BLYTHEWOOD – After 19 months of practicing pediatrics in Blythewood, Dr. Tony Pruitt says he sees the community exactly the way he hoped he would — vibrant, family-centered, and in need of a strong pediatric practice that can grow alongside the community’s growth.
“This is a wonderful town,” Pruitt said during a recent interview with The Voice at his Blythewood pediatric office on Blythewood Road. As a father of eight, he said he understands why families want and need a nearby pediatric home.
Pruitt came to Blythewood in October 2024 after practicing for 22 years in northern Utah, where he helped build a small pediatric clinic into a much larger operation with extended evening hours and multiple providers. He said he sees many similarities between the two communities.
“The community in Utah was kind of country-ish,” he said with a smile, “kind of like Blythewood.”
Pruitt said he hopes families who live in Blythewood and those moving into the area will know they don’t have to go to Columbia to find excellent pediatric care, that they have the option of a pediatric home right here in Blythewood that specializes in all the varieties of things that kids need a pediatrician for.
The practice is affiliated with local Columbia-area hospitals, such as those within the Prisma Health network.
Pruitt currently sees between 25 and 35 patients a day and treats children from newborns through young adulthood. Those patients, Pruitt said, come from Blythewood, Fairfield County, and Northeast Columbia, and from as far away as Irmo.
Mark Delahunty, CEO of the South Carolina Pediatric Alliance, stated, “Dr. Pruitt reflects many of the values we strive for as an organization, including clinical excellence, compassion, and a strong commitment to the children, families, and community he serves. This office represents more than a location; it’s a long-term investment in the health and well-being of the growing Blythewood community.”
While Pruitt handles everything from newborn care and sports physicals to asthma and injuries, he said pediatric behavioral health has become an increasingly important part of his practice. He said he sometimes sees as many as 10 children a day, from ages 6 to 20, with behavioral health issues.
“I love all aspects of pediatrics,” he said. “But over the years I’m seeing more and more pediatric behavioral health issues, which at first I fought, and now I actually love helping these kids.”
According to Pruitt, the most common behavioral health conditions he treats are ADHD, anxiety, and depression. Of those, he says anxiety is the most common.
“Behavioral visits are now within the top four pediatric conditions seen,” he said.
Pruitt said many parents recognize symptoms and bring their children in for help, while other cases become apparent during routine visits for things like chronic abdominal pain – stomachaches.
“One of the top three causes of chronic stomachaches in children is anxiety,” he said.
He also sees a continued need for asthma care, especially among young athletes. Pruitt, who has asthma, said he is passionate about helping children manage the condition early.
“For instance, I want to make sure they get some bronchodilation before they sprint,” he said. “I think it helps.”
In addition to pediatric care, the clinic also offers specialized care coordination service designed to help centralize and support the complex care needs of children with disabilities, school and sports physicals, a lactation consultant for breastfeeding mothers, and an asthma educator who provides testing and education for families.
Pruitt said one of his priorities is making sure parents — especially new parents — feel heard and supported.
“I want new moms and dads to know that I’m here for them,” he said. “I’ll do my best to get them and their babies in as often as they need me to, and I will take the time to answer their questions.” He said videos, dubbed ‘Tuesdays with Tony’ are available on the company’s Facebook and Instagram pages (@SCPediatricAlliance) for several areas of health concerns, including concerns specific to new moms.
Pruitt admits that taking extra time with families can sometimes put him behind schedule, but he said thoroughness matters.
“I want my patients to feel that I am extremely thorough,” he said.
The Blythewood office currently has eight patient rooms, but Pruitt said there is plenty of room for expansion. He hopes eventually to add more providers and extend office hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
He said he also hopes to expand the practice’s services for behavioral health support by adding in-house counselors, therapists, and possibly a child psychiatrist in the future.
For now, Pruitt said he’s focused on continuing to build relationships in the Blythewood and Fairfield areas and preparing the practice for the rapid growth he believes is coming to the area.
“I don’t want the families we see to ever get the notion that we’re going to be too full for them,” he said. “We will grow as the community grows.”
The Blythewood office is located at 121 Blythewood Road. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. New patients are being accepted and can call 803-788-6360. Existing patients can contact 803-788-6146 for appointments or go to scpediatricalliance.com and log in to their patient portal.
Dr. Pruitt earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas Medical Center and completed his pediatric residency at the same institution. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FAAP).
Blythewood’s Palmetto Pediatrics & Adolescents is one of the newest South Carolina Pediatric Alliance offices. In 2015, Sandhills Pediatrics and Palmetto Pediatrics, two of the largest independent pediatric organizations in South Carolina, joined forces to form what is now the South Carolina Pediatric Alliance (SCPA).