For so many years, I used the nearest chain retail pharmacy for our son’s medications…..until I didn’t. There are so many GREAT reasons to use a chain pharmacy for your child with medical complexities. With all these perks, why did I leave for the small, independent pharmacy? FIRST, I was in a position to go to the pharmacy without our son. I did this while he was with the nurse and/or at school. That was honestly the biggest factor that ALLOWED my switch. If I didn’t have reliable care for him, I would not have been able to make the switch. What else happened? When you’re a frequent user of…

Are you new to Westchester County, NY? Perhaps you’ve lived here forever but suddenly your child needs a specialist. Where do you start? You want the best doctors for your child but how do you find the best pediatric specialists? When we first moved to Westchester with our son, we left our established relationships with over 10 specialists in our previous state. We had to start all over again. It was a time-consuming process and was daunting wondering whether the new physicians would be good matches for our son and his care. I could only hope I would find the best pediatric specialists. Take advantage of the resources you have…

Medically complex children are exactly that…medically complex. This is why hospitalizations can be particularly challenging and stressful for us. We know our children best. When our children are hospitalized we must find a balance between advocating for our children and allowing the medical team to treat our child’s condition. We have been through many hospitalizations with our son, some just overnight and some as long as many weeks. Short stays are usually a breeze but longer stays tend to increase our anxiety levels. We have learned some strategies along the way that have helped create a smoother experience for us and might do the same for you: 10 Tips on…

You cannot prepare yourself for every scenario at every moment in time (although many of us try). But, there are a few things that might lessen the stress and have the process run a bit more smoothly. It’s the reality of having a medically fragile child. Sometimes his or her condition becomes unstable and we are left with no choice but to dial 911. Some calls will be very sudden and preparation is impossible. In other situations, there there may be events leading up to the call that allow you a bit of time to prepare. Tips for being prepared for medical emergencies with your medically fragile child 1. Medical…

Are you new to the Philadelphia area or looking for the right pediatric hospital, doctor or other medical service provider? If so, you are in the right place! I navigated pediatric care in the Philly area for eight years and I’m going to give you my cheat sheet of my favorite people. You may or may not end up utilizing their services, but at least it’s a starting point. You will notice that this is not a comprehensive list of providers in each category. There is a reason for that. I am only including providers and services that I would recommend to another parent. Anyone that I do not have…

You’ve been waiting for that well-known specialist appointment for your child you scheduled three months earlier. Since you’ve waited so long to have your child seen by the specialist, why not get the most bang for your buck out of the visit? I mentioned this in a previous post for new parents, but I will reiterate it here. If you hand the basics about your child to the doctor in an organized manner, there is no doubt you will have a more productive visit. Remember those initial patient intake forms you often have to complete on arrival at the appointments before you see the doctor? Wouldn’t it be nice just…