My Why

Hi there! I’m so happy that you’re here! I’m not sure how you found me, but I’m so excited to share this amazing journey with YOU!

I was born in Miami, Florida to Cuban parents who immigrated to the United States after Fidel Castro assumed power in Cuba. I was raised in a bilingual household, speaking English and Spanish and learned about the hardships and struggles my family faced when arriving to this country. I value my Cuban heritage very much and it has made me who I am today. I am fluent in English and Spanish because of them and this has allowed me to care for more families than I would have been able to, had I only spoke one language. It is a gift that I value very much and I am so happy my parents were persistent!

I attended Medical School at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and went on to complete my Pediatric Residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida. In 2000, I began working with the University of Miami at one of their satellite clinics, taking care of patients and families with Medicaid or no insurance. Many of these families were faced with many of the same hardships that my own family experienced as well. It was a very rewarding first job and I met some amazing families there. I worked there for 9 years and after the birth of my second son, I transistioned into private practice.

I have been practicing general pediatrics for over 20 years and have taken care of thousands of families with a variety of backgrounds and cultures. It has been an honor and privilege to take care of them.

The purpose of my website is sharing with you information on how to keep yourself and your child well both physically and mentally.

I firmly believe that the most important thing you can do to stay healthy is to stop separating mental health from physical health. In my undergraduate studies, I majored in Psychology and Biology because the connection of the mind and the body has always fascinated me. Your head and body are not separate. The more you understand this the faster you can achieve real health (The mind and body as one).

Most of my reading is focused on ways to improve the health of the body by understanding the effects of the mind on the body. I love to learn about the brain and how it works. I also spend a lot of time trying to find new ways to prevent disease.

Many of your habits and coping mechanisms developed in childhood. Prevention is key when you approach parenting. In Pediatrics, you have the opportunity to make a real difference in someone’s life as a child and then eventually into adulthood.

My goal is to educate you on how to work on both the health of the minds of your kids and their bodies.

I want to help you understand how you can prevent problems before they happen and learn what to do before they become overwhelming.

Most importantly, you need to understand that in order to take care of your amazing kids you first need to take care of yourself. Most parents will do for their child what they neglect to do for themselves. When you do this, what you fail to understand is that in doing so, you can’t possibly show up as the best parent to your kids.

My hope is that my posts encourage you to take a step back and live intentionally not reactively. I want your parenting journey to be one of growth for you and your child.

It may not always be easy, but it’s always worth it. Be kind to yourself, listen to your heart and mind, and be willing to adapt to this ever-changing rollercoaster we call life.

I hope that you will subscribe to my page and share my page with your friends who are also on their parenting journey.

Leave a comment, send me a note and let me know what you think. Always remember that becoming a parent doesn’t mean the end of who you were, it’s the beginning of the best you that you can be.

I’m so happy that you’re here.

Elizabeth Vainder, M.D.

Remember that this blog is for educational purposes only. If you have a medical concern, please speak to your child’s pediatrician. The views on this page are my own, and not of my employer.