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Anna Soriano, Contributor

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November 10, 2010

Choosing a Good Pediatrician for Your Baby: Checklists and Qualities to Watch For

SmartParenting.com.ph offers helpful advice on what to look for when picking your baby doctor. By Anna Soriano

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Vaccinations and regular well-baby check-ups, illnesses, diseases, and injuries—these are words that practically dominate every parent’s vocabulary, especially in the early years. There is nothing parents wish more for their kids than a healthy start and a lifetime of good health. This makes the role of a pediatrician such an important one.

PEDIA CHECKLIST:

What steps should parents take when choosing a pediatrician?

Seasoned parents cite their most important pointers below:

1. BE OFF TO AN EARLY "HUNT."

If you’re pregnant, begin listing down pedia candidates by the end of your second trimester. This allows for an informed decision and enough time to balance pros and cons.

2. ASK YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR REFERRALS.

Pediatricians referred by people you know may be a good list to start with; you can get a firsthand description of good and bad points. The next best person to ask would be your obstetrician. This usually works for first-time “pedia-seekers” and is the simplest, most hassle-free way of finding a good pediatrician.

3. INQUIRE ABOUT THE DOCTORS THROUGH THEIR SECRETARIES OR RECEPTIONISTS.

After all, these people are the doctors’ representatives and front liners. If you choose a doctor whose secretary is disinterested and less than willing to give you the information you need, then you will have to deal with the same cold shoulder every consultation or check-up.

[Click here to read the full article on SmartParenting.com.ph]

(Photo source: Wikimedia Commons)

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