Choosing the right doctor for your child can help you ensure he or she gets the most appropriate care. When it comes to young athletes, a sports medicine specialist / orthopaedic doctor can be an excellent choice to attend to your child’s needs as they grow and experience the typical strains, sprains, and injuries that come with being involved in competitive sports.
Your kid’s paediatrician or primary care doctor can be the perfect source of information when it comes to getting a referral, whether or not your insurance requires one. He or she may be able to recommend a specialist they feel will be a good fit for your child. You can also gather recommendations from friends, families, and co-workers.
Questions to ask about others’ experiences with a doctor include:
- What is the doctor’s manner like with children?
- What are the staff like – are they helpful and attentive?
- Is booking or changing an appointment easy and hassle free?
- Does the doctor do mostly surgical intervention, or non-invasive treatments?
After you meet with a doctor for the first time, ask yourself questions about you and your child’s experience.
Communication
Are you and your child comfortable talking to the doctor? Does the doctor only address you, or is your child included in the conversation? Teens especially appreciate being made part of the discussion surrounding their care. You should also leave each appointment feeling that any questions you had were addressed.
Office Experience
Did you feel that the office staff was genuinely trying to make your entire visit a good one? Think about the efficiency of the office, and note how staff handled check-in, check-out, and any documentation. Was the wait time excessive? Also consider the location and whether or not it is convenient if your child needs to be seen on short notice. Ask about after-hours options, walk-in policies, and weekend appointments.
Suggested Course of Treatment
Does the doctor offer multiple options for care, and explain each one? In some cases, immediate surgery is the only viable course of action, but many injuries can be treated with non-invasive or minimally invasive procedures. Ask about supplementary care as well, and find out what alternate therapies the doctor may offer for pain management or accelerated healing.
Experience
If surgery is suggested, ask how many patients the doctor has successfully treated with the procedure, how comfortable they are with it, and what complications they have seen. Ask if they hold any specialty certifications for the procedure, where they were trained, and by whom. Doctors should be perfectly comfortable with the idea of you seeking a second opinion.
These tips should help you find the right doctor for your child and keep them healthy and safe throughout the sports season.
At Strasburger Orthopaedics, you can rest assure your child is in good hands – Dr. Scott Strasburger is both a sports medicine specialists and an orthopaedic surgeon, providing maximum expertise in a comfortable patient centric setting. Contact us for an appointment today!