Ped. Well Visit Q?

[Mrs. Charming]

My kids do go for their "well child" checkups, but I finally have a Ped we like, and shares the same philosophy we do. Basically DS gets measured, weighed, we chat and off we go.

Our old Ped sent cards, phone calls, I really didn't like her. She didn't get called back.

 

[christiane]

Yes, absolutely. My 5 children are all on different schedules, but I make sure they go every year. The vaccines aren't the important part of the vist, anyway; the examination is the important part.

A few months ago, my friend took her 12 year old son for his annual exam. The doctor noted he had gained more weight than expected. The boy was feeling fine & was known to like to eat a lot of junk food so his Mom just thought she needed to crack down on his diet. The doctor decided he would run a thyroid test anyway. Well, the boy is hypothryoid (Hashimoto's Disease which can start in childhood) and is now under the care of a pediatric endocrinologist.

If she hadn't taken him for his yearly examination, the diagnosis would have been delayed and his growth may have been affected.

My children's pediatrician also indicates on her new patient check-in form that she can dismiss you if you don't take your children for a yearly examination and we love her, so I don't want to take that chance!

 

[jel0511]

I understand your frustration with doctors. I believe the doctors issue is that you asked them to refill a prescription and they'd like to examine your daughter to continue writing the prescription. I know my personal dr and the kids WILL NOT write anything if you haven't been there in the past year for a physical. Just a sick visit doesn't count.

 

[skuttle]

We brought DS every year up until his 6 year old visit. At that one the ped said that DS could start going every other year so we skipped 7 and will be going this year for his 8th.

 

[daughtersrus]

The only time that I take my DD to the Ped for a "well check up" is when she has to have a physical filled out for school.

DD sees a lot of specialists so to me, it's a waste of my time and money (well check ups are not covered by our insurance) to take her there. I have all of the reports from the specialists sent there so that they are all in one central location. The only time that I take DD to the Ped is if she is sick. We get her immunizations at the Health Dept because they are much cheaper and not covered by insurance.

 

[shortbun]

My son is an athlete so he gets a physical every year, vaccine or not.

 

[Pixiedust34]

We go every year. I think seeing the doctor every year is a good habit for the kids to grow into, plus it's peace of mind to get to know the doctor better. I like it that when the kids are sick they are going to a familiar place and seeing familiar people we trust.

I also like for the kids to get the blood pressure check, hearing screening, etc. annually. It's good to keep tabs on their general health even if they appear to be healthy. If something does go wrong with a sudden health issue, there's a record of past visits and statistics.

 

[marcyinPA]

My kids always do well-visits, and they are teens (well, one is a tween). They are completely covered by insurance, with no co-pay for preventative care, so we do them. I like for my kids to have a good relationship with their doctor, and he has always taken the time, especially with my oldest, to answer any questions and concerns. My oldest has discussed things with him that I don't even know about, so I'm glad that he feels that he can go to his doctor if he's too embarrassed to talk to DH or me.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

Our insurance is big on preventative care so yearly exams are covered 100%. No copays or deductables to worry about so there is no reason for either my daughter or myself not to get them.

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

I understand your frustration with doctors. I believe the doctors issue is that you asked them to refill a prescription and they'd like to examine your daughter to continue writing the prescription. I know my personal dr and the kids WILL NOT write anything if you haven't been there in the past year for a physical. Just a sick visit doesn't count.

yes but whatever examination the ped would do for her (height, weight, eyes, etc) wouldn't change the fact that she would need this RX in a life or death type of situation. KWIM? She's not checking on DD's food allergies.

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

I've delayed my youngest ds' well visit for about 6 months now (planned it that way due to other dr. visits---a little like the OP's scenario, in contact with a GI and other tests being done as well). Last week the ped's office called with a reminder for his well check. No big deal. I had been planning to make it anyway so I called and made it. However, I love my ped and the office and can get in anytime I want/need.

If I had been in your shoes last summer I would stated my desire to make an appt. and not been put off. The receptionist can't dx a child over the phone and even if the nurse had said "there's a virus going around why don't you wait?" I would have said I feel better to have her seen, let's go ahead make an appt., thank you. If that's not possible (barring a major epidemic outbreak that has the office overrun) I'd be finding another ped.

Also, the GI isn't charting and watching your child the same way a ped is. It's beneficial to keep your regular well visits as well, vaccines needed or not. Also, I have labs that my child has done cc'd to the ped as well as the specialist---that way my ped is seeing the BIG picture of all that is going on with the specialists, and I find that helpful as well. Again, I love my ped though.

The MRI issue: I'd be back in contact with the neurologist to find out whether they still want it done or not. They can contact the insurance company to push it through if necessary.

The whole MRI thing I thought was odd. The ped wasn't concerned at all, the GI was the one who wanted us to see the neurologist. When I called to cancel the MRI the doc was out and the receptionist said she'd call the doc and then get back to me and then when she did she said the neurologist advises you go and then I said maybe at a later date (another reason I didn't want her to get it was b/c as i mentioned with her eating, she was FINALLY eating good and she would have to be sedated and have all tubes and my dad said his throat bothered him after he was sedated for something and then I thought great she won't eat again and lose more weight! we also had a family member pass from a reaction to the dye so I was in tears every night).
But after all this we had another follow up with our ped and he said he didn't think much of it when he saw it (the ticks) some kids develop them and they go away. And he said just realize she did have some sort of tick and if it happened again let them know.

I just feel like I spent so much time in the doc office this year LoL. And I mean I am so thankful for health insurance and we only pay $25/$35 for specialist oop...but still it just adds up. And we are still paying the hospital bill that the insurance didn't fully cover.
And when we met with GI and Ped after school started (I think I met with GI maybe 3xs from Sept-Feb) they both said it wasn't the same girl they saw in August and were happy with her progress.

 

[disfan07]

My internist is a meds/peds internist and she and I were talking about my physical at my last appointment and even though I spend half my life at doctors, she still wanted me to have a full physical.

A full physical is meant to detect anything that a normal exam would not. When you go in because you are sick, you are going in JUST for that specific problem. They are not going to run the same labs or anything else that a physical entails. Also, when I go see my sepcialists, they are checking the already diagnosed problems, not looking for anything new unless I have a concern that I mention to them or that is relevant to that problem.

For my internist the rule is, If you miss more than 3 physicals, you are no longer an established "active" patient. She won't refill prescriptioins and you can't get in for same day appointments or get in to see her if your child is sick. If you want to see her again, you have to schedule a physical as a "new patient" and she has a waiting list of 6 months for new patients.

She does this because she believes that preventative medicine is better than anything else. She also feels that by only coming in to the office when you are sick, that she does not know what the "normal" is for that patient and she can't really establish a relationship with that patient (or their parents). Knowing what an individuals normal is and a solid doctor-patient relationship are 2 of the most important things to her.

And this is not just "late" for physicals. If there is more than 36 months between physicals, you are a "non active" patient.

 

[mickeyboat]

Our pedi sends postcards when it is time to schedule the yearly appointment. Although the kids are healthy (knock on wood) I like to have them seen every year. They need a physical for camp and I like to keep in touch so that she is aware of their health if something were to come up. There are always little things I like to talk to her about - moles, bunions, upcoming vaccines - that aren't really major concerns, but that I like to keep tabs on.

 

[Singledad]

even during times when DD has been sick enough to be seeing doctors left and right, I'd still take her to her well child appt. Why? because not only did/does it show that my DD *can* be healthy but it also helped DD not automatically associate doctors with pain. She LOVES her wellchild appointments. She gets to talk to (and hug.) a doctor, not get a shot, and 'earn' a ton of stickers for it. As far as she is concerned, well child appointments ROCK. It also can help keep track of things like her development that you do not discuss during a normal 'she is sick lets fix this' appointments.

I personally loathe doctors, I much rather wallow in pain for three weeks than see one. Yet I never completely miss my once a year 'well adult' visit. I may post pone it a month or two, but miss altogether? nope.

Also, even if 'kids sometimes develop tics' I would have been down right mad to have it dismissed that easy. a tic can be an early sign of something much worse, and why take that chance?! Personally, I would be finding a new ped, he seems to be too dismissive for my tastes. but, your you and it can be different.

one last thing... even if it is a life or death, never will change thing like an epi-pen. if you have not seen the doctor for a regular visit, they are well within their right to not prescribe it. as far as they are concerned you moved on to another ped and may already have a script, or your kid could have moved out of state (as in a divorce). doesn't matter what the medication is, the point is that it IS a prescription required medication, and they doctor needs to know the patient. silly I know, but still true.