Dr. Maria Perez, MD

You would think a Doctor with over 20 years experience would know how to treat a patient. In this case you would be wrong, this is the only doctor my daughter does not like and she sees a lot of doctors. She diagnosed my Daughter with Lupus and put my daughter on two medications to help treat her lupus. She is ok at times and then out of nowhere she is in so much pain she can't move or walk.And we have told Dr Perez and All of her nurses at least 10 times her medication is not working. It needs to be changes or increased. We have told them this over a 2 year period with multiple emergency calls and multiple doctor visits. She has not changed or increased her medication at all. This last time, my daughter is crying and screaming in pain from a Lupus flare up, her hands and joints are inflamed and swollen. We call her doctor for help, and have to leave messages with 2 nurses over 4 hours in the middle of the day before we could convince one of them to try to explain to the doctor how… much pain that she is in. The nurse calls us back and tells us that she is not going to give her any NARCOTICS and her meds are not changing if she needs to just take her to the hospital again. Ok here is where I had to pause for a moment. My daughter is underage, Nobody has ever even mentioned, let alone me requesting narcotics. This doctor says she thinks it is all, what did she say "Crocodile Tears" that "she just needs to calm down that she will be alright". Well I have a problem with that !!! This doctor could not be suggesting that we are trying to use my daughters illness and pain to get drugs? and that my underage daughter is faking it ? or making up the excruciating pain we see in her face every time her Lupus flares up? Unimaginable that she is forced to go through this unrelenting and agonizing pain all the time and not expect some kind of action or response from a Pediatric Rheumatology Specialist with 20+ years experience. I would not even expect this cold and detached response from a 1st year Doc.! And don't take me wrong her staff are amazing this is not a miscommunication from a nurse. This has been going on for years just not as blatant as this event. Im sorry, I have really tried to like this doctor but I will not put my daughter through this anymore.

Still living with the repercussions of a missed juvenile arthritis diagnosis. Felt like a cold inquisition, for which the doctor wore a red business suit and heels. Not the way to handle a child who is in pain. Wearing empathy would be a start.

Very little wait! Very kind! She listened, she gave advise on how to proceed and things to try at home to cope with pain management. She didn't make me feel dumb or talk down to me, or chastise me for doing my own research beforehand on what I thought it could be. It really felt like she talked to me, and with me, instead of at me like most doctors do. Great great great doctor!