Services
The role of Pediatrics is to keep children as free as possible from
illness and disease whether physical, emotional, social or
environmental;and further to encourage each child to grow to the
fullest potential of which he/she is capable. Therefore, we are
concerned with children not only when they are ill, but also with
keeping them well. We try to accomplish this through well-child
visits, immunizations, discussions stressing normal growth and
development, and counseling when necessary.
When children become ill, we strive for specific diagnosis and
treatment whenever possible, utilizing appropriate laboratory
studies when necessary. When only general treatment measures
are possible(as in viral illnesses such as colds, simple sore throats,
most vomiting and diarrhea), we strive for relief of symptoms and
discomfort with reassurance for the children and their parents. We
try to reserve antibiotics for BACTERIAL infections, in which they
are effective and try not to use them indiscriminately for viral
illnesses where they have no effect. Antibiotics have side effects
too.
Most problems of children can be managed in our
office or in local hospitals. In some cases, however,
problems requiring extremely sophisticated techniques
or sub-specialty care arise. Referral of such cases is
generally ;made. Occasionally parents would like a
second opinion about their child from another
physician. We encourage openness and honesty in
this regard,k and are quite ready to discuss such a
desire with you.
Parents need not fear that such feelings, if revealed,
will cause a disruption in the doctor-patient
relationship. We feel that such discussions are part of
the joint parent-physician responsibility for the health
care of the patient.
Age Range of Pediatrics
Many people feel that Pediatrics is primarily the care of infants.
This is not so; We care for children from the time of their birth or
before, through adolescence. We will continue to see patients
established in our practice through age 18.
Confidentiality
No patient information ever leaves our office without specific
permission from the patient's family, or the patient him/herself
when he/she is at puberty ie: 12 or 13 years of age. Discussions
between physician and adolescents are strictly confidential
unless he/she shows evidence of harm to himself/herself or others
as per Florida law. We follow all HIPPA National guidelines.
