Having a good talk with your doctor may be the best medicine around. Studies show that when patients are satisfied with how they can discuss problems with their doctors, they tend to recover from illnesses more easily.

How often should your child see the doctor? Not just when he or she is sick! The doctor will set up a regular checkup schedule that includes a physical exam and an assessment of your child’s social, psychological, and nutritional development.

When it comes to communicating well with your doctor, time is the main barrier. A typical visit lasts 15 to 20 minutes, during which evaluation, diagnosis, treatment planning, and teaching take place. To make the best use of the minutes you have, present your most pressing problem to the doctor.

Your child should see a dentist six months after eruption of the first tooth, experts say. The dentist can provide or recommend preventative information regarding baby bottle tooth decay, infant feeding practices, mouth cleaning, teething, pacifier habits and finger-sucking habits.

An emergency means you could die if you don’t get care quickly. Or you could be hurt permanently. Read below to know when to use, and when not to use, an emergency room.

You or a loved one may have had an accident or serious illness. If so, you are likely to be worried and afraid. Knowing more about the emergency room (also called the emergency department) can help you feel less anxious.

Because procedures that required lengthy hospitalization in the past have changed so much over the past few years, it is vital that you understand all the reasons that justify the need for you to be treated at the hospital instead of at home or in a clinic.

If having surgery makes you nervous, imagine how it can seem for a child. By helping the youngster anticipate and face those fears, you can ease the trauma and smooth the way for a quicker, easier recovery.

The intensive care unit (ICU) is also sometimes called the critical care unit. Here patients receive constant care and close monitoring. Some hospitals may have more than one type of ICU. These may include a medical, surgical, cardiac, neurological, or pediatric ICU.

The ICU is a busy place. There may be other patients with monitors in the same unit. Be prepared to see lots of wires, tubes, and equipment. Your loved one may be asleep or unconscious.

A medical error can occur when something that was planned for medical care doesn't work, or when the wrong plan was used in the first place.

The first step is to find out what your insurance covers and whether there is anything special you need to do to qualify for coverage, such as getting preauthorization from the health plan or getting a second opinion.

Medical emergencies can be frightening and confusing. But the good news is that emergency treatment often saves lives.

A good guideline to follow is that a medical emergency is any time your child has an injury or illness you believe threatens his or her health or may cause permanent harm.