Who is a pediatrician?
Children develop rapidly and depend on guardians to meet their social, developmental, physical, and behavioral needs. Hence, an important decision to make before the baby's arrival is choosing a doctor who can handle the child's healthcare. Doctors who specialize in child healthcare are called 'pediatricians.'
A pediatrician is a healthcare professional who cares for the medical and healthcare needs of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. They are involved with the healthcare of an infant from birth till the age of 18. They receive training to understand and diagnose various illnesses that affect children, ranging from mild flu to severe diseases. Every individual is unique and has different needs. Hence, there is no default set age bar for pediatric care. A pediatrician decides the best time to put the upper age limit based on the physical and mental needs of the patient.
What does a pediatrician do?
A pediatrician addresses various physical and developmental aspects of growth in a child. Before a child's birth, the doctor is generally selected after careful consideration by the parents.
Parents or guardians may visit the pediatrician for the child's regular check-ups and scheduled examinations or to treat any injury or illness. The pediatrician uses a variety of assessments to understand the concern. Some of these include general questions about the child's health and daily activities, medical tests like X-rays or urine samples, and weighing the child to look for any irregularity in the functioning of their body parts.
Between the ages of 2 and 5, the doctor regularly governs the infant's health. After age 5, the pediatrician conducts annual health check-ups to assess the child's health development. Children might also see a pediatrician for a regular medical examination as part of the school or sport's requirement.
A pediatrician can:
- Conduct physical examinations.
- Assess and nurture the child's developmental milestones.
- Diagnose various illnesses, injuries, and health problems.
- Provide information supporting the child's health, safety, fitness, and sleep habits.
- Prescribe immunizations that might protect the child from dangerous diseases.
Training and qualifications of a pediatrician
Post-medical school, pediatricians complete a 3-year residency program in pediatrics as part of their specialization. They receive extensive training to become licensed, equipping them with the crucial knowledge and skillset to care for children.
Doctors often begin practicing right after residency. However, some doctors also choose first to complete a fellowship or enroll in additional pediatric subspecialties training. Some areas that the best pediatricians near you can specialize in include:
- Adolescent medicine (focuses on providing comprehensive medical and preventative care to teens and young adults for their complex physical and mental health needs)
- Pediatric cardiology (focuses on diagnosing and treating children's heart disorders)
- Developmental-behavioral pediatrics (focuses on developmental and behavioral problems like learning disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, cerebral palsy, and autism spectrum disorders)
- Pediatric endocrinology (focuses on hormonal disorders in children, such as diabetes and early or late puberty)
- Pediatric pulmonology (focuses on breathing problems in children, such as asthma, pneumonia, and wheezing)
- Child abuse pediatricians (focus on training, knowledge, and skills to evaluate a child who may have experienced abuse or neglect)
- Pediatric neurologists (focus on treating and managing neurological disorders in children)
- Neonatal-perinatal pediatricians (focus on treating infants before, during, and after delivery and also provide care for premature and critically sick newborns)
Pediatricians can start their practice only upon receiving a state license. The procedures and requirements for licensing differ in each state. After completion of training, pediatricians also earn board certification. A common practice followed by all medical professionals is to keep learning and be a part of academia, even in their professional careers.
When should you take your child to see a pediatrician?
You should never delay seeing a pediatrician if you notice a health issue in your child. Some reasons to take your child for a pediatrics visit include the following:
- Vaccines: Children need a variety of vaccines from birth until they reach 18 years of age. Prominent among these are the polio vaccine, chicken pox vaccine, hepatitis A and B vaccine, measles vaccine, diphtheria vaccine, and tetanus vaccine. You can get all these vaccinations at the pediatrician.
- Developmental delays: Some children may be underweight or weak at birth and miss developmental milestones for their age. Pediatricians can check for developmental delays, nutrition issues, or growth disorders and provide appropriate care and treatment.
- Fever: Fever is the most common condition among all growing children. Any fever with a body temperature of more than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit is a cause of concern. Pediatricians help with quick diagnosis and treatment most suitable for the child's age.
- Infections and allergies: Children are more susceptible to infections and allergies than adults. In most cases, diseases spread more rapidly in children and may even cause severe symptoms. A visit with a pediatrician can help understand and treat the condition. They can even teach the best practices to prevent the recurrence of such complications.
- Behavioral issues: Some children may experience behavior concerns, like bed-wetting, discipline issues, or learning difficulties. Pediatricians can comfort the child, identify and understand the cause behind their behavior issues, and offer proper guidance and care.
Children’s health during COVID-19
COVID-19 has changed the world's social, economic, and daily lifestyles. Due to the pandemic, children and adults spend excessive hours on their electronic devices.
With global society under lockdown, technology became the only means to stay connected. As a result, the internet became a hub for entertainment and friendships for children. Research shows that after hours of daily screen time, children are usually subject to lower psychological well-being, increased distractions, decreased attention span, difficulty nurturing social relationships, and lower emotional stability.
Spending excessive hours indoors and in front of the screen may hamper a child's physical development. Excessive screen time and little physical activity might also lead to obesity, unhealthy sleep patterns, behavioral concerns, and delays in developing social skills. Structured time for physical play and peer interaction is essential in stimulating brain functions. This time allows children to learn to interact with others and develop healthy friendships.
Exercising strict screen rules might help improve the child's mental and physical development. Pre-deciding the types of content allowed and reducing the number of mobile applications used can also be helpful.
How do I choose the right pediatrician for my child?
Selecting a pediatrician is an important decision, and many offices offer "meet and greet" sessions or prenatal classes for expectant parents to learn about their practice. Your insurance may cover these visits, but confirm with the office and your health plan beforehand.
When visiting, consider these questions:
- Office hours: Are they convenient for you, including evening or weekend availability?
- Solo or group practice: If solo, who provides care in the doctor’s absence? In a group, who else might see your child?
- Affiliations: Is the doctor connected to a pediatric hospital?
- Communication: Can you call with questions during office hours? What’s the after-hours procedure? Is telemedicine available?
- Digital access: Can you email the doctor or access electronic medical records?
- Emergencies: Does the doctor handle them directly or refer to urgent care?
- Costs: What are the fees, and are payment plans available?
- Referrals: How are specialists recommended?
- Vaccination policies: Does the practice follow CDC immunization schedules?
- Hospital visits: Will the doctor examine your newborn at the hospital?
Observe the office environment. Is it clean, child-friendly, and efficiently run? Interact with staff and other parents to get feedback about their experiences.
Lastly, ensure the pediatrician aligns with your views on key issues like breastfeeding, circumcision, antibiotics, and alternative medicines. Communication and trust are vital, as this doctor may care for your child for years. Keep notes about other doctors you consider for future reference, especially if your insurance changes.
Choosing the right pediatrician gives peace of mind and confidence in your child’s care.
Find the best pediatrician near you in Smyrna, Georgia
It is crucial to choose a pediatrician before the birth of a baby. The doctor is usually present during the pregnancy and will monitor the baby's health throughout the birth process. Working with a pediatrician can benefit the child's overall development by becoming the first person to contact for any query related to the child's health. Here, we can help you select a good pediatrician for your child.
Beginning a family can be a stressful time. It takes immense planning to make sure everything goes well. Zocdoc provides various facilities to help you choose the top-rated pediatrician in Smyrna, Georgia. The advanced search filter allows users to search for doctors by location, specialty, insurance providers, procedure, date, and availability. Furthermore, you can also read the doctors' biographies by clicking on their profiles.
Our online patient support center can help you find pediatricians who accept your insurance. On Zocdoc, you can connect your medical, dental, and vision insurance plans to your account; however, you can use only one plan per appointment.
You can include secondary insurance details in the appointment notes for those with multiple insurance plans. If your provider utilizes Zocdoc’s Intake forms, entering secondary insurance information is simpler.
We understand and acknowledge your need to provide your child with the best care. To further ease the process, you can also look into doctors' verified reviews and ratings before scheduling a call. The frequently asked questions will answer any additional doubts or questions.
Once you have found the best pediatrician near you, you can schedule a consultation for your child with them. Booking in-person or online appointments on Zocdoc is simple, secure, and 100% free!
Statistics on pediatricians and children's health in Georgia
Georgia had about 88.2 pediatricians per 100,000 children aged 0-21 as of 2021. Between 2020 and 2021, around 76.8% of children aged 0 to 17 years received one or more preventive visits within 12 months. About 87.9% of the patients were aged 0-2, while around 74.8% were aged 3-17.
In addition, between 2020 and 2021, about 9.6% of children had asthma, and around 33.5% were overweight or obese. During the same time, less than a quarter of the children aged 6-17 years, about 21.8%, were physically active for around an hour daily. More than half of them, about 63%, slept the recommended age-appropriate hours on most weeknights.
In Georgia, approximately 7% of children aged 3-17 suffered from anxiety, about 3.1% of them had depression, while about 3.7% had attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADD or ADHD) between 2020-2021. Around 10.2 per 100,000 adolescents aged 15-19 died by suicide between 2018-2020.
As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 6.25 infants died per 1,000 live births in Georgia in 2021. It resulted in 776 infant deaths that year, making it the 16th state with the highest infant mortality rate in the US.
Sources
Healthgrades
American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine
WebMD
The American Board of Pediatrics[1]
The American Board of Pediatrics[2]
Medical News Today
National Center for Biotechnology Information
Frontiers
Mayo Clinic
America's Health Rankings[1]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Nemours KidsHealth
