repost on questions to ask pediiatrition

[daisy]

Hi
I posted this question a couple of days ago and didnt seem to get any
responce, Im thinking that my server may have been down, or I asked it in a
confusing way.

DH and I are meeting our babys pediatrition tomorrow (Im 36 1/2 weeks along
with our first and hes a boy) and I dont know what questions to ask him.
Does anyone have a list of questions they asked their pediatrition?
TIA
Daisy

[Ericka Kammerer]

daisy wrote:

> Hi
> I posted this question a couple of days ago and didnt seem to get any
> responce, Im thinking that my server may have been down, or I asked it in a
> confusing way.
>
> DH and I are meeting our babys pediatrition tomorrow (Im 36 1/2 weeks along
> with our first and hes a boy) and I dont know what questions to ask him.
> Does anyone have a list of questions they asked their pediatrition?


Not handy, which I expect is the problem. If you do a google
search, this topic has come up before and I seem to remember a few
people having posted lists of questions that they used at the time.
As for myself, I confess to being a bit fatalistic about this sort
of thing. My experience is that pediatricians know the "right" answers
to give, so asking them questions will only weed out the worst of
the lot ;-) By all means, ask the office staff about office procedures,
hours, how long it takes to get well or sick visits, etc. and ask the
pediatrician about any issues important to you (e.g. support for
breastfeeding, opinions on circumcision, opinions on vaccinations,
opinions on solids, etc.). In general, the more specific the questions
you ask, the more useful they'll be (e.g., ask "how many of your
patients are circumcised?" or "how many of your patients are breastfed
for a full year?" rather than "do you favor circumcision?" or "do you
support breastfeeding?). Unfortunately, the more specific your
question, the more likely the pediatrician will not know or give you
a precise answer, but the discussion that ensues may be enlightening.
Still, I've interviewed several pediatricians, gotten what
I felt to be reasonable answers from them, and selected them only
to find out at a later date that I didn't like the way the office
was run, or they weren't available enough, or I didn't like the
medical care, or whatever. So personally, I think you go through
the motions and ask the questions and take your best shot at
choosing a compatible pediatrician, but you may well have to up
and change pediatricians in the future if it doesn't pan out ;-)

Good luck,
Ericka

[kereru]

"Truffles" > wrote in message
...
> daisy wrote:
>
> > Hi
> > I posted this question a couple of days ago and didnt seem to get any
> > responce, Im thinking that my server may have been down, or I asked it
in a
> > confusing way.
> >
> > DH and I are meeting our babys pediatrition tomorrow (Im 36 1/2 weeks
along
> > with our first and hes a boy) and I dont know what questions to ask him.
> > Does anyone have a list of questions they asked their pediatrition?
>
> Sorry. I can't help you because we just see GP's in our neck of the
> woods. Paediatricians are considered specialists here.
>
> I just didn't want you to think you're being ignored. :-)
>
> --
> Brigitte aa #2145
> edd #3 February 15, 2004
> http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/j/joshuaandkaterina/
>
> "Readers are plentiful; thinkers are rare."
> ~ Harriet Martineau
>

Same here, can't help, but people are reading! It seems there is a general
lull in people on the group at the moment. Don't take it personally :-)

Judy

[Cheryl S.]

daisy > wrote in message
...
> Does anyone have a list of questions they asked their pediatrition?

I don't remember now what I asked about, but here are some of the things
I like about the pediatrician I take Julie to, and maybe that will give
you some ideas on what to look for.

Separate waiting rooms for sick and well children.

They only make sick appointments for that day, so while it is slightly a
pain that you can't call until that morning because that can make the
phone lines busy, the benefit is that you always get in the same day you
decide you want your child seen.
Nurse/doctor call back for any question, all day.

They give very informative hand-outs at every well visit, on typical
developmental stages for that age, and dealing with things that some
parents might find stressful such as low appetite and negativity. I
also got a very informative hand-out when Julie had hand, foot and mouth
disease. I suppose they have them for other diseases as well, she just
hasn't had them. Oh, and hand-outs for all the vaccines too, detailing
what each was for, symptoms and effects of getting the disease if not
vaccinated, contraindications for getting the vaccine, and all known
side effects of the vaccine and their likelihood, and what to do if
those side effects occur.

I followed the standard vaccine schedule so I don't know how flexible
they would have been if I'd wanted to vary that. You might want to ask
about that if delaying or not getting some vaccines is important to you.

I like that there are 6 doctors in the practice, but others might prefer
to establish a more continuous relationship with a single doctor. If I
wanted to see the same one every time, I think I could though.

Their staff are courteous and efficient, and they have routines that
they follow the same way each time so they don't get confused and lose
information.

Good luck. I hope you like the doctor, but if you don't, you can always
change later.
--
Cheryl S.
Mom to Julie, 2 yr., 3 mo.
And a boy, EDD 4.Sept

Cleaning the house while your children are small is like
shoveling the sidewalk while it's still snowing.

[==Daye==]

On Thu, 17 Jul 2003 17:12:06 -0700, Truffles
> wrote:

>Sorry. I can't help you because we just see GP's in our neck of the
>woods. Paediatricians are considered specialists here.

That would be my answer too. Sorry to the OP.

--
==Daye==
Momma to Jayan
#2 EDD 11 Jan 2004
E-mail: brendana AT labyrinth DOT net DOT au

[==Daye==]

On Thu, 17 Jul 2003 21:51:13 -0400, "Cheryl S."
> wrote:

>I followed the standard vaccine schedule so I don't know how flexible
>they would have been if I'd wanted to vary that. You might want to ask
>about that if delaying or not getting some vaccines is important to you.

My GP saw me for my pregnancy visits. He is also our family
doctor. When I was 7 months pregnant with my first daughter, we
talked about immunizations and his flexibility of the schedule.
I did not immunize according to the schedule so it was important
to me that my family doctor would work with me on it. He was
willing. It worked.

I suggest that if you have ideas contrary to the schedule that
you discuss those as soon as possible with the doctor who will be
giving the shots.

--
==Daye==
Momma to Jayan
#2 EDD 11 Jan 2004
E-mail: brendana AT labyrinth DOT net DOT au

[Astromum]

daisy wrote:

> DH and I are meeting our babys pediatrition tomorrow (Im 36 1/2 weeks along
> with our first and hes a boy) and I dont know what questions to ask him.
> Does anyone have a list of questions they asked their pediatrition?

We just got an extensive list from a midwife with questions to ask a
pediatrician. You may want to ask your prenatal caregiver if they
have a list like that. Of course, mine is at home, and I don't recall
the exact questions on it. It was mostly concerned with finding out
if the ped is more or less in line with your perception of care.

Important things you want to address: breast- vs formula feeding,
immunizations, what to do with flu/cold/earinfections, opening hours,
hospitals, access to a nurse outside office hours.

--
-- Ilse
mom to Olaf (07/15/2002)
TTC #2
"What's the use of brains if you are a girl?"
Aletta Jacobs, first Dutch woman to receive a PhD

[Sue]

Hi Daisy,

The things that are important to me in a pediatrician are:

1. Separate waiting rooms for sick and well children.
2. Same day, preferable ASAP, sick appointments for really sick kids.
3. A separate nurse line to call and ask questions.
4. A doctor that will call you back the same day (they usually can't until
after their patient's are seen for the day) unless it is an emergency and I
need to talk to them now.
5. Courteous and helfpul staff.
6. Ask what the typical waiting time is. If you go there and the waiting
room is full and they end up sitting there for a long time, you probably
don't want to go there.
It would help if the doctor was breastfeeding friendly and know something
about it, so they don't go offering formula at the slightest problem. Other
than that, the best you can do is go there and see if it is a good fit and
if it isn't, then you will have to find another one. I asked friends with
kids for who they used, your OB/GYN, midwife could give you some names of
good doctors I bet. For us though, I asked my first daughter's specialists
on who would be a good pediatrician and I got a great recommendation.
--
Sue
mom to three girls

daisy > wrote in message
...
> Hi
> I posted this question a couple of days ago and didnt seem to get any
> responce, Im thinking that my server may have been down, or I asked it in
a
> confusing way.
>
> DH and I are meeting our babys pediatrition tomorrow (Im 36 1/2 weeks
along
> with our first and hes a boy) and I dont know what questions to ask him.
> Does anyone have a list of questions they asked their pediatrition?
> TIA
> Daisy
>
>

[daisy]

"Ericka Kammerer" > wrote in message
...
> daisy wrote:
>
> > Hi
> > I posted this question a couple of days ago and didnt seem to get any
> > responce, Im thinking that my server may have been down, or I asked it
in a
> > confusing way.
> >
> > DH and I are meeting our babys pediatrition tomorrow (Im 36 1/2 weeks
along
> > with our first and hes a boy) and I dont know what questions to ask him.
> > Does anyone have a list of questions they asked their pediatrition?
>
>
> Not handy, which I expect is the problem. If you do a google
> search, this topic has come up before and I seem to remember a few
> people having posted lists of questions that they used at the time.
> As for myself, I confess to being a bit fatalistic about this sort
> of thing. My experience is that pediatricians know the "right" answers
> to give, so asking them questions will only weed out the worst of
> the lot ;-) By all means, ask the office staff about office procedures,
> hours, how long it takes to get well or sick visits, etc. and ask the
> pediatrician about any issues important to you (e.g. support for
> breastfeeding, opinions on circumcision, opinions on vaccinations,
> opinions on solids, etc.). In general, the more specific the questions
> you ask, the more useful they'll be (e.g., ask "how many of your
> patients are circumcised?" or "how many of your patients are breastfed
> for a full year?" rather than "do you favor circumcision?" or "do you
> support breastfeeding?). Unfortunately, the more specific your
> question, the more likely the pediatrician will not know or give you
> a precise answer, but the discussion that ensues may be enlightening.
> Still, I've interviewed several pediatricians, gotten what
> I felt to be reasonable answers from them, and selected them only
> to find out at a later date that I didn't like the way the office
> was run, or they weren't available enough, or I didn't like the
> medical care, or whatever. So personally, I think you go through
> the motions and ask the questions and take your best shot at
> choosing a compatible pediatrician, but you may well have to up
> and change pediatricians in the future if it doesn't pan out ;-)
>
> Good luck,
> Ericka
>

Thank you Ericka : ) I appreciate your post and the really helpful questions
to ask
Daisy

[daisy]

"Truffles" > wrote in message
...
> daisy wrote:
>
> > Hi
> > I posted this question a couple of days ago and didnt seem to get any
> > responce, Im thinking that my server may have been down, or I asked it
in a
> > confusing way.
> >
> > DH and I are meeting our babys pediatrition tomorrow (Im 36 1/2 weeks
along
> > with our first and hes a boy) and I dont know what questions to ask him.
> > Does anyone have a list of questions they asked their pediatrition?
>
> Sorry. I can't help you because we just see GP's in our neck of the
> woods. Paediatricians are considered specialists here.
>
> I just didn't want you to think you're being ignored. :-)
>
> --
> Brigitte aa #2145
> edd #3 February 15, 2004
> http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/j/joshuaandkaterina/
>
> "Readers are plentiful; thinkers are rare."
> ~ Harriet Martineau
>

Thats OK, thank you for replying anyway
Daisy

[daisy]

"Larry McMahan" > wrote in message
...
> daisy > writes:
> : Hi
> : I posted this question a couple of days ago and didnt seem to get any
> : responce, Im thinking that my server may have been down, or I asked it
in a
> : confusing way.
>
> : DH and I are meeting our babys pediatrition tomorrow (Im 36 1/2 weeks
along
> : with our first and hes a boy) and I dont know what questions to ask him.
> : Does anyone have a list of questions they asked their pediatrition?
> : TIA
> : Daisy
>
>
> OK. I have to admit skipping over your post the first time, mainly
because
> I don't have a good set of questions to ask, even though I know what I
would
> want out of a doctor for my child. A lot of it has to do (for me) with
how
> much personal responsibility I take for parenting my child, and how much
> "advice" I am willing to take from a ped. ...
>
> Do you plan to breastfeed? If so, then I think it would be important for
a
> pediatrician to support your choice. But again, how long and how much is
> that support going to hold out. This becomes much more apparent in the
> office environment when the baby is seeing the doctor than it does with a
> simple question.
>
> What are your views on vaccination? Do you plan to accept every one
> unquestioningly, or do you plan to skip or delay any? (we skipped some
and
> delayed others significantly) Will your pediatriciaon be OK with that?
Have
> you even done the research yet to know what your view is?
>
> What are your views of what constititutes a well baby, staying on the
weight
> curve, supplementing or not, and how important are these to you? Would
you
> rather
> a. aquiesce
> b. keep quite and do your own thing,
> c. confront, or
> d. find a new pediatrician
>
> I really think this is just to involved and complicated a question to
answer
> without a) knowing your views on what you want, and b) having some long
and
> involved discussions over child rearing philosophy?
>
> What are you doing for the next 3 1/2 weeks? :-)
>
> Larry
>

Hi Larry,
It looks like I will have a busy 3 1/2 weeks reading up on child rearing
philosophy, hu? : )

I do plan on breastfeeding, but why would the Dr be concerned about that if
he didnt agree? and what dr wouldnt agree to that? I think that I probably
wouldnt feel comfortable with a dr that thought that was a bad thing.

I do hope they give us info on vaccinations. Im assuming that nothing will
be forced on us if we decide not to vaccinate as much as they say.
Thanks,
Daisy

[daisy]

"Sue" > wrote in message
...
> Hi Daisy,
>
> The things that are important to me in a pediatrician are:
>
> 1. Separate waiting rooms for sick and well children.
> 2. Same day, preferable ASAP, sick appointments for really sick kids.
> 3. A separate nurse line to call and ask questions.
> 4. A doctor that will call you back the same day (they usually can't until
> after their patient's are seen for the day) unless it is an emergency and
I
> need to talk to them now.
> 5. Courteous and helfpul staff.
> 6. Ask what the typical waiting time is. If you go there and the waiting
> room is full and they end up sitting there for a long time, you probably
> don't want to go there.
> It would help if the doctor was breastfeeding friendly and know something
> about it, so they don't go offering formula at the slightest problem.
Other
> than that, the best you can do is go there and see if it is a good fit and
> if it isn't, then you will have to find another one. I asked friends with
> kids for who they used, your OB/GYN, midwife could give you some names of
> good doctors I bet. For us though, I asked my first daughter's specialists
> on who would be a good pediatrician and I got a great recommendation.
> --
> Sue
> mom to three girls
>
> daisy > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hi
> > I posted this question a couple of days ago and didnt seem to get any
> > responce, Im thinking that my server may have been down, or I asked it
in
> a
> > confusing way.
> >
> > DH and I are meeting our babys pediatrition tomorrow (Im 36 1/2 weeks
> along
> > with our first and hes a boy) and I dont know what questions to ask him.
> > Does anyone have a list of questions they asked their pediatrition?
> > TIA
> > Daisy
> >
> >
>
>Thank you for the really helpful list.
Daisy

[Irish Marie]

"Truffles" > wrote in message
...
> daisy wrote:
>
> > Hi
> > I posted this question a couple of days ago and didnt seem to get any
> > responce, Im thinking that my server may have been down, or I asked it
in a
> > confusing way.
> >
> > DH and I are meeting our babys pediatrition tomorrow (Im 36 1/2 weeks
along
> > with our first and hes a boy) and I dont know what questions to ask him.
> > Does anyone have a list of questions they asked their pediatrition?
>
> Sorry. I can't help you because we just see GP's in our neck of the
> woods. Paediatricians are considered specialists here.
>
> I just didn't want you to think you're being ignored. :-)
>
ditto

--
Marie
Mum to DD5, DS3 and due #3 July '03

[Larry McMahan]

Hi Daisy,

You strike me as a very honest and straightforward person, but perhaps
just a bit naive about what goes on in the real workd. :-) if you don't
mind me making the remark. I am not saying this to be critical, but to
say I think it is important for you to get personally educated on as many
topics as possible, and not to rely on the good will of those you deal with
in a professional (or even personal) basis. :-)

Often, even if they have an honest desire to help you, thier views and
background may be enough different from yours so they they will *asume*
that you want or need something different from what you actually require.
In these cases it is best to be educated so that you an confront their
substandard choices with solid evidence. See more below in specific topics.

First, though let me say that unles you *really* want to, you do not have
to repond to each poster in your thread individually. It is ok to read
5 or 6 posts, then post an update that summarizes your response to all of
them. This is expecially OK when we are a very redundant group and all
say the same thing, which is often. :-)

daisy > writes:

: Hi Larry,
: It looks like I will have a busy 3 1/2 weeks reading up on child rearing
: philosophy, hu? : )

Uh, yeah. Somebody suggest some good books. Since I'm so pig headed and
single minded, I haven't bothered to collect a good library. :-)

: I do plan on breastfeeding, but why would the Dr be concerned about that if
: he didnt agree? and what dr wouldnt agree to that? I think that I probably
: wouldnt feel comfortable with a dr that thought that was a bad thing.

This is the first area where my "naive" comment came from. To shorten a long
story, the resurgence of breastfeeding is a relatively recent phenomenon, and
there are a lot of practicing doctors who were raised in the era when the
feeding of formula was thought to be just as good. Many of these will give
lip service to bf, but when difficulties arise, the first thing they will
suggest is supplementation with formula. I don't think you are going to weed
these out by asking them if they support breastfeeding. If the doctor is a
woman you might ask her how LONG she breastfed. Anything over 2 years is
good! :-)

As far as getting educated goes, I think you should subscribe to
misc.kids.breastfeeding. You WILL run into unexpected problems, it WILL be
teriffically hard for the first 2 to 6 weeks. There are LOTS of tricks and
ways to cope until you get good at it and the mother over there know ALL
of the techinques to succeed. :-)

: I do hope they give us info on vaccinations. Im assuming that nothing will
: be forced on us if we decide not to vaccinate as much as they say.

This is the second comment that made me think you might perhaps be a little
optimistic. :-) A doctor is often going to have an agenda in thsi area, and
what they tell you is what they are going to want you to hear. If you want
objective information in this area, you are going to have to do the research
yourself. There is a lot of information out there, and much of it is conflicting.
You will have to study a lot. For us, we delayed chicken pox until 4 yearsw,
we are delaying Hep B until 12 years, we insisted on the killed poilo vaccine
first (which is now the standard, but not then), and we delayed MMR until 3
years. I think each parent has to read the research and make up their own
minds.

: Thanks,
: Daisy

There are a lot of other things, but time is short and I can't thing of them
right now. Get on over to m.k.b.

Good luck,
Larry

[Xyzzy]

"daisy" > wrote in message >...
....
>
> I do hope they give us info on vaccinations. Im assuming that nothing will
> be forced on us if we decide not to vaccinate as much as they say.
> Thanks,
> Daisy

No one can physically force you to vaccinate your children but public
schools in the US require proof of proper vaccination for enrollment.