Desperately Seeking New Pediatrician

[Anonymous]

Can anyone recommend a pediatrician that they love in the Md area who is great with their special needs child? The one we see currently doesn't always return phone calls, won't email, and overall is difficult to reach. With our child's complex medical needs, we really need someone who will get back to us. We'd really love to find someone who will take an interest in how our child's doing and follow up after hospital stays to check in, but for now, we'd just be happy if we could find a doctor who will at the very least return our phone calls. Any recommendations?

[Anonymous]

Pediatric Care Center

Dr. Peebles or Dr Weiner.

[Anonymous]

Sorry-they are in Bethesda

[Anonymous]

Close to MD, Howard Bennett at Chevy Chase Peds just inside the DC line. Fantastic person, very caring, works very well with other docs.

[Anonymous]

OP here... thanks so much for these recommendations!

To the parent who posted Howard Bennett, have you ever been to see Dr. Ahlstrom who is in the same practice as Bennett? I received a recommendation for Ahlstrom from a doctor who has patients with similar medical issues as our child and am considering her. Also, does the practice accept your insurance? I see on their website that they don't work with our's and I'm wondering how much of a pain that is and how expensive it can get.

Thanks again!

[Anonymous]

We use Dr. Zegal and love her + the practice. They do take my insurance which is United. I would call the office and talk with them. I don't think Dr. Bennett is taking new adolescent patients right now (I recommended him to a friend without SN child and they told her that, she went with Dr. Zegal too then). But if you call you may want to explain the situation and see if they will slide your DC in. They are really great over there. We have seen all the doctors and have been very happy with each of them.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, PP here again -- Dr. Zegal is with Dr. Ahlstrom and Bennett at CC Peds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here... thanks so much for these recommendations!

To the parent who posted Howard Bennett, have you ever been to see Dr. Ahlstrom who is in the same practice as Bennett? I received a recommendation for Ahlstrom from a doctor who has patients with similar medical issues as our child and am considering her. Also, does the practice accept your insurance? I see on their website that they don't work with our's and I'm wondering how much of a pain that is and how expensive it can get.

Thanks again!

I am that poster, also love her, if she is familiar with those particular needs I would definitely consider her. We have United which they started taking a year or so ago. We did out of network before that. My kids don't seem to need many office visits so it worked out ok, we used flex fund $.

[Anonymous]

I ditto Chevy Chase Pediatrics. Our baby is just 8 months old but Dr Bennett has been wonderful about helping us coordinate all the various specialists. We have two different friends who also go there, one see Dr Bennett and the other Dr. Ahlstrom, and they are both very happy too. The practice is very good about responding to phone calls, emails, etc. They have a nurse questions line, doctor "on call" hours and also an emergency 24 hour line which I called once and it worked great (Dr Bennett called back at 3 a.m. in about 5 minutes).

I have Cigna and they take it.

[Anonymous]

OP here... thanks so much! I'm going to check out Dr. Ahlstrom first. According to their website, they don't take our insurance, but I'm going to call to find out more info. Thanks again! This was very helpful & I appreciate your time in responding.

[Anonymous]

Another shout out for Dr Zegal at Chevy Chase Peds. Love her.