Ellen Nicastro, MD

Ellen Nicastro, MD, is a pediatrician at Monarch Pediatrics.

Dr. Nicastro sees patients at:

Monarch Pediatrics
CityPlace 5
845 North New Ballas Court
Suite: 205
Creve Coeur, MO 63141

Please call 314-859-4460 for an appointment.

What during your training led you to pediatrics?

When I first started in my clinical education during my third year of medical school, I began in internal medicine seeing a lot of elderly patients. Every now and then, I would see an adult come in with their child in tow. I realized I always enjoyed interacting with their kids. That’s when I discovered my passion was truly in caring for children.

What brought you to Washington University?

I enjoy being part of a nationally renowned medical institution that offers top-tier care for my pediatric patients.

Which aspect of your practice is most interesting?

I love seeing my patients grow and change from visit to visit and year to year. I am most excited when my patients come back to me as parents and bring their new babies to see me as well.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I enjoy finding time to run (not very quickly). Lately, it has been especially fun to run leisurely with my kids in local 5K races. I also love watching my twins’ various extracurricular activities – baseball, basketball, theater, band and choir. They keep me busy, for sure!

What advice would you give to new parents?

I always want new parents to know that no question is too silly or too naive. New babies come with lots of uncertainty, and I, along with my amazing staff, am happy to help navigate all these new experiences.

Are there any other new developments in your field that you are excited about?

I love seeing all the recent developments in vaccines for newborns and pregnant women. Preventing babies from hospitalization through simple injections can be an amazing innovation.

Where are you from?

I was born and raised in Belleville, Illinois. I did my undergraduate training and medical school at Saint Louis University. I finally moved to Missouri when it was clear this was where I was going to stay.

Which particular award or achievement is most gratifying?

I think the achievement I find most gratifying is having former patients choose me to take care of their own children. Being a “grand-pediatrician” is certainly validating and tells me I must be doing something right.

What is the best advice you’ve received?

Probably the best advice I received in high school was from my dad, when he essentially told me I could do better. Early in high school, I did not really have any high aspirations for my life after high school but my dad’s advice was a wake-up call, and I set my sights on becoming a physician.

If you weren’t a doctor, what would you like to be doing?

I would love to take more time to learn photography, perhaps even get a fancy DSLR camera and invest in some fancy software. For now, I will just have to be satisfied with my smartphone and photography apps.