Jacqueline Jones, M.D., was named as one of America’s Top Doctors™ and has recently released a new book called Medical Parenting: How to Navigate Health, Wellness & The Medical System with Your Child.
As a mother of two grown children, and a physician and surgeon for the past 25 years, she understands there is no greater responsibility and burden as a parent than ensuring a child’s optimum health. Medical Parenting is the essential guide for parents to take control of their child’s health, from choosing pediatricians, specialists, surgeons, dentists, day care providers, and therapists to navigating a child’s infancy, puberty, chronic illness, injuries, and proper nutrition. She covers relationships with medical professionals, stages of growth, chronic conditions and emergencies, delegating responsibility to others when necessary, and other medical and health topics.
Dr. Jones brings a great combination of knowledge, experience, compassion, and personal perspective to provide parents a roadmap to today’s medical system.
“My hope is that Medical Parenting can disarm parents of fears and kids of tears, by making sure everyone is informed and empowered to take ownership of their family’s well-being,” says Dr. Jones.
I had a chance to interview her to learn more.
Why is it important to develop a relationship with your child's doctor?
The relationship that you develop with your child’s primary care physician is vitally important. To receive optimum medical care you must develop a partnership with your child’s physician. You need to understand them and they need to understand you. What are your strengths and weakness as a parent and where might you need extra support. The open dialogue between you and your child’s health care provider will allow you to maximize your time with them. If I have a first time parent come in I will spend more time on a discussion of the basics of child care as compared to a third time mom who needs less support. With more anxious mothers and fathers I will address their anxiety head on so it can be lessened. Knowing my patients and developing that closer bond with them lets me be a more effective physician in caring for both the child and their parents.
What are some major challenges that parents might face in the medical system?
The major challenge for parents is their access to information. The amount of information available on the internet can be overwhelming. That information can be confusing and at times alarming as it is not presented in the context that pertains to your child’s illness. Parents need to filter through all the information and choices for care available to them. Another challenge for both physicians and patients is the increasing pressure on doctors and their staff to work harder and see more patients in a limited amount of time. Red tape, insurance regulations and paperwork eat into the valuable time doctors have to spend with their patients. Parents need to learn to maximize the time with their physicians. Be present during the exam, put away cell phones take off headphones and be engaged and open during your child’s visit. Make a list of questions you would like answered by your physician and make sure you address those issues during your visit. Confirm when your follow up visit should be and set that appointment before you leave. Above all understand that your child’s care is a partnership between you and your child’s physician and being an engaged participant in that relationship is vitally important.
How can parents help kids prevent the spread of diseases?
In this age of Coronavirus there is heightened concern about the spread of disease. Luckily children have a low incidence of contracting Coronavirus virus but this is an excellent time to teach them the importance of good hygiene. Children learn by example, so show them how it’s done! Discuss that germs need to stay off of us to keep everyone healthy. Wash your hands together. Have tissues available in their bedrooms and play areas. Remind them Mom and Dad are not wastebaskets and they need to take their garbage and dirty tissues to the wastebasket. Spend time to discuss where the trash cans are located in most rooms- near the teachers desk, at the door or under the kitchen sink at home. After you throw out garbage use hand sanitizer. Practice coughing into your elbow and then cleaning your hands. If you live in the city consider starting a no shoes policy at home. Let’s not track those germ from outside into the house. If that is not feasible no shoes on the bed or furniture please. Let’s not make our children crazy with obsessing over getting sick but there can be no better time than now to discuss how important it is to stay clean and healthy.
About the Author:
Jacqueline Jones, M.D. with over 25 years of experience as a physician and surgeon, has helped tens of thousands of patients achieve optimum health. Her debut book, Medical Parenting, helps parents and caregivers to navigate health, wellness, and the medical system with their child.
As a board-certified ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist and head and neck surgeon, Dr. Jones serves patients at Park Avenue ENT, located on the Upper East Side, and in Brooklyn, New York.
She completed her undergraduate degree at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, before earning her medical degree at Cornell University Medical College in New York. She served her internship in general surgery and her residency in Otorhinolaryngology at the Hospital of University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Dr. Jones went on to complete a rigorous fellowship training in Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital.
In addition to her practice at Park Avenue ENT, Dr. Jones is a Clinical Associate Professor of Otolaryngology at Weill Cornell Medical College. She frequently publishes research and lectures on her work at conferences around the country. Dr. Jones is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Surgeons.
She’s an active member of the American Medical Association, American Society of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, and American Academy of Otolaryngology/Head Neck Surgery.
The mother of two grown children she resides in New York City. For more information, please consult: www.jacquelinejonesent.com
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