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Disagreeing With Your Pediatrician

What to Do When Opinions Collide

By Amy Carey Bowman

Some "little white lies" aren't a big deal when it comes to a disagreement with your pediatrician. Where parenting styles are concerned, keeping the details about sleep habits and feeding schedules to yourself may not be a life-or-death decision.

Dr. Paul Dvorak, a pediatrician in Madison, Wis., doesn't worry much about issues like when to start solid foods or when to change from formula to milk. "We give the generally accepted recommendations, but if [parents] want to do otherwise, it is usually of no significance to the baby," he says.

Likewise, Dr. Moshe Adler, a pediatrician in West Palm Beach, Fla., tends to pick his battles, so to speak. "If it is something minor, like delaying an immunization until the next visit, I'll let [parents] have their way," he says.

"When it comes to whether or not to do screening studies like vision testing or routine blood tests, I generally will spend more time and try to educate the parent as to why I think it is important," says Dr. Dvorak. "However, the parent has to make the final decision, and I will support it regardless of what it may be."

But what happens when doctor and patient disagree about more serious issues such as when medication is appropriate? "If they insist on treatment I think is either unnecessary or contraindicated, I'll explain and refuse to treat," says Dr. Adler. "Some parents think any fever or cold should be treated with antibiotics," he says, as an example. But, according to Dr. Adler, viruses, in fact, don't respond to such treatment.

On the other hand, some parents may not want to medicate their children as readily as their doctor might. For instance, some pediatricians prescribe low-dose daily antibiotics in cases of recurrent ear or urinary tract infections, but not all parents agree with this treatment. So how can those parents make their case without offending their pediatrician?

"Let me know what you disagree with and why," suggests Dr. Adler. "If you have data or research, bring it to the office so I can see what you are referring to. That way, I can better see your reasoning." If your doctor still doesn't agree with you, she can at least give you more specific reasoning and the benefit of his education and experience on the topic.

Want to see more?

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• Get Organized! Keeping Baby's Health Records in Check
• 20 Questions: What to Ask Your Pediatrician
• Talk about it!