thursday: 7:30am to 6:00pm
- Jordan Creek(515) 555-01876420 Coachlight Drive, West Des MoinesMonday to Thursday: 8:00am to 6:00pm
- Ankeny(515) 555-01882205 SW Prairie Trail Parkway, AnkenyMonday to Thursday: 7:30am to 6:00pm