San Diego Mom - Carmel Valley

This is a neat online game for parents to use with kids who might be nervous about a dentist visit.  Or, for kids who won’t accept that brushing is a requirement! 

http://www.mouthpower.org/mouthpower.cfm 

The game has a cute mouth as the navigator/narrarator that shows kids what happens if you don’t brush or floss, explains tools in use at a dentist visit, etc.  Its put together by a museum of Dentistry and University of Maryland/Baltimore. 

 

This is THE place to go (and where your doctor will refer you if they are not out of Children’s Hospital) for specialists in town for children. The facility is off the the beaten track (down the 805 a ways, to the 163 and exit genessee; see directions on the site for more specifics) for those of us in Carmel Valley and one of my pet peeves is that the parking facility can be quite a walk from the office you may be heading to.  Make sure to bring strollers and be prepared for it to take some time the first time you go there to find your office.  The campus is huge.

http://www.chsd.org/ 

I’ve had only good experiences with doctors I’ve been referred to there, but I have had terrible experiences with chaotic over crowded office waiting areas and hate going there. Just be aware it may be part of the experience but know in the end you’ll get amazing quality help for your child. 

This is the hospital closest to us in Carmel Valley.  Take the 5 south and exit Genessee.  http://www.scripps.org/Locations.asp?ID=4

Our children were born here and we had terrific experiences both time with the facility and their staff. The birth rooms are so nice, Stuart and I kept referring to the hospital for weeks after we’d come home as the hotel.  Not on purpose, its just they have that feel of fairly new, nicely decorated, very well cared after. If you run into people who have been in San Diego awhile, they’ll tell you they give new Moms a Lobster dinner after they give birth.  They don’t.  The food is very definitely hospital food. However, rumor has it at some point years ago they actually did. 

 
We also had the experience of working with our son with the NICU unit as our son was a preemie.  We were not thrilled to have to be going through the experience, but felt every step of the way that we were in incredibly good hands.  The nurses there are unbelievably good. 

The Hospital runs various classes for new Moms which are posted in the Developmental Support area as well.  This complex also houses several additional office buildings that have various local practices housed there.  I come to this same vicinity for my dentist and my obgyn as well.

With the opening of the Scripps Clinic medical buildings in the old Peregrine buildings in Carmel Valley near Valley Centre road we now have a ton of doctor choices closer to us in Carmel Valley.  http://www.scripps.org/Locations.asp?ID=404  But, before that, we had to drive to other areas.

 

I’ve seen physicians in this practice for several years and have been really happy with each of them.  Dr. Ruymann delivered my first child, and I’ve seen Dr. Silverman and Dr. Kristen Lee both and thought they were great. 

They are located in the Ximed building in UTC off Genessee near the hospital.  And the practice is run very efficiently.  More on them at: http://www.ncogmedical.com

Here is another local Carmel Valley pediatric group.  Dr. Chrystal De Freitas is one of the physicians that I know several of my friends recommend.  I don’t have any knowledge of this practice, but hopefully someone will write in and give us some feedback. http://www.carmelvalleypediatrics.com/

Also, http://healthychats.com/index.html

In Carmel Valley, the Children’s Primary Care practice is a common choice.  We use the physicians here, Dr. Stuart Rubenstein specifically, and have been very happy.  We’ve seen several of the other physicians during emergency visits and all of them have been great.  The practice is VERY busy though so you need to know its not without its challenges with timing appointments, etc.  On the whole though, the physicians seem to be well liked by those I’ve met who use them.

They have a drop in emergency hour each morning at 8:00.  They also offer week-end hours - one day in Carmel Valley, the other in Encinitas.

Location: 12395 El Camino Real, # 112, San Diego, CA 92130, 858-793-1011, fax:858-793-1035
Physicians: Elena Fishman, M.D., Victor Lipp, M.D., Stuart Rubenstein, M.D., O. Douglas Wilson, M.D.

http://www.cpcmg.medem.com/