kevinmd article: 6 questions parents don't ask their pediatricians but really should

[Anonymous]

http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2015/09/6-questions-parents-dont-ask-their-pediatricians-but-really-should.html

I really liked this article. I never really thought of my pediatrician as someone who has seen thousands of kids grow up in different kinds of cultural/family environments, but he has, and is probably a useful resource.

[Anonymous]

Really he's saying he wishes parents thought enough to ask these of themselves. It starts with parents being more aware of what their child is eating, doing, thinking.

[Anonymous]

Really, I don't think of those as questions for a pediatrician. The appointments are much too short for that! And with two different pediatricians we've had, when topics veer towards such things, they answer only with "with my child, xyz" and they speak of their experience with one of their own children. If they're not speaking from their experience in their practice or current research, it's not that much more helpful than discussing whatever question you have with another parent.

[Anonymous]

How often do people go to the ped? I looked up our history and one of my kids has only been once outside of annual physicals in the past 4 years (she is 6). The other has been a few more times (broken arm and a couple UTIs). Is anyone really talking to the ped a lot after maybe the first 12 to 24 months. This person is such a non factor in our lives with healthy elementary school aged kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How often do people go to the ped? I looked up our history and one of my kids has only been once outside of annual physicals in the past 4 years (she is 6). The other has been a few more times (broken arm and a couple UTIs). Is anyone really talking to the ped a lot after maybe the first 12 to 24 months. This person is such a non factor in our lives with healthy elementary school aged kids.

Same here. She has literally never gone to the ped for anything other than well-baby checks and camp forms. I actually talk with our dentist more about kid stuff (he's not even a pediatric dentist). He has a daughter a year younger than DD, and he's known DD since she was a toddler. I really respect him as a parent, a dentist and a person.

[Anonymous]

I can't imagine asking my pediatrician those questions.

[Anonymous]

I didn't like it at all. I thought. He came off as an arrogant twit who believes he is smarter than all the families in his care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How often do people go to the ped? I looked up our history and one of my kids has only been once outside of annual physicals in the past 4 years (she is 6). The other has been a few more times (broken arm and a couple UTIs). Is anyone really talking to the ped a lot after maybe the first 12 to 24 months. This person is such a non factor in our lives with healthy elementary school aged kids.

I totally agree with you.

I do have a bit of advice about your non-factor, take or leave. I did have a healthy kid until I Didn't. Nothing life threatening or unusual, but not healthy for a period of a year. All I suggest is that you reflect a bit on this ped and this practice: are they open to questions, would they make referrals, do they think they know all the answers, do they have any adolescent families in the practice, do they respond to calls in a reasonable time? I know it is hard to learn this with a healthy kid, but having to find a new doctor in the thick of it was awful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How often do people go to the ped? I looked up our history and one of my kids has only been once outside of annual physicals in the past 4 years (she is 6). The other has been a few more times (broken arm and a couple UTIs). Is anyone really talking to the ped a lot after maybe the first 12 to 24 months. This person is such a non factor in our lives with healthy elementary school aged kids.

I totally agree with you.

I do have a bit of advice about your non-factor, take or leave. I did have a healthy kid until I Didn't. Nothing life threatening or unusual, but not healthy for a period of a year. All I suggest is that you reflect a bit on this ped and this practice: are they open to questions, would they make referrals, do they think they know all the answers, do they have any adolescent families in the practice, do they respond to calls in a reasonable time? I know it is hard to learn this with a healthy kid, but having to find a new doctor in the thick of it was awful.

Pp here: not saying your ped isn't good, but only that our practice turned out not to be and I could have figured it out if I'd though.

[Anonymous]

Wow. That was incredibly condescending.

I have thought about all those topics, have read and discussed them extensively. I have never once thought to ask *my pediatrician* about any of them.

[Anonymous]

None of that stuff is covered in medical school, so she has no particular expertise on those topics. She may think she has significant experience in those areas as a parent, but if I don't know her kids, why should I take her word for it? I know quite a few doctors' kids who are brats. I should just as well ask the barista at Starbucks how to get my kids to eat more healthfully.

Frankly, I wouldn't even bother asking the pediatrician about discipline or reading or any of the other things for which they often claim an expertise. They don't have it. I hire them to diagnose and treat illnesses; they should stick to that.

She sounds insufferable, and I don't even disagree with her points.

[Anonymous]

I don't ask my Ped about parenting questions because I've never met their kid so I don't know if they are a good model. I used to Ped to fill out forms and provide vaccines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How often do people go to the ped? I looked up our history and one of my kids has only been once outside of annual physicals in the past 4 years (she is 6). The other has been a few more times (broken arm and a couple UTIs). Is anyone really talking to the ped a lot after maybe the first 12 to 24 months. This person is such a non factor in our lives with healthy elementary school aged kids.

I totally agree with you.

I do have a bit of advice about your non-factor, take or leave. I did have a healthy kid until I Didn't. Nothing life threatening or unusual, but not healthy for a period of a year. All I suggest is that you reflect a bit on this ped and this practice: are they open to questions, would they make referrals, do they think they know all the answers, do they have any adolescent families in the practice, do they respond to calls in a reasonable time? I know it is hard to learn this with a healthy kid, but having to find a new doctor in the thick of it was awful.

+1. Our son was sick for an extended time ( thankfully is now healthy) and our pediatrician was incredible. Spent a great deal of time with us at every visit, called us weekly to check on his progress, etc. We know this level of care is not the norm. I am very glad that your kids have never been sick, but to paraphrase the pp, everything is fine until it suddenly isn't, and at that point you really care about this.