Dr. Herschel R. Lessin, MD, FAAP

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Get to know Pediatrician Dr. Herschel R. Lessin, who serves patients in Hopewell Junction, New York.

Dr. Lessin has practiced pediatrics in the Hudson Valley for more than four decades and is one of the founding physicians at The Children’s Medical Group. While he treats all types of pediatric patients, he has a particular interest in immunizations, asthma and ADHD.

Taking the fear out of office visits at Hopewell Junction is important to Dr. Lessin, who counts among his talents juggling, making balloon animals, and a variety of unusual sounds. He tries to make the kids not ‘hate’ him too much by making the visit as pleasurable as possible.

“I thoroughly enjoy answering questions and explaining complex medical issues to parents in understandable language, especially concerning chronic illnesses in children. When parents truly understand why I make my recommendations, they are far more likely to follow them, and are confident enough to take control of their child’s illness” expressed the doctor.

Continuously advancing his efforts, he is a member of the Dutchess County Medical Society, the Medical Society of the State of New York, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (Fellow).

Back in the early days of his academic career, Dr. Lessin graduated with his medical degree from Stanford University School of Medicine in 1979. A year later, he went on to perform his residency in pediatrics at Yale-New Haven Hospital.

Specializing in the care of children, he is board-certified in pediatrics by the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP). The mission of the ABP is to advance child health by certifying pediatricians who meet standards of excellence and are committed to continuous learning and improvement.

When it comes to helping kids and their families, it is Dr. Lessin’s belief that “you can’t go too far.” He has taken his own children with him on medical missions to Central America, where he provided free care and physician education. He has hosted a pediatric advice show on local radio and a question and answer column in local newspapers. He has also been a “go-to” commentator on pediatric issues for national news media, parent groups internet webinars, and pediatric conferences.

Active in national policy and leadership in the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Lessin has served on the executive committee of the Section of Administration and Practice Management, the national Committee on Practice and Ambulatory Medicine, and his current appointment to the national Private Payer Advocacy Advisory Committee. In those roles, he has authored several national policy statements and clinical guidelines, including “Increasing Immunization Coverage,” “Immunizing Parents and Other Close Family Contacts in the Pediatric Office Setting,” “Instrument-Based Pediatric Vision Screening Policy Statement,” and most recently, “Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents.” He is also the co-editor of the AAP’s ADHD toolkit for clinicians published in 2019,

Serving as a faculty member at numerous local and regional pediatric meetings, Dr. Lessin has been a faculty member at the AAP’s annual national conference and exposition for the past decade, speaking on a variety of topics. His expertise includes practice management, the business of medicine, immunizations, ADHD, and liability topics. He has been a testifying expert witness for both defense and plaintiff in medical malpractice litigation for more than 30 years. 

Pediatrics is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends people be under pediatric care up to the age of 21. Pediatricians provide medical care to people ranging in age from newborns to young adults. They are trained to examine, diagnose, and treat children with a wide variety of injuries and illnesses through all of their developmental stages, as they grow and mature.

A well-deserved spotlight on his remarkable career, Dr. Lessin has been selected by the readers of “HV Parent” magazine as one of their “Favorite Docs & Providers.” 

On a more personal note, he has two grown children and one grandchild. He enjoys reading, playing tennis, and traveling. In fact, during his nearly two dozen trips to Disney World, he often runs into his patients there!

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