If you are a mommy-to-be or a first-time mommy you are sure to save the numbers always on your speed dial. You pediatrician must be able to pacify your nerves when they race even at the slightest hint of anomaly in your child’s health. Here are a few tips on how to find just the best of these people.
Ask and you will find: Well if you want the best, you will have to work hard a bit. Try a bit of hobnobbing with other mommies in your child’s school, co-workers, friend circle and more to be on the right track into finding the perfect pediatrician. Whenever you are at gyanec’s or obstetrician’s, enquire about who is the best pediatrician in the city. Ask your colleagues about the doctor they approach when their child is ill. Every mom in your kid’s play school will be more than happy to give you tips and tricks. Word of mouth has always been the best.
1. Proximity to your home: Kids are never easy. No matter how hard you try to keep them harm free, they will always end up injuring themselves. If your baby has a fledgling immunity, it is likely to fall under the weather. A pediatrician close to your place is highly essential. Saket Kumar Dwivedi, Mumbai-based HR Professional with a playful two-year-old punter says, “I consult two pediatricians – one lives a couple of minutes away from my place while the other is further away. For minor health concerns, I take my son to the friendly neighbourhood pediatrician. But whenever there’s a serious issue, off we go to the specialist. It just gets easier for my family when my son is quickly relived from any pain.” Start by making a list of the reputed hospitals in you vicinity and look up on the pediatricians affiliated to them
2. Meet the doctor: Once you have shortlisted the names try to interact with them personally. It is a very good idea to ask him a lot of relevant questions and listen to his answers. Understand the psychology that a doc who is patient with your concerns about your child’s health and development will be as caring about him or her as you are. Keenly observe the number of questions the doctor is asking you and the way he has engaged himself in the conversation.
3. Observe carefully: Make a mental note of how the pediatrician behaves with your child. Malini Desai, an IT Professional and mother to a 10-month-old tiny tot was rudely dismissed by a self-practicing pediatrician. She went in search to a reputed hospital. She met a 63-year-old gentle pediatrician who observed her child suffering from a mild cold and cough. The doctor did not recommend any medicines and said that she was strong enough to get back on her feet on her own. Surprisingly, within five days the child got back to normal. Therefore understand that age and experience are excellent parameters to judge your doctor’s expertise.
4. Budget Bargains: Whenever you go out for shopping, you create opportunities for the best deals. It is also same in the case of a pediatrician. If you have a feeling that your pediatrician has prescribed certain medicines that is okay to avoid, it is good to take a second opinion from your family doctor. Radhika Mishra, a Delhi-based Mom to a three-year-old boy consulted two pediatricians while vaccinating her son. One gave a long list of medicines while the other stuck to basics. The later said that her child can do without the chicken pox vaccine as the antibodies generated when the disease strikes are more powerful than any medicines. As chicken pox is not a deadly disease, Radhika changed her plan in accordance.
You do not have to look up child insurance by burning a hole in your pocket. Act sensibly.
5. Accessibility for emergencies: Note down every minute details of the visiting hours and check if the doctor is available on call. Make sure that there should not be ‘phone switched off’ response in case of midnight emergencies. If you are working parents talk to your doctors and match schedules. If you are new to the clinic talk to the parents who have already visited him and ask questions like whether there is a long waiting queue, how supportive are the staff and other practical queries like how easy it is to find parking, etc.
Akshay Agarwal
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