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First Time Parents: Choosing a Pediatrician
The search for your baby’s Pediatrician should begin at least one month before your due date. The best way to select a Pediatrician is by word of mouth. Unfortunately, many of us don’t have this valuable resource, and so we are left to do our own investigating. This process will include an “interview” with as many physicians as it takes to find the “right” one for your family. I suggest physically visiting the doctor’s office so that you can scope out the atmosphere. Ask yourself: Is the office and physician baby friendly? How busy is the waiting room? Does it seem like people are waiting a long time for their appointments? How helpful is the receptionist? In my experience, Pediatricians accepting new patients are happy to meet with expecting parents for a face-to-face interview. I would be wary of any physician unwilling to extend this courtesy.
The following is a list of questions I found useful in my search for the best Pediatrician for my son:
- Is the doctor(s) covered by my insurance?
- How many doctors are in the clinic? More than one doctor makes for more flexible scheduling and the availability of drop-in appointments.
- Will my child see the doctor, the doctor’s assistant, or a nurse during his/her visit? It was important to me that my child see his Pediatrician for each of his wellness visits.
- What vaccination schedule does the doctor follow, why, and is he/she flexible in that regime?
- Is there a separate waiting area for sick kids vs. kids being seen for routine check-ups?
- What are the hours/days of operation?
- Who is on-call for emergencies when the office is closed?
- What hospital(s) is the doctor affiliated with?
- Does the doctor(s) have children of his/her own?
- What are the doctor’s credentials and how long has the doctor(s) been practicing?
Vaccinations, Autism and My Decision for My Baby Boy
Can vaccinations cause autism? It’s something I think about a lot lately especially since boys are 4 times more likely to be diagnosed with autism and my son just turned 1, which, is around the time doctors can reliably diagnose autism. Even with all the controversy over whether vaccinations can cause autism I made an informed decision to take my son in for his one year vaccinations last week.
I started talking with our pediatrician about a vaccination schedule for my son as soon as he was born. I also tried to educate myself on autism by reading all the information I could find on autism and talking with several parents that have children with autism. With this information to guide me I decided that I would do a modified vaccination schedule as determined by myself and my son’s pediatrician.
Here are a couple shot schedules available to parents:
American Academy of Pediatrics shot schedule http://www.cispimmunize.org/
Dr. Sears shot schedule http://www.askdrsears.com/thevaccinebook/
Deciding on whether to vaccinate your child is a very important decision that every parent makes and it’s not an all or nothing proposition. Immunization is one of the most effective ways parents can protect their infants and children from potentially serious diseases. The best advice I would give to any parent is to educate yourself as much as possible and talk with your child’s health care provider to determine the best course of action for you.
Here are a few resources for more information on autism:
http://www.cafemom.com Has forums for Autism/Asperger’s/PDD Awareness and Parenting Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Center for Disease Control http://www.cdc.gov/Features/InfantImmunization/
http://www.autism-blog.com/ Allows people who have been affected by autism to share their stories and help other people to overcome. Their goal is to provide the best online autism support group possible.