Ten Questions to Ask Your Pediatrician
Updated July 21, 2014.
Written or reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Board.
Ideally, each visit to your pediatrician will get you all of the information to make sure your child is safe, healthy, and developing normally. Unfortunately, in this age of managed care and rushed appointments, parents sometimes leave their pediatrician's office without understanding everything that is going on with their child. Consider asking your pediatrician these 10 questions from time to time to get the information you need about your kids.
Children, even those who are growing and developing normally, don't all grow at the same pace. That can make it hard for parents to know if their child is truly developing normally. Is he talking enough? Did he walk on time? Does he have enough friends? Is he too short?
Although reviewing developmental milestones and following growth charts can help you monitor your child's growth and development, nothing beats simply asking your pediatrician to make sure your child isn't delayed.
Considering how much the childhood immunization schedule has changed the last few years, and with vaccine shortages that have been occurring from time to time, there is a chance that your child's immunizations are not up-to-date. In addition to checking on your child's vaccine status at well child visits, you might also ask when you go in for a sick visit.
For example, there's now a recommendation that children get the hepatitis A vaccine, a chicken pox booster shot, and there are some new vaccines for teens. Also, shortages of Prevnar (2003-04), chicken pox, DTaP, Td, and MMR (2002), and the Hib vaccine (2008) often leave kids behind on their shots.
At one time, it seemed like parents expected antibiotics for every cough, sore throat, and runny nose. Most are getting better at recognizing that these are mostly viral symptoms and do not usually need an antibiotic prescription.
Some pediatricians are still quick to break out their pads and write prescriptions for antibiotics though, which helps explain why antibiotics are still being overused. Surprisingly, this is often because they think that parents expect the prescription. If you don't, ask your pediatrician if your child's antibiotic prescription is really necessary the next time she has a mild infection.
Although all medications can have some possible side effects, most children take them without any problems at all. And when they are necessary, like when an antibiotic is prescribed for strep throat, the very low risk of side effects is so far outweighed by the benefits that you almost don't think twice about giving them to your child.
With some other medications, the benefits aren't always so clear though, and the risks can be a little higher. That makes it important to know the possible side effects of the medications that your child is prescribed. In addition to helping you recognize those side effects, asking this question will help you make a more informed decision about whether your child should really take the medication or not.
Unfortunately, there are very few 24-hour bugs. When kids get sick, whether they have a runny nose and cough, sore throat and stuffy nose, or vomiting and diarrhea, they are often sick for a good three to five days. And sometimes, like with a cold, the symptoms can stretch to a few weeks until they are finally gone. Even when a child with a bacterial infection is treated, it can often take 48 to 72 hours for antibiotics to work.
While many infections can linger, it is important to ask when you can expect your child to get better. And if that time passes, ask why he isn't getting better yet.
Although your pediatrician is likely well prepared to take care of most of your child's medical issues, there may be times where a pediatric specialist can be helpful. Does your child have frequent asthma attacks that are limiting his activities? Hard to control eczema that is making it difficult for him to sleep at night? Months and months of diarrhea that just hasn't gone away?
In all of these situations, seeing a pediatric specialist for further help would be a good idea. If it seems like you have had several visits to your pediatrician for the same problem and he or she has tried everything, but your child still isn't getting better, consider asking if it is time to see a specialist.
Surprisingly, doctors can't always do a medical test to help them figure out what is wrong with your child. Unfortunately, though, some order test after test anyway -- many of which aren't always helpful. Others take a shotgun approach, ordering every test they can think of when a child is sick.
Before your child has a blood test, x-ray or MRI, you might ask if it is really necessary and how it is going to change your child's treatment plan.
Many parents follow a "no news is good news" approach to test results, figuring that if they didn't hear anything after a child had a test, then the results must have been normal. While that is likely often true, there are situations when a pediatrician may not communicate negative results to a parent, such as lost results, lost charts, or when they don't have a working phone number for the parent.
If you don't get your child's test results after a reasonable amount of time, a few days to a week, be sure to call your pediatrician to discuss the results.
With the current childhood obesity epidemic, you would think that weight management would come up when a child visits her pediatrician. Unfortunately, parents rarely make visits to discuss a child's weight problems, and pediatricians often have a hard time bringing up the topic. Discussing obesity is especially difficult for some pediatricians when the child's parents are overweight themselves, or if they are afraid to hurt the child's feelings.
Ask your pediatrician for your child's body mass index (BMI), and about whether or not she is at a healthy weight, at her next well child visit. If you are not due for a well visit, then schedule a visit specifically to discuss her weight, nutrition and, if necessary, weight loss goals.More »
Experts often recommend that you ask a pediatrician his or her opinion about things when first choosing a pediatrician for your child. Asking for a pediatrician's opinion on important topics --breastfeeding, discipline, alternative medicine, homeschooling and cosleeping, for example -- is great advice. However, it doesn't have to stop once you choose your pediatrician.
Moreover, it doesn't have to be a confrontational process. Asking for your pediatrician's opinion about things, such as alternative vaccine schedules, BPA and other chemicals in your child's environment, or the controversy about the Gardasil vaccine, may help both of you learn something new.
Written or reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Board.
Ideally, each visit to your pediatrician will get you all of the information to make sure your child is safe, healthy, and developing normally. Unfortunately, in this age of managed care and rushed appointments, parents sometimes leave their pediatrician's office without understanding everything that is going on with their child. Consider asking your pediatrician these 10 questions from time to time to get the information you need about your kids.
1. Is My Child Growing and Developing Normally?
Children, even those who are growing and developing normally, don't all grow at the same pace. That can make it hard for parents to know if their child is truly developing normally. Is he talking enough? Did he walk on time? Does he have enough friends? Is he too short?
Although reviewing developmental milestones and following growth charts can help you monitor your child's growth and development, nothing beats simply asking your pediatrician to make sure your child isn't delayed.
2. Are My Child's Immunizations Up-to-date?
Considering how much the childhood immunization schedule has changed the last few years, and with vaccine shortages that have been occurring from time to time, there is a chance that your child's immunizations are not up-to-date. In addition to checking on your child's vaccine status at well child visits, you might also ask when you go in for a sick visit.
For example, there's now a recommendation that children get the hepatitis A vaccine, a chicken pox booster shot, and there are some new vaccines for teens. Also, shortages of Prevnar (2003-04), chicken pox, DTaP, Td, and MMR (2002), and the Hib vaccine (2008) often leave kids behind on their shots.
3. Does She Really Need Antibiotics to Get Better?
At one time, it seemed like parents expected antibiotics for every cough, sore throat, and runny nose. Most are getting better at recognizing that these are mostly viral symptoms and do not usually need an antibiotic prescription.
Some pediatricians are still quick to break out their pads and write prescriptions for antibiotics though, which helps explain why antibiotics are still being overused. Surprisingly, this is often because they think that parents expect the prescription. If you don't, ask your pediatrician if your child's antibiotic prescription is really necessary the next time she has a mild infection.
4. What Are the Side Effects of My Child's Medications?
Although all medications can have some possible side effects, most children take them without any problems at all. And when they are necessary, like when an antibiotic is prescribed for strep throat, the very low risk of side effects is so far outweighed by the benefits that you almost don't think twice about giving them to your child.
With some other medications, the benefits aren't always so clear though, and the risks can be a little higher. That makes it important to know the possible side effects of the medications that your child is prescribed. In addition to helping you recognize those side effects, asking this question will help you make a more informed decision about whether your child should really take the medication or not.
5. Why Isn't My Child Getting Better?
Unfortunately, there are very few 24-hour bugs. When kids get sick, whether they have a runny nose and cough, sore throat and stuffy nose, or vomiting and diarrhea, they are often sick for a good three to five days. And sometimes, like with a cold, the symptoms can stretch to a few weeks until they are finally gone. Even when a child with a bacterial infection is treated, it can often take 48 to 72 hours for antibiotics to work.
While many infections can linger, it is important to ask when you can expect your child to get better. And if that time passes, ask why he isn't getting better yet.
6. Should We See a Specialist for a Second Opinion?
Although your pediatrician is likely well prepared to take care of most of your child's medical issues, there may be times where a pediatric specialist can be helpful. Does your child have frequent asthma attacks that are limiting his activities? Hard to control eczema that is making it difficult for him to sleep at night? Months and months of diarrhea that just hasn't gone away?
In all of these situations, seeing a pediatric specialist for further help would be a good idea. If it seems like you have had several visits to your pediatrician for the same problem and he or she has tried everything, but your child still isn't getting better, consider asking if it is time to see a specialist.
7. Why Are We Doing This Test?
Surprisingly, doctors can't always do a medical test to help them figure out what is wrong with your child. Unfortunately, though, some order test after test anyway -- many of which aren't always helpful. Others take a shotgun approach, ordering every test they can think of when a child is sick.
Before your child has a blood test, x-ray or MRI, you might ask if it is really necessary and how it is going to change your child's treatment plan.
8. What Were His Test Results?
Many parents follow a "no news is good news" approach to test results, figuring that if they didn't hear anything after a child had a test, then the results must have been normal. While that is likely often true, there are situations when a pediatrician may not communicate negative results to a parent, such as lost results, lost charts, or when they don't have a working phone number for the parent.
If you don't get your child's test results after a reasonable amount of time, a few days to a week, be sure to call your pediatrician to discuss the results.
9. Is My Child at a Healthy Weight?
With the current childhood obesity epidemic, you would think that weight management would come up when a child visits her pediatrician. Unfortunately, parents rarely make visits to discuss a child's weight problems, and pediatricians often have a hard time bringing up the topic. Discussing obesity is especially difficult for some pediatricians when the child's parents are overweight themselves, or if they are afraid to hurt the child's feelings.
Ask your pediatrician for your child's body mass index (BMI), and about whether or not she is at a healthy weight, at her next well child visit. If you are not due for a well visit, then schedule a visit specifically to discuss her weight, nutrition and, if necessary, weight loss goals.More »
10. What Is Your Opinion About...
Experts often recommend that you ask a pediatrician his or her opinion about things when first choosing a pediatrician for your child. Asking for a pediatrician's opinion on important topics --breastfeeding, discipline, alternative medicine, homeschooling and cosleeping, for example -- is great advice. However, it doesn't have to stop once you choose your pediatrician.
Moreover, it doesn't have to be a confrontational process. Asking for your pediatrician's opinion about things, such as alternative vaccine schedules, BPA and other chemicals in your child's environment, or the controversy about the Gardasil vaccine, may help both of you learn something new.
Source...