Please click on one of the names below to learn more about them!
  | Jennifer Polley
MD, FAAP | | James Miller
MD, FAAP | | Joseph Wiley
MD, FAAP | | Jemima H. Tso
MD, FAAP | | Lily L. Lo
MD, FAAP | | Jennifer Caserta
MD, FAAP | | Dana Shepherd
ARNP, CPNP | | Jaime Plewa
ARNP, CPNP | | Aaron Dalan
MD | | Bethany Hamm
ARNP, CPNP | | Shai Bynum
ARNP, CPNP | | Sandy Fick, RN
Weight Management Nurse | | Richard Crabbe, MD
Psychiatry | | Allergy & Immunology | | Cardiology | | Staff Information | | Our Office Dogs |
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 One of the first things you may notice when you enter Northwest Pediatric Center is that we have dogs in the clinic area. It started with a Puppy-In-Training, which Dr. Lo was raising to become a Seeing Eye Dog. The puppy was an immediate hit with the kids, who started asking for her to sit with them during immunizations and blood draws. Then we started noticing normally shy and reticent children coming out of their shells once they began playing with the dog. Soon patients and parents began asking for the dog to come into the exam room with them.
It's not surprising really because animal-assisted activities and animal-assisted therapy have proven to be powerful adjuncts to healing, particularly when it comes to children. Having a soft, furry animal to touch and hold can significantly decrease stress in a child who wouldn't normally want to come to the doctor's office. Now they actually look forward to it! In addition, the temperaments of our office dogs are extremely forgiving, sweet, and calm, so they're the perfect practice partners to help your child learn important pet manners and how to interact with others animals safely.
So that's why we have dogs in the clinic. Here are the ones you and your children may meet:
SOPHIE, an extremely gentle 5-year old Yellow Lab, belongs to Dr. Polley. You can usually find Sophie in the Centralia office, curled up on a bench in one of the exam rooms or lying in the hallway, waiting for someone to pet her.
DAPHNE, a 5-year old Black Lab, belongs to Dr. Lo. Daphne, a former Guide-Dog-In-Training, changed careers and now serves as one of our office dogs. She is extremely mellow and calm and loves infants and toddlers. She can just melt you with those soulful brown eyes.
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