Seeking Feedback on Pediatric Gastro Doctors

My son was very sick at 4 months old, and a friend of mine who is a physician told me to go to Dr. Anderson at Children's. The waitlist was 4 months long, which we couldn't do, so my friend reccommended seeing someone else in his practice. I ended up getting an appointment that week with Barbie Drews who is his PA. She was SO GREAT!!!! My son is much better now and happy as can be which I directly attribute to Barbie and Dr. Anderson's great staff!!
Good luck, I hope this helps!

I can't speak to the issue of IBS/Chron's, but my son has seen Dr. Russo and I would highly recommend him! In our experience, I found Dr. Russo to be extremely intelligent, he took time with his patients, and worked with us to find solutions. I am very picky about doctors and I truly can't speak highly enough about Dr. Russo. He also has an office at Children's at Legacy in Plano.

L.,

I do not have any experience with these doctors but I have seen eight doctors at UT Southwestern over the past three years. I have had a wonderful experience and super care over there. One of my doctors was a GI doctor, I had to have a feeding tube put in and a colonoscopy. Dr. Westergaard was just a wonderful and professional person.

I have Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma, which was in my tongue and lungs. I am not a smoker, just luck of the draw. I had to have a third of my tongue taken and have had radiation on my head and neck and lost my saliva glands that is why I have a feeding tube right now. Hopefully I will get them back. My head and neck have stayed clear but I have not been so lucky with my lungs. I have had surgery and radiation several times. Right now my margins are clear, and I am very thankful.

I have two friends that have Crohns disease, and I am praying for you and your family. Again I feel that these doctors will be able to help you.

Please feel free to call or email me anytime. ###-###-####,
____@____.com

Abbe Lawson

Dr. Anderson and Dr. Ruso are both great doctors!

L.,

Did you know that most GI conditions are misdiagnosed and mismanaged by conventional docs? It's because they don't have much training in nutrition (leading health and wellness expert Dr Andrew Weil recently testified before Obama's health reform committee that American physicians are "nutritionally illiterate"). This is the case even among the "best" GI physicians.

You may want to exercise a little self help by researching food intolerances and taking good supplements like probiotics and see if symptoms don't diminish. The best lab I know of for food intolerance testing is Enterolab in Plano. They don't take insurance. No do tor referral needed. They are superior because they do stool testing, not blood testing. Dr. Kenneth Fine is the owner/director. He left his post as Director of GI research at Baylor to start the lab when he realized that (1) conventional GI medicine was missing the boat on proper diagnosis of GI conditions and (2) the system was not likely to change any time soon due to the politics of medicine and close-minded attitudes in the profession that prevent the promotion of health and wellness. So, if you want to achieve wellness, skip the four month waits, the invasive endoscopies, and the multiple needle sticks doled out by the "best" GI docs in Dallas and do your own research into nutrition and lifestyle habits that are the true cause of chronic conditions. Emotional causes also play a role in inflammatory bowel conditions. A general pediatrician who could help you re-evaluate your GI issues is Dr. Deborah Bain in Frisco www.healthykidspediatrics.com.

Good Luck!

My husband teaches at UT Southwestern and knows many of the best doctors. Dr. Anderson is hard to get into, but is worth the wait. I have been to him and many family members and friends have been happy with him. Good luck!

HI L.,
I have had experience with 2 or those dr.s. If its the same man, Dr. Anderson is the big kahuna at Children's Medical center, and he's the sweetest man. Dr. Russo is also a sweetheart. They really know their stuff. Good luck.

My 6 year old son has had some stomach issues and our pediatrician highly recommended Dr. Russo. When my son's school found out it was Dr. Russo they said that we were in good hands that many people at his elementary knew and used him for their children. My son had a colonoscopy and endoscopy with Dr. Russo and found nothing physically wrong.
He is a very good doctor and I would recommend him also. Very good with the children. Hope this helps a little.
L. Tatum
###-###-#### Feel free to call if you need to. Good Luck!

I can't say enough good things about Dr. Russo! He has been such a blessing to our family. He's a fabulous doctor with such a sincere approach to helping your children.

DD is a patient of Dr Russo, and we love him. I am a little more apt to try the natural remedies, and not too keen about medicating my child. He completely supported us and our decisions and went out of his way to find solutions for us! And he is sooo supper sweet! He has a son that is about my dd's same age, and i think that make a HUGE difference with a Dr. We drove from Central Arlington to plano almost every 3 weeks for a year to see him!

At the same time, if i could go to any GI dr i would have loved to have been able to go to Dr Whitney. I have heard WONDERFUL things about her!