Anybody take their child/teen to a GP rather than a pediatrician?

[Rhonda in TX]

My kids rarely get sick and we're not great about yearly checkups, so they don't have a relationship with any specific doctor. However, I need to take one of my kids in to the doctor to talk about a specific issue. They are not sick, but this is a health issue.

 

Here's the thing... we've never found a pediatrician that we just love. My GP, on the other hand, is fantastic. I always feel like I can talk to him about anything, and he never rushes me. I'd really like to take this child to see him, rather than a pediatrician.

 

Thoughts? If I call the GP's office, do you think they could tell me if they could help?

[hsmom]

We have a GP that is it, he is the doctor for the whole family. The closest pediatrician to us it over 80 miles, so I never really had one.

 

Yes I think the GP's office could help you.

[angela in ohio]

We always have, since the time my first dd was born. I tried several pediatricians and hated them all. I've shared before that I feel like many pediatricians act like it is their child that they are loaning to you to raise. :glare:

 

My GP treats our whole family. She treats me like an intelligent parent capable of raising my own dc. She will call in a prescription for all of us based on seeing one of us. She is like a family member. I highly recommend a GP.

[BellaMama]

We have always had a GP for the whole family. She knows our family history. She sends us with a referal to a specialist when appropriate. I have never felt the need to go to a pediatrician.

[Ottakee]

Well, I have 3 kids with special needs, 2 of which have extremely rare and complex medical issues and we use a NP at the GP's office. We just LOVE her and she is more than willing to admit when things get beyond her and refer us on.

 

I would certainly start there.

[Halftime Hope]

Agreeing with the other posters. I've had our GP refer us to a ped once in about 50 kid-years of care. : ) We've been very happy with having the GP take care of our (generally) well kids.

[MomOfOneFunOne]

I take my daughter to my gp. I like her pediatrician well enough but as you say, I*really* like my dr. She hardly ever goes to the dr anyway so on those rare occassons, we just let the ped go and started taking her to our dr. She loves him. He does a lot of his own testing and let's my daughter help by dipping the strip or hold the ssyringe bf my shot, etc. He is also magnificent about explaining and showing stuff to her. For my first shot, he used the syringe to put some of the stuff on his finger an he and my daughter spent several minutes looking at it, seeing how it behaved, et c.

 

She loves our dr and wouldn't want to go anywhere else.

 

As far as whether or not he understands a child's health/body as well as a ped -- I certainly think so. We are very happy with herseeing him. My only concern is that he is a man and I personally hink a woman is better for a woman/girl but with a dr like that, we'll make the concession.

[3lilreds in NC]

We found a family practice here with several docs, and one who does work with children because he likes to do so, but no one is specifically a pediatrician. We went to pediatricians where we lived before, and that was fine - we had a great practice. There just aren't as many choices here and the two main peds practices are quite a drive for us.

 

I think it's fine! If you love your GP, go for it.

[Melissa in Australia]

Here in Australia pediatricians are specialists, mostly you need a referral from a GP to see one. They are for very sick kids, ones that have special conditions.

For every day things, everyone goes to a GP.

[Rhonda in TX]

I feel much better now. :)

[Peela]

I have never been to a pediatrician in my life and nor have my kids. I think its an American thing!

[Harriet Vane]

We have always used a GP as our family doctor, and we really love him. He's intelligent and well read, and completely respectful of our feelings and decisions. He is proactive in giving us referrals to other doctors if a problem is beyond his scope. I trust him. You should go with the doctor you trust.

[Lady Florida.]

I'd love to take ds to our GP, whose office is about 3 minutes away. His pediatrician is half an hour away. He doesn't ever get sick either, but has ADHD. Unfortunately, I don't think our GP has much experience with even adults with ADHD let alone kids. Our particular pediatrician is quite experienced in this area, so for now we stay with the pedi.

[Parrothead]

Dd's visit later this month will be her first time to a pedi in 8 years. This is the first time in all that time we are close enough to one for it to be a viable option. The group we belong to has a pedi on staff. Hopefully we like him.

[ciyates]

My DS has seen the GP since DH has retired from the Navy. We are happy with him.

[Pretty in Pink]

All of my children currently see a GP. My eldest also has a specialist for his asthma.

[Paintedlady]

My kids have been going to our GP since they were born and have been very satisfied. We've had to visit specialists for allergies and dermatologist once or twice, but we would have done that with a ped too. If you're happy with your GP I see no reason why he wouldn't be great for your kids as well.

[mommaduck]

I prefer GP's to Peds.

[jelbe5]

I take my three to a DO who is with the practice we go to through our HMO. I specifically chose her because I felt she would be more accepting of the fact that I choose to no longer vaccinate. She has been very professional and respectful of our choices. Much more so than the pediatrician we used to go to.

 

Editing to add: She refers my special needs son to specialists as needed.

Edited March 22, 2011 by jelbe5

[sleepymommy]

My boys go to GP. He's been wonderful.

[Krista in LA]

I was just at the ped yesterday with my 15yo. She laughed as she was probably the only patient in the waiting room over 5yo. :lol: I used to go to an internist, so we had to use the ped for the kids, but now that dh and I go to a family med doc, I told her she can switch whenever she feels like it. I do love our ped though so I'm fine with them going there too.

[Kim in Appalachia]

My kids have always gone to an FP (family practitioner, not GP, which is technically something different). Of course we have little choice, their dad is a FP. :D So I am bias in thinking that FP's are great. :001_smile:

[Mrs Mungo]

My son sees a pedi because he does have some health issues. My girls see a family practice doctor with me.

[Laura Corin]

We all see a GP. We've had no problems - he's great.

 

Laura

[Baseball mom]

We all go to the FP

[missmoe]

We all see a gp in our family. Love her.

[SailorMom]

My kids have been seeing a Family Practice doc since about the age of 6. We all see the same doc for regular issues, but get referred to a specialist if need be; i.e., DS 14 sees a pediatric cardiologist.

No problems :)

[fairfarmhand]

yep....and I love having one doctor see the whole family.

[Josie]

I prefer FP to peds. The peds I have dealt with seem to have an agenda. I don't want their agenda!

[Veritaserum]

We all use a family practice doctor. :)

[*Jessica*]

We all see a general practitioner.

[ocelotmom]

By far the favorite doctor I've had for our kids was a family practitioner (who actually specialized in sports medicine, but saw families too).

[Starr]

We've seen the GP the last 10 years unless someones needed a specialist.

[nmoira]

We go to a GP.

 

I wouldn't go to a pediatrician's office for no other reason than there are usually some sick and semi-sick kids in the waiting room... touching everything. *shudder* We take our own toys and books to the GP, and since the office isn't set up to be "kid friendly" our kids aren't tempted to play with the few "boring" toys in the office. It's the ideal use for a GameBoy, IMHO.

[RahRah]

Family doc here....me, DH and DS6....and finally too our new baby!

 

When baby was born in January, we did the first visit with the hospital pediatrician since baby had mild jaundice, that prompted repeat visits to monitor the jaundice until it was resolved (on its own) along with a finding of potential hip dysplasia, which required a hip ultrasound with a pediatric orthopod - once that was ruled out, we're now with the family doc with the baby who is 2-months old now.

[Retired]

well we used a ped until the boys hit highschool then we switch them to a gp. The gp is wonderful and the clinic is setup with an appointment side and then the quick visit walk in side.

[rafiki]

.

[justamouse]

I've been going to my Dr since I was 8. I adore them, and because of that, take my whole family there. We're thrilled with their care.

[ocelotmom]

We never found a pediatrician that fit us well either. In the fall we moved the kids over to our physician, a D.O. It's been a good decision even though we have complex, non textbook issues. I would try it in a heart beat.

The FP I'm crazy about is a D.O. too :) I like D.O.s.