Pediatric healthcare
As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four people in the U.S. are children. They have unique needs and require special attention. As the child grow through different phases, from newborn to adolescence, they undergo several physical, mental, and emotional changes. These are the years when the child explores and develops personality and understanding of the surroundings. Pediatric care plays a significant role in supporting their development. Regular counseling helps children have a healthy life growing up.
The role of pediatricians in pediatric care
A pediatrician is a certified medical doctor specializing in treating children from birth to adolescence, up to the age of 18 years. Pediatricians understand children's rapid physical and mental development. They can assess their health per the standard parameters corresponding to their age. They diagnose various medical conditions in children and provide appropriate care that does not interrupt their growth and development.
Pediatricians also conduct regular children's health checkups and provide recommended immunizations. They monitor the child's development to ensure they meet behavior, skills, growth, and developmental milestones. Additionally, they can answer questions or clear doubts about a child's growth and development. They can even refer the child to a specialist or collaborate with one for optimum child care.
Education and training of a pediatrician
To become a pediatrician, one must complete four years of medical school and acquire a medical graduate degree. They must also complete a three-year accredited pediatrics residency program. The residency program aims to expand their knowledge of optimal medical care for infants, children, and adolescents.
Next, eligible pediatricians must pass the rigorous written examination conducted by the American Board of Pediatrics to receive a board certification and begin licensed medical practice. Licensed pediatricians must undergo a recertification assessment after seven years to remain certified in pediatrics.
Pediatric subspecialties
Pediatric medicine encompasses various subspecialties focusing on specific aspects of children's health and development. These subspecialties require additional training beyond general pediatrics and offer specialized care tailored to the unique needs of children and adolescents.
Some of the key pediatric subspecialties include:
- Pediatric cardiology: Pediatric cardiology concentrates on diagnosing and treating heart conditions in infants and children, addressing congenital heart defects, rhythm abnormalities, and more.
- Pediatric nephrology: Pediatric nephrology focuses on diagnosing and treating kidney-related conditions and diseases in children. It involves addressing issues such as urinary tract problems, fluid imbalances, hypertension (high blood pressure), and kidney transplantation.
- Pediatric pulmonology: Pediatric pulmonology deals with respiratory issues in infants, children, and adolescents, focusing on treatment, management, and prevention. These specialists are skilled in various invasive and noninvasive diagnostic techniques.
- Pediatric rheumatology: Pediatric rheumatology manages diseases of joints, bones, muscles, and tendons. These include back pain, arthritis, muscle strains, collagen diseases, and common athletic injuries.
- Pediatric sports medicine: Pediatric sports medicine specializes in treating and preventing sports-related injuries and medical conditions in children and adolescents. It involves assessment, management, rehabilitation, and promoting safe participation in physical activities for young athletes.
- Child abuse pediatrics: These specialists serve as crucial support for children, families, and communities. They identify cases of abuse, collaborate with community agencies for child safety, offer expertise in legal settings, treat abuse consequences, direct prevention programs, and contribute to multidisciplinary teams investigating and handling abuse cases.
- Pediatric endocrinology: Pediatric endocrinology entails diagnosing and managing hormone-related disorders in children, including diabetes mellitus, growth disorders, congenital disabilities, thyroid conditions, and other hormonal imbalances.
- Pediatric gastroenterology: It involves diagnosing and treating digestive system disorders in children. This specialty deals with conditions like abdominal pain, diarrhea, ulcers, cancer, and jaundice.
Difference between pediatricians and family doctors
Pediatricians have in-depth knowledge about children's growth, development, and behavior from infancy to adolescence. They understand their unique needs and can detect underlying conditions in children early and provide appropriate care and treatment.
On the other hand, family doctors specialize in family medicine and see a broad category of patients. They do not see patients under a specific age group and mainly deal with adults. Thus, a family doctor may have to refer a child to a pediatrician for optimum care and treatment.
Why should you see a pediatrician?
Pediatricians understand the needs of children and look after their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. They also treat acute diseases such as colds, asthma, neonatal deformities, and diabetes.
During your child's developmental years, visiting the best pediatricians near you can help you access top-quality healthcare services. These include counseling, treatment of diseases, and consultations on how to take better care of them.
Some common reasons why one must consult a pediatrician are:
Vaccines
Vaccines help to fend off infection and create immunity against diseases in children. They are recommended for children during their growth phase until they are 18. Usually, the vaccinations include Chickenpox, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Hepatitis A, Measles, Polio vaccine, Influenza vaccines, and Human papillomavirus (HPV).
Development
As your child goes through developmental phases, it is imperative to take them to a pediatrician to monitor their physical, mental, and emotional growth. Pediatricians will check how your child is progressing and observe various activities by the children, like their language, walking, and use of hands to check their reflexes.
Fever
Fever is prevalent in growing children, but sometimes, it needs to be checked by a pediatrician. As per the American Academy of Pediatrics, you must consult a pediatrician if your child shows the following symptoms:
- If your child is younger than three months and has a temperature over 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit
- If your child has a fever repeatedly which lasts more than 24 hours and the temperature reaches more than 104 degrees Fahrenheit
- If your child has other symptoms along with fever-like stiff neck, headache, severe sore throat, severe ear pain, vomiting, diarrhea, or rashes
- If your child shows signs of dehydration, such as a dry mouth, or cannot intake fluids
- If your child still appears sick even after the temperature is brought down.
- If your child has had a seizure
Ear infection
It is pervasive for children to suffer from colds almost 6 to 8 times a year, and ear infections often accompany them. Some common signs your child suffers from ear infections are trouble sleeping, tugging, pulling at the ear, crying, acting irritable, and having a 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher fever. The symptoms usually resolve by themselves within one or two weeks. As per the data published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, one must wait and see if any of the following symptoms appear:
- If your child is 6 to 23 months old with mild inner ear pain in one of the ears for less than 48 hours and a fever of fewer than 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit
- If your child is 24 months and older with mild ear pain in one or both ears and a body temperature lower than 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit
However, you must contact a pediatrician if your child is under six months old and shows ear infection symptoms. Suppose the ear infection persists for an extended period in children above six months of age, and the child continues to have severe pain and discharge, such as pus or blood. In that case, a pediatrician should be consulted immediately. The doctor might prescribe antibiotics or treatments such as a warm compress.
Behavior
While growing up, children or adolescents often show behavioral problems, be it disciplinary issues, bedwetting, or learning difficulties. A pediatrician can offer counseling in these cases. Pediatricians who have specialized in developmental behavior will be able to bring positive changes. Few behavioral issues can also arise from psychological conditions. In such cases, the pediatrician may work with a team of psychologists, therapists, and physical therapists.
Finding the best pediatricians near you in San Jose, CA
From the day they're born till they become 18 years of age, children's developing years are crucial and require regular consultations from pediatricians. Choosing a qualified and experienced pediatrician is vital as they play an essential role in shaping and preparing the children for the future.
Booking appointments in an emergency and getting the necessary treatment can be tricky. Zocdoc provides an easy and secure platform for booking appointments. There are certified pediatricians on board who are available through the platform. It also provides all the vital information like the certification, educational background, and doctors' experience.
You can also use your insurance to pay for the treatment by typing your insurance in the search, and the list of physicians who accept your insurance will be shown. Along with this information, public ratings and reviews about the doctors are also available on the platform to give a better picture of the experience you might be having with the doctors.
Thanks to Zocdoc, locating the best pediatricians near you is now easier! All Zocdoc bookings are safe, simple, and 100% free!
Pediatric statistics in San Jose
According to United States Census Bureau reports, around 22% of the total population of San Jose is below the age of 18 years. Low Birth Weight is a strong indicator of infant mortality. As mentioned by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are around 33,620 pediatricians in the U.S. and about 4,300 pediatricians in California, making it the state with the highest number of pediatricians.
While the U.S. has an average of 20.1 maternal mortality, according to America's Health Rankings, California is the healthiest state with 11.2% maternal mortality. In around 78.7% of the total births in California, the mother received adequate care during childbirth in 2019, which is also higher than the national average of 76.7%.
Sources
Healthgrades
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
America’s Health Rankings
WebMD
News Medical Life Sciences
HealthPartners
United States Census Bureau
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