Being a parent, you must have noticed how your child quickly learns from all the activities they see around them. Therefore, it is essential to maintain a healthy, secure, and positive environment for their upbringing.
It is often confusing for a young mother to decide which doctor is best for her child's health needs: a pediatrician or a family doctor. However, it is recommended that you consider choosing the services of a pediatrician for your child's health care because these professionals specifically focus on your baby's health.
Let's understand who these pediatricians are, their job, how to choose the best one, and most importantly, why we need them for our children.
What is pediatrics?
Pediatrics is the field of medicine concerned with providing care for babies, children, and adolescents from birth to age 21. The age range was previously set at 18. Still, it was extended to 21 by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2017 due to advances in our understanding of human brain development. Moreover, experts believe that the transition from a pediatrician to an adult doctor should be specific to patient needs and not bounded by a number. The field of pediatrics covers a broad spectrum of issues related to children's physical, mental, and social health and well-being.
What does a pediatrician do?
Pediatricians play a highly crucial role in the community and for parents worldwide. Pediatricians are doctors who specialize in child health. They look after anything that involves the health and well-being of a child. The child's age can be from the day they are born until adulthood. One of the most noteworthy contributions of a pediatrician is to reduce the rate of infant and children's deaths. Well, pediatricians provide not only medical care for children who are chronically ill but also offer preventive health services for healthy children.
What are the educational qualifications of a pediatrician?
Pediatricians receive comprehensive education and preparation. Initially, they obtain a bachelor's degree that takes four years to complete. During their undergraduate studies, they study subjects like biology and chemistry required for pre-medical courses.
Subsequently, pediatricians attend a four-year medical school program. They study anatomy and physiology, among other subjects. They also participate in clinical rotations, acquiring knowledge about medical fields such as pediatrics, emergency medicine, neurology, psychiatry, and radiology. During these rotations, many future doctors determine their desired area of specialization.
Some educational institutions, such as NEOMED(Northeast Ohio Medical University), integrate and shorten the period of undergraduate and medical school education to six years instead of eight.
Once doctors have decided to specialize in pediatrics, they enroll in a three-year residency. This residency offers advanced training in pediatric areas like newborn care, intensive care, general pediatrics, and developmental-behavioral pediatrics. During residency, they acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, and hands-on experience to treat many pediatric health issues.
Following residency, some pediatricians opt for general pediatric practice. In contrast, others engage in fellowship programs that provide additional training in pediatric subspecialties:
· Neonatology
· Pediatric cardiology
· Adolescent medicine
· Child abuse
· Pediatric surgery.
These programs entail two to six additional years of training.
Pediatric subspecialties
Some of the pediatric subspecialties include:
Adolescent specialists focus on the medical care of older children, typically adolescents.
- The experts guide puberty, sexual health, and mental well-being.
Critical care pediatricians specialize in treating children who are in critical or unstable medical conditions.
- The specialists work in intensive care units (ICUs) and are trained to manage severe illnesses or injuries in children.
Developmental-behavioral pediatricians focus on understanding and managing developmental and behavioral issues in children and teenagers.
- These experts address concerns related to learning disabilities, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, and emotional or social challenges.
Child abuse pediatricians evaluate and investigate cases of suspected child abuse or neglect.
- The specialists work with law enforcement and child protective services to ensure the safety and well-being of children.
Pediatric cardiologists diagnose and treat heart conditions in children, including congenital heart defects.
- The professionals utilize specialized cardiac imaging and diagnostic tools to assess and manage cardiac health.
Pediatric pulmonologists specialize in respiratory issues in children.
- The experts address conditions such as asthma, pneumonia, and other respiratory disorders.
Pediatric rheumatologists treat children with autoimmune and inflammatory disorders affecting the joints and muscles.
- The trained professionals manage conditions like juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
Pediatric nephrologists provide specialized care for children with kidney disorders.
- The specialists address issues such as recurrent urinary tract infections and kidney diseases.
Neonatal-perinatal pediatricians focus on caring for newborns, especially those born prematurely or with medical complications.
- The specialists manage critical conditions during the perinatal period (before and after birth).
Pediatric neurologists diagnose and treat neurological disorders and conditions affecting the nervous system in children.
- These trained experts address issues such as seizures, developmental delays, and neurogenetic disorders.
Pediatric gastroenterologists specialize in digestive system disorders in children.
- The specialists manage gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and inflammatory bowel disease.
Pediatric endocrinologists focus on maintaining hormonal balance in children, adolescents, and teens.
- The professionals manage conditions like diabetes, growth disorders, and hormonal imbalances.
Who is a pediatric surgeon?
Pediatric surgeons, who focus on providing medical treatment to kids, undergo extensive training to perform surgical procedures on children, infants, and young adults. Becoming a pediatric surgeon requires significant time and effort, and it is considered one of the most challenging paths within the medical profession. If your child needs surgery, they will be attended to by highly specialized, well-trained, and seasoned pediatric surgeons.
Dealing with children as patients can be challenging for doctors because they may not be able to express what's bothering them accurately. Based on their age, they may need help comprehending the situation. Pediatric surgeons are skilled at building rapport and communicating effectively with children. They play a crucial role in diagnosing conditions and providing care to children before and after surgery.
Qualities of a good pediatrician
Before approaching a pediatrician, you can look for the following skills in the practitioner:
· Strong interpersonal skills
A pediatrician must be prudent, honest, and influential while interacting with children and parents. For example, while dealing with chronic illness and the personal hygiene of a child, the pediatrician must be able to convey their treatment with care and compassion so that both parents and their child feel comfortable and secure.
· Flexible and energetic
Since a medical emergency can occur without notice, you should be able to reach a pediatrician at irregular hours and on weekends. Your pediatrician must be elegant, energetic, and workable to remain active and stand through regular rounds, surgeries, or other tasks required to make the child feel better.
· Emotionally sound
The pediatrician must act professionally and be able to separate their sentiments while working.
Why choose a pediatrician?
As children's physiology differs from that of adults, several drugs that are safe for adults may have hazardous side effects on children. Furthermore, because children are more resilient than adults, they are more likely to crash hard and quickly, resulting in a relatively continuous period followed by a dramatic decompensation that necessitates immediate care.
Pediatricians specialize and are trained to:
· Help young parents to determine healthy lifestyles for their children
· They offer treatment and prevent injuries and illnesses.
· Provide early care for acute illness
· Provide intensive care for any life-threatening conditions, if any
· Be there as a guide for your child's needs
A good pediatrician is very generalized but also specialized at the same time. A generalized pediatrician handles various presenting pathologies that don't require sub-specialized care.
Pediatricians who practice in the inpatient setting of a pediatric hospital take care of children admitted to the hospital. Their care may include infections (pneumonia, cellulitis), neonatal issues (hyperbilirubinemia, failure to thrive), or metabolic problems like diabetes. They need to be very hands-on and practical.
Pediatricians answer all your questions, helping you understand and promote your child's healthy development of both mind and body. A good pediatrician also addresses home and family environment issues if it affects the child.
When should parents take their children to a pediatrician?
Pediatrics is a mixture of specialism and general medicine. Pediatricians need to know many different things about the whole body, how it interacts, and how they can treat all aspects of children. You must visit a pediatrician if parental concerns concern a child's growth, development, or physical health. Finding a good pediatrician before the baby is even born is advisable. That way, you can have a guide for your child's well-being from birth till adolescence.
Best pediatricians near you
Choosing a good pediatrician can be challenging. Besides knowledge and medical certifications, the individual must be passionate about working with children. Your search for the best pediatrician near you ends at Zocdoc.
At Zocdoc, you can book an appointment with the best pediatrician near you who will give specialized attention to your child, even in emergencies. Before selecting a professional, Zocdoc provides the option of knowing the practitioner's profile. All information about education, practice location, affiliations, specialty, awards, certifications, and accepted insurance is available to patients. Zocdoc also provides verified patient reviews to help you choose the best pediatrician for your child.
Moreover, you can also find urgent care pediatric clinics on Zocdoc. They have their availability extended to even weekends. So, if you reside in Baltimore and your child needs the medical attention of a pediatric doctor, call and ask for the earliest appointment, and all will be in caring hands within minutes.
Zocdoc is hassle-free, fast, convenient, and accessible.
Pediatric care in Baltimore
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 890 pediatricians are employed in Maryland as of May 2021. According to The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Maryland saw around 391 infant mortalities in 2020, the lowest in the last ten years. This has been attributed to easier accessibility to pediatric care.
The same foundation reported approximately 256,408 children in 2019-20 who had one or more emotional, behavioral, or developmental conditions in Maryland. This accounts for about 22% of the total children in the state. Childhood obesity has been at an all-time high, with 36.9% in 2019.
Sources
Cleveland Clinic
WebMD
American Academy of Pediatrics
Medical News Today
US Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Annie E. Casey Foundation
Council of Pediatric subspecialties
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