Episode 83: Finding the Best Pediatrician for Your NICU Baby ft. Dr. Ari Brown

Your child’s pediatrician is likely one of their most important; it’s where all things begin. Author of the “411” series and revered pediatrician, Dr. Ari Brown, gives great insight on traits you should look for in your own pediatrician, vaccine schedules and resources to help you be the best advocate for your NICU baby.

 

In this episode, we chat about:

• After receiving your degree in child development, what made you pursue a career in pediatrics?

• What are things your pediatrician should be looking at and considering if your child is a NICU graduate? What traits should you consider in your pediatrician to best serve your child?

• When should a parent consult a pediatrician and when should they seek counsel from an additional specialist for their child?

• What should the relationship look like between a child’s pediatrician and their other specialists?

• In an age of digital medicine, i.e. Dr. Google, how do you counsel your parents on when to seek medical care and when to treat things at home?

• Describe the ideal pediatrician-patient relationship.

• Let’s talk about delayed vaccination schedules for medically fragile children.

• Tell us about your books: Baby, Expecting and Toddler 411. What can reader’s expect?

• For a NICU parent who feels hyper-sensitive to every symptom their child presents, what’s your best advice?

Ari Brown, MD is a practicing pediatrician in Austin, Texas, for over 25 years after completing her pediatric residency and fellowship in developmental/behavioral pediatrics at Harvard Medical School/Children's Hospital Boston. Her passion to advocate for children and educate families extends beyond the office setting. She is the author of the bestselling "411" parent education book series including Baby 411: Clear Answers and Smart Advice for Your Baby's First Year with the new 20th anniversary/10th edition out this year, Toddler 411, and Expecting 411 available where books are sold and on Amazon. She also hosts online courses on newborn care and sleeping through the night. She has appeared on numerous national news and talk shows including NBC's Today Show, Dr. Phil, and CNN. She is a trusted voice for children's health, serving as a spokeswoman for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Dr. Brown has received the American Academy of Pediatrics Lifetime Achievement Award for child health advocacy.

 

Connect with Dr. Brown:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/baby411  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/expecting411 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aribrownmd 

Website: https://baby411.com/ 

 

Buy Dr. Brown’s books:

https://amzn.to/3drAzH3

 

Learn about Dr. Brown’s online newborn care and sleeping courses:

https://store.draribrown.com/

 

The NICU is hard. We’re here to help.

 

Hand to Hold is a national nonprofit dedicated to providing neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) parents with personalized emotional support, educational resources and community before, during and after their baby’s NICU stay. NICU support is available at no cost to NICU parents in English and Spanish.

 

Connect with Hand to Hold:

Learn more or get support at handtohold.org

 

Follow Hand to Hold on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/handtohold

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/handtohold/  

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/NICUHandtoHold

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/HandtoHold 

 

The following music was used for this media project:

Music: Thriving Together [Full version] by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10332-thriving-together-full-version

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

 

Music: Bright Colors Of Life by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/7855-bright-colors-of-life

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license