A pediatrician is a health professional who focuses on promoting, monitoring, and caring for the health of children up to adolescence (when they turn 18 or 21, depending on the region you live in).
During this time, in addition to providing comprehensive and pre-established medical assistance, timely care is provided when any type of abnormality is detected.
What does a pediatrician do?
Pediatric care begins from the child’s birth. The pediatrician has extensive knowledge about physiological functions because they are modified at each stage of the child’s growth.
During the different appointments and check-ups, the pediatrician will be able to control the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of their patients. Thanks to this, mortality in infants and children is reduced, infectious diseases are controlled, chronic conditions are treated, if any, and proper development is followed.
On the other hand, beyond curing the diseases that occur in children, the pediatrician will also administer the necessary vaccines for each stage of their life.
When should a child be taken to the pediatrician?
As the pediatrician will begin the child’s care from birth, parents should start searching for the right pediatrician about three months before delivery.
What kind of pediatricians are there?
Normally we focus on the general pediatrician who attends to the health and growth of the child, but some subspecialties focus on the specific health of a part of the body.
- Allergist. Also known as pediatric immunologists, they identify allergies and their causes.
- Cardiologist. Diagnose, treat, and control heart-related problems in children.
- Surgeon. Specializing in children’s surgery, they remove or repair parts of the body to help with the child’s health through surgical procedures.
- Endocrinologist. It focuses on treating hormonal problems that children or adolescents may have.
- Gastroenterologist. Treats digestive system disorders in childhood.
- Neurologist. Treats nervous system problems in children.
- Orthopedist. It focuses on children’s bone or muscle problems.
- Psychologist. It helps with the child’s psychological development, whether due to problems from birth or situations that arise in life.
Although these subspecialties can be considered to address the same topics as adult subspecialties, it must be remembered that children are in constant physical, mental, and hormonal change, so the subspecialty must be related to pediatrics.
In ABC Medical Center’s Pediatrics Center, you can find a pediatrician who will help you with your child’s health. We can provide you with specialized attention. Contact us!
Fuentes:
https://healthlibrary.brighamandwomens.org/spanish/Encyclopedia/85,P04151
https://www.paho.org/es/temas/salud-nino
