Ask the Expert: Your Child's Doctor's Visit

Dr. Kevin Considine
Dr. Kevin Considine, a physician affiliated with Sharp HealthCare, answers important questions about preparing for your child's doctor's visit.

What's the most important thing about my child's doctor's visit?
The most important thing when you bring your children in for visits, especially when they are young, is to address any concerns you have in regards to development, in terms of reading and writing skills and also eating habits.

Why is it important to discuss my child's eating habits?
It's very important, especially these days with obesity increasing in this country, and also to make sure that your children are meeting appropriate growth parameters. Any information you have in regard to difficulty with eating always helps because what is often missed are food allergies, which are actually quite common.

What paperwork should I bring to my child's visits?
It’s best to try to make sure that your child is meeting the appropriate milestones that they should be meeting at their age and what would be appropriate. The best thing to do is to just  bring in any and all documents that you need to have filled in and it’s always a good idea to perhaps even have copies of your shot immunization card because often those will be lost as well. So it’s always good to have your own set of records as well as having the office have its own set of records.

How can I ease my child's worry about vaccinations?
Always a difficult task but what seems to work for a lot of my patients and their parents is the form of “bribery,” as you can certainly promise to take them somewhere special or fun or have a nice treat afterward. Hugely, most children will relent when that’s offered, but it’s always something that you can do at the end. But most children usually aren’t too traumatized by this.

I think it’s always best usually to let the children know up front what’s coming rather than to just surprise them. So they at least know how to prepare themselves. And that often helps them a lot.

Find a San Diego Pediatrician
To find a Sharp-affiliated doctor, search for a San Diego pediatrician or call 1-800-82-SHARP (1-800-827-4277), Monday through Friday, 8 am to 6 pm.

For More Pediatric Care Information
For more tips on how to select a pediatrician, visit Choosing a Pediatrician. To find general information on pediatrics, visit the Kids' Health News archive.