the Price of a Pediatrician

This charge was for a before school check up. No immunizations or anything, just a standard wellness check.

We are pretty happy with our Pediatrician in general. His office staff is courteous and friendly. The office is clean and pleasantly decorated, with lots of things to occupy the children while they wait to see the doctor.

After a nurse asks about the child's medical history, weighs the child, gets their height and takes their temperature, the doctor comes in, usually within 5 or ten minutes. The doctor is very thorough during the standard exam, checking eyes, ears, nose & throat. He of course listens to their heart and lungs, palpates their abdomen, and all the while talks to the children, letting him know what he is doing or going to be doing, and even explains, in very simple terms, why. He asks questions, directed both to the children and to the parents.

When the exam is over the children are always given a sticker and sometimes another small treat, such as a sucker or a gift certificate for an ice cream cone at a local ice cream shop. The whole experience is relatively stress free and I don't have much trouble getting my kids to go without a fuss.

The only downfall to the whole visit is the wait in the waiting room, which is sometimes up to an hour. That is ridiculous for any doctor, but especially so when you are dealing with small children.

Although there's lots to do for the kids in the waiting room, and they can easily keep themselves entertained, there's not a lot for the parents. Bring a book along to pass the time in the waiting room.