Communicating With Your Pediatrician
Eating solid foods, crawling, sleeping through the night—all important milestones for your child. But when is he supposed to lose his first tooth or what if he’s a late talker?
These are all important questions that concern parents. That’s why choosing a pediatrician who is the right fit for your family is critical in ensuring that both you and your children are comfortable during doctor’s visits and for those inevitable after-hours phone calls.
You should feel at ease talking to both your pediatrician and the medical staff who treat your children. Here are some practical tips to help make each visit productive, whether you are at the office for a routine check-up or for a sick visit:
Organize ahead of time
· Keep a record of your child’s symptoms, including fever, how long your child has been sick and any medicines given (dosage and time).
· Highlight the items that are particularly worrisome.
· Write down any questions you want to ask.
· Think about any concerns you have about your child’s development.
Identify goals for the visit
· Routine check-ups are a good time to voice concerns about your child’s development or ask questions about age-appropriate milestones.
· At sick visits, you may get a diagnosis, medicine or rule out certain illnesses.
What to bring to your visit
· Current medication list: including prescription, over-the-counter, herbal supplements and vitamins.
· Allergies and previous adverse reactions.
· Prior medications and why they didn't work.
· Recent tests, including those done at urgent care centers and emergency rooms. Include dates and locations. Always ask for copies of your test results so you can have them for your own files.
· Changes in symptoms since your last visit.
· Questions for today.
· Refills needed.
Making the most out of your visit
· Arrive on time.
· Bring toys to entertain your child so you can talk to his doctor.
· Be clear and descriptive when explaining your child’s symptoms or asking questions about his current health status.
· Describe any change in your child’s behavior.
· Make sure your questions are answered and you feel comfortable with information you received.
· Please stay off your cell phone since it may interfere with medical equipment.
Talking about pain
· Whether your child can verbalize pain or not, you are the best judge of how uncomfortable he is.
· Don’t be afraid to tell your doctor about your child’s discomfort or, if he can speak for himself, have him tell the doctor where it hurts.
Speak Up
· You are your child’s best advocate.
· You have the right to understand the diagnosis, medicine, tests and all the risks and options.
· It is especially important to understand how much and which medicines to give your child when he needs it.
Before you leave
· Ask the doctor for written instructions.
· Summarize and make sure to clarify anything you aren't familiar with.
· Don't leave without fully understanding your diagnosis and treatment.
After-hours
· Most pediatricians offer a nurse advice line with an R.N. available to answer questions or a physician on-call after hours.
· Just like with your child’s doctor, be clear and descriptive when communicating symptoms to the physician or nurse on call.
· Have your pharmacy phone number handy in case a prescription needs to be called in to the drugstore.