A Day In The Life of a Pediatrician: Dr. Dionna Mathews

*This video was filmed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Dionna Mathews, an Ochsner pediatrician in Baton Rouge, always knew she wanted to work with children. “I really love working with kids. I initially said I wanted to be a nurse, but then something about being a doctor really spoke to me. I wanted to really be involved and in control of the care,” she said.

Patients First

Dr. Mathews says it is important that her young patients feel comfortable. “I do smile a lot. I like to smile. I like to make other people smile. I like to make sure the kid is comfortable with my exam and hopefully enjoy their visit and actually not be scared to go to the doctor.”

While dealing with her patients, she encourages open communication as an important step in patient care. “First thing that is important is to make sure that the patient is comfortable and that I am hearing their concerns and taking them into consideration when dealing with their care and making their plan.”

Advice For Parents

For parents, Dr. Mathews wants them to understand the importance of regular visits with their child’s pediatrician. “It is really important to have a pediatrician that you see on a regular basis. You want to make sure that if there is a concern for a developmental delay that you address it sooner than later, because the earlier you start the therapy and everything, the better the outcome.”

Beyond Patient Visits

Her desire is that her impact on her patients goes beyond routine visits. “With pediatrics, it’s not just worried about your cold or your ear infection. It’s about trying to make sure you’re instilling those healthy choices early so they can be healthy adults.”

She has an optimistic outlook for her patients as they grow up. “So just knowing that I could possibly be planting the seed that could grow into a beautiful, healthy adult who does something really great to change the world, possibly.”

Ochsner Baton Rouge pediatrician Dionna Mathews, MD serves patients at Ochsner Medical Complex – The Grove. Her expertise is in childhood obesity.