Pediatric doctors who are not available when children are available.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid did speech for years. Once he became school age we pulled him from school a bit early to make his appointments and waited/agitated for an after school appointment.

We eventually got one. In my kid's case his speech issues were severe enough that it was more important to us that he do speech than the last hour of the school day once a week. I had an understanding boss and worked from the waiting room/late at night to make up for the time.

Spouse also covered half the appointments.

We scheduled all other appointments during christmas/spring/summer breaks.

NP here- but how did you take the time off to take him to the appointments?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jesus, lady. I get that it sucks to take your personal / annual leave for this, but being a working parent can suck. Find other providers with different hours[u], or get over it.

Have any suggestions? I'm open. The only ones I find are the ones like Minute Clinic and obviously won't cut it for the dentist or the speech therapist.

I'm not in DC, but a quick Google search brought up quite a few suggestions with evening hours ('til 7 p.m.) and Saturday hours, like this one: http://www.thepediatriccarecenter.com/Pages/default.aspx

My pediatric practice has a combination of early morning, evening, and Saturday hours. That's one of the reasons we chose them.

I'm a school principal, and we often arrange space for SLPs / OTs to work with clients during the school day.

You just have to be willing to search for solutions and accept that you might not get to use your "vacation" time for a vacation. Working parent 101.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Um, yes, you take them out of school to go to the dentist and doctor. That's how it works.

Also, I have 10 days for the year. The year. Even if I used every single one of those 10 days for doctors' appts., and not vacation, I'd still run out of days before I had all the doctors' appts. covered.

Does an appointment take the entire day?

I'd be aggravated about the speech because it's every week.

I'd be aggravated (and wouldn't stay) if I can't schedule my kids together.

but the rest of it is just life. Also, our dentist does have sat hours twice a month and so does the pedi. Maybe you need to find one with more hours. Seems like groups are better at this than solo practictioners[u].

This does sound appealing. Our ped. used to have this but then changed their policy to only see sick children on weekends. No well child visits. Maybe I should consider one that sees well children on weekends, too. That would help matters.

That would help matters a lot with the dentist too.

Where do you live OP? I bet DCUM could help find you a dentist with sat hours.

That would be good! I live in Herndon.

OK-- PEOPLE NEAR HERNDON: Do you have a pediatric dentist who works some weekends!??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Can your speech therapist meet your child at school? That way he only misses 30-1hr but not the whole day.

My child has cleft lip and cleft palate and cannot just see any speech therapist. The one we have found with cleft experience is not in a location that is close to my children's schools.

Well that was a choice you made to get with the specific speech therapist you wanted.
I'm not sure how being mad at a dentist for taking a vacation is appropriate.

Also, do you have any idea how many kids a pediatrician sees in a day?
40 is probably a good guess from what practices I know of.
How are they going to see 40 kids after school hours? and when would you like them to see their own kids?

Are you taking your kids to the doctor a lot when they are not sick enough to stay home from school?

On the contrary, no. I hardly ever take my kids to doctors just b/c of this very reason: it's impossible to fit in with my limited time off!

Wait what?
Why would you take a kid who isn't sick to the doctor?
I understand you are mad about the dentist but saying you don't take a (well) kid to the doctor because you can't fit it into your schedule is going off the deep end.
Working parents know they have to use some days for sick kids to stay home ( I'm looking at you OP's husband)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your husband doesn't help. That is your problem, not the providers.

I agree with this. DH needs to step in if you have such a limited PTO policy.

Another one who agrees with this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jesus, lady. I get that it sucks to take your personal / annual leave for this, but being a working parent can suck. Find other providers with different hours[u], or get over it.

Have any suggestions? I'm open. The only ones I find are the ones like Minute Clinic and obviously won't cut it for the dentist or the speech therapist.

You are right, OP. Doctors should be open to see children on Saturdays AM and not rush us (parents) when we ask questions, specially during the annual well check ups.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP you are in the wrong here. If working evenings and weekends was prerequisite to being a pediatric healthcare provider, few would choose to go into that profession. Certainly no one who ever envisioned having kids would do this. Would you choose to work evening and weekends yourself? How many of your providers have children themselves?

You are obviously stressed out and I empathize, but turning your frustration into irrational anger will not help the situation any.

And just some more practical suggestions:

Switch providers. Why stick with your dentist who won't let you double up. Makes no sense.
First appointment of the day. Get to work a little late, make it up over lunch. My kids ortho has 8:00 am appointments. Better yet, get your kids other parent to handle those sometimes. My husband does everything to do with teeth. Why is this all on you?
Saturday morning appointments. My kid gets weekly allergy shots and I just called around until I found a nearby doc with Saturday hours.
Don't sweat the schedule. So what if your kid waits 8 months instead of 6 for a cleaning if it means you get the President's Day appointment.

I know some kids who have speech therapy whose providers come to the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Um, yes, you take them out of school to go to the dentist and doctor. That's how it works.

Also, I have 10 days for the year. The year. Even if I used every single one of those 10 days for doctors' appts., and not vacation, I'd still run out of days before I had all the doctors' appts. covered.

Then you've got some misplaced anger. Try it on your employer, or yourself for accepting a job with 2 weeks of total leave... And BTW, many doctors are open on government holidays (MLK, President's Day, Veterans' Day), book your anticipated appointments on those days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your husband doesn't help. That is your problem, not the providers.

I agree with this. DH needs to step in if you have such a limited PTO policy.

Another one who agrees with this.

EVERYONE SHOULD HELP, especially doctors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your husband doesn't help. That is your problem, not the providers.

I agree with this. DH needs to step in if you have such a limited PTO policy.

Another one who agrees with this.

EVERYONE SHOULD HELP, especially doctors.

So it's the doctor's fault that your husband doesn't do his part? OK.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Um, yes, you take them out of school to go to the dentist and doctor. That's how it works.

Also, I have 10 days for the year. The year. Even if I used every single one of those 10 days for doctors' appts., and not vacation, I'd still run out of days before I had all the doctors' appts. covered.

Does an appointment take the entire day?

I'd be aggravated about the speech because it's every week.

I'd be aggravated (and wouldn't stay) if I can't schedule my kids together.

but the rest of it is just life. Also, our dentist does have sat hours twice a month and so does the pedi. Maybe you need to find one with more hours. Seems like groups are better at this than solo practictioners[u].

This does sound appealing. Our ped. used to have this but then changed their policy to only see sick children on weekends. No well child visits. Maybe I should consider one that sees well children on weekends, too. That would help matters.

That would help matters a lot with the dentist too.

Where do you live OP? I bet DCUM could help find you a dentist with sat hours.

That would be good! I live in Herndon.

OK-- PEOPLE NEAR HERNDON: Do you have a pediatric dentist who works some weekends!??

http://www.ashburndivinedental.com/
http://www.eldenfamilydental.com/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Um, yes, you take them out of school to go to the dentist and doctor. That's how it works.

Then when do your kids GO TO SCHOOL? My kids see pediatrician, dentist, orthodontist, ENT, and speech therapist (weekly). A kid can NOT miss this much school.

The speech therapist is the only weekly appt, no?

Two kids, two speech appointments per week.

Are those during school hours or are they after school/weekends?

Are you a single parent?

I am not a single parents but my husband has a 1.5 hour commute, so once he has left early in the morning, I am the only one within distance to handle these things.

Speech is only during school hours or after school. They are not weekends. That would be nice.

I'm confused. Doesn't this solve the problem?

Yes, speech is not my problem at the moment. My problem at the moment is the pediatric dentist who just called me to say she's going on vacation the week of March 28-April 1 so she has to reschedule my app.t which was originally scheduled 6 months ago for that Monday afternoon. As you can imagine, all of the kids' parents want the after-school hours I practically now have to wait another 6 months for the next one available.

For a cleaning? It will be fine. And why does a dentist appt have to take an entire day? Why would you use a vacation day on the dentist? And why doesn't your husband use any of his days or half days to help?

We are getting into the weeds here, but this child, who was born with a cleft lip and cleft palate, had a bone graft on her gum line last summer to take bone from her hip and put it up into her gumline. The graft is pending review now by the plastic surgeon b/c he is not sure if it "took" or not or if we'll have to repeat it this summer. One of the most imperative things is scrupulous dental hygiene (for example, she has to brush floss and use mouthwash after every lunch in the nurse's office in school) b/c it is much more at risk for anything which would not be as damaging to someone with intact gumline bone, etc. Sorry, this is all built upon a house of cards basically and yes, having two children with this special need (which is a lot more than most people think it is-- you don't just have the one operation and then everything is fixed, like Operation Smile and Smile Train make it seem like on their infomercials -- though giving to those organizations IS fine and yes probably does a lot of good to children in third world countries who have no chance of even the first surgery without it). The kids were adopted from a third world country and both were born with cl/cp. Anyway, this is all more than everyone wanted to know and maybe the original fault is not with the providers and I'll just continue sucking it up and trudging forward. Also will probably look for a dentist and/or pediatrician who can do regularly scheduled things (well child visits, cleanings) on the weekends. That sure would help a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your husband doesn't help. That is your problem, not the providers.

I agree with this. DH needs to step in if you have such a limited PTO policy.

Another one who agrees with this.

EVERYONE SHOULD HELP, especially doctors.

No, the doctor shouldn't have to use his free time so you don't have to use yours...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Um, yes, you take them out of school to go to the dentist and doctor. That's how it works.

Then when do your kids GO TO SCHOOL? My kids see pediatrician, dentist, orthodontist, ENT, and speech therapist (weekly). A kid can NOT miss this much school.

The speech therapist is the only weekly appt, no?

Two kids, two speech appointments per week.

Are those during school hours or are they after school/weekends?

Are you a single parent?

I am not a single parents but my husband has a 1.5 hour commute, so once he has left early in the morning, I am the only one within distance to handle these things.

Speech is only during school hours or after school. They are not weekends. That would be nice.

I'm confused. Doesn't this solve the problem?

Yes, speech is not my problem at the moment. My problem at the moment is the pediatric dentist who just called me to say she's going on vacation the week of March 28-April 1 so she has to reschedule my app.t which was originally scheduled 6 months ago for that Monday afternoon. As you can imagine, all of the kids' parents want the after-school hours I practically now have to wait another 6 months for the next one available.

You are being ridiculous and overly rigid. First, it is no big deal if you push back a routine cleaning. Second, just ask them for the next available after school appointment and ask them to call you if they have an earlier cancellation, which I promise you they will. Don't be so rigid. And stop giving your husband a pass. He can do a morning appointment and then go to work, come on.

You seem more interested in arguing with successful working parents than in finding solutions.

[Anonymous]

Pediatrician open on Sats:

https://www.vapg.com/