Do Peds actually know anything other than how to vaccinate...

[Fyrestorm]

...and give unwanted parenting advice?

I know I should just turn off the TV...but discovery health is doing a marathon of mystery diagnosis...

Without fail, every case that involved a child, the parents took the kid to the ped who told them it was something benign, like post nasal drip...or a cold...whatever. This blowing off parents continued usually through 4-5 visits with the same or escalating set of symptoms.

They don't even consider consulting another specialist...nothing....

Really, is giving vaccines the only thing they know how to do?

Are they all (i know, generalizing here) just too arrogant to refer a patient when they know nothing about what is going on with a patient?

[carriebft]

This is not true in my experience; i actually had the opposite experience...they seemed to almost know too much . We switched to a family doc because it's more laid back and I don't need 5 thousand facts before getting a lead test kinda thing...

[CanidFL]

That is really sad. I think doctors in general don’t have a clue about anything.

How many times have I self diagnosed? I would go to the doctor with all these symptoms and get no response. Finally, I do a simple web search and bada bing…there is my diagnosis. I know this isn’t true for many things but it’s really frustrating when I can find out what is wrong with me easier then a doctor can.

[karne]

My kid's pediatrician is actually pretty great. Low-key, gentle, counsels moderation, seems to rely on common sense and definitely respects me as a mom, and my decisions about my kids. We've had some big-time medical issues with one of my kids and I have been happy with the knowledge and expertise offered to me, and quite frankly some of it has been life saving. I guess I wouldn't rely on television for accurate information.

[applejuice]

When did pediatrics become a booming specialty?

I would guess it was when young parents were separated from their own parents and therefore could not rely on grandma for breastfeeding, diapering, discipline and nightcrying advice. Could it be after WWII, when GIs used the VA loans and moved into suburbs, far from their families on the farm or in the city.

Just a guess.

DR. Mendelsohn used to say that one grandmother is worth two pediatricians.

[ktbug]

There are good pediatricians out there, and it is crucial to find one who listens to you, respects your decisions, and takes your concerns seriously. A good pediatrician or family doctor can be a vital component in the ongoing health of your child. Contrary to what can sometimes be extrapolated as common knowledge on this board, there actually IS a point to well-baby visits besides vaccine sales. Keeping good stats on height, weight, head circumference, and developmental milestones is a key factor in being able to spot trouble (or the lack of trouble). Of course, you can do that yourself, at home, but it's really a good idea to collaborate with an outside opinion from time to time.

The key is to find a doctor with whom your family can enjoy a relationship of mutual trust and respect. Many parents are shying away from WBV's lately because they don't have a good relationship with their care providers, and this can be a problem if your child turns out to have a serious illness but no recorded medical history.

Point being: find a GOOD doctor, one who listens, one who takes you seriously. This is not just true for the practice of pediatrics; basically this whole post could apply to well woman care, prenatal care, etc.

My recent history has made me a giant iatrophobe, but I'm saying what I'm saying because if we hadn't done a few well-baby visits with Lucas, we wouldn't have noticed the jump in his head circumference which ultimately clued us in to his underlying condition. I can't help but think that if we'd done MORE wbv's, we might have caught his tumor earlier and he might have had a chance.

The key thing to remember, though, is that pediatricians and family doctors are there for MEDICAL advice, not for parenting advice. They generally suck at parenting advice. That's where Grandmas come in.

[JaneSmith1010]

people know what they are taught and many are not daring enough to question this, even when they see evidence everyday to contradict it. Doctors are taught to vaccinate and so are nurses, only the very unorthodox, special ones question the practice. Recently we have seen a change in the 'vaccinate everyone and everything, no matter what' attitude only because of the mounting evidence that vaccination is dangerous and not as effective as the pharma companies would have us beleive....so goes the mainstream, so goes the med pros. Because this is the case I refuse to take my child to anyone other than a med pro who has some sort of alternative training--we see an NP/ homeopath simpley because she doesn't care if she gets in trouble for undervaxing her patients. She knows that dangers and avoids them.