Trustworthy Pediatric Care - An HSNT Patient Story
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In recent years, more and more grandparents have become the primary guardian for one or more of their grandchildren. According to Texas Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, a non-profit based in San Antonio, there are 314,137 grandparents in the state of Texas that are responsible for grandchildren who live with them. Josephine Castillo is one of these grandparents.
“I have 12 grandchildren in total…and I adopted 4 of my grandchildren,” Josephine says. “[Last year] I transitioned their care from the previous doctor that we had to Dr. Crystal McLeod . From the first time we met with her, she was very inviting with her persona, with her presence, and the way she speaks.”
Josephine describes herself as a “type-A personality” and, when it comes to getting her grandchildren the healthcare that they need, this means that Josephine is someone who doesn’t hesitate to speak up and makes sure that her concerns are heard. With Dr. McLeod, Josephine quickly realized that was something she wouldn’t have to worry about.
“When I see a doctor, I want a doctor who I can trust that they know what they’re doing and that they know how to speak with people. She listens…I trust [Dr. McLeod’s] knowledge and her professionalism.”
Josephine was already aware that her grandchildren had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but she was not aware of the different kinds of ADHD. Furthermore, Josephine had a feeling that something else was going on with one of her grandchildren, but she wasn’t able to identify what it was. Dr. McLeod, however, was able to educate Josephine in a clear manner about ADHD and discovered that Josephine’s one grandchild may actually have autism, as well.
“I had no idea that one of my kiddos was possibly autistic,” Josephine says. “So, Dr. McLeod is very knowledgeable, and had it not been for her I wouldn’t have known that my 8-year-old is ADHD-inattentive and also autistic. So, it was things like that – learning what type of sleep aids to help them with…the differences between the ADHD’s, hyperactive vs. inattentive… Dr. McLeod made it clear for me and put us on the right path.”
Raising children is difficult, no matter the situation, but with Dr. McLeod’s compassionate care and attentive manner, Josephine feels better equipped to care for her grandchildren and meet their needs.
“Part of what makes Dr. McLeod an amazing doctor is her ability to connect with her patients,” Josephine says. “You can see that she takes her oath of being a doctor to heart - to care for people.”
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