Dr. Samantha Alexandra Vergano

Make sure to ask IN WRITING through your child’s CHKD MyChart for a COMPLETE lab report. You have to specifically say you want ALL anomalies found regardless of their assigned importance. Smanatha Vergano, and CHKD Genetics, accepts amended lab reports from genetic labs. Meaning, your CHKD Genetics Counselor or Geneticist never looked at a complete list of anomalies. Anomalies are assigned a level of importance by the lab; insignificant, unknown significance and known significance. The lab assigns the level of importance based on the data that one single lab owns or data that lab can access for free. If your child’s genetic disease is still in the research phase, there aren’t enough published reports to make the information free. If your child’s condition is rare, the lab won’t have enough participants in it’s data to indicate any significance. By accepting lab reports that only list higher tiered anomalies, a geneticist doesn’t even see that there was an anomaly on the gene. This lack of knowledge can prevent you from applying to research projects or from lines of treatment only embarked on if there are signs of genetic involvement. If your child has a rare disease that has not had extensive research done (so the information is now free to everyone) - you need to know of all anomalies. It really is best to be tested by a lab that gets multiple draws from patients suspected of having the same rare disease. You find the medical system that has a clinic for the disease and ask them if you can have your child’s genetic test with the same lab they use. We inadvertently had a duplicate genetic test done with a research based medical system almost a year after CHKD Genetic’s department. The results were different for the same test. We then found out a full list of anomalies was never received by CHKD Genetics department. Samantha Vergano ordered the testing and is also the Division Director. She feels there is no requirement to receive a full lab report back from the testing lab. Virginia Code says a physician has to give you your test results. Again, make sure you request the full list of anomalies regardless of the level of importance in writing. Virginia Code says that if a person other than a physician orders testing they automatically have to give you a copy of the report. Maybe one day CHKD Genetics Department and Division Director Samantha Vergano will automatically populate MyChart accounts with full genetic testing results. But for now, your genetic counselor, or geneticist, may not even be receiving a full report with all anomalies listed. Much is unknown about genetic anomalies and as you travel to different specialists in different systems, having a complete and accurate report of your child’s genetic anomalies can be unexpectedly important. Make sure to ask IN WRITING through your child’s CHKD MyChart for a COMPLETE lab report. You have to specifically say you want ALL anomalies found regardless of their assigned importance. … More

Thank you Dr Vergano for every possible things you do for my sister treatment. God bless you and your family.

Dr Vergano is the best, kindest and most helpful doctor I’ve ever seen. She is a lifesaver for our family and all her other patients. She is helping us in every possible ways to treat my daughter with MSUD. Thank you so much for all your support.

Wonderful, incredibly sharp doctor with a heart so big you cannot help but notice that this is the way pediatric medicine should be practiced. CHKD should be teaching a master class to other institutions on how to treat children and their caregivers/parents.

My son was not properly assesssed or taken seriously. Testing that couldn’t validate a concern was pushed upon us that was expensive and wouldn’t lead to the correct diagnosis. We have been delayed grossly due to her inability to truly listen.

2 stars only because she was nice. I got the feeling she didn't want to deal with us though and dismissed all of our concerns. It's sad that I'm going to have to drive to Richmond for a second opinion now from someone who actually knows the familial disorder.

Thank you for everything that you do for my nephew we appreciate you so much and we love you.????????????

Thank you for everthing that you have done for my cousin, you have done so well in your job and you have done so much to make him happy , thats why I thank you so much ????Fantastic job!!❤️

❤️❤️❤️We so love you Dr. Vergano you are amazing and one of the most wonderful people we have in our lives amazing doctor and person we know you have been always there for us at any time thanks for being part of our world you're the best ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️thank you for everything ????????????????????????????we love you to the moon and back ???????????????????? ❤️❤️❤️We so love you Dr. Vergano you are amazing and one of the most wonderful people we have in our lives amazing doctor and person we know you have been always there for us at any time thanks for being part of our world you're the best … More

Dr. Vergano has been instrumental in the caring for our son, and indeed our family. Throughout a long, unexpected battle with a rare disease she gave us expert medical care and continues to monitor us long after our leaving of the area.

We are so thankful for Dr Vergano. She ALWAYS has our daughter's best interest in mind in addition to the well being of our entire family. My daughter has a rare form of mitochondrial disease and while Dr Vergano hasn't seen our specific type of mito before, she has gone above and beyond to help us, give us information and studies for my husband to read, connect us with doctors and resources specific to my daughter's needs, and she checks in on us frequently. She is passionate about her patients and finding solutions even for rare cases. I highly recommend Dr Samantha Vergano from CHKD. We are so thankful for Dr Vergano. She ALWAYS has our daughter's best interest in mind in addition to the well being of our entire family. My daughter has a rare form of mitochondrial disease and while Dr Vergano hasn't seen our specific … More

We Love Dr. Vergano! She has been instrumental in the care for our son. She was with us on day-one with helping to get our son properly diagnosed at 3-months old with a rare disease. She helped us to understand the disease and made sure we were equipped with everything necessary to care for him at home. She has cared for him and our family since then. She goes beyond just making sure that our son is thriving and hitting his milestones, she also makes sure that we as a family are able to live as normal a life with a child with a rare disease. Dr. Vergano takes the extra time to listen to our concerns and questions (which have been many) at each appointment or really any time (day or night) that one comes up, and ensures that they are answered or addressed when talking about the care plan for our son. I don't know where we would be without her as our son's doctor - Absolutely amazing! We Love Dr. Vergano! She has been instrumental in the care for our son. She was with us on day-one with helping to get our son properly diagnosed at 3-months old with a rare disease. She helped us to understand the disease and made sure we … More