If you have been taking your kids to a pediatrician, and you find it very difficult sometimes to get the child in when needed, and to find appointments at times that work for you, it may be time to switch the child to a family physician. If your child has no major health issues or pediatric specific conditions that you are worried about, and they don't need a specialist, a family physician should be able to meet all of their healthcare needs. Here are some of the reasons why this may work for you.
Get Treated with Your Kids
If your child comes home from school and tells you their throat hurts and they think they have strep, and your throat hurts too, you can both get in and get swabbed at a family doctor. If the family is passing around chicken pox, everyone needs to get their flu vaccines, or there is another problem that may need treatment for adults and the children, everyone is able to get treated in the same place at the same time. At a pediatrician's office, adults are often not allowed to be seen.
Get Your Older Kids Treated as They Age
Since a pediatrician won't see a child forever, it can be helpful to have them create a relationship with a physician that they can go do during their college years and after that. This means when they come home from college on break and need to be seen for illness or they have a problem that is worrisome, you can get into an office right away to deal with their now adult problems.
Treat Family Conditions Easier
If you have a family history of some type of illness that you or your partner, or the kids parent, are dealing with, it can be easier for a physician to see the signs and traits when they are familiar with what you are dealing with. They will be able to treat your child's condition the same, even if it's something as treatable as eczema, to as serious as cancer.
If trying to get into the pediatrician when the family is sick, and the trying to make another appointment for yourself, is too difficult, it's time to meet with a family doctor that can treat the entire family. Set up a few appointments with local doctors and go from there pick the best one for your family.
For more information, contact centers like Snow Creek Medical Center.
