A pediatrician plays a very important part in your child’s early years. They perform regular check-ups on your child and ensure healthy and safe development. Therefore, it is vital to establish a good relationship with your child’s pediatrician and ensure your child is comfortable with them.

It can be difficult for parents with no medical background to communicate well with the doctor. Hence, we’ve listed down tips to help you communicate with your child’s doctor to ensure they have a positive impact on your child’s health and well-being.

Talk about possible birth injuries

Birth injuries can occur during labor. While many of them heal over time, some cause irreparable damage to the child, leading to physical and learning disabilities developing as they grow old. Your child’s doctor is also responsible for diagnosing such conditions, treating injuries, and deciding treatment accordingly.

Newborns with life-altering birth injuries such as cerebral palsy require more medical attention and assistance in living healthy, independent lives. Consulting with a doctor will help you identify such conditions on time and take measures to plan life. Suppose the doctor who delivered the baby was responsible for the injury. In that case, your child’s pediatrician can also help collect evidence for a cerebral palsy lawsuit and seek compensation. This will help you plan future treatment.

Be focused

To stay focused, you must be prepared beforehand. Write down all your questions and concerns before heading for the appointment. This can be very helpful as visits can sometimes be short, or your newborn might refuse to cooperate and start crying. All the mental notes you had made would just vanish, and the visit would not be of any use. This is why written material can come in very handy.

You can also list down all verbal instructions the pediatrician gives you, so you do not forget later and follow them well. Since you are the advocate for your newborn, your attentiveness is crucial.

Be thorough

Visits to the pediatrician with a newborn can be overwhelming. It is natural to forget details from your visit. This is why you must be thorough with all the instructions your pediatrician gives you. There is no harm in repeating questions and discussing the guidelines. You should ask the doctor to explain things in layman’s terms if you feel they’ve used medical jargon you cannot understand. Discuss the protocols for follow-ups, medicine administration, and other pieces of advice thoroughly before stepping out. It is always wise to discuss everything during your visit rather than being lost.

Be phone smart

Not every illness requires a rush to the pediatrician’s office. For new parents, this can be tough as they have no prior knowledge or experience about looking after newborns. The internet is of no help and usually scares the parents more. This is why discussing communication channels with your pediatrician can be very beneficial.

You can ask about their office hours and emergency numbers if you need them out of hours. You can also discuss whether they’d be comfortable communicating on the phone or by texts or emails. 

Be clear

It is always sensible to share all the information with your child’s doctor. The more information they have, the more they can help you. You can share your family’s medical history, birth story, and domestic problem (if any) with your doctor. This will help the pediatrician develop a better insight into your life and design a health and safety plan for your baby. Do not be ashamed or hesitant in sharing everything. With all the right information in hand, your doctor can give appropriate treatment plans and, if needed, refer you to a family specialist.

Be trusting

Doctors are no miracle workers. It is foolish to expect them to be. But we understand how exhausting it can be to look after a sick newborn. Parents become frustrated and expect the doctors to fix everything away. Most of the time, doctors avoid giving over-the-top medication like antibiotics to newborns. Children are very resilient and bounce back from diseases quickly.

And in most cases, you have to be patient, let the disease run its course, and be done with it. This can be frustrating for parents, but it is very important to be realistic and trusting towards your doctor. If they wish to wait and see, you should cooperate because the end goal for everyone involved here is your child’s health and well-being.

Conclusion

Parenting is full of challenges. No matter how many parenting books you read, you will always face the unexpected. When it comes to your baby’s well-being, many new parents become anxious as they do not know much. This is why having a good relationship with your pediatrician can be very fruitful for yourself and the newborn. Pediatricians can ensure your child is reaching their milestones, diagnose illness, guide you through treatment plans and refer you to specialists if needed. Communicating well with them is the key and can make all the difference.