Pediatrician or family doctor?

1) Pediatricians are for high-risk children so they tend to assume the worst when there's a problem.

2) The whole family can see a family doctor so you don't have to run all over town when everyone is sick.

3) Pediatricians are a waste of tax money for a healthy child (I'm in Canada)

I prefer a family doctor, but my clinic doesn't really give you a choice. If your child is under 10, you are required to see the pediatrician. They do not have the equipment in the regular family practice area for young children. If your child has a chronic illness, then it would depend on how familiar I felt that the family doctor was with the condition.

I chose to take my children to the Family doctor because he know's all of our family history starting with my parents. I also trust him, and he is very easy to work with. Now my son has visual impairments and Autism and he has admited that he doesn't know much about these. At least he doesn't try to act like he knows everything and do the wrong thing or miss something. He is very aware of his limitations and researchs things imediatly if he doesn't know about them. I thought about changing my son to a ped, but I don't want my kids to have 2 different Docs. Besides he sees so many specialists that I think he is pretty well taken care of with the stuff that our family doctor is not involved with.

I guess the main reason is I just like having one central point of information for all of our health issues. All of my son's specialists send every report to the family doctor so he can monitor his general care.

Hope this helps.

I know a few people that just go with their family Dr because they already know them and trust them. My mom went with a family Dr because she and my father already knew him and hew as also the Dr for my grandparents too and my siblings. I nolonger see that Dr and don't just want to take my boys to anyone so I went with recommendations and found a great pediatrician for them. I just feel like I want someone that treats children to take care of my boys not a family Dr unless he is good with children. Some family Dr's are only good with adults, some are only good with seniors and some are ok with all different age groups. I just followed my feelings on it and decided to go with a pediatrician.

Having worked for a family care doctor I chose to take my son to a pedi because a pedi is more specialized in the care of children. I suppose the reason one would use a family care doctor is so the whole family can see the same doctor and the child would never have to change doctors once they got to old for a pedi.

All 3 of mine went to a pediatritian. He found a heart problem in my daughter. We took her to a specialist when she was 3 and she had to have open heart surgery to repair a hole between the top two chambers of her heart. The specialist said he impressed the doctor found it. A Gp may not have. She is 26 and is fine now. Take them to the kid doctor. They keep up on what is going around and how to treat the little ones because you never know what can happen.

No...not for sometime. A pediatrician is specialized in the care of children. They see them on a regular basis and are more familiar than a regular doctor in looking for problems and treating children. They have continuing education on the latest issues, and update their clients to any changes and advise in raising children. They may be more aware of a situation than a doctor who sees mainly adults. Although It also depends on the regular doctor and his education and experience with children. Take it as an independent look rather than overall.

My son has a family doctor. Not a peditrician. His family doctor is the same doctor who delivered him and I love this doctor to death, he is awesome. I didn't want anyone else to take care of him when he is sick.

The best part is our doctor went to school with my parents and graduated with my dad. I wouldn't want anyone else to deliver my other children (when ever i have another one)

My daughter sees our family dr. I don't know why i chose it, it just happened that way. I am thinking tho, of switching to a ped. since they are more directly to infant/child health care then a family dr. Tho i do trust my family dr. , i'm just thinking a ped. would be a better choice.