Depending on the symptoms that your child is having and what has been done already will determine what will happen at your appointment. Typically Dr. Osterdock will talk with you first to get some history about your child and review the concerns that you have. She will also review any records that you have from your pediatrician or other physicians who have seen your child. It is important to bring any pertinent records as well images that have been done prior to your visit. If imaging (MRI, CT, Ultrasounds) has been done before your appointment it is helpful to have them put on a cd and bring the images with you to your appointment. Reports are helpful but it is imperative that we have the actual images to review. Frequently Dr. Osterdock will also have the images reviewed by one of our neuroradiologists for an independent opinion.

Dr. Osterdock will also examine your child to assess the situation from a neurologic standpoint. Depending on the problems or concerns will determine the extent and focus of the exam. It is imperative that you bring your child to any appointments that are made. We are unable to see parents without the patient/child present except in very rare situations where this might be appropriate. Please understand that the focus of any evaluation or visit is on treating your child not the images or scans. There are very few diagnoses in children where a decision can be made for treatment based on imaging alone.

In some situations Dr. Osterdock will determine that further testing or imaging is needed. Depending on the situation and tests required, the images may be able to be done the same day and you will be given instructions on where to go to get the images done and then return to the office to view the images and discuss the results. If an MRI or more complex testing is needed these will need to be scheduled at a later date and Kristie Jennings will be taking care of scheduling these tests for you. Often times the tests will be scheduled before you leave but sometimes Kristie will need to call you at a later time with the scheduled date and time for your tests. Either way Kristie will also schedule a time for you to return to discuss the results and review the films with Dr. Osterdock.

Many people find that it is helpful to write down any questions that they have prior to their visit to make sure that we address all of their concerns. At the end of your visit if you have any concerns which were not addressed please let us know before your leave so that we can make sure that everything has been discussed. If additional questions or thoughts arise after you leave please feel free to call or email us to discuss things further.