Jennifer J. Jacklin, PNP

When new parents are meeting their pediatrician for the first time I think it's important for them to feel comfortable with the pediatrician. Doing a prenatal visit or a meet and greet with a doctor to see if they're a good fit is a great way of making sure you and the doctor share a common goal or have similar personalities where you feel comfortable asking questions.

I love taking care of the entire family to be able to earn their trust is really meaningful for me. Children don't offer their trust readily, so letting me do their exam and tell me things is sacred to me and not something I take lightly. As a parent myself, I really cherish that. Having as much information as I can reassures me, so I ensure that parents don't leave without as much information as I can give. I may not always have the answers, but I search high and low for them. We can't all know everything. But I think it's only fair to say let's figure this out together.

When I finished college, I wanted to do research. I worked in a lab at Cincinnati Children's for a few years. But my boss was a pediatric hematologist/oncologist, he inspired me to go to medical school and become a doctor. My job as a pediatrician is to be a good listener. We get down to kids' level and examine them on their parents' laps. Talking to kids and not only to their parents makes a big difference because they know what's going on. Even when they're only four years old, they have a pretty strong opinion about what makes what's making them sick and they're often right. I tell parents they're doing a great job and not to let outside sources make them feel like they're doing something wrong. No one knows their kid better than parents. Sometimes parents just get this gut feeling something is wrong. My job is to listen and pick up on those cues. I'm there to listen to you and take you seriously.