Cortelyou Road Pediatrics

I Take my daughter here to see dr max. She is very nice and knowledgable. The staff is friendly and helpful as well. Very satisfied with the service.

I am new to the area and needed to get my son a flu shot. I made an appointment online after finding Dr Gough through our insurance. The next day I was called by the office and informed that they would not administer a flu shot for my son unless we made Dr Gough his primary physician. I was not willing to commit to that without meeting the Dr first. The office assistant who called was rude and unhelpful. I will absolutely not be bringing my son to this practice in the future. They could not even make a recommendation for a clinic that would be able to provide a flu shot for a 3 year old. Very disappointing!

My daughter was born in June of 2006. We’ve been seeing Dr Gough Ever since and followed them after they moved offices down the road to Cortelyou. I’ve also seen Dr. Max but I prefer Dr. Gough. Both are great. I guess you either love or hate his style. He is «Whole-​istic» not holistic. Dr. Max even came to Maimonides the day after my I gave birth because I wanted to leave early but needed a pediatrician to release my newborn babe. I had my daughter on an altered vaccination schedule and he always treated her gently and in a caring. He asks her questions and also asks me about my life (since the parents well being is directly related to the child’s well being). He works great for me and my daughter, the entire staff is friendly and I will keep going there. He won’t baby you though, he will tell you the truth and expect you as an adult to handle it. Nice to the kids, straight forward with the grown ups when he sees something wrong. He also tries a variety of different techniques for various things before trying to prescribe meds and gives great follow up advice on maintain health family life. I love that and I highly recommend him. I guess everyone’s experience and expectation for a pediatrician is different. He’s never tried to do anything to get my child in private place, or asked me to look away during weigh-​ins and it’s been 6 years now. If anything he usually tells me how to help hold her still and comfort her during weigh ins and shots. I’m shocked by the low rating.

I have been taking my daughter here since her newborn visit at 4 days old and have had only the best experiences. I had read the reviews and although there were some angry moms and dads. I went anyway because I had been recommended to see Dr. Max by a friend. Also, as a health care provider myself (I’m a Physician Assistant) I decided to make up my own mind after a visit. I couldn’t be happier that we decided to choose Cortelyou Pediatrics for my daughter’s health care.
My husband and I were very new parents and very overwhelmed and sleep deprived at our first couple visits. Dr. Max was wonderful to us and to our daughter! She spent a lot of time reassuring us and answering all our questions. She supported my quest to become a better breast feeder but didn’t judge me when it didn’t work out by 3 months when I ended up switching to formula.
I also love that they have a «call in» time in the morning set aside for phone call questions only. I had a question about my daughter and was able to speak to Dr. Gough right away. He even suggested I come in later that day and was able to squeeze me into the schedule. Although I only saw him that one time I had a very positive experience with him.
Also, the front desk staff are all very nice and have always been very helpful when sorting out insurance issues and or questions. We have been very happy at Cortelyou Pediatrics and would recommend it to any parents looking for a pediatrician!

I promised I’d update you guys.
So yeah… this «holistic» practice — isn’t as holistic as they preach…
While Dr. Max and Dr. Gough were kind to my son and I in the past… — after not visiting them for the past 8 months becase I am no longer vaccinating my son — (a HOLISTIC choice at that)… I was told flat out by Dr. Gough — this past weekend — that there is no choice in the matter — and he would not discuss it further with me… and he would not see my son.
I got a copy of our records… and that’s it.
We’re done with this practice.
The only 2 people I will miss dearly — will be Asma and Charmaine.
I will be writing a letter to both Dr. Max and Dr. Gough to express my thoughts more thoroughly… not that they will care… but I’m offended… and I have to get it off of my chest.
Finding a true holistic pediatrician in Brooklyn that does not judge you for your own personal choices is becoming my second job.
Good luck to us all.

I was also recommended Dr. Gough by my birthing center. Right off the bat first newborn check up… he roughly ripped off my daughter’s diaper n roughly put it on. I automatically thought Brutus!
Their «wholeistic» approach is just trend. There is nothing holistic about them. I was also asked not to throw my dirty diaper in their garbage can. I had to take it w me. Thanks drs! I did change over to Dr. Max and even tho she was gentler, u could tell Goughs influence was large. I did have a heated argument w him once. He also forced my hubby n i to turn our heads as he forced my daughter to get weighed n measured. He had no luck w that tactic, n i thought BRUT!
When i told dr. max she didnt wanna hear it! He traumatizaed my kids w force, and she didnt want to hear it.
But the straw that broke the camels back was this… i had gotten sick n lost a significant amount of weight. She asked me to leave the room w the kids under false pretences and asked my hubby if i was anorexic!!!
I was so offended! After that, i requested my kids not drink cow milk in school but almond milk instead. However the school needed a dr note. Dr Max made it soooo hard for me to get that note, it was ridiculous. I know drs know about the general health of children, but as a parent i feel i know my child best. I never felt confident in knowing that and believing that when i set foot in that clinic.
Asma the receptionist, is the best that clinic has to offer. I stayed there 4 yrs bc of her mostly. Shes kind, compassionate, and just a good person.

So I also came here because of a referral from Brooklyn Birthing Center (who I had an amazing experience with) who referred my to Dr. Gough as a «holistic» pediatrician. The receptionist said he was booked for a little while and asked if I would like to see Dr. Minkin, I said alright. She was fine for the first couple of visits, but I never did get to see Dr. Gough who had originally been recommended to me…
Ok, so when we reached the designated time for vaccines to begin all hell broke loose. All about full disclosure, I had let it be known from the beginning that I was against vaccinating on the proscribed schedule, if at all, so the doctor told me to read up some more (which I did) and we could talk about it later. When I did not change my mind, she lit into me at the next appointment and said that I was making harmful decisions regarding my daughter’s health (like literally she hopes my baby doesn’t die as a consequence of my exercising parental discretion) then proceeds to tell me that if I do not begin vaccinations immediately, I cannot bring my daughter into the office anymore because they consider her «a danger to the other patients». I found this interesting in light of the fact that this practice had been reccomended as holistic specifically as not pressuring parents about vaccines, and said so, she responded that they were «holistic with a ‘w’ as in whole family» then proceeded to scold me, as a single mother, about not being able to drag my daughter’s father to every appointment…
Uh-​uh, hateful…
Switched to Tribeca Pedicatrics in Chelsea since and while it’s a bit of a trek to the city with the baby, I’m almost glad this place kicked me and my child out, because it’s been a really breathtaking improvement…

Like the reviewer William R, I took my 1 month old son to see Dr James Gough for a check up. I told him that my son had rash on his entire body and has been scratching his face, but he told me that it was nothing. The rash was getting worse so I went to see another pediatrician (Dr. Harry Bond) who told me that it was food allergy! I was breast feeding my son who was allergic to the food I was eating! Dr Bond gave me a list of food to avoid and gave me a prescription (cream) for the rash. I will never go back to Cortelyou Road Pediatrics!

Cortelyou Road Pediatrics is a ‘Love it or Hate it’ kind of place. This review relates to the work of the principal physician, Dr. James Gough. Dr. Gough is praised by some for his unconventional style, his disdain for much of Western medicine, and his mistrust of the entire healthcare system. While those may be noble qualities, they are, in my opinion, primarily motivated by his own arrogance and narcissism. I have heard other horror stories, but it is only fair to share my own.
My daughter has had hearing problems for a few months. Not terrible, not deafness, but it’s gotten progressively worse. We took her to Gough and he said it was just a buildup of earwax and that we should pour olive oil and peroxide in her ears to break up the gunk. OK, a little weird, but I’m game. Only it didn’t fix the hearing problem. So we went back, and he said that there was nothing wrong with her hearing, so she must be acting out; trying to get our attention. OK, maybe it is behavioral. But the problem kept getting worse. So we went back a third time to ask for a referral to and Ear, Nose & Throat specialist. Typical procedure, right? Get a second opinion? Dr. Gough says «No, you don’t need to see an ENT.» So we insist. «Well, there’s nothing wrong with her, but if you really want to hear it from someone else, you can see an audiologist.’ Dr. James Gough. Gatekeeper to the Worlld of Medicine.
You’re supposed to trust the doctor, right? They know best, don’t they?
So today we went to the audiologist. 40% hearing loss in both ears. Significant buildup of fluid in the ear canals. Surgery may be necessary.
I don’t care if it was arrogance, negligence or incompetence that led to it, but Dr. James Gough violated the Hippocratic Oath.
If you care about your child’s health, avoid him at all costs.