East Bay Pediatrics

Feb 2015

RE: Looking for a great Oakland pediatrician

 About two years ago I was in a similar situation - had a doctor we loved, but the practice was a nightmare to deal with. We switched to East Bay Pediatrics, and we have been very happy. The practice is a well-oiled machine. My kids see Dr. Vo, who is fine. My son also saw Dr. Evans Ramsey for some sick appointments, and she was awesome. One of our neighbors sees Dr. Damon and adores her too. In short, I think there are a lot of good docs in the practice, and the rest of the system works great too. Easy to make appointments, great advice nurses available by phone, early morning and Saturday hours for sick appointments. They will refer you to an after hours urgent care clinic rather than just sending you to the ER. I have nothing but praise for the organized way that practice is run. Best of luck to you!

Dec 2014

RE: Moving to Oakland, need a pediatrician

Aug 2013

RE: Time to switch away from Kaiser pediatrics?

I love my pediatricians at East Bay Pediatrics. They have sick kid hours on weekday mornings and Saturday mornings. We've had to use this service a couple of times and the wait has been reasonably short. It's spelled out on their web page, eastbaypediatrics.com

May 2013

Re: Pediatrician who is not hyper-focused on weight

My kids are a little younger than yours, so not the exact same experience necessarily, but I'll say that our pediatrician, Dr. Sarah Handelsmann at East Bay Pediatrics, has been really, really mellow about those sorts of issues with us and seems like she'd fit well with your approach to the issue. Good luck!

May 2013

Re: Pediatrician who is not hyper-focused on weight
Our pediatrician, Dr. Mary Jones, seems focused on exercise, but not weight. She was reassuring to my daughter who developed a bit sooner than her friends that her weight was ''normal.'' My daughter has a ''childbearing hips'' body build, now that she is a teen but also gets a reasonable amount of exercise and has been the same weight for a couple of years now. Dr. Jones also been competent and supportive around other health issues for my daughter and the family. anon

May 2013

Re: African American female pediatrician?
We just went to East Bay Pediatrics for an annual well-child check-up with Dr. Miles Abbot; he had his partner, Dr. Tracy Evans-Ramsey come in for a 2nd opinion on something, and she was GREAT with both my son and me. I'd highly recommend her. I know they have another pediatrician there who is also African American and female, although I've never met her, Dr. Jennifer Miller - her bio says she specializes in adolescent health.

Feb 2013

Re: Seeking an African American Female pediatrician

Dr. Jen Miller at East Bay Pediatrics. You will be very happy. happy patient

Hi! We see Dr Jennifer Miller at East Bay Pediatrics and love her! She was recommended to us by a friend who loves her and then we recommended her to our neighbors who are also very happy with her. She's very warm and friendly. They have offices in Berkeley (Regent St) and Orinda.

Dr. Tracy Evans-Ramsey of Eastbay pediatric group is a femal african-American dr. She is not our pediatrician but we have seen her while our dr was on vacation. She is very good!! Their Berkeley office is on Regent St behind Alta Bates. Phone # 925-254-9203. Lan

http://www.eastbaypediatrics.com Drs. Miller and Ramsey are also super qualified, nice, responsive. It's a great practice to which we moved from another when our kids were 4 and 7. There's collegiality amongst the doctors, they work together and regularly consult regarding trickier situations. Two offices- one in Orinda, one across from Alta Bates. Chris

Jan 2013

Re: Pediatrician for complicated medical problems
Dr. Mary Jones with East Bay Pediatrics has been wonderful. She handled our daughter's prematurity health problems very well. The practice has been available pretty much whenever we needed (including providing after-hours care for a fall, and other serious illnesses.) She's also been good about specialist referrals. My daughter has never had a hospitalization, so I can't speak to that. The one disadvantage is she works out of both Berkeley and Orinda, so sometimes we've gone to Orinda in order to have consistency. You would have to meet with her and see if she's the right doctor for your child's specific needs. anon

Dec 2012

Re: Intellectual Pediatrician near Berkeley?
We recently left our beloved pediatrician in WA when we moved to CA. I figured we wouldn't get as lucky with our next doc, but I highly recommend Dr. Abbott at East Bay Pediatric. He took a ton of time with us at my son's 5 year well-child exam. He was so engaging with him and obviously loves kids. He encouraged questions and I've never seen such an extensive exam. He's great!!! We originally had a different doctor, but switched when we met doctor Abbott. He was the doc on duty when my son went in for stitches. We were impressed and switched. Good luck!!
p.s They are located by Alta Bates in Berkeley.
Happy with our pediatrician

We love our pediatrician Dr Myles Abbott. He is a great doctor! Very experienced and knowledgable and patient with the kids and the parents. His Berkeley office is right near Alta Bates. Ph# 925-254- 9203. Good luck. Lan

Nov 2011

Re: Looking for Pediatrician in East Bay for newborn
We adore our ped, Juliana Damon at East Bay Pediatrics. We also have seen Dr. Tracy and Dr. Sarah, everyone there has been completely fantastic. They are in a building just behind Alta Bates in Berkeley on Ashby (they have another office, maybe Orinda?). I am a medical professional and I believe we are getting extremely high-quality care from deeply loving people; my husband is very skeptical of medical care, and he is pleased also. Dr. Julie noticed my post-partum depression, and has basically treated our whole family unit, not just our kid. I love her and trust her. And she's crazy smart. Good luck! http://www.eastbaypediatrics.com/ grateful to dr julie

I have to second Dr. Damon. My 2 1/2 year old and 7 month old see her and she is fantastic. She does immunizations at a slower pace for my more sensitive older boy, takes my fears and concerns seriously and prods me (gently) to make changes to keep me sane and my boys healthy. I also really like the specialists she has referred me to for my toddler who has some complications. Turns out they are the best doctors in their field in the area and patients travel for hours to see them. I trust her and appreciate her awareness and openness to our outside use of alternative, nonwestern approaches. I have also had positive experiences with all of the doctors and nurses in the office over the past 27 months of (unfortunately frequent) visits to the Berkeley and Orinda offices. Good luck. A careful mama

Aug 2011

Re: Recommendations for Pediatrician
East Bay Pediatrics Our boys see Dr. Jennifer Miller and she is friendly and engaging with the kids. www.eastbaypediatrics.com

March 2011

Re: Seeking Pediatrician for Special Need's child
I have a great pediatrician in Berkeley at East Bay Pediatrics - Dr Mary Jones. My daughter was premature and had a lot of delays early on. I was seeing another pediatrician who wasn't any help and then I switched to Dr Jones. She knows everyone at Children's Hospital Oakland and was able to pull strings and get my daughter seen by all the right people. Our situation was very different but I know that Dr Jones can send you in the right direction, she is extremely knowledgeable and a great advocate for kids with special needs. good luck!

Jan 2011

Re: Seeking African-American prediatrician
Dr. Tracey Evans-Ramsey at East Bay Pediatrics (Berkeley and Orinda) has been our daughters' pediatrician for the past eight years and we think she's fabulous. Bright, great bedside manner, and yes, African American. Dr. Tracey fan

Jan 2011

Re: Seeking African-American prediatrician
For a female pediatrician, we recommend Dr. Jennifer Miller at East Bay Pediatrics. http://www.eastbaypediatrics.com/physicians.php#miller

Nov 2010

Hello, I am due at the end of January and I am looking for an excellent pediatrician for my daughter. I am looking for a patient, warm, very professional and accessible doctor. I would like a pediatrician who will return my calls in case of an emergency and who has an efficient administrative process. Based on the research I have done so far I have liked: Dr. Lisa Kalar from Berkeley Pediatric Medical Group and Sarah Handelsman from East Bay Pediatrics. I am interested in hearing opinions about these practices. Thank you very much for your advice. Andrea

My kids are patients of Sarah Handelsman and East Bay Pediatrics. We are very happy with her and her group. They have an advice nurse line that helps with questions that you might have and will facilitate same-day appointments if warranted. I have found these people to be very well trained and have not had a problem getting same-day appointments when necessary. They have urgent care drop-ins every day first thing in the morning. I remember that when my kids were very little and we were going for well-baby visits frequently, we were ushered into a room quickly so the babies would not be exposed to sick kids in the waiting room. I love Sarah and her way with kids--my kids love her. But, more importantly, I have received great care from everyone in the group. in group practices like this, it is very likely that you may see another doctor,especially in an emergency--and I have liked everyone we have seen. They also have an after-hours call system. very happy patients

We had Sarah Handelsman as our pediatrician till we moved. Loved her! She was all the things you mentioned: patient, warm, and professional. She was gone two maternity leaves while we were there so we also met several of the other doctors in the practice while she was out. They were nice and professional also, although I preferred Handelsman; she was warmer and seemed to like the kids themselves the most of all the doctors we saw. I never had a problem with the practice - efficient, responsive, etc. The nurse on call will most of the time tell you it's nothing significant (just let the kid rest, etc.) if you call about your sick child. I think that's pretty much their M.O. - try to get often over-anxious parents to wait to ensure there's really something wrong. Most of the time, they were right and the problem solved itself quickly with rest and Tylenol. Once, they told me my son probably just had an upset stomach and not to worry, and by the next morning he had full-blown symptoms of strep. So, he spent one extra night before going in, getting tested, and starting antibiotics. I thought it was OK, though; not abig deal. If you're a real worrier who thinks you will want a doctor's attention for every little thing, that might put you off. It was fine for us.

July 2010

Re: Looking for a hassle free pediatrician's office
I know how you feel! We took our son to a pediatrician we loved but the office was a nightmare! We finally switched, too.

Currently, we are with East Bay Pediatrics. We go to the Orinda office, which is actually pretty close to parts of Oakland, as it is right off of 24. I know they have Berkeley office, but I have never been there.

The office staff is very efficient, the nurses are great with the kids, the appointments are pretty much always on time or within a few minutes of the appt time, and the advice nurse line is very helpful. Also, they have sick kid drop-in hours now, plus I can pretty much always get a same-day appt with one of the doctors if I feel my kid needs to be seen right away.

As for their regular doctors, my son sees Dr. Myles Abbott and my daughter sees Dr. Julie Damon. Both are fabulous and easy to talk to and work with. I have great discussions on health issues with both of them. My daughter has the biggest girl-crush you've ever seen on Dr. Damon. Hilarious.

I'll just give you the practice's website, and you can check it out and figure out which office you'd like to try if you're interested: http://www.eastbaypediatrics.com

March 2010

Re: Sutter East Bay Health Doctor for new baby?
I would recommend any of the doctors at East Bay Pediatrics. They have two offices, one behind Alta Bates Hospital. My children 4 and 1 see Dr. Vo. I like her very much, she is a young mom and very good a connecting with me and my kids. Their website is eastbaypediatrics.com anon

Nov 2009

Re: Alta Bates Group Pediatrician?
Hi there, We have been very happy with east bay pedictrics. Our Dr. is Dr. Damon and she is great but can be pretty opinionated when it comes to parenting (non-medical) stuff. But otherwise she is always very sweet with our daughter....actually the whole staff has been great there...We have also seen Dr. Christina Vo and I really really liked her. Good luck! (and congrats on your baby!)

I would like to recommend our wonderful pediatric office, East Bay Pediatrics. It is a large practice, and has many wonderful doctors that we have seen. My two boys see Dr. Christina Vo as their pediatrican. She is a young mother herself, which makes her very easy to relate to and talk with. She is very kind and understanding with my children. The doctors in their practice will meet with you while you are still pregnant for a fee. After the babies birth, a doctor from the practice will visit you/your baby in the hospital daily.

I would recommend visiting a doctor or two before making your final decision. It made a big difference for me, one doctor had us wait for over 45 minutes. In a face to face meeting you can get a real sense of how comfortable you feel with someone, and you can tell how well they listen to parents concerns and questions. anon

Sept 2009

After a bad experience with another practice, I switched practices to Dr Mary Jones at East Bay Pediatrics. She is amazing. She is very experienced and is ok with our delayed vaccine schedule. I have never waited more than 15 minutes and it's usually more like 5. No problems with billing at either place. Dr Jones took initiative and got my daughter seen by all of the right people and she is now thriving. anon

April 2009

Re: Do you love your Pediatrician? 
I LOVE LOVE LOVE my pediatrician. his name is Dr. Samuel Lewis and his office is in Orinda. He has his own private practice and has been doing this a long time so he knows what he's doing and has seen it all. He answers his own phone until 9pm on weekdays and is in the office at least one day a week almost every weekend. He has drop in clinic every morning during the cold season so if your kid is sick in the middle of the night you can just come by first thing the next morning without even calling first. Because he has so much experience he never pushes medication when it isn't necessary as he seems to always know when things will go away on their own. He knows not to sweat the small stuff but is on top of things when something is really wrong. His receptionist, Marilee, is incredibly kind and knows everyone. One of the BEST things about the office, other than them always being there for you when you need them, is that they stock the most common prescription medications in the office. So, if your child does need antibiotics, you don't have to go to a drug store after your appt. Dr. Lewis has a new partner who is a woman and I have heard good things about her in case you'd prefer a female. The office number is 925-253-1199. Nina

Feb 2009

Re: Pediatrician needed in Orinda area
We have been very pleased with East Bay Pediatrics, which has an office in Orinda. Our sons' physician is Dr. Sarah Handelsman, whom we adore. She has been extremely supportive through some very scary hospitalizations and illnesses. When she hasn't been available, most of the other doctors have been great at following up and checking in if we have questions. I would suggest doing prenatal interviews with different offices and/or doctors to find someone you really like and feel comfortable with. Congratulations and best wishes to you. anon

I would highly recommend East Bay Pediatrics. They have 2 offices, one in Orinda and one in Berkeley. My sister and I were patients there when we were children and now I send my daughter there and will be sending my second daughter there who is also due this spring. I saw Dr. Miles Abbott and Dr. Marcia Charles-Mo as a child and my daughter now goes to Dr. Charles-Mo. They have both been with the practice for over 25 years and are still wonderful doctors. I have also heard wonderful reviews about all of the newer doctors there as well. I have never had a complaint about the office or doctors, everyone is very caring and approachable. I feel like they are family. Check them out. Laura

We go to East Bay Pediatrics in Orinda. (They also have a Berkeley office, near Alta Bates.) We switched to their offices about 2 or 3 years ago and have been extremely happy with the care we have received. My son (aged 13) sees Dr. Myles Abbott, and my daughter (aged 9) see Dr. Juliana ''Julie'' Damon. They are both fantastic and my kids love them. Here is contact info: Orinda Office map 96 Davis Road, Suite 2 Orinda, CA 94563 fax (925) 254-1054

April 2008

Re: Pediatrician in Berkeley
Anyone at East Bay Pediatrics is good. The Doctors that I know and recommend there are Dr. Abbott(may not be accepting new patients); Dr. Tracy Evans-Ramsey and Dr. Miller. My kids are older but they have seen all 3 and all are very competent. Judy

March 2008

Re: Recommendations for Pediatricians
We take our son to East Bay Pediatrics. Dr. Abbott is our primary doctor, but for ill visits we have seen all of the doctors you mentioned. We love the practice and we have had good experience with everyone there. They are great about fitting you in for a sick visit on the same day, the advice nurses are terrific and actually answer the phone, and all the doctors are terrific. We couldn't be happier there. Meryl

I take my daughter to EastBayPediatrics in Berkeley (they also have an office in Orinda). http://www.eastbaypediatrics.com/

We meet with Doctor Vo and she is WONDERFUL! She really takes the time to listen to how your child is developing and holds/bonds with the baby. She always asks how the mom/dad is doing with the new child in their lives. I've never had to wait long for each appointment, the nurses and staff are great, and they were available for all my insurance questions as well. They give discounts for self-paying patients that pay day-of-appointment.

I chose EastBayPediatrics and Dr. Vo because of another review and do not regret it!! She is the BEST!! MC

March 2008

Hi There, I am looking for a highly qualified pediatrician with excellent bedside manner in the lamorinda/walnut creek area. This doctor must have excellent service, a kind, friendly helpful staff, and be available to answer questions and return phone calls within a reasonable time (1-2 hours) without rushing us or treating us in a clinical manner. This doctor should also have a decent amount of office hours and appointment making shouldnt be too much trouble. Any recommendations would be helpful. We have good insurance. Our baby will be born on April 14. Thanks

We are with East Bay Pediatrics with offices in Orinda and Berkeley. Every doctor we have encountered there is absolutely professional, from when our son was born to now. Our doctor is Dr. Jennifer Miller, who is one of the best doctors I have ever worked with. She takes time with us for appointments, is extremely knowledgeable and my son really takes to her well. She addresses all of our concerns - even the new parent ones that are just crazy - and is very professional. Apparently she was Chief Resident at Children's Hospital in Oakland. We love her. The offices are also very well run, we never have to wait and they are open on weekends. In addition, they have a nurses call in line and doctors always on call. Overall, we are very happy with our decision to use East Bay Pediatrics. Jen

We love our pediatrician, Dr. Sarah Handelsman. Great bed-side manner. She has 2 young kids of her own. She is with East Bay Pediatrics Medical Group and she has a office in Orinda and Berkeley. Here's her number: 925) 438-1100. Anon

Feb 2008

Re: Looking an infant care doctor
I highly recommend Dr. Sarah Handlesman and the whole team at East Bay Pediatrics. We have been going there since our first son was born 3.5 years ago. Over time, we have seen several of the doctors and have loved all of them (Dr. Handlesman has had 2 children in this same period of time, plus you sometimes see different doctors if you need to do drop in or whatever). The nurses have all been great as well. They have an office in Berkeley next to Alta Bates and another in Lafayette. Their main number is 925-438-1100. Thrilled with our doctors

Feb 2008

We have a baby due in May and we are looking for a pediatrician. I am wondering if anyone coud give me some feed back on East Bay Pediatrics Orinda location, especially Dr. Juliana Damon or Sara Handelsman? Jade

Hi There, I have a 6 yr old and 3 yr old. We have been with East Bay Pediatrics with Dr. Sarah Handelsman since the beginning. We really like her. She is very thorough and straight to the point. Always available via phone and we never feel rushed during our appointments. Also good to note that she has two very young children of her own. I also like the fact that you can schedule an appointment at either location (Berkeley and/or Orinda). Maria

I went to east bay pediatrics for my whole life. From birth to age 22. The doctors there are really caring. I mostly went to the berkeley office but also went to the Orinda office. In the morning it can be hard to get someone on the phone but when you do the nurses are always very helpful. You get to see your own doctor most of the time. From my experience if you really need to be seen and you show up they won't turn you away. I have always liked all the doctors I have seen there, lots over the yeas.

Having said that I just had a baby and did not chose them as my babies pediatrician apart from the fact that it is kinda weird that I only stopped going there last year. They are very medical doctors and as an adult I have chosen to use mostly alternative medicines and do not plan to immunize my baby which is a big things with most pediatricians. So I picked one that I heard is a little more open to that. Hope this helps a little. life longs patient

We have been with Dr. Sarah Handelsman for about 2 years (our daughter is 2.5 years old) and we LOVE her. I was with another doctore prior to this but didn't like the office and changed to Dr. Handelsman when our daughter was about 6 months old. She is so loving and caring and the office is great as well (we go to the Berkeley office but I have visited the Orinda office twice). They also have a great on call doctor on the weekend so if you have an urgent but not emergency issue, you can drop in on the weekend during their scheduled time. I would definitely recommend Dr. Handelsman and her office in Berkeley or Orinda. Anon

We've been with Dr Damon at East Bay Pediatrics (mostly in Berkeley) since our son was born in March 2007. In our experience they have all been great: easy to make appointments, good drop-in hours, and the on-call physicians have responded quickly when we've had to call after hours. Dr Damon seems calm and capable to us first-timers. My milk production was low and we had to supplement with formula, which in Berkeley can seem like a capital offense, but her attitude is refreshingly practical and non-judgmental. She also helped us with a potential skull-formation problem by referring a good baby-chiropractor (yes, this exists!) and a craniofacial specialist, and everything is A-OK now. tiff

Both of my kids go to East Bay Pediatrics, although we started going there when my kids were 7 and 11, which means I can't comment on their infant care. My daughter sees Dr. Damon and we like her very much, granted there have been no emergencies or anything other than routine care for the past couple of years. My son sees Dr. Abbott and really likes him, too.

This is our fourth pediatric practice (didn't like the first one, the second closed due to retirement, and then we moved about a half hour away from the third, necessitating the switch to East Bay Pediatrics). So, having been to four pediatric offices now, I have to say that East Bay is equal to or better than the other practices I've dealt with.

Dr. Damon (or Dr. Julie has she likes to be called) has been my daughter's pediatrician for the last 18 months and I have nothing but great things to say about her. We have a very healthy toddler, so we haven't needed to see her between appts. for anything (except once for a cough that she treated right away). She has a wonderful bedside manner with my daughter (and with my husband and me too). She answers our questions in a non-judgmental way and reassures us when needed. I look forward to taking my daughter to see Dr. Damon and now my daughter is starting to enjoy it too. I'll admit that I was somewhat anxious about finding a ped for my daughter. We lived in Brooklyn for the 1st six months of her life and had a wonderful doctor there and so I thought we could never find anyone as good as him. Well, Dr. Damon is even better than I could have imagined and would highly recommend her to anyone. Shauna

I absolutely 100% recommend Dr. Damon (or Dr. Julie as she we call her). We have used her for both our kids and she has been great - they love to see her. She is very enthusiastic and positive with the kids, not to mention patient. She also is willing to listen to us and she has always addressed our concerns. She also identified a potentially serious health issue with our daughter that we had missed. We have always been able to get an appointment with her as well as same day appts when necessary. The only issue I have is with the office staff, they can be a little snippy and you often have to push with the advice nurse to get a same day appt but we have never been denied one. I should add that my kids are very very healthy, they have never had major issues or even been on an antibiotic so we aren't constantly calling or visiting. In summary, I would not hesitate to recommend Dr. Damon to anyone. I have only seen Dr. Handelsmann once but she also seemed great. We lik! e all the drs. in the practice (another plus). We love love love Dr. Julie!

Jan 2008

Re: looking for a new pediatrician
I have been taking my 7month old since she was born to Dr. Vo at East Bay Pediatrics. www.eastbaypediatrics.com they have offices in Orinda and Berkeley. Dr. Vo is not only affectionate and wonderful with my daughter, but has two kids of her own and can answer any questions you might have. She even gave me many helpful advices regarding recovery after the birthing process...:) anon

Jan 2008

Re: Pediatrician for our 8-year-old son
We have been thrilled with Julie Damon as a pediatrician for our now 10 month old son. She was recommended to us by our acupuncturist as someone who would be open to other ideas in addition to Western medicine. For us, she's a great combination. We've done lots of traditional stuff that she's suggested but also some homeopathic treatments for which she's totally supportive. Although the website is a little weird, she might be worth a look: http://www.eastbaypediatrics.com. Oh, and as a plus, the office staff is incredible. Happy with Dr. Damon

I saw that someone had recommended Dr. Damon at East Bay Pediatrics, and wanted to offer another opinion. My elder son has a hereditary blood disorder, and was under close medical supervision for the first year of his life. When he was 10 weeks old, he had a high fever, and we took him in to the office (our regular pediatrician is Dr. Handelsman, whom we adore). Dr. Damon saw our son, said that we had nothing to worry about and that we didn't need to take him to Children's Hospital for a hemoglobin check. I felt uneasy after the office visit, and called my son's hematologist at Children's Hospital. My son's hemoglobin turned out to be critically low, and he received a blood transfusion that same afternoon. Needless to say, I lost trust and respect for Dr. Damon after that, and have refused to let my children see her again. Our experience may have been an isolated mistake of hers, but it did not foster confidence on our part. I would, however, highly recommend all the other pediatricians in the practice, who are intelligent, kind, and compassionate. Anon

Oct 2007

Re: Looking for Pediatrician in Lamorinda
We switched to East Bay Pediatrics earlier this year and we are happy with them. They have offices in Orinda (right by the 24 East onramp) and in Berkeley. Our kids see Drs Myles Abbott and Julie Damon. Dr. Abbott is an older guy, but is very personable and takes a real interest in the total health of the kid (mental, emotional, physical). Dr. Damon is just an upbeat sweetheart, but very good and on top of things. My daughter (8) adores her. Both are easy to talk to and ask questions of.
Their website: http://www.eastbaypediatrics.com Their office locations and tel. numbers: Orinda Office 96 Davis Road Suite 2 Orinda, California 94563 925-438-1100 Berkeley Office 2999 Regent Street Suite 325 Berkeley, California 94705 925-438-1100

We have been very happy with East Bay Pediatrics, which has an office in Orinda. Our sons' pediatrician is Dr. Sarah Handelsman, who is fabulous: smart, approachable, great with the kids, supportive of parents. I was nervous before my first son's birth that he might inherit a blood disorder from me (he did). She was prepared for the needed referrals and was always willing and available to answer questions during his stay in the NICU and at every visit. We also adore Dr. Tracy Evans-Ramsey, whom we've seen when Dr. Handelsman was on maternity leave. The advice nurses are great, too. Kara

March 2007

Re: Pediatrician for a baby with Down syndrome
I have a 10 year old son with Down syndrome. His pediatrician is Myles Abbott at East Bay Pediatrics in Berkeley. We LOVE Myles and he has been wonderful to work with. He is not an expert in Down syndrome, but he knows a lot and is willing to learn and explore anything that he isn't familiar with. Most importantly, he is respectful to both me as a parent and my child. Feel free to contact me if you have more questions about Dr. Abbott or about parenting a child with Down syndrome. jennifer

Feb 2007

Re: Looking for a Wise and Supportive Pediatrician
I'm new to the e-bay, but from two referrals heard about East Bay Pediatrics, located in Orinda and Berkeley. Some doctors are more seasoned while others are younger. I've been very impressed so far. Good luck! anon

April 2006

Re: Preemie Specialist Pediatrician?
I strongly recommend Dr. Richard Oken. He is an older gentleman with tons of experience. He is my son's pediatrician. He takes a personal interest in the patient. He visited me and the baby in the hospital immediately after my son was born. Everytime I've paniced about a medical condition (my infant developed a nasty rash) Dr. Oken has been able to see me the same day. PalPakk

Feb 2006

Re: Black Pediatrician
Tracy Evans-Ramsey, MD is a young black woman who works with East Bay Pediatrics in Berkeley and Orinda. It's a great practice with a great reputation. All the doctors are friendly and knowledgeable. The office phone number is (925)438-1100 christina

I highly recommend our pediatrician Dr. Tracy Evans-Ramsey. We have been seeing her for three years and every single appointment we've had with her has been great. She has an amazing way with kids, even with my son who doesn't warm up to people easily. She is patient, kind, extremely thourough and I have the utmost respect and admiration for her level of professionalism. She is also a mother! She works out of both Orinda and Berkeley, and the office number is 925-438-1100. D.

Sept 2005

We are expecting our first baby in the beginning of December 2005. We just started out in the process of choosing a pediatrician and have scheduled a prenatal meeting with Dr. Christina Vo at East Bay Pediatrics in Berkeley. I checked the earlier postings in BPN for this practice but Dr. Vo has not been reviewed there. She must be new to the practice. Does anybody have any recommendations for/against Dr. Vo? It will be really helpful for us in reaching a decision in this matter. Thanks.

Hi: I have been going to East Bay Pediatrics since 2001w/ my 2 children. Last week, my regular Dr. was not there and we saw Dr. Vo for the 1st time. My son had severe bronchiolitis and she was fantastic with her diagnosis, her attention to detail and quick response. She was on call for the next 24 hours after we saw her and I called her a few times and she was so eager to answer any questions and tried to calm my nerves. I would highly recommend her. Good Luck! Baaran

June 2005

We have a baby due next week and soon after will need to switch insurance to my husbands HMO and will be looking for a pediatrician. I am wondering if anyone coud give me some feed back on Dr. Juliana Damon of East Bay Pediatrics? thanks, naoms

I have two children who see Dr. Oken at East Bay Pediatrics, but we've been seen by Dr. Damon on at least three occasions in the last year. I've found her to be very good. She's young and newer to the practice. She seems to take extra time to explain things to you and returns phone calls promptly. You don't feel rushed. Happy at East Bay Pediatrics

We love Dr. Damon! She has been our doctor since my son was born almost 2 years ago, and we appreciate her more and more with time. She is kind and thorough, very knowledgable about children and really willing to listen. She never seems rushed in appointments and has always returned calls promptly. I cannot recommend her highly enough! She is having a baby in September, but will be returning to work within a few months. cara

We've gone to E. Bay Pediatrics for nine years. Our regular doctor there was booked months in advance and I needed to get our kids' checkups and innoculations before our insurance expired. Dr. Damon could see us and without knowing anything about her I have to say she was the warmest and most caring doctor I've ever had experience with. And I have only great things to say about the practice in general. In 9 years, I think there was only one time we had to wait beyond our scheduled appointment time due to an emergency situation that came in before us. I don't think you could find a better group of pediatricians. Happy Client

My kids regular pediatrician is Tracy Evans-Ramsey which we love. We were assigned to Jualiana Damon while she was on maternity leave a couple of years ago. My 2 experiences with Dr. Damon were not good. Her way of dealing with my almost 2 y.o. son's frustration was to have him face a corner while she was trapping him with her legs for 3 minutes. I had to stop her by telling her that this was not my way of parenting and I was here for medical advices not parenting ones. In the meantime my son was screaming his lungs out. I would strongly recommend seeing Tracy Evans-Ramsey over Damon if you could. good luck

Dr. Damon is wonderful! She is incredibly patient and thorough. She really listens to our concerns and she is great with our kids (ages 2 & 4). She is a great doctor. jen

In response to your questions re: Dr. Julie Damon: WE LOVE HER. She's been an amazingly personable, knowledgable, open- minded physician. I only wish I could find a doctor like her for ME! She came to visit with us in the hospital on her day off when our son was born two years ago, and has been a very positive part of his health care ever since! She has ALWAYS made herself available to us whenever anything has come up. We just can't say enough good things about her. She's great! evelyn

Dr Damon is great! We actually switched from another pediatrician in the same practice (the other doctor who was also wonderful, but Dr Damon was just so exceptional and provided some specialized knowledge which made me feel that my kids should be seen by her). She's always been a nice mixture of friendly, caring, enthusiastic as well as being very smart, competent and down-to- earth. I don't think you can go wrong with Dr Damon and a number of my friends see her too and really like her. As an aside, she's fantastic with children who have been adopted from overseas, as was one of my two children. a fan of Dr Damon

Dr. Damon was recommended to us by friends who go to the same practice and who saw her when their kid's doc was unavailable. We interviewed her before our daughter was born and liked her pretty much immediately. She's young and enthusiastic, and is open to alternative therapies (not that we are necessarily for our child, but I like an open-minded doc!), so I feel if she were to recommend serious ''western'' medicine, we could trust that she felt it was absolutely the right thing to do. It's a busy practice and quite large, which is both good and bad. So far we're very happy with our choice. Good luck! Nicole

My 2 year old and my 5 year old are both seeing Dr. Damon, while their primary pediatrican, Dr. Cahn, is out on maternity leave. My impression of Dr. Damon is that she is top-notch. I have been very pleased every time we've seen her, both with the time she takes with us, the level of questioning and concern, and her follow-up. Both my children (and I) are very comfortable with her. In fact, the whole practice of East Bay Pediatrics is wonderful. We've been going there for 3 years now, and we are very grateful to have found them. Maryanne

we have been very happy with the care our child has received at east bay pediatrics, with a couple of minor exceptions. juliana damon was one of them. our four month old infant had her first cold over a holiday weekend while visiting family out of town. our daughter was SUFFERING, so we were suffering. i was at my end after not sleeping for three nights, and called for the on-call physician sunday evening around dinner time. dr damon asked us ''does she need to be in the emergency room?'' ''have you read the blue book?'' ''can't do saline nose drops for more than three days.'' basically the conversation was fruitless and i felt stupid for asking for help when i had exhausted all of our knowledge and resources for three days without seeing improvement. we were sent a bill for calling with a 'non-emergency' outside of office hours. we spoke with the advice nurse (they ROCK - what an awesome service) first thing in the morning, and got the support and help we needed. i think pediatricians and nannies should share one job requirement: they need to be parents. anon

Both of my children have gone to Dr. Damon since birth, and we absolutely love her. She is very friendly, she listens to what you have to say, and she listens to what the children have to say (which isn't so easy when a 3-year-old is trying to explain symptoms!) She has called me at home a few times to follow-up to see how we're doing ,and has done extra research for us outside of her office hours. We couldn't be happier! Love Dr.Damon

Nov 2004

Re: Pediatrician after SIDS Loss
Dr. Sarah Handlesman from East Bay Pediatrics is great! She is our pediatrician and we love her. Our daughter is incredibly colicky and we are in her office freaking out every other week. She is patient, understanding, thoughtful, and knowledgeable. Plus... she even returns phone calls right away. Her office is in Berkeley and Orinda. I would definately at least go to meet her and see what you think. Good luck!! Stephanie

Jan 2004

Re: pediatrician in Walnut Creek or Lafayette
She's not in Lafayette, but is close by at East Bay Pediatrics right off of 24 in Orinda. Sarah Cahn is my toddler's pediatrician and we've been very happy with her advice and services in the 2 years we've been seeing her. Nothing serious yet (thankfully) but I would trust her opinion and she has a very gentle bedside manner with my son who isn't the easiest of patients. The practice was recommended to me by my neighbor who is a Pediatric Oncologist of note-they have used East Bay Pediatrics themselves with both of their (now grown) children. Another Mom

Jan 2004

Re: pediatrician in Walnut Creek or Lafayette
If Orinda isn't too far, I would recommend Dr. Juliana Damon at East Bay Pediatrics. Great bedside manner with children and parents, knows what she's talking about and when we had to contact her while on vacation out of state for an emergency she did an amazing job of staying with us over the phone while we assessed the situation and found an emergency room to get to. Her follow up after the emergency was wonderful. dolby

Jan 2004

Re: pediatrician in Walnut Creek or Lafayette
Try East Bay Pediatrics, with offices in Orinda and Berkeley. Dr. Oken and Dr. Abbott are excellent.

Oct 2003

Re: Pediatrician in Lamorinda for child with food allergues
I would give East Bay Pediatrics in Orinda (96 Davis Rd.) a try. My son, who also has multiple food allergies, is seen there by Dr. Dorit Bar-Din, although I think you'll do just fine with anyone on staff. Dr. Bar-Din has done a good job of diagnosing what may have looked like a plain old rash as a food allergy, and ordered appropriate testing to determine which foods were culprit. They're also not shy at this practice about referring you to a specialist, which, in an age of managed care, is not all that common. The drs. in this practice are all wonderful, and nice people, too. Good luck Lisa

Jan 2003

Re: Seeking African-American pediatrician
I would like to recommend Dr. Evans Ramsey at East Bay Pediatrics. Although my son was only seen at the practice for a brief time we were very impressed with Dr. Evans-Ramsey. She is a bright, knowledable, and warm doctor who took time to answer all of our questions...and we had a lot as first time parents. E

May 2002

I'm looking for a pediatrician for our about-to-be-born baby. I've heard great things about East Bay Pediatrics and called them. Tracy Evans-Ramsey is a new member of their group and one of the few in the group taking new patients. Has anybody seen her as a pediatrician and if so, can you give me information about whether you were comfortable with her? Thanks. LRE

My sons saw Tracy Evans-Ramsey recently when we needed to get a same day appointment and their pediatrician wasn't in. Dr. Evans-Ramsey was wonderful with them (my older had a sore penis, so bedside manner was a must) and I would definitely recommend her. She seemed very competent and knowledgable as well as being warm and reassuring to kids who hadn't met her before. Heather

My kids are patients of Dr. Abbott (and Dr. Lewis before that), but my six-year-old saw Dr. Evans-Ramsey for an ear infection recently. She was very nice, and related well to him. It was an obvious and routine problem and treatment, so not much ground to judge diagnostic skill, but she made a good first impression. Leslie

We saw Tracy Evans-Ramsey for a sick kid appointment fairly recently. I hate to sound patronizing, but I found her just adorable and great with my spunky 22 month old. She has a great upbeat and energetic manner and seems really competent. I liked a little less the new male ped. (Goodenou?) whom I saw Saturday, but he was fine too, just a little less warm. Berkeley Mom

Our pediatrician has been Dr. Oken, at East Bay Pediatrics, but we have seen ''Dr. Tracy'' on two occasions when she was the on- call doctor at the office and she's been completely wonderful both times. She explains things carefully and thoroughly, she is kind and gentle with my daughter (now 16 mos.) and she's always taken the time to really listen to all our concerns, questions, and worries. I think you'd be very happy with her as your pediatrician. Kate

Dr. Tracy Evans-Ramsey is not my son's primary doctor but we have seen her a few times when we couldn't get into to see Dr. Cahn. I was always frustrated because she seems to run very behind and it is not easy to wait with a small child. Generally, my appointments always run on time but with Dr. Evans -Ramsey I was always kept waiting about 45 minutes. However, once she got to us I found her to be very nice and knowldegable with a good demeanor for children. Amy

Dec 2001

Sara Cahn is the newest member of East Bay Pediatrics, a venerable practice in Berkeley, with many recommendations on the website. I've seen Sara twice, both for sick kid visits. She is very sweet and quite young. I liked her fine. She lacks a little confidence, but that develops over time, and she has great back up so if she does have a question she can ask really good people. There is something to be said for a doc right out of residency... They are up on all the research. And East Bay Pediatrics is a great practice in general... An efficiently run office that runs its appointments on time, and when your kid is sick, they move mountains for you. Another new pediatrician has joined the group as well, and I like her a lot. Her name is Tracey Evans-Ramsey and my 18 month old responded really well to her energy and enthusiasm, and I liked her a lot too. She's also pretty young. Myriam

My kids (19 months and 3 1/2 years) are both seen at East Bay Pediatrics. Dr. Dorit Bar-Din is actually their doctor - I can't say enough good things about her; she really is great - if she is taking new patients, I think you'd be pretty happy with her- but the way this practice is set up, if your child really needs to be seen, they see whatever dr. is available. Both of my kids have seen Sarah Cahn a few times for ear infections, etc. She is young, but very nice, very personable, and a great bedside manner. She is also very responsive, i.e. she returns phone calls, which I like a lot. Actually, with the exception of one doctor there, who is actually about to leave the practice, every doctor in this practice is pretty terrific. So you really can't go wrong if you pick just about anyone there. I understand that they are adding new doctors at the beginning of the year, too. Write me if you want more info. lisa

I have no experience with the other doctors you are looking at, but I know that Sarah is a great choice. I went to high school with Sarah, and we all knew that she was definitely the smartest one! She is also really nice, and very friendly. I was fortunately able to go to my own pediatrician for my newborn (Dr. Gruber) but had he not been able to take my son, I would have chosen Sarah. Also, the other doctors in the group are really excellent as well. Good luck Shahana

Wanted to add to the recommendations for Dr. Cahn at E.B. Pediatrics. She is very bright and on top of things, and very, very warm & nice. She does look young but I'm sure will age rapidly given the demands of that practice!! Fran

Dec 2001

I have been with East Bay Pediatrics since my daughter was born 17 years ago. I have seen most of the drs. in the practice and have been *very happy* with their services. Our particular doctor is Mary Jones and she has been absolutely wonderful. She is warm and welcoming and savvy. My daughter asked, when she was younger, if Dr. Jones was a relative of ours!!! EBP has offices in Berkeley and Orinda Linnea

Both our children have seen Dr. William Rhea since birth. We love Dr. Rhea. He has decades of experience and has seen it all, he is very generous with his time returning phone calls and seeing our son past the usual Saturday drop-in hours, and the kids can sense, I think (they are three and one), that he is kind and gentle. I think his many years of experience make him exceptional at diagnosing. For example, he has been practicing long enough to have seen some conditions that are very rare now, such as measles. We have also seen Dr. Charles-Mo, Dr. Bar-Din and Dr. Jones, each of whom were terrific as well. We've also seen Dr. Lewis on short notice a few times, he seemed annoyed by my questions on both occasions. Overall, it is a great practice, much less gatekeeping than Kaiser and others I've had. If you can get in, you should.

We are so completely happy with East Bay Pediatrics! My son has been there since he was 3 months old(now 5)Dr. William Rhea is his pediatrician and he is so kind,sweet and gentle. All of the doctors are great especially Dr Jones,and Dr. Abbott. When Dr Rhea retires it will be hard to choose. We love that office! Danielle

Oct 2000

Re: Need a new pediatrician
Dr. Rhea at Alta Bates has always been good for my children. He is a very good listener and is very compassionate. I would definitely recommend him. FH

May 2000

RE: child with asthma: I have three children with mild to severe asthma (I have it myself also). My kids have been cared for (primarily) by Drs. Elizabeth Moffitt and Marcia Charles-Mo at East Bay Pediatrics. They are located near Alta Bates Hospital (not too far from Montclair as she requested). This is a well established practice headed by Dr William Rhea and Dr. Sam Lewis. My absolute favorites in this group are: Liz Moffitt, Marcia Charles-Mo, Miles Abbott, Bill Rhea, and Richard Oken. Under no circumstances will I see Dr. Dorit Bar-Din who mis-diagnosed pneumonia in my 2yr old daughter necessitating a late night trip to Children's emergency. She also was very cold and indifferent toward my child. Liz Moffit is very proactive and Marcia Charles-Mo herself has asthma. They both have been patient and understanding in helping our family. They also treat a great many kids with this problem and are always aware and informed regarding the very latest meds and approaches. I do appreciate them so much. Since the number of children diagnosed with asthma is growing at an alarming rate, many peds should be well versed in the management and treatment of this disease.

Jan 2000

Hi. We've been going to Myles Abbott, MD since our son was born more than 7 years ago. He's wonderful. Warm, experienced, great sense of humor. He talks to our son, not just to us. We've had 2 hospitalizations and some other scares, and Dr. Abbott has always been reassuring, and surprisingly liberal in his recommendations. A couple of my co-workers and friends children also see Dr. Abbott and are quite pleased. Of course, we've seen many other doctors in the practice at various times. My second choice would be Marcia Charles-Mo, again, warm, sympathetic, empathetic and so sharp. We've also seen Dr. Rhea and a couple of others. The office staff is pretty nice and helpful there's a play room for sick kids. I've also found the advice nurse staff extremely helpful. This is the Berkeley office, I haven't had much experience with Orinda. Mollie

My sixth-month old sees Dr. Jones at East Bay Pediatrics and so far we've had a very good experience. She visited us in the hospital a few hours after she was born as well as the next day. When I take her into the office for her well-baby check-ups she examines her while I hold her on my lap and she is very warm and friendly. She always seems very happy to see her and takes the time to answer all of my questions. The only other Dr. we've encountered there is Dr. Bar-Din who wasn't as friendly but then again we saw her only a few days after I gave birth so I was still pretty out-of-it.

We take both of our children to Dr. Oken and have done so since our first son was born 6 1/2 years ago. We are very happy with the care provided by Dr. Oken and everyone else at East Bay Pediatrics. Dawn

Regarding East Bay Pediatrics - I too heard good things about it, but when I tried to get my son in none of the doctors that had been recommended to me were accepting new patients (I can't remember all of them, but everyone raves about Dr. Abbott and he is not taking new patients)

I just had to put in my two cents on this topic. We've been using EB Pediatrics for six years now and I can't say enough good things about them, from the doctors to the office staff; I wish my own physicians were ever this good! Our primary pediatrician is Dorit Bar-Din who has been wonderful, always willing to take the time to explain in as much detail as we wanted, and she has such a wonderful rapport with kids. I have never felt slighted for asking questions. What I like most about this practice is that all of the doctors and nurses are real colleagues, and will often confer with each other. And someone is always available by phone during the day, usually a nurse, but I've always been able to speak with a doctor when necessary and without waiting for too long. They have always encouraged us to call in with questions or concerns, and we have come to rely (and value) heavily on their advice. Over the years we have been seen by all of the eight doctors in the practice for emergencies and sick child visits and I have always been very impressed with their treatment of us. With a practice of that size there are always differences in temperament among the doctors, but they have been consistent and supportive of us as parents.

EBP has recently changed their after hour referrals to the Children's Hospital Advice Line, which I don't like as much, but I have been impressed with EBP's followup. Case in point: my 10 month old was sick recently over a weekend and we conferred several times with CHO, and finally, by Sunday night, we were directed to take him in to see our pediatrician on Monday. Generally, EBP's office opens at 9, so I was waiting to call in--but they called me shortly after 8 to schedule an appointment. And to top it off, my older son often asks if it's time for his checkup yet. He really enjoys going in and is now quite disappointed that he's reached the age of yearly checkups! Natasha

You can tell I study the archives religiously, because I've been using both groups until just this second (explanation below). First, our son, Alan, who is 3 1/2, has been seen by EB Pediatrics since he was born. His doctor is Dorit Bar-din, and I can't say enough good things about her. We've also seen several of the other doctors and we definitely liked the women more than the men, with the exception of Miles Abbott, who was really nice. Dr. Bar-din always takes time with us and time reassuring Alan. Heather

Dec 1999

I recommend my girl's pediatrician, Mary Jones at East Bay Pediatrics. I am not sure if she's taking new patients. I find her to be totally supportive of my child raising ideas and she supports and recommends using some alternative therapies. Toby

August 1999

Dr. Samuel Lewis is one member of a group of pediatricians called East Bay Pediatrics.They have two offices, one in Berkeley and one in Orinda. I have been universally impressed with this group since the birth of my son six and a half years ago. Our pediatrician is Dr. Rick Oken, who has always been incredibly helpful and kind to us and our two children, but I have seen every doctor in the group and always have been happy. Dr. Lewis may not be the most personable of the group but he seems to have some of the best diagnostic skills there... Other pediatricians will look at something, not necessarily know what it is and call him in and he seems to almost always know the answer. The office is extremely well run, the appointments (with Dr. Oken especially) actually run on time, and I've never had a problem getting a referral to a specialist if necessary. Myriam

June 1999

East Bay Pediatrics has offices in Moraga and in Berkeley, and the doctors are wonderful. My kids see Dr. Marcia Charles-Mo for regularly scheduled appointments, but over the years have been seen by most if not all the doctors in the practice. There is always someone available for a same day appointment if you have a sick child, and they even have Saturday mornings open for sick kids . Helen

Oct 1998

i agree with the east bay pediatrics recommendations. i always get to talk to a friendly and concerned nurse or doctor even if i call at midnight on a sunday night. dr. marcia charles-mo is my daughter's main doctor and i have been very pleased with her. she is extremely intelligent and informed and good with my children. Carrie

Oct 1998

I am currently with HealthNet and with East Bay Pediatrics at Alta Bates. I am extremely happy with the physicians within this group. When I had my son in June '97 I was greeted right away with a pediatrician from East Bay Pediatrics. My son's physician is currently Dr. William E. Rhea, who is an older gentleman who has been in this practice for many years. He is very caring and gentle with the children, along with his nurses. I suggest you call their office to find out if they are accepting any patients. **Also, Dr. Myles B. Abbott within this group is excellent as well. Sonia

Oct 1998

I want to second the recommendation for East Bay Pediatrics. Dr. Marcia Charles-Mo, of that group, saved my daughter's life 3 years ago by diagnosing her congenital heart disease in her first examination after she was born. Since then we have seen nearly every doctor in the group and they are all fantastic, as are the nurses and other support staff. I'm pretty sure that Dr. Charles-Mo is not accepting new patients, but if you can get into the group, your child(ren) will be well cared for. Randal

March 1998

I would also recommend East Bay Pediatrics highly. Our daughters's pediatrician is Mary Jones, who is wonderful, but we have also had good experiences with Drs. Oken, Lewis, Rhea, and Moffitt (sp?). Of the 8 doctors in the group, there's only one we try to avoid. The nursing staff are also generally competent and cheerful.

The only problem is that this office may not be taking new HMO patients. At least that was the case a few months ago; maybe this has changed by now. Greg

March 1998

I would like to second the recommendation for East Bay Pediatrics. My daughter's pediatrician is Elizabeth Moffit, a less senior doctor in the practice, but we love her. I think I like her so much because her style in approaching parenting seems to be similar to my own, but that aside, I've always been thrilled with the care that Emma gets, and the time spent with us while we're in the office. We have seen other doctors in the practice, and were equally pleased. Suzanne

March 1998

I would like to recommend East Bay Pediatrics, at 2999 Regent St., Ste. 325. Phone 841-6451. They also have an office in Orinda.

Our insurance is also with HealthNet, and I have taken my 2 kids to this group for the past 8 years. Their personal care physician is Richard Oken, with whom we are very pleased. On the occasions when Dr. Oken is not available for an immediate appointment, the kids have been seen generally by Dr. Lewis.

I recently called to make an appointment for my son because of an old sports-related injury that wasn't healing. It didn't seem to be urgent, but the advice nurse thought we shouldn't wait. Dr. Oken was not in the office that day and Dr. Lewis was completely booked, so we were seen by Dr. Rhea. After examining my son, he wasn't certain about this condition and called in Dr. Lewis to take a look. Dr. Lewis was familiar with it, explained a new method of treatment to Dr. Rhea and referred us to the appropriate specialist. I was extremely grateful that Dr. Rhea, a very senior and experienced pediatrician, was willing to seek the opinion of one of the other doctors. This is an example of the thoughtful and careful treatment we have always received through East Bay Pediatrics. I would assume that the other doctors in the group practice the same high standard we have experienced. Rachel

March 1998

I second the recommendation to switch to East Bay Pediatrics. My daughters' pediatrician in that group is Dorit Bar-Din. My husband and I, and our children, can't speak highly enough of her. I have had nothing but positive experiences with this medical group. At one time or another, my kids have seen most of the pediatricians in this practice, and they are all wonderful.

When Sabine was two, she hurt her leg going down a slide. Dorit was very prompt and thorough in treating the injury seriously and having it evaluated -- she conferred with another doctor in the practice and sent Sabine for multiple x-rays and put her under the care of a specialist at Children's Hospital. Another time, my younger daughter Naomi stuffed six peas far up her nose. We called Dorit, and she met my husband and Naomi at her office at 9:00 p.m. to extract them. When she and Michael couldn't get all the peas out, she walked over with him to Alta Bates Emergency, where it she, the ER doctor, and my husband all worked together to get them out.

When Sabine turned four and went for her well-child checkup, a surprising thing happened. Dorit explicitly began directing all of her questions to Sabine instead of to us, and we realized that Dorit was acknowledging that Sabine is old enough to talk directly with her pediatrician about her body and her concerns. We had to hold ourselves back from answering for Sabine and let her begin developing her own relationship with Dorit. Although we were surprised, I was pleased with this mark of confidence and respect towards Sabine.

She is warm, caring, personal, professional, and takes time to talk with us about what's going on in our lives, our concerns about schools, cognitive and social development, as well as treating our girls' physical conditions. The nursing staff are wonderful, too. Kimberly

Jan 1997

In response to the parent looking for a pediatrician - we have been at East Bay Pediatrics over 5 years now, seeing Dr. Marcia Charles-Mo as the main doctor, but often seeing any one of them. They are always available for emergencies, including one doctor leaving his own father's day BBQ on a Sunday to meet us at the office to put stitches in my son's forehead. Helen

Jan 1997

My daughter has been seen at East Bay Pediatrics since birth (she's now 12) and we've been very happy with their services. She sees Dr. Mary Jones, who is personable and helpful. We've seen Dr. Charles-Mo and she is also great. Once Dr. Charles-Mo met me at the office at 8 PM to handle an ear infection. Drs. Oken and Ray are also impressive. Linnea

Dec 1996

Re: Physician for 16-year old boy
I too have a 16-year-old boy, also a 14-year-old, and they are both very fond of Dr. Myles B. Abbott at 2999 Regent St. in Berkeley (841-6451), whom they've been seeing from birth. He's very easy and fun to talk to, and is good at drawing them out re personal concerns; encourages them to call him at any time. The other day one of my sons was feeling really bad about his acne, so he said, I think I'll call Dr. Abbott. He's also a fine physician. Not sure if he's taking new patients--and it can take a while to get appointments. Margo