Ep. 13 | Choosing the Right Pediatrician: A Parent's Essential Guide

Unlock the secrets to nurturing the best possible relationship with your child's pediatrician, as Dr. Emeka Obidi, a luminary in pediatric care, joins us to discuss the art of making the right choice for your little one's health. Feel the weight of decision lift, as Dr. Obidi, with his rich experience and founder of Newborn Prep Academy, guides us through the often-overwhelming process with ease and expertise. From the critical zero to five years to addressing special needs, we cover the spectrum of concerns and emphasize the power of a parent's intuition in advocating for their child's well-being. 

This episode is your portal to mastering the nuances of effective communication and collaboration with healthcare professionals. Dr. Obidi illuminates the path for new parents on how to harness technology to keep track of their newborn's health, ensuring nothing slips through the cracks. Learn how to prepare for pediatric visits with savvy, and discover the resources at your fingertips for those first precious months with your newborn. Together, we're fostering partnerships between families and pediatricians that are rooted in mutual respect and the shared goal of your child's thriving future.

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And join our Glow Health Circle! Weekly coaching calls for a close-knit community of like-minded parents, to get practical strategies for your child's whole-child well-being — from brain and gut health to navigating the environment. Let's thrive together!

Transcript

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 0:25

Hello everyone, welcome to another episode of Brain Power. with Dr Eko, I have a wonderful guest with us today, Dr Emeka Obidi. He's an amazing pediatrician, a father, amazing entrepreneur, a husband. Did I say that? I did actually that one out. So welcome to the podcast, dr Obidi, and I'm going to let you introduce yourself to the audience.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 0:51

Sure. Thank you for having me on. This is going to be a wonderful time together. My name is Dr Obidi Dr Emeka Obidi. I'm a pediatrician. I've been practicing for maybe 20 years now and it's crazy how time flies, but I'm a pediatrician. I run a family practice in Western Maryland, hagerstown, maryland. Partners in pediatrics and family health. We also see online education for new moms, or expected moms, called Newborn Prep Academy, where we really educate moms on what to expect from their newborns and help them Just take care of the newborns with a lot of confidence, and that's fun to do as well.

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 1:29

And thank you for having me on hey, I'm so glad you're here. So we're going to talk today about the things that parents need to look out for when picking a pediatrician, and even tips on how to make that relationship really rich, so that you are getting the most out of the relationship you have with your child's doctor. So tell us, Dr Obidi, what are some things that parents first of all should be looking for when they're trying to pick a pediatrician for their child.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 2:01

I was just thinking, especially for your audience, that this is so important because, especially if you have a kid who may have a developmental concern that you're concerned about, or kid with autism diagnosis or anything and this certainly applies for all kids, even the healthy kids your pediatrician is like this touch point for their health, right, and I'm going to use the word pediatrician to involve other clinicians that may take care of the kids also, so you might have an MP, a nurse practitioner or a physician assistant caring for your kid, but it's really important that you are paying attention to that relationship and who you choose to be a pediatrician. Yes, you're going to look at things like how far away is the office and what hours are they open and do they take my insurance If you're using insurance for medical care, and all of those. But at the end of the day, I think one of the most important factors is really being comfortable with this person. Of course, I did qualify to care for my kid and usually the vast majority of clinicians providers are going to be qualified to care for your kid.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 3:13

But at the end of the day, there has to be that connection there. You have to have someone that you're comfortable speaking with that you're comfortable bringing up concerns with, that, you feel confident when they've given you some advice, that I feel confident that they've given me good advice that I can carry out or adhere to, and that is also someone that you can challenge as well, like if I don't understand this, tell me why. So it's really important that there's that connection and a lot of pediatricians will allow you come visit and come see them for a first visit just to get to meet them, which, if that's possible, I think you should jump at that opportunity If you're a mom expecting a child or I've even had that happen in my practice, where parents or parents have a kid with special needs and they're not quite sure. They've probably had some bad experiences in the past and so they wanted to come see me first and just meet me and I've been completely okay with that and I think it's important that there's that connection.

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 4:20

You're absolutely right and like the part where you said make somebody that you can ask questions of, because it's so important that parents feel comfortable asking. And parents, I want you to remember that you know your child the best. The nutrition eat your child for a few minutes, right, yes? Or what? 30 minutes at best, but you know your child the best and it's so important for you to ask the questions because we don't always know all the. I mean, sometimes we ask basic questions, but if you have any questions, it's so important to ask and feel comfortable asking those questions and not feel like you're being put down if you ask questions.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 5:02

So yeah, yeah, no very much, because I think a lot of times parents are intimidated by credentials and our training and traditionally, you know, the position is so pedestal that can never make any wrong. You know, do anything wrong. And traditionally you've also had, oftentimes, unfortunately, doctors who are like you know, why are you challenging what I said? You know I'm the one who's the expert. I went, you know, spent all these years in school studying this material. You know, how did you tell me that you don't think that's what's correct, what's going on right? Or even be offended when you bring, when you say, well, on Google, you know, dr Google said XYZ. Like, how can you bring up Dr Google when I am the expert here? Right, but that doesn't help, right? Because then what happens is you have parents who are afraid to mention something that they're concerned about because they don't want to appear stupid or put down for bringing up this concern, right? So it's really important that you choose someone you're comfortable with bringing up concerns.

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 6:13

Yes, so critical. And let's talk about the parents who may not completely say all that's going on with the child because they have a fear of a diagnosis.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 6:24

That's the difficult one, right? I think that's why I said you also have to try and pick someone or develop that relationship with your pediatrician where you are comfortable or have some degree of confidence in what they're, in information that passes on to you.

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 6:45

Right.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 6:46

I know that there can be a human tendency. I think this sometimes has to do with personality. There are some people who just want to know it, tell me what. Like if I said I have good news and bad news. You know, what do you want for us? Like, some of the bad news just get out of the way, right? There are some people who like donate the bad news for as long as possible. Maybe don't even tell me so.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 7:09

Sometimes it may have to do with personality as well, but when it comes to your child, though, on a serious note, if there is a concern, wishing it away is not going to change that right. And oftentimes in pediatrics and what we do, kids are still developing, and so there are times where the earlier you can identify something, the better the outcome is down the road when you're able to bring the right treatment plan to bear, whether that's medication or therapy or whatever right. So take something as simple as a speech delay right, if there is a speech delay, try to wish that we are saying no, they're just lay talkers. No, you know, the older brother does, you know, spoke when he was like three years old and he's fine right now. Like you know, no, like if there's a concern, there's nothing wrong in saying this child has a speech delay, because then we can start some speech therapy early and the earlier that starts, the better the outcome down the road. Right, I mean I don't feel detritus. I have three kids. My youngest was 10 years old now. Son. There was some speech delay, right, and I was able to. We had a great program here birth to five infant toddlers program. I got him hooked to earlier on. I remember how old he was down, maybe three years old, and it did wonders. He really blossomed and in no time he graduated from the program and you know now we can get sub talking.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 8:38

But yes, so things like that, the earlier. I mean autism diagnosis is the big one, right? Parents are just afraid to hear that diagnosis, understandably, you know. I always say to my parents who are parents of special needs kids whatever that diagnosis, hats off to you, because that is, you know, those are heavy issues to walk in and big issues to walk in and those parents just have big hearts and just such large capacity to care for their kids. It's amazing the love they have for their kids. But diagnosis like that, the farther out you get that diagnosis made, the more difficult it is to provide that timely intervention to have as good an outcome as you can. So, yes, it's a difficult diagnosis to hear, yes, there's probably going to be some difficult road to walk through, but we're starting this early enough where there's also a possible better outcome at the end of the day also, or, I guess I'm getting all the support I need right.

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 9:41

Yes, that's such a critical. I'm so glad you brought that up, because we as pediatricians always talk about zero to five like that. That's period is such a critical period for great growth. So if there's any issues going on there's best to identify, then you can do the turnaround and that's when we're going to move. So now it goes in the different, in the positive direction, versus we still. The child is eight and now we're trying to go back and trend. That doesn't mean it can't happen, it's absolutely very road to climb.

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 10:12

Then if the child is between the ages of under five, then it's easier to make changes.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 10:18

Absolutely.

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 10:19

So I'm glad you brought that up and for parents to know that. Back to your point about the support, because if they have to hear difficult diagnosis then they want someone who can walk beside them on the journey that they go on, to help them.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 10:35

And, like I said earlier on, parents, they are the child's best advocate. They really, like you said, we get to see them for just a few minutes at a time, but they are there with that child all day long, day in, day out. So, like you know, when you notice, when you're comfortable about something you're noticing in your child, you want to certainly bring it up. I think that dress early, but also it's the other way around. Also, the pediatrician is mentioning something that they're concerned about, because sometimes that's pediatricians A child comes into the exam room or into our space and we're and we can just tell this, maybe something off right With interaction, with the way they're carrying themselves, with what they're seeing or how they're looking or what they're doing right, and so sometimes our own wanting bells go off like or there may be something here, and so we're digging into it some more, right? So it's a two-way street and if your pediatrician is telling you something maybe off with your child, hopefully they're saying bringing it up in a sensitive way. But you should also feel comfortable asking questions or challenging that information or diagnosis in a way where, okay, there's back and forth and like, okay, why do you say that you know what should you know my thought I'd rather be doing right now that you're not doing. Okay, could we just be? Maybe this is just delayed and there's nothing wrong, you know. And so there's back and forth. You should feel comfortable challenging the information that, at the end of the day, when we are right at a plan, you're comfortable with that plan.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 12:12

I oftentimes oftentimes when I'm interacting with a parent, at the end of the day and I've told them all these things we're going to do, I'm like how does that sound to you? Because I really want to see. Okay, do you feel like this is a workable plan? Because if you're, and if I sense a hesitation, I'm like, okay, let's talk about it. What part of this plan is uncomfortable or you feel is not correct? Or let's really dive into it. So maybe I'm giving you more reasoning why I think this is a great way to go, or listen to what you're seeing, and maybe I haven't considered something else, right? So I guess it's back and forth and that's why it's so critical to have the right pediatrician for your child, because it allows us to care for your kid and allows you to get care for your kid that is conducive to making sure you have the best health outcome 2 million percent correct.

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 13:08

It's so critical because you want peace of mind. If you, as a parent, you're not, you're not, your mind is not at peace, your child will sense that you're not at peace and then this whole this goes on and on and on.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 13:19

It takes your entire life and your days.

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 13:22

So ask the question. If something seems off to you, trust your gut feeling.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 13:27

Yeah, and there's also nothing wrong with getting a second opinion. Yeah, oftentimes when, when there's a concern like the parent brings up a concern and I feel like there's not much to a constant there, first of all you want a pediatrician who will never dismiss any concern you have, like, without first investigating. And investigating doesn't necessarily mean they were doing some tests or they were doing some therapy or whatever. It may just mean that we're asking questions, right, you don't say, oh, I'm concerned about you know the way Johnny speaks. I'm like, oh, he's fine, you know, there's nothing wrong there. I just heard him speak right now. He's okay. Right, look at me, someone else.

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 14:08

Where's the?

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 14:09

exit door? Right, they should have asked the question why do you say so? What's going on? Tell me some more about this, right? So that's part of that investigation.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 14:20

But if I do arrive which of the times we do as pediatricians, right? Oh no, I mean, we've seen so many kids. Well, we have our formal education. Oftentimes we have our own kids. They will both have experience taking care of so many kids.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 14:32

But sometimes we just know that, yes, they're concerned, but there's really not a concern here, right? So even if your pediatrician is saying there isn't a concern right now, they should also be providing an environment where they leave the door open for you to bring this up again. So I often will say, okay, I think there's really nothing going on. Yeah, I think you're okay, I think you know this is normal, or this is a normal part of development, or I don't see what you're seeing right now, but let's see what happens over the next few weeks or next few months, or no less. Let's see how things go. But bring it up again. If you're still concerned, bring it up again and let's look at it again, right? So I just feel, okay, I can, I'm okay with this, right, he's not dismissing it or she's not dismissing it completely. They've given me some information. I'll consider it, I'll go back and look.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 15:26

But they've also met the door open for me to bring this up again, right, and so that way you can say hey, you know, I'm still concerned about his speech. I'm still concerned about the way she, you know, lives up her toys. I'm still concerned about the way she's interacting with you know, people you know in her class, whatever. And then we can talk about it again and say, okay, maybe we should do something this time. Maybe I should send you for further testing or or evaluations to see there's something else there. And sometimes, you know, I will send parents just get an evaluation, even when I think there's nothing there. If it's still a persistent concern. Like I said, they're bothered right, and sometimes there's value in just having someone else look at it and someone else tell them okay, it's okay, or or it's just constipation. Use the mirror laxity, wait up to be told it's using mirror laxity, you'll be fine and make sure you start to do your mouth, foot and veggies and water and you'll be okay.

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 16:21

But until they see the.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 16:22

GI specialist, you know to say the same thing. They're going to be concerned and it's really something else causing the constipation, and not the fact that you know my daughter only drinks like five ounces of water a day. I don't mean chicken nuggets. I trust me with all being there, my acting son has a different constipation I had to remind him to drink his water, and so we are saying this as parents who are in the same shoes, right?

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 16:48

Who are in the?

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 16:48

same shoes I can't do.

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 16:51

I've had constipation and I know that's what I talked about a lot these days Because a lot of the kids like take care of with autism at 8-digit, they are all about to pay to them so for sure, parents are the best parents for your child. Don't ever forget that fact and, like what you said about them being the first advocate, and that's so important to just empower parents to know that they absolutely have to ask the question.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 17:17

Don't feel intimidated, we're just human beings, see we are not human beings, we are Exactly we don't bite.

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 17:25

No, we definitely don't bite. You have to fight a non-biting person, right.

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 17:32

I have a one of white coats in like 20 years Right, exactly, I don't wear one either because there is some psychological thing there with kids and people in white coats, and it's just to know that you are in charge of your child and, yes, you may not know all the medical lingo, but you know your child better than any other human being. So yeah that we may miss. Please bring it up. I think that you miss and if we bring it up, you have an open mind and just have a dialogue.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 18:04

Yeah, yeah, I think you know one of the other things also I'm just thinking about. It is and this will go back to, maybe, especially if you're looking for get your first time is Trying to get a bit more about there, trying to see if your philosophy is also line up. Right, we just help care and and the way you kept your kid in the first place, then you feel there's a collaboration there and not so long as just going to dictate what you know needs to be done. I don't have the question me, this is what we need to do, right. And then there's some things where, where you want to make sure you have a pediatrician who sort of lines up with how you think about life in medicine and the place for Traditional medicine and the place for complementary medicine and the place for all of these things, right.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 18:53

If your mom who loves to be able to explore more holistic care or more natural ways of caring for things, and you have a pediatrician who Things you know, all of those have no place whatsoever in your child's care, you're both going to like fun heads, right.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 19:16

And you're gonna say, oh, can't we try this in the like no, you have to take this medication, right and but you may also have beyond me may be, rules may be reversed also where your mom, who doesn't believe in any of that Complementary care but a pediatrician, is always pushing that complementary care right. So you should sort of make sure that your philosophies are aligned somewhat, you know, generally speaking, I think I find that that helps also, and not to say that it must always be, you must always be on the same side. That's where also the communication in the back and forth and being comfortable talking about things is important. But where that may be a big, you know a big when you see the world, it's helpful to have someone walk alongside with you as a healthcare practitioner who sees the world that way too.

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 20:01

Yes, absolutely right, Take notes.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 20:05

I would tell you what I tell my, and especially my parents of newborn and I say bring on your phone. They're being I'm like that's my best friend right there. I want you to like open up a note section as questions come up during the course of the days and weeks of months. Put them down there so when you come in you don't forget. If something looks funny, just take a picture of it or shot video recording because you know that's a great actor, actress, it's bad. Just show me the recording and try to act out what they were doing.

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 20:34

Oh, I love that. Yes, you're pulling in your best friend. Yes.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 20:39

They tell me the book kind of look like a sensation, a picture of the poop. Oh, that's not all. Oh well, maybe we should look into that somewhere. That book looks funny.

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 20:47

Yeah, absolutely. Oh, that's an important one. Yes, we might as well use the technology that we have. I know.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 20:53

I used it.

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 20:55

And make voice notes, if you have to, to yourself make voice notes.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 20:57

Yes, that's a good one. Yeah, I'm gonna add that to my list.

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 21:01

Well, I have, I have patient, I mean like things like seizures. For sure, if you could catch a video of it is so important then, then describing what's possibly could have happened. I mean, sometimes it's not possible, but if you can, yes, the more pictures you can take, it helps us because we want to see what's really going on, and we want to see how.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 21:20

Yes, yes, I saw a parent just the last few weeks who's new born baby who has had some eye movements and she thankfully had captured videos of her and I sort of was like I think we should really look into that some more. It's not going to be the classic way visual up here in kids, but there's a little bit more going on here too that I'm comfortable for Doesn't seem like it's just, you know, let's get some. Just look at some more. And so having a seniorologist. But if all she went on was just the description and may have said, yeah, kids do that sometimes, you know, because of that sometimes, right, but me seeing it, I was able to tell, okay, this doesn't look like it's quite normal, let's make sure that it's not. There's not one and maybe there isn't anything there. But at least my antenna went up a little bit more, just seeing it.

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 22:07

Yes, and again, it's early enough where if there's something there it's exactly taking care of. Yes, or we're all in this together. It's a journey or holding hands. We haven't arrived, Nobody's arrived.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 22:21

We are all here to help, so yes, for sure.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 22:25

You've seen something, that which is really important. Also, I think you want a healthcare professional and this may even just be for yourself as well, your own provider that doesn't give up the air of I have. I've been learned everything I need to learn and there's no more to learn. I embodied the fullness of all medical knowledge, the red flag right, but all still learning, all still learning. I love med parents all the time too, like, oh interesting, I've never used that before. Oh really, you saw that site. Oh really interesting, let me go look it up and see what. That is right, because we're all learning. And so you want someone who's open to saying oh interesting, you saw this as a possible remedy for this condition, let me take a close look at it. Right, I may not go and do all the research, but at least I'm open to saying, oh, let me consider it and see what I think about this and give you my opinion.

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 23:18

Please share this with your friends that are having babies or not even have had the baby, so that they can prepare in advance. And even if you've had multiple kids and you need a new pediatrician, these are still tips that will help you. So please tell our parents where we can find out more about the newborn prep course which, by the way, makes such a great. That would make a great presence for like a baby shower.

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 23:47

Because, even the gift of a pediatrician. In the mommy's ears, as you can hear all the things she needs to get ready. So tell them where they can find out.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 23:55

Absolutely, totally. So. It's one of my passions with newborns. I just love caring for newborns A lot of my day whenever I can't put them right, so cute. And I love it when I'm taking care of them and the baby's crying and mom is doing it for us. I'm like if this crying is bothering me, I mean they're all professional and don't worry about it.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 24:17

So I have an online ad for it, called newborn prep academy. It's a great resource for expectant moms or recently delivered moms who are just wondering what to do with this little cute bundle of joy that sometimes makes them pull their hair apart because they don't understand what is, what is looking like or why what is cry is about. So what's to do with the circumcision or what to do with the umbilical cord and all the different questions that moms and parents have. So it's called newborn prep academy and they can go to newbornprepacademycom. All of the finance and YouTube also will have all the links, hopefully in the show notes, but lots of great information there.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 24:56

And you know, for those who are preparing to have a baby or just delivered one, there's a course on there that's available also at the newborn preparation course that really goes through all the things that helps you start caring for your newborn more confidently. You know, you know what to expect. You know how to troubleshoot some simple things, what things are, red flags that you should look out for, what things are probably just normal on half of the course. And so they can find all of that there. And then, for those who are looking for pediatrician, we are out in Hague, utah, Maryland, western Maryland, safety, in the Washington County area in Maryland the practices partners in pediatrics and family health. We care for kids and adults but have a large pediatric population. So we're pediatricians and providers who will be more than willing to sit down with you and walk alongside with you this journey of caring for your kids. So you can check us out and we'll have all the links in the show notes as well.

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 25:58

It's wonderful. So, parents, if you're in that area, if you're in Hague Town, you need to go see Dr Obedi. You take excellent care of your kid. Thank you so much, dr Obedi, for coming out today. Such a pleasure to talk with you.

Dr. Emeka Obidi: 26:12

Thank you for having me on. It was wonderful as well. Thank you.

Dr. Hokehe Eko: 26:16

And parents. Have a wonderful day until the next episode, and I hope you share this and you leave us a review as well. We appreciate it. Have a wonderful day.