Doctors Who Understand

I've been so pleased recently to find doctors who understand the challenges of getting a child with significant special needs to an appointment.

They are the doctors whose staff asks if you would like the first appointment of the morning or the first appointment after lunch break for your child who doesn't handle waiting very well.

They are the doctor's whose offices have automatic opening doors for the parents who are pushing a large wheelchair, carrying things, and sometimes holding the hand of another child.

They are the doctor's staff who offer to hold something, to help push a wheelchair.

They are the doctors who speak to your child even if your child doesn't see, hear or speak.

They are the doctors with a light touch, a soft word, an encouragement. Doctors who don't lie about something hurting, but who comfort after the hurt.

They are the doctors who let you mail in your co-payment rather than digging through a bag while holding a chair, another child, and maybe even suctioning a child. They are also the doctors whose staff will offer to fill out forms for you instead of handing you a clipboard and a pen.

They are the nurses who don't mind putting pressure over a bleed no matter how long it takes rather than insisting on a bandage that your child will pull off in under 10 seconds.

They are the doctors who will accept your typed list of medications, prior surgeries, and medical history and not forcing you to enter the same information on their forms.

They are the doctors whose offices have a quiet room for your child that gets upset if there is too much stimulation in the regular waiting area.

They are the doctors who will electronically send a prescription to your pharmacy or at the very least, call it in so you don't have to keep up with the paper script and so the medication will be ready when you arrive at the pharmacy.

They are the doctor's receptionists that remember your child's name and say hello everytime you walk in, not just demand to see your insurance card.

They are doctors, nurses, and staff who "get it", and I am so grateful when I find people like that.

What about you? What makes your doctor visits better for both you and your child?