Children undergo a lot of stressful transformations while growing up. They feel physical, emotional, psychological, and behavioral changes very rapidly. If children’s behavioral and emotional issues are left unresolved, they will grow up into complex individuals. This will be detrimental to the entire social fabric. Physical ailments are relatively easier to treat than mental ones. A few leading hospitals are now dedicated to childcare and have developed special units for such issues affecting children, adolescence, and maturity.
A children’s hospital usually caters to the needs of kids from infancy to 18 years of age. Infants, toddlers, adolescents, and young adults are specifically treated in these hospitals dedicated to children. But patients of older age groups may also be treated in these hospitals. Many children with chronic illnesses need to spend extended periods of time in intensive care units in hospitals. A highly caring and qualified pediatric doctor is like a divine blessing both to the hospital as well as to the young patients.
What Is Pediatrics?
It is a branch of medicine that uses a multidisciplinary approach to treat children, from newly born ones to young adults. It is a much later development in the medical sciences, and its origin can be traced to 19th century Germany.
Types of Pediatricians
Pediatricians may have specialties in various branches of Pediatrics:
The neonatologist caters to critical and high-risk illnesses in newborns and infants. A pediatric cardiologist treats heart conditions. There are pediatricians devoted to endocrinology, gastroenterology, hematology, and oncology. Nephrologists, anesthesiologists, allergists, dermatologists and urologist are specially-trained categories of pediatric doctors.
A Pediatric developmentalist is a doctor that deals in treatment of ADHD, muscular dystrophy, autism spectrum disorders, etc. in children. They are skilled in the early detection of developmental delays, behavioral issues in toddlers, social anxiety, mental disorders, and stress in growing children. This is a relatively new area of medicine in pediatrics.
Children’s Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities
The children’s hospital is created and designed to provide greater psychosocial support to children and their distressed families. Hospitals are more suited for those ailing children who have to spend longer periods of time under the care and supervision of a pediatric doctor.
A hospital for children has a team of multidisciplinary doctors, surgeons, intensive care professionals, and other specialists belonging to allied healthcare services.
What to Look for in a Good Childcare Hospital
A good childrens hospital is designed with a lot of intuitive genius and creativity. It is not just any mundane setting with beds with white sheets, aprons, and medicine all over the place. Furthermore, a highly qualified and skilled pediatric doctor is indispensable to a children’s hospital. When looking for a hospital for children, take note of the following key points:
- A highly conducive atmosphere to the overall wellbeing of the children.
- A loving and caring team of doctors and other medical staff.
- Emergency services that are extremely prompt
- A group of highly regarded pediatricians
The Qualities of a Good Pediatric Doctor
A trained pediatric doctor must have the requisite qualifications and a good reputation among his patients. A caring pediatrician must ensure the following routine in the checkups of his young patients:
- Proper examination of his patient.
- Schedule immunizations and make sure they are given on time.
- Keep track of the developmental milestones and push for proper growth.
- Decide on the best fitness and nutrition regimen for the patient.
- Succinctly explain and report to parents about the growth and development of their kids.
- If need be, he must collaborate with other specialists for the most effective treatment.
Finding state-of-the-art healthcare centers for children is now at your fingertips. You just have to run a search on the internet search engine and choose from the best hospitals. So, go to those hospitals that have a long experience in treating child-related ailments. Also, scan for profiles of pediatric doctors featured on the websites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can my 20-year-old autistic child be treated by a pediatrician?
Yes, in most cases, a pediatrician can take on cases like that.
Q. Can I ask the pediatrician for his degree to know if he is competent to treat my child?
Pediatricians often mention their qualifications in their prescriptions. You must check on his reputation and experience instead.
Q. Can a pediatrician perform surgery on newborns?
Not all pediatric doctors can do surgeries. There are specially trained pediatric surgeons for that.
