5 Signs of a Good Doctor for Children

Your child’s pediatrician plays an essential role in both your life and that of your child. That’s because they will be handling your child’s health issues from the day you get home from the hospital to the time your child grows into an adult.

The relationship between your child and the pediatrician is a long-term one. Therefore, it’s essential to find the right doctor to match your child’s needs and comfort. With over 27,550 pediatricians in the U.S., how do you know if you have the right doctor for children?

According to experts, the pediatrician-child relationship should be built on trust. As a parent, you should feel respected, seen, and heard by the doctor since they are there to assist your whole family. Below are five tips on how to choose a pediatrician.

1. They Have an Empathetic, Sincere and Caring Attitude

The way your physician acts towards you and your child is among the vital signs of a good pediatrician. It’s essential to find a physician you feel comfortable working with and trust. Your child should also be comfortable and feel safe around them.

Most people don’t think empathy and care are essential aspects when looking for a good doctor for children. However, top-notch professional affiliations and medical credentials are not the only things to consider. Ensure you settle for a doctor who genuinely cares about your child and will pay close attention to even the most subtle symptoms and work towards finding a diagnosis and a cure.

If you are looking for a pediatrician, ensure you start by looking at their humanity. An empathetic and trustworthy doctor can be instrumental in helping you through challenging situations with your child.

2. An Open and Responsive Doctor

The right doctor for your child should be willing to listen to you and address all your concerns attentively. Listening shouldn’t be just a matter of courtesy. Your child’s doctor should also be good at diagnosing the disease based on the symptoms you described.

It’s essential to find a doctor who is responsive to your concerns and wishes on how you would prefer they handle your child. Ensure your pediatric doctor respects or at least shares your views on sleep patterns, feeding practices, and vaccines. Before choosing the doctor, ensure you have a sit-down and talk about what is important to you and your child.

Don’t go for a close-minded doctor who isn’t open to discussing your needs. Some doctors tend to force their ideals on their patients. Settling for such a doctor may lead to you keeping some essential aspects of your child’s life from them, which is a mistake.

3. Is Knowledgeable and Knows How to Share Information

An excellent pediatric doctor will not respond immediately to the health issues you bring them. They will take some time and consider the bigger picture of your child’s overall health and improve or maintain it. Your pediatrician should know the latest medical trends and research in their field to effectively do this.

However, knowledge is not enough. Your pediatrician’s ability to share this knowledge is also essential. Proper communication skills are also another vital sign of a good pediatrician. Your doctor should be willing able to communicate with you in a language that you can comprehend.

Your child’s doctor should give you advice and information about essential issues such as preventative measures to keep your child healthy, nutrition tips, and any updates and advancements in medicine that would benefit your child.

If you are a first-time parent, your doctor should act as a critical source of advice and information on formula feeding, breastfeeding, child development, vaccines, and introduction to solid foods. Sharing information with the parent is an essential part of the pediatric doctor’s job.

As a first-time parent, you may not know what to ask your doctor. However, the right doctor will give you all the information you need to make it easier to navigate parenthood.

4. A Good Reputation

Your pediatrician should have a good reputation and be highly recommended by people you trust. Most parents choose their pediatrician based on the recommendation of others. While word of mouth is excellent, ensure you also consider other ways to prove the doctor’s reputation and compare them with several others.

If you have just moved to a new place, ensure you ask your neighbors and friends about their pediatric doctor. This will help you know which doctor’s name keeps coming up. You can also ask your primary caregiver for a recommendation.

Once you have a list of pediatrics to choose from, check out their ratings and reviews online. Pay attention to both the negative and positive reviews to choose the best doctor for your child. Don’t dismiss a doctor because they have two bad reviews.

5. Choose an Available and Easy to Reach Doctor

When choosing a doctor for your child, ensure you go for the one with regular office hours and consistent and clear guidelines on how to reach them for medical help after hours. If your doctor is unavailable, they should get their assistant to communicate with you and return your call as soon as possible. This will make your life hustle-free.

Find out how easy it is to make and change an appointment with your potential pediatric doctor. Remember the baby’s health may be unpredictable, and they may need urgent care. If it takes time to book an appointment or even change one, you should consider a different doctor.

When interviewing the doctor, ask them if they charge extra for the change in the appointment and keep open slots throughout the day to facilitate urgent medical care. This will help you know if your child can be seen by the doctor right away if they are sick. Check out provopediatrics.com for the best pediatric care in the Provo region, including Payson.

Are You Wondering How to Get the Right Doctor for Children?

While there is no proven method to choose the right doctor for children, ensure you settle for the doctor that makes you and your child comfortable.

Rely on your friends, family, and online reviews when choosing a doctor for your child. Choose a doctor who fits into your child’s healthcare needs.

Check out our other articles here on our site for more informative tips.