Yearly Physicals 

 Even though we haven't finished the current school year, now is a good time to schedule your child's physical examination for the upcoming 2023-24 school year.   

The School Code of Illinois requires a Physical Exam on all children entering a public, private or parochial school for the following grade levels for the first time: 

       1) If they are entering Pre-Kindergarten,  Kindergarten, 6th, or 9th grade; 
       2) If they are new to the school district; 
       3) If they plan to play ANY sports during the school year. 

We suggest yearly examinations on all children regardless if they meet the criteria above.  Remember, sports physicals MUST be completed EVERY YEAR of competition by the FIRST day of practice.   

We cannot fill out forms for children not seen in our clinic for their physical. 

Please call our office at 815-609-KIDS (5437) to schedule your child's school physical today! 


Welcome to Our Practice

ABOUT US

Kids First Pediatrics offers comprehensive medical care for infants, children, adolescents and young adults. Located in the Plainfield Edward Hospital Medical Center, our staff works hard to make every visit to our office positive.

We believe exceptional care is obtained when there is an on–going relationship between the pediatrician, the patient and their family. We want to be lifelong partners in your child's health. 

When you choose Kids First Pediatrics, you can feel confident that you are teaming with knowledgeable, compassionate providers who have dedicated their careers to exceptional, patient–focused health care. 

OUR GOAL IS TO PARTNER WITH YOU.

Our five pediatric providers have different styles and personalities, but we each share a common philosophy of medicine. We follow the guidelines set by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Our goal is to partner with you in the care of your child. We strive to take the time required to explain different options you have in the care of your child and to help guide you through the different stages of your child’s life.

WE FUNCTION AS A TEAM.

We see patients from birth through 18 years of age. We function as a team and care for one another’s patients, including visiting and examining newborns in the hospital. For Well Child visits, appointments can be made up to 3 months in advance. While you may choose to follow with one provider, we recommend at least one visit with each provider so they may get to know your child. For Sick Child visits, our priority is to see sick children as soon as possible, and you may see one of the other physicians if your regular physician is not available. When calling to schedule your appointment, please know that we schedule our time with you based on your needs. If you have multiple questions or concerns to discuss with the doctor at a well visit, or you have a complicated sick issue, please let us know so we can schedule additional time to best serve you.

OUR NURSES AND STAFF MEMBERS ARE HERE TO SUPPORT AND ASSIST YOU.

Our office time is separated into “well visit” and “sick visit” times to minimize the chance of healthy children getting sick. After the sick visits have finished, the waiting room is wiped down with disinfectant wipes.

During weekday office hours, our triage nurses' primary responsibility is to answer your medical questions. The nurses can often help you decide whether or not an appointment is necessary, what your treatment options are and what symptoms to look for. Please never feel embarrassed to ask us a question, no matter how trivial it may seem. Our nurses and staff members are here to support and assist you.

QUESTIONS?

We hope you find this website useful. Please contact us at (815) 609-KIDS (5437) during business hours with any additional questions you may have.


AFTER-HOURS URGENT QUESTIONS

We answer many common questions about childhood illnesses and conditions and have a lot of fantastic information on this website (including a dosage chart for common childhood medications):

If this information does not answer your questions, the providers at Kids First Pediatrics take turns being available for you after hours and on the weekends to answer urgent questions. 

If you aren't sure what to do, we want you to know that we are available to you to help guide you. Please know these are times when we are getting home, caring for our own families and preparing for the next work day. If it's a true emergency, please call 911! If your question is urgent and requires a call back please call 815-609-5437 for information on how to page the provider. If your question is something that doesn't need an immediate answer please call back during normal business hours

If you are wanting to schedule an appointment or have a question that can wait until the next office day, please call in the morning, and we will take care of you!

Please note that we do not refill medications after hours. If you need a medication refill, please have the pharmacy notify us and we will address it the next business day. 





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Meet the Providers

  • Kristine Liberty, M.D.

    Dr. Liberty graduated summa cum laude in Biology and Chemistry from St. Norbert College. She obtained her medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School and completed her residency at Children’s Memorial Hospital. She has been practicing in Naperville and Plainfield since 1998. Dr. Liberty is a Board Certified Pediatrician and a Fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Liberty enjoys spending her free time with her husband and their two children.

  • Steven Kovar, M.D.

    Dr. Kovar attended The University Chicago where he received a Bachelor of Arts with Special Honors. Dr. Kovar received his medical degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine. He then completed a General Pediatric Residency at Hope Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois, where he was chief resident in his final year. He has been practicing in Naperville and Plainfield since 2002. Dr. Kovar is a Board Certified Pediatrician and a Fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics. He is currently the Chairman of Pediatrics at Edward Hospital. Besides running marathons, Dr. Kovar likes to spend his free time with his wife and their two sons.

  • Jessica Ciszek, M.D.

    Dr. Ciszek graduated with honors from Washington University in St. Louis with a BA in Biology and PNP (Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology). She received her medical degree from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and completed her Pediatric Residency at Children’s Memorial Hospital. Dr. Ciszek is a Board Certified Pediatrician and a Fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Ciszek enjoys spending her free time with her husband, family, and friends.

  • Taryn Vrasich, RN, MSN, CPNP-PC

    Taryn Vrasich graduated with honors from University of Illinois at Chicago in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. In 2016, she earned a Master of Science in Nursing degree from Johns Hopkins University. She is a Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. Her professional interests include helping children and families establish healthy lifestyle habits and assisting breastfeeding moms. In her free time, Taryn enjoys spending time with her husband, two children, cat and dog. Her personal interests include baking, yoga, running, and biking.

  • Ashley Walsh, RN, DNP, CPNP-PC

    Ashley graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts & Sciences from the Honors Psychology Program and then from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the Honors College in 2007. Ashley has been a general pediatric nurse as well as a pediatric intensive care nurse for nearly 16 years. Most recently in 2022, Ashley graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago from the Doctor of Nursing Practice program and is a Certified Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner. Ashley has a special interest in developmental pediatrics, newborn care, preventative healthcare, lactation support, and caring for children with Type 1 diabetes. Ashley enjoys spending time with her husband, 3 children, and dog. In her free time, she enjoys hot yoga and reading

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