Kenneth V Akey, MD, FAAP

I first met Dr. Akey while working at a local hospital. He was visiting a patient who’d just delivered a baby and I was dropping off placenta capsules to the same client (I am a Certified Placenta Encapsulation Specialist). I was amazed by his kindness and compassionate demeanor.
I was so impressed that I booked appointments for all four of my children’s upcoming yearly exams. I was greeted over the phone by Dr. Akey’s wife who runs the front office. She was very kind and took the time to connect with me on a personal level.
Dr. Akey takes a more natural approach while still maintaining a healthy balance of modern medicine. I never feel like my opinion doesn’t matter when discussing the health of my children; he truly values my maternal instinct. My kids really like the fun and adorable rooms and I like that there is peaceful room devoted to nursing mothers. The cherry on top is that he has a love for the Lord which is at the heart of our family. I am very grateful to have found a Dr. who puts my children’s health and best interest first. We hope he never moves away!

My husband and I love Dr. Akey! We interviewed him (and 4 other peds) while I was still pregnant and we chose him because as my husband says «it’s like he tapped our phones.» His practice is exactly what we wanted for our son. He is adamant about mom’s nutrition while nursing… eating right, taking probiotics, vitamins etc. He always talks to me at appts about how I’m doing/​coping. Makes me feel confident about exclusively BF and acknowledges the hard work. He spends so much time with my son and I that nurses have knocked on the door to let him know others are waiting. I am SO glad we chose Dr. Akey. He is kind and truly cares for the well being of children.

I took my daughter to see him when she had a fever and he did not have a thermometer in his office?! He felt her forehead and said she’ll be ok. His wife said VERY inappropriate things/​fear-​mongering and he scolded me about what not to eat while pregnant (I am knowledgeable about food and nutrition!) He was very extreme and condescending. He told me my baby would have ADD if I took tylenol when pregnant for my bad back… the list goes on… I really wanted to like him but it didn’t happen.

I really wanted to like him! My bradley instructor spoke highly of him and it sounded like the type of doctor we wanted to work with. I wasn’t sure about him from the start.
For one, it seems to be a revolving door over there. He was our pediatrician for whole year but never remembered any of our names. There are appointments scheduled every 15 minutes which left little time to ask questions afterwards sometimes. He always seemed rushed and like his mind was elsewhere. He would ask me a question and then answer it for me. Towards the end, it didn’t seem worth it to drive all the way to Mission Viejo.
The other thing is the people working the front desk. His wife is VERY unprofessional. I had one instance in which i cancelled the morning before an appointment but it wasn’t technically 24 hours, it was 21 hours lol. Although i get the inconvenience to them, i had completely forgotten about it and this was the only time it had ever happened. I called to reschedule
the appointment and the front desk almost made it seem like i had to make that appointment and they wouldn’t give me another one. Then they passed the phone to Dr Akey’s wife to tried to almost scold me LOL. It was just very weird, awkward, and unprofessional.
Last straw was when we were told they were questioning whether they wanted us back because there was a bill we had overlooked, which we paid that day it was brought to our attention at the office. A comment was made that Dr Akey’s wife might not want us to return. My husband made a joke that if she wasn’t taking us back, then there was no reason to pay. His wife later called us and said that she would not allow us to return unless we apologized to her entire staff, which is a bit absurd. Dr Akey is good with kids but the rushing and the drama show his wife is, I would save yourself the trouble.

Amazing experience at Dr Akeys. This is my 4^th pediatrician for my boys; disappointment after disappointment. Love it here because it’s Family owned and operated, husband and wife small practice (like my husband and me). So great with kids and both the Dr, his wife and the nurses have an abundance of knowledge. They truly care and he takes his time. I Have hope that Dr Akey has helped my baby be happy again, with all his acid reflux and tummy problems… Which is priceless. Thank you so much!

I am not a person who usually write’s reviews on businesses unless I feel so strongly that one needs to be written. I definitely feel that way right now. I am so disappointed in Dr. Akey’s office, his rude office manager (his wife), and just the inept way his office is ran.
I am in the healthcare field and last year I was forced by my employer to pick a new pediatrician because our health plan no longer covered my son’s current pediatrician. Dr. Akey had recently returned to California and was re-​building his business. I had heard good things about him, so we happily switched. I had heard that his office style was that of a «small town pediatrician» and was looking forward to this type of care. Well, what I have experienced thus far has been disorganization, phone calls that are not returned for days, poor follow-​up, and extremely long wait times for scheduled well-​checks.
Today was the final straw. I will be collecting my son’s medical records and will have him seen elsewhere. Here are a few examples of this office’s recent ineptness:
1) Our last visit with Dr. Akey was in July, and was a well-​check for my 16 year old son. We waited 45 minutes to be seen. Once in the exam room, Dr. Akey’s personal cell phone rang. To my surprise, he actually answered it and talked for at lease 5 minutes. It was his son and he was obviously asking for money for a car repair that he needed to have done. Dr. Akey not only answered his personal phone, but he talked for 5 minutes with his back to my son and I. When he finally hung up he turned and said, «Teenagers, I tell ya… trying to teach him some responsibility. Sheesh!» This was unprofessionalism at it’s finest.
2) I had been expressing to Dr. Akey that I was fearful that my son might have a genetic disorder, due to some physical abnormalities, and delayed puberty. He was aware of my anxiety over this. It should also be noted that I work in one of the hospital’s that Dr. Akey rounds in and I would say I see him on a weekly/​bi-​weekly basis. On several occasions I talked with him about my concerns so he was well aware. It was during this last well-​check that he decided he would have genetic lab-​work done, to ease my concerns. We had the lab work done. A week later, it took 3 calls to their office, over a period of 5 days (and several not-​returned phone calls), to even find out that this one specific lab test was overlooked and not even drawn. I’m not sure if it was entered incorrectly by Dr. Akey on the lab slip, or if it was just a lab error. Whatever the case, it took 5 days to learn we needed a re-​draw. We did go in and have the re-​draw. We then went on vacation for one week and I was certain when we came back that the results would be in. I called Dr. Akey’s office on Monday morning after we returned and learned that they did not have the results yet. On Wednesday, I personally went to the lab and ensured that this lab test result were faxed to their office while I waited. I then called the office and the receptionist told me the lab results were on Dr. Akey’s desk and that he would be returning my call. I asked if I could expect a call my the end of the day and was told, «We have a lot of sports physicals and our office is very busy. I can’t guarantee Dr. Akey will call you back today.» I then explained that we were the family who had the lab that was not drawn, and we had to go back in for a redraw, and that this was a genetic test that had me very worried for the results, and I also mentioned that I worked with Dr. Akey occasion and would really appreciate a call by the end of the day. At that moment the receptionist put the office manager (Dr. Akey’s wife) on the phone, who proceeded to also tell me of how busy they are with sports physicals, since school was just back in session, and that this was not a priority and was only «routine» lab work, and also that it didn’t matter that I worked with Dr. Akey because they «rarely do business with that hospital any more anyway». OMG I could not believe she said all of these things and in the rudest manner possible. I told her of how disappointed I was in in her response and then ended the call. I did receive a call back from his wife within 15 minutes and she thankfully told me that all of his lab work was normal. I then told her that I would never have my son step foot in that office again and that their organization is not «small town», and didn’t make us feel special at all… we were just another number.
These are just two examples of the poor quality of care that we received from Dr. Akey’s staff, which in my opinion, is really a reflection on him as a physician. He may be a good doctor, but his office staff and the way they do business is completely unprofessional.
I would not recommend this office to anyone.

We went to Dr. Akey briefly before he decided to stop taking our insurance. I was a bit annoyed that he would accept a new patient and then change his mind about insurance a month later, but whatever. I know the ACA changed things for a lot of people — thank you government
Anyway, my experience with him was just okay. He and his wife are nice people but my appointments felt super rushed. I liked that he was open-​minded about parental choice in vaccinations — but I was able to find another pediatrician that respected my vaccination beliefs (I personally believe vaccines are beneficial, I just didn’t want them all at once, particularly before I knew how my baby would handle one, much less six)…
Anyway…personality wise he was cool but I think his office was a bit busy for a solo practice

Dr. Kenneth Akey and his wife Laurie Akey run the most incredible children’s medical practice I have ever been to! I called and Laurie answered, listened to me explain our situation, and got me an appointment immediately! When we arrived I was so impressed! Their office is set up perfectly for children, with train tables, a separate sick and well waiting room, a lego patient room, a nursing mama’s room… it’s amazing! Laurie greeted us right away. She is so warm and kind, and makes you feel right at home! All the nurses are amazing! And of course, so is Dr. Akey! He is so knowledgeable, respectful, and encouraging. He spoke to my son with such gentleness and you could tell he really cared about making him feel well. I am so grateful to have found this amazing practice and recommend them to anyone!

We really like DR Akey. He is really on top of today’s healthy lifestyles and very convincing to my boys as to what food choices to make. They leave with firmer handshakes and manners every time. They take same day appts even for new patients– bonus!

I have a 4 yr old and a newborn and this doctor is not like any another in Orange County. I have met with many pediatricians and no one gives the time and accessibility that Dr. Akey and his staff have for us.
My newborn son caught a cold last week and late night he was having breathing problems. I called the office and got the answering service but was called back within 20 min. The next day the Dr. saw him and sent me to get some rest done at mission hospital to be safe. He had RSV (respiratory virus). He had to have breathing treatments every four hours but my insurance wasn’t getting me the machine so Dr. Akey let me borrow their personal machine. If they hadn’t done that I don’t know where my son would be. He got his treatments and in 4 days the insurance finally got me a machine and my son is healthy again!
My older son gets excited to go see the doctor bc he loves the trains in the waiting room and the doctor is always great with him.
We love Dr. Akey!!!

I don’t even know where to begin. We first met Dr. Akey in the hospital after another pediatrician refused to see us because we refuse to vaccinate. He came in and engaged with us first. He made us and our wishes his first priority. We loved that. He asked our names, employment, his basic information. He was so thorough looking over our son. Explaining everything as he went. He checked in with us before we left the hospital and greeted us by name ad explained what we needed to be looking for in the next couple of days. We made our follow up with him and met his wife. She was so friendly, warm and welcoming. She greeted our 5 year old and invited us in like we were family. We filled out our paperwork and back we went. Dr. Akey remembered our sons name, addressed our daughter and examined our little. Again with amazing bedside manor. We made our follow up and off we went.
Our son was born early and was a little tiny guy. A few weeks went by and our son had his first nose bleed in the middle of the night. Terrifying if you’ve never experienced something like that. We called as soon as the office opened and we were shocked to actually get to talk to Dr. Akey himself!!! We had our doctor on the phone! Over the course of a year we had many more conversations between Dr. Akey and his wife. She’d help us out, right then and there, If he was with a patient. Neither one of them ever made us feel like any question was dumb, they’ve never talked down to us, and they’ve always made us feel like we’re a priority.
Obviously as their practice continues to grow the waits will too. But I’d rather have my child’s dr. Be thorough than just hi and bye. If that means I have to wait while he delivers that same service to someone else’s child so be it.
Overall I love him! His wife! Their office and their staff. We recently moved to Arizona and we have commuted to CA for the kids milestone appointments because they’re more than our amazing Doctor they’re family.
I would highly recommend Dr. Akey, a thousand times over!

I chose Dr. Akey as my newborn’s pediatrician. I first heard about him at a hospital baby tour. At first it was all dandy. Every time I went in there though it was always in and out. I became less and less excited about them with every visit. I started to feel like they were more about bringing new business in and not keeping their current patients. After my other half and and the office manager (the doctors wife) got into it about something she texted me from her personal number referring us to another pediatrician in a sarcastic manner. I didn’t even know that they had a dispute. A week later I receive a letter from them saying how rude my boyfriend was (after she had already told him). The letter also told me not to put down them as our pediatrician any longer which was already a no brainer for me. I then decided to text her just to apologize for whatever was said and bring her some peace with the situation. Then she texted me back with more sarcasm and told me to loose her number. Can you say drama queen?! Or unprofessional?! Instead of replying back I decided to write this Unilocal.I have never had an experience anything like this in a business especially a medical office.

I’m writing a review 27 years later!!! Dr Akey cared for both my boys from birth until early teens. He is a remarkable Dr with the caring and devotion one doesn’t find in today’s ‘multi Dr practice’.
When my oldest was 3 I rushed him to our ‘local’ hospital as he was in a coma!
The medical staff at our local hospital, flubbed and flustered couldn’t get my baby awake!
I phoned Dr Akey and he immediately sprang into action, having my baby transported from Laguna to CHOC by ambulance! When we arrived, here comes Dr Akey running across the parking lot, jumps into emergency mode, ran several tests and viola! Diagnosis keytotic hypoglycemia! We left the hospital with a happy talkative little boy!
If you’re looking for the glitz and glamour of the ‘new age’ office this may not be for you. If you’re concerned about your babies well being and expert medical attention then look no further!
Dr Akey is «A-​Ok»!
PS both my boys (former patients) are happy, very healthy adults now and they still have fond memories of their Dr Akey!!!

I like the doctor and he seems good to the kids and very helpful and informative. being a grandfather he is also understanding of the little ones. A couple of times when we needed off-​hour help he was very accommodating, but after getting through the fortress of answering service and secretary, etc.; getting to the doctor is another matter… He was not my first pedi-​doctor, and the behavior and processes of this office was over the top which in my opinion all stem from unorganized practice. The office staff put up a barrier keeping you from getting to the doctor and doctor advice. This is a wife and husband practice. It is evident that they are getting prepared for retirement and they don’t mind having a business on the side. So they value their privacy and time off (I do not blame them for that at all) but they don’t want to be bothered when patients are desperate for help. The wife clearly believes that the off hour is off hour and she and her husband should not be bothered. You on the other hand should go to answering service and if they (an answering service rep) determine the need then you may get lucky and get a call back from the Doctor. The wife is certainly running the show, and she is all business and nothing else. No BS type of person, she makes sure she filters all parent’s activities. The kids are just like little soldiers who bring money to the office, thats all; exactly the feeling I got from her, kids=money but don’t disturb me when I don’t want it.
According to the wife they have been in practice for 35 years, and the signs are certainly there. The office is a mess and stuck in stone age, unorganized, messy with lots of papers stacked on the front counter, piles of bills all over the place and appointment book, etc. Every time the wife who manages the office wants to find something she has to dig through a pile of paper. on several occasions the doctor got the wrong chart for our kids which is inexcusable.
On the day I asked for a copy of my files to take the kids elsewhere, it took her 20 minutes to make 10 page copies of the files and got the papers mixed up. she had to sort them one by one several times, despite the fact that the copier had an auto feed feature!!!
Comparing this office to another office which was all automated and you could get kids growth charts with history printed at the end of the visit and the information which all got stored in a database and available at the doctors fingertips was day and night.
My previous pedi was also an old fashioned doctor, and a family run practice, but the daughter and wife who managed the office were great, warm and very welcoming from the minute we walked in and while we waited. The doctor was always available. On one occasion he even opened his office on Sunday for us because he did not want us to take the 4 months old baby to the hospital full of germs. So grateful to Dr. Bral, and miss him since we moved, perhaps we got spoiled by his love and service. Never got the feeling that he was all business.
As for Akey, I think they should retire. It may sound harsh on my part but in my opinion these folks do not understand the new world of service. At the minimum they need to bring in some fresh outlook to their practice and realize their practice is a service practice for kids and their behavior, demeanour and words got to show that they are truly caring, not just words …
Perhaps a little more attention to service and quality of parent experience in the office will help their business grow than giving away raffle tickets for patients who introduced new patients.

Best doctor ever! He was my son’s doc from his original office in Orange. Very bummed when he took practice to Idaho. Went to a few pediatricians but none compared. Thrilled when he came back to the OC. We make the trek with both kids from north county to Mission Viejo, so worth it.
As for him being unorganized, that is part of the charm. He eats peanut butter off a tounge depressor for lunch, then he smears some on your kids face to check for allergies (he uses a clean depressor). His eccentric nature allows him to be the best doctor I have ever seen.
Word will get out how great he is and soon the wait times will become atrocious.
Can’t say enough great things about Dr. Akey!

Have mixed feelings. He is great and caring but not organized at all. Called once because my son was sick, left a message but never received a call back. Called again but they had no idea or info of my son. Gave him a last chance, called to reschedule my appt but again I wasn’t even written for an appt that day. Sorry I wish them the best

My son (3.5) actually cried yesterday because his sister was sick and «got» to go to Dr. Akey… and my daughter (2.5) was too excited to take her afternoon nap due to her impending appointment.
We do not live near much family and I’m certain my kids have decided that Dr. Akey and his wife are their surrogate grandparents.
We went to Whole Foods after our appt and my daughter randomly grabbed a supplement with a picture of an older doctor on the bottle and cried because she wanted me to buy the «doctah akey medsin»… Since we weren’t currently in need of activated charcoal I had to bribe her with a package of organic everything-​free cookies to prevent a colossal meltdown. I’m thinking we could have saved money on her Christmas princess dollhouse and just printed a Dr. Akey headshot to hang over her bed.
So…I used my 10 min of daily free time to create a Unilocal account and tell the e-​world about this great pediatrician. He’s a great blend of conventional and natural medicine. Suggests natural preventatives and listens to my (often invalid and sensationalized) concerns and even is willing to investigate (lessening my Dr. Google workload). He does alternate vaccination schedules and suggests milk alternatives (almond & coconut) unlike most of the cow milk pushing pediatricians we’ve seen. All in all, I feel really lucky to have found someone that seems to truly have my kids’ best interests at heart (and truthfully I’m a little jealous he’s not my doctor!)

Dr Akey is simply the best pediatrician I have ever seen.
For any of you ladies who use the ObGyn, Dr Mary O’Toole, Dr Akey has exactly the same wonderful bedside manner. He is warm and caring, and genuinely listens, taking time to make sure every detail is covered. He is wonderful with children, and really engages them on their level.
He has an holistic care approach, and discussed with me at length the benefits of specific foods and supplements that could help my son, whilst also discussing the possibility of antibiotics, but as a last resort.
His practice is beautiful, and clean, with rooms designed for specific age groups, and a separate sick child waiting area. After playing with the train in the main waiting area, we then moved to the ‘Lego Room’ for the examination, which has Mini-​fig collages on the wall, a 7 year old’s heaven!
The cherry on the cake is that he is also ‘available’. He will return calls made into his exchange after hours, which any parent knows is such a blessing when worrying about a very sick child.
If you are looking for an experienced pediatrician with an holistic care approach and a wonderful bedside manner, who offers a personal service and genuinely cares, look no further.

After seeing Dr. Sear’s for the past 3 years, we switched to Dr. Akey partially because he is around. ALL THE TIME!
His new office is great, and super kid friendly! (train tables, and coloring sheets) CLEAN! He also has a waiting room for sickies which I greatly appreciate.
The parking is not too bad, and is on the ground floor with grass outside which I know will come in handy with having active kids.
Dr. Akey has always been so kind to my kids. He even has treated me when I was sick in the office with my boys and written me a prescription! THAT is what I call service. One of my favorite things is when he really listens and asks of my «mama’s heart» has any questions. Gives a call the next day when my kids have a sick apt. Prays with me for my kids and for my parenting! And is very wonderful at interactive with my boys!!!
I absolutely love him!!!

In 2004, Dr Akey was recommended by my wife’s OB when we were having our daughter at St Josephs in Orange, and he was our obvious continued choice when our son was born in 2009.
Despite our living in Ladera Ranch, in close proximity to a number of practices near CHOC Mission Viejo, and his old office being located «way up» in Orange, we never once considered someone else to care for our children over the 7 years we traveled through the «Y» and the «Crush» to see him. His popularity kept his offices filled, and there was, with all things, the occasional wait, but his staff always found a way to keep appointments flowing, and often found a way to fit us in when we had a sick kid and needed some quick help.
Then, he «retired», and we’ve been through four different pediatricians in the two years since, trying to find that «trust» and «care» we had become so used to. We were STILL looking when we found out he was not only moving back to Orange County, but was going to be opening offices in Mission Viejo! I can’t put into words the relief we feel! Dr. Akey is BACK!
What makes him special, you ask? It’s his bedside manner with my kids, the way he picks them up, refers to them as an «angel» or «precious child», and that he is as soft and gentle with them as I could ever be. It’s how, as new parents, he walked us through the basics of development, rattling off (actually singing) a few songs for us to sing with our kids, encouraging new words, speech, movements, etc. I really felt like I was on the «new dads» team, and the doc was my coach. My wife would schedule wellness checkups, and I’d tag along simply to seek his encouragement and advice for my efforts with my children. :)
It’s not JUST the doc though — It’s his family and his staff, the people he has around him, where everyone REALLY cares about you, and you’re not just another family with a sick kid «signing in». When my son had some frustrating health issues just a few weeks ago, while Dr. Akey and his wife were still setting up this new office space, they answered the phone, and encouraged my wife to bring our son by. We were at our wits end, and he saw my son when the proverbial paint wasn’t even dry yet. His solution, BTW, simple directions on how to handle the situation, had us out of the woods within 24 hours. This is a man I’d trust my kids lives with, and that just about says it all. Give his office a call. You won’t regret it!