Things your pediatrician won’t tell you

Text me!

If you are worried about your child and your PD is on leave - you can text him your problem. Most PD's will try to respond back especially if they think it's serious. It would be best if you texted it to him/her with a picture of the issue as well

If it's not urgent wait till the morning

Instead of calling me up at 2 am in the morning - ask yourself how urgent the problem is. If it's something that can wait till morning, then please wait till the morning.

Please don't delay your treatments

One of the things your pediatrician won’t tell you but wants you to do is to not delay the appropriate treatment for your child’s symptoms just because you have a scheduled visit. Delaying treatment could mean a mis-diagnosis or worse, extended suffering for your child. You don't have to prove to your PD that your child really was wheezing or had a fever. He will believe you!

Avoid Mondays

Even if you are friends with your pediatrician, you will still have to wait your turn. You have to understand that yours is not the only child waiting to see the doctor. If you don’t want to wait too long, schedule an early appointment and avoid Mondays. Personally, I always ask for the first appointment of the day if its available and I arrive early to reduce my waiting time.

Please give me your undivided attention

When visiting the PD it is important to give him or her your undivided attention. If your DR has to wait for you to get off your phone, then he will have to delay his next patient.

It's okay to overshare

One of the things your pediatrician won’t tell you is the fact that they are depending on you. Without your detailed account of your child’s injury or illness, the pediatrician will not be able to make a quick diagnosis. So don’t hesitate to tell them everything that you have observed in your children. Don't feel embarrassed that what you are reporting is irrelevant. Everything matters.

Don't rely on Dr Google

While most informed parents will turn to Google first for a diagnosis, it is important to trust your PD's judgement and diagnosis. Just like you won't tell your plumber what to do, show the same respect to your child's Doctor.

One child per check-up

One of the important things your paediatrician won’t tell you is to stop bringing two children when you have only one child scheduled. Even if you think the second child only requires a quick look, you should know that check ups are never quick, especially if a thorough and proper diagnosis is expected. Make two appointments back-to-back if you are taking two kids in to see the doctor. It allows the other appointments to flow more smoothly.

It's okay to tell me you want antibiotics

Most doctors nowadays delay giving antibiotics as much as they can, and for good reason. However, one of the things your pediatrician won’t tell you is that if you feel that your child really needs it, you should ask him and they might give out the prescription. Just remember that studies show that overuse of antibiotics in young children is harmful in the long run. So use your powerful mummy instincts but remember that antibiotics are not always the solution to every illness.

If you don't like me

It's okay to ask for another PD from my practice to take over the care of your child. However try not to switch Doctors around too much as their may be loss of information.

Most visits are unnecessary

Pediatricians don't tell you that you can call the clinic for a quick consultation if you have a child that has a common cold or cough. You don't always have to go to the clinic for a consultation. Use your mum instincts. It's one of our super skills as mums. It allows us to know when our child just needs to rest and when they need to see a doctor. If you need reassurance, then by all means, go and get a consultation. Always better to be safe than sorry.

Written by

Karen Mira

Baby Healthsick childpediatricianchild health