6 Effective Tips on Choosing the Best Pediatrician for Your Child

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First-time parenthood brings lots of excitements as well as tensions to the parents. Having no practical experiment, they often find raising their first child quite difficult. Finding a reliable baby pediatrician is perhaps the most daunting task for them. Often, I’ve heard some expecting parents asking “Do you know any baby pediatrician near me?” I really appreciate this step. Expecting parents should start their search for a reliable pediatrician so that they can take their baby to the doctor in the face of any emergency.

How do you find a reliable pediatrician for your baby? I am going to provide you six tips that can help you select the best baby pediatrician.

1. A Pile of Questions

Keep your notebook ready. A formal interview or Q&A session is a good opportunity for you to know a pediatrician. You should prepare a few questions for this interview such as

  • From where the pediatrician did graduation, post graduation, and pediatric training?

  • Where does the doctor work now?

  • What’s the career history of the doctor?

  • Does the doctor’s schedule match your own schedule?

  • What will be the charge that you need to pay for sick visits and routine examinations?

  • What’s the doctor’s policy on receiving and returning calls?

  • Is there any nurse or assistant in the doctor’s chamber?

Don’t forget to take notes during this interview.

2. Investigation

Now, you should check whether the details provided by the doctor is correct or not. You can confirm the information from your acquaintances who know the doctor since a long time. You may also search on the Internet. Just type the name of the doctor on the Google and you will find the details including the reviews and comments of the patients.

3. Locations

As I have stated earlier, many parents keep asking “Can you tell me any baby pediatrician near me?” Location is a serious matter of concern for them. Your baby may need a pediatrician at any time. Therefore, it would be really good if you can find a pediatrician whose office is nearer to your place. Traffic is a common problem in most of the busy cities. Naturally, it would waste your time. When your baby is sick, you should not take any chance. During the first year of a newborn’s life, you will need to visit the doctor’s chamber frequently for weight checks, or immunization. Hence, the communication should be convenient for you.

4. Environment

When you are going to meet the doctor for the first time, look at the environment of the chamber. Is it hygienic? Are the staff and the doctors are friendly and amicable? The environment should be a healthy one for your child.

5. Insurance Policy

Before finalizing your pediatrician, make sure he/she is covered by your insurance plan. You should note how many visits are covered by your plan. Check whether you need to pay a co-pay for nurse visits (which are usually meant for immunizations).

6. Consider the Gender

Are you looking for a long-term relationship between your kid and the pediatrician? If yes, then you should take into consideration the gender of the pediatrician. In most of the cases, children need pediatricians until they cross the age of 18. So, many parents think that their children would be more comfortable with a doctor of their same sex during the years of adolescence.

A Final Overview

I know your baby is the apple of your eye. Being a parent, it is your responsibility to give their health and development to a reliable hand. For the new parents, it is quite difficult to understand each activity of the newborn. Sometimes, babies cry and parents can’t make out the reason. An experienced pediatrician helps the parents understand these activities. Doctors are always expected to be friendly. So far as baby care is concerned, pediatricians should be able to make the babies comfortable with them. Otherwise, it would be quite difficult to take care of the baby. Only certificates and degrees cannot make one a good pediatrician. He/she should be an easy-going and loving person whom the babies can trust.

Is the baby kicking? Yes? It’s a great feeling that can’t be expressed through language. Isn’t it? So, what are you thinking? Let’s make a better life for the newborn, let’s find a skilled and loving MAPS pediatrician who will be always ready to hold the soft hands of your baby.

Do you need any help to find a reliable pediatrician near you? If so, please feel free to write to us!

Chloe Paltrow
Chloe Paltrow, a medical assistant. She has shared her knowledge in various websites and blogs like PsychCentral, Collective Evolution and Pick The Brain. Currently, she is studying how brain injury and brain disorders can be treated with hyperbaric chambers.