ped vs family dr

how many people use a family dr for the entire family, including the infants? instead of a ped?

Our family dr. doesn't accept children until they turn 18 months, so I just found a ped and have used him since day 1.

I did in the past, we lived in a small town that didn't have a ped, but now we do. He was totally competent, treated them for some serious stuff, and had a great bedside manner with them.

I did but he missed a LOT of ear infections and the fact that she had fluid trapped behind her ear drums SOO we when we got tired of her getting sick every month we switched to a ped (which btw we also live a small town with a ped who is worse than the dr we were seeing) in another town.

We all go to different doctors. Miabella had a ped, I have a regular doctor, and DH has the military doctor.

I use a ped..... Always will and always have. Its just me. I dont care for my reg dr thats why.

Ped here - Olivia goes to a Ped Dentist too....they just have a better way with her....

ok so i guess i just have to search harder for a ped. there isnt one in the town so far that i like..at least not the person who answers the phone and talks for the firm..
so maybe try a few towns around us.

Ped here. I like the fact that ped's have more specialized training and education with children specifically.

you aren't seeing a PEd with everything you have going on? Not that it would necessarily make a difference... There ARE good GP's out there. somewhere...

Working mainly on a Peds unit and working with the Dr's in general, I opted to take my kids to a Ped instead of a GP. IMO, GP's definitely have their place, but I have yet to find one that is good at everything, and have found a lot of times they don't recognize when they are in over their heads to refer patients to see someone else.

you would not believe all the stupid stupid things that GP's order for children in our hospital. I can tell right away just by reading a chart if that Patient is seeing a Ped or not. And it totally makes sense when you think about it. THink of how complex the body is, with all its organ systems, muscles, bones, disease processes, and all that, PLUS the fact a newborn's body will handle things differently than a infant or toddlers, not to mention every other age group all the way up to geriatric. There is just no way one person can be proficient at everything.

we drive an hour to our ped its not fun by any means but totally worth it!!!

We all 5 go to a the same GP.

We had all teh kids with a ped but have much better luck with the GP then we did with the peds we used to see.

btw. I wouldn't even begin to worry about a Gp not catching all of the boys problems...the allergist and GI should be handling anything big or weird anyway.

We use a family practice of 5 different doctors and a nurse practitioner, but the Dr. the girls see specializes in pediatrics. Occasionally when they are sick they see the nurse practitioner if the Dr. is out that day, but she's excellent with kids. It works very well for us.

Stacy, if you are finding a GP you like over any Ped, I would go that route personally. My boys go to a ped, but I also like my GP. I only picked a ped because I just thought that's what you HAD to do when you have kids. There are good GPs out there. The one I see is actually up on hollistic meds, which I like. And which isn't very common in my area. He holds back from prescribing antibiotics, which again, I prefer. The boys' ped isn't this way. I like the ped, but like you and I have talked about before, he/she is often pushy about vax and my more natural approach to medicine. Go with your gut. If you like a GP, go with it! GL

We all see different doctors. I absolutely adore Braedin's Ped he is awesome! But I say do what you are comfortable with and what's right for you. He was also my Ped growing up.

This post has been edited by MoonMama on Feb 18 2008, 10:25 PM

Where i live you dont see a ped unless you are referred. Zavier has one because of all the issues when he was born, but hasnt seen him in about 6 months. Zander has never been to a ped. We had to be referred from the nicu for Zavier to see the ped he has.

I see a ped, my doctor's office isn't very kid friendly, it looks like an office, I think ped's offices are more relaxing to kids and they are specialized in how to handle children. The two peds I see in my office are awesome.

We use our GP for the girls, as well as us. I absolutely LOVE my GP. He's not great on some stuff like more "crunchy" style parenting, but I figure since I keep myself educated enough on it I don't need his advice for that stuff anyways. Sometimes if we don't agree, I just do what I want anyways. That is one luxury I have with insurance that doesn't require referrals. If I don't agree with my GP I go straight to a specialist.

my thing is, I dont have any dr yet, for us or the kids. and we wont be seeing any of the specialists anymore either..
jake is done with the allergiest after that last episode with the mistaken tests....
and he is doing better without the dr's anyway.
i have finally gotten some referrals for some drs. and I am going to call the office manager of the one place i called that was rude, because apparently the drs are good there, its the receptionist with issues.