Click into any online parenting group, and you’ll see this question almost immediately: “Who’s got a recommendation for a great pediatrician?” Whether you’re on your first child or your fifth, having a doctor you like, respect, and — perhaps most importantly, can get in touch with fast – makes every parent’s life easier.

 

The challenge, of course, is finding that unicorn-like doctor. Moms and dads trade tips, and Facebook groups offer another string of possibilities, but when it’s time to make the decision, it’s your child, and your lifestyle, that need to match up with a pediatrician.

 

Finding a Pediatrician for Your Family

Parents have their strong feelings about a whole spectrum of topics, from breastfeeding to vaccination schedules. One mom’s favorite pediatrician might not jibe with another dad’s views on co-sleeping, and the doctor your mommy-and-me group raves about might rub you the wrong way.

 

The American Academy of Pediatrics has a handy list of questions to ask when you’re looking for a new doctor, including where a doctor went to school, whether they take your insurance, and what the office hours and communication methods are. But once you’ve gotten those answers, you’re down to what’s essentially a personal decision. Which then raises the obvious question: What kind of parent – and patient — are you?

 

Dr. Kristen Slack, a pediatrician at CHOP Primary Care, Haverford, suggested that parents should take a step back and ask themselves what they value in their visits with their own doctors.

 

“Medicine really is a science, but the practice of medicine is sort of an art, and people prefer different styles,” she said.

 

For example, a mom who’s devoted to attachment parenting might ask a potential pediatrician how she might help her through nursing difficulties, or how he feels about bed-sharing with an infant. A mom or dad who’s more inclined to put most decisions in the doctor’s hands might be more interested in how well-versed that pediatrician is in the most cutting-edge medicine.

 

Finding a Pediatrician Who Listens

Slack and another local pediatrician, Dr. Michelle Karten, agreed that a top priority is a doctor who’s willing and able to listen to what you have to say – about your preferences, and about your child’s medical issues.

 

“I feel that sometimes in that physician-parent dialogue, you have to make sure the person who you’re dealing with is fully available to what you’re saying,” said Karten, a doctor affiliated with Bryn Mawr Hospital.

 

Also important, Karten said, is finding a doctor who will take the time to explain treatment options and what parents need to do for a child. No parent should walk out of a doctor’s office unsure of what they’re supposed to do next.

 

An in-depth chat with a doctor might also allow a doctor to offer more than one way to handle an issue, such as sleep training, Slack said. Parents shouldn’t shy away from asking to have a conversation outside an office visit, either, she said.

 

“It’s nice to find a physician who can offer you a couple of different approaches, so it can feel more tailored to what’s appropriate for your family,” Slack said. “The great thing about physicians, and pediatricians in particular, is we really are kind of lifelong students. I know the first thing that I do when a parent mentions something to me that I haven’t heard about: I immediately start reading about it.”

 

Other Things to Consider When Finding a Pediatrician

Other big questions include access: to the doctor, the rest of the practice, and nurses. Many modern practices, especially those associated with the big hospital and health care companies, give parents the option to communicate with doctors and nurses electronically. That can mean everything from the ability to send a picture of a particularly bad diaper rash via email to a video consultation with a real live doctor.

 

Old-fashioned phone calls are still important, Karten and Slack said. When your child has a high fever on a Saturday night, or takes a tumble down the stairs on Christmas Eve, it’s a huge relief to be able to talk to a person about what to do – especially if the alternative is a long wait in the emergency room.

 

But for many parents, it’s the face-to-face interaction that makes, or breaks, a relationship with a doctor. Disagreements over a family’s practices, or the doctor’s suggestion for treatment, can feel huge to parents, and intimidating.

 

What should a parent do then?

 

Keep talking, Slack said. It’s critical that parents be honest with their child’s doctor. If a parent accidentally forgets to finish a course of antibiotics, for example, and is too nervous to tell the doctor, a child could end up receiving the wrong treatment for a persistent infection. If a parent has strong feelings about, say, vaccination schedules, she should address that directly, Slack said.

 

“If you ever kind of leave the office feeling mistreated or unheard, or just afraid of telling the truth … then that is just a sign that you are not in the right place,” Slack said. “You definitely need to find someone who makes you feel the opposite.”

 

Slack said that even if she disagrees with a parent’s approach about one area of a child’s treatment, she’d still prefer to keep seeing the family, so that she could ensure a child’s health in other ways.

 

If you’re unhappy, make a change – no matter what anyone says. Slack and Karten emphasized that the greater Philadelphia area is rich with fine hospitals and great doctors. With some care, you can find the pediatrician who’s right for you.

 

“For me, a lot of it really comes down to understanding my role, and knowing that there are many ways, often, to understand that a child is healthy … There are many situations where there’s no clear right or wrong, as long as we keep the overall health in mind,” Karten said. “I do think my job is to sort of give that educational piece as to why the medicine is important, and what the evidence supports, but it’s never a bullying approach. You have to be an advocate, but also a cheerleader for the family.”

 

Dynamite Docs

 

We asked our favorite experts – members of our Philly Family and Main Line Parent Facebook communities – for pediatrician recommendations.
Here are a few of their picks, in their own words:

 

Ardmore Chestnut Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine

(offices in Ardmore and Center City Philadelphia)
Mom testimonial: “They were supportive of our co-sleeping and our desire to limit the amount of vaccines our sons received at one time (this meant coming back more often, to maintain the overall schedule).”

 

Nemours Dupont Pediatrics

 (Villanova)
Mom testimonial: “We go to Dr. Karten and adore her. She has gone above and beyond for us so many times and ever person at the practice is kind and patient with children. Brand-new super clean facility too. And I ALWAYS get to speak with a human when I call…usually it’s the same friendly voice that greets you when you arrive at the front desk. Trust me. You won’t regret it.”

 

Advocare Society Hill Pediatrics

(Center City, Philadelphia)
Mom testimonial: “They have been supportive of co-sleeping, breastfeeding and wanting to do extended breastfeeding, and baby-led weaning, yet have provided excellent care through bad infant reflux, milk protein allergy and illness requiring care. I feel heard but not yessed to death and I trust their recommendations that are never forceful or pushy. I’ve gotten evidence-based, up-to-date advice each time. We stick to the normal vaccine schedule but I know the office offers non-traditional (scheduling).”

 

Alexis Lieberman and Fairmount Pediatrics

(Fairmount, Philadelphia)
Mom testimonial: “She even makes house calls for the first newborn checkup for 19130 patients!”
 

 

Healthy Steps

(Exton)
Mom testimonial: “I am a full time working mom, and I need no-nonsense doctors who have great office hours and an efficiently run office. … They came with rave reviews from everyone in my twin MoMs group. But it was the office hours that sold me. We got our flu shots at 7:15 pm with only a day’s advance notice!”

 

Providence Pediatrics

(Media)
Mom testimonial: It’s a “mom and pop” type feel, yet very on top of their game when it comes to healthcare. They listen to moms, recommend non-medication approach first, and present themselves as everyday people. I’m a clinician myself and can’t say enough good things about their practice.”

 

Photograph by Casey Kallen.