Dr. Emily J. Kraus

Philosophy of care | I try to be a good listener. Parents almost always have a good sense of what is going on with their child. There is often more than one effective treatment, and medicine is not always an exact science. I can provide medical knowledge, but I rely a lot on the patient’s family to help come up with the best plan for caring for a child. It’s a collaborative effort. | Why I entered medicine | I knew I wanted to be a physician because it combines science and interacting with and serving the community. I have always enjoyed engaging children, so pediatrics was the obvious choice. Although I knew it would be difficult to care for children dealing with illness, their resilience and strength is what makes pediatrics so rewarding. | Community involvement | I volunteered for a program called “Be Fit, Get Moving.” It was a program for overweight teens and their families to help them improve their health through diet and exercise. The participants met twice weekly for eight weeks for group exercise, field trips to grocery stores and information sessions. I was able to see firsthand some of the barriers to leading a healthy lifestyle that families face. | Personal interests | As a mother of a 4-year-old and a 2-year-old, I spend a lot of time going to playgrounds, running around, reading books and using my imagination. When not running after the kids, I love running on trails and enter several distance races every year.

Her top area of expertise is Croup.