Pediatrics

Pediatrics is the medical specialty that deals with the care of infants, children and adolescents. Medical doctors who treat children, called pediatricians, are trained to monitor their patients as they grow and ensure that they are reaching normal milestones during their stages of development.

Pediatricians also oversee the general health of their patients, making sure that children receive proper nutrition, adequate rest and enough physical activity to be healthy.

Regular wellness visits can help identify and diagnose any potential problems early, and a pediatrician can refer a patient to a specialist if necessary.

Subspecialties of Pediatrics

Pediatricians can undergo additional training to further subspecialize. These subspecialties include:

Neonatology

Neonatologists care for newborn infants who require special care due to illness or premature birth. Usually the patients are treated inside a neonatal intensive care unit within a hospital.

Pediatric neuropsychology

These doctors study children and adolescents who suffer from developmental disorders or mental disorders that are a result of illness or injury.

Pediatric ophthalmology

Pediatric ophthalmologists treat vision problems in children. This can include infections or glaucoma.

Pediatric endocrinology

These doctors treat a number of disorders that are linked to the endocrine glands. This includes diabetes, but can also involve treating children who are intersex or suffer from physical growth or sexual development problems.

Pediatric oncology

Pediatric oncologists treat children up to 14 years of age who suffer from cancer.

Pediatric pulmonology

This type of doctor focuses on treating young patients with some form of respiratory disease. Pediatric pulmonology includes the treatment of such conditions as pneumonia, asthma and tuberculosis.

Reasons for a Pediatrician Visit

Pediatricians are trained to treat child patients who suffer from a variety of conditions, such as:

  • Allergies and asthma
  • Diabetes
  • Celiac disease
  • Fetal alcohol syndrome
  • A spectrum disorder or other developmental delays
  • Hay fever
  • Constipation
  • Influenza and the common cold
  • Other illness or injury

Services provided by pediatricians also include:

  • Vaccinations
  • Physical exams, especially those required prior to beginning school or athletics
  • Routine wellness care

Stages of Growth

Pediatricians care for their patients from infancy all the way through early and middle childhood and into adolescence. Patients experience physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioral growth during each of these stages and it is important for pediatricians to monitor these milestones.

Infancy

A pediatrician can determine whether a baby suffers from physical defects during infancy. Doctors will also check infants for signs of normal growth and weight gain as well as physical milestones, such as the ability to hold their heads upright and the ability to smile. Infants will learn to make sounds and, after a few months, will learn to crawl and hold objects. During this time, children should receive regular wellness check-ups, as well as vaccinations.

Early Childhood

At this stage, children can learn to walk and then run. They also begin to speak. Most children with autism are diagnosed during early childhood after failing to meet some of these milestones. Regular vaccinations continue during this stage.

Middle Childhood

As children grow, their speech patterns develop. During this stage they reach a new level of independence and can feed and dress themselves. There are additional vaccinations for children around the age of 5.

Adolescence

Aside from reaching puberty, adolescents will also undergo rapid cognitive development, especially in the areas of attention, memory, processing speed, organization and metacognition. Usually after the age of 18, patients will begin to see physicians who specialize in treating adults. Around 12 years of age, patients will receive the last of their vaccinations.

Additional Resources

ADHD in Children

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD, is a chronic condition that affects children, with symptoms often continuing into adulthood. Common symptoms of ADHD include inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior. ADHD affects the behavior of children both at home and in school. According to the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately eleven percent of children in the United States are diagnosed with ADHD. Boys are more commonly diagnosed with this condition than girls. Children with ADHD often struggle in school, have poor self-esteem and may be at an increased risk for drug and alcohol abuse as they get older. With treatment, however, most people with ADHD can lead successful and...

Appendicitis

Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix, a small finger-shaped organ that projects from the colon, on the right side of the body.

Lactose Intolerance in Children

Lactose intolerance is the inability to fully digest lactose, the milk sugar found in dairy products. While it is not usually a serious condition, lactose intolerance requires certain lifestyle changes to avoid symptoms on a regular basis.

Learning Disabilities

A learning disability, also referred to as a learning disorder, is a neurological disorder that prevents a child from learning, or significantly impairs the learning process. A learning disability is not a reflection of intelligence, and a child who has one may be of average or above-average intelligence. A child with a learning disability processes information differently from other children, and has difficulty performing specific tasks. A learning disability may affect attention span, coordination, the ability to understand or use spoken or written language or to perform math calculations.

Nausea and Vomiting

Nausea and vomiting are symptoms of a condition or illness. Nausea is a feeling of uneasiness in the stomach that is accompanied by the sensation of a need to vomit. Vomiting is the emptying, either voluntarily or involuntarily, of the stomach contents through the mouth.

Pediatric Allergies

Children suffer with allergies in many of the same ways adults do, although since they are often less verbal, particularly when they are very young, they may not be able to describe their symptoms as accurately. Children may simply present as fussy, irritable or angry when suffering pain or discomfort they can't describe. Parents and other caregivers should be aware that children suffering from ear, nose and throat allergies are much more likely than adults to develop ear infections because of anatomical differences in the structure of their ears.

Sleep Disorders in Children

Many children suffer from sleep disorders that prevent them from getting a sufficient amount of sleep. Sleep disorders and insufficient amounts of sleep in children, can affect brain development, cause behavioral problems, and impact the overall quality of life for children and their families. Sleep problems can also cause anxiety and depression in children. In some cases, sleep deprived children may show hyperactive or inattentive behavior during the day, instead of tiredness. These children are sometimes misdiagnosed and treated for attention deficit hyperactive disorders, when the actual problem is a sleep disorder.

Well Child Care

A well child examination, also known as a routine physical or medical check-up, is recommended for children of all ages. It is an opportunity to ask questions and express concerns about a child's development and health.

Autism

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), encompasses a range of pervasive developmental disorders. These disorders vary in degree from mild forms like Asperger's syndrome to severe impairment. Autism is characterized by difficulties with communication and social interaction and by repetitive behavior patterns. The disorder has become very common, occurring in more than 1 percent of children. Autism is four times more likely to occur in males. Besides Asperger's syndrome, there are several other types of ASD, including pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, childhood disintegrative disorder, and Rett's syndrome.

Autism FAQs

Autism, also called autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is the most common pervasive developmental disorder, affecting more than 1 percent of children. The condition interferes with communication skills and social interaction and involves ritualized and repetitive behavioral patterns. It is usually diagnosed during early childhood. Early interventional treatments have been demonstrated to help children with the disorder develop improved language and social skills and to cope more successfully with their environment.

Breast-feeding

Breast-feeding (nursing) allows a new mother to feed her infant directly from her breasts. Ideally, an infant will nurse and get milk directly from the mother's nipple but, when that is not possible, milk can be expressed (pumped) from the breast and fed to the infant in a bottle. Breast-feeding provides an infant with essential vitamins, protein and fat, as well as antibodies that help the immune system fight off bacteria and viruses. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), if physically possible, women should exclusively breast-feed their infants for at least the first 6 months of life.

Childhood Diabetes

Diabetes is a serious, chronic metabolic disorder in which the body either does not produce enough insulin or does not respond to the insulin being produced. Diabetes affects an estimated 26 million children and adults in the United States which is over eight percent of the population. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, more than breast cancer and AIDS combined. While diabetes can lead to serious complications, it can often be successfully managed through dedicated, lifelong treatment.

Childhood Obesity

Children between the ages of 2 to 19 years are diagnosed as obese when their body mass index, or BMI is greater than or equal to the 95th percentile. The body mass index takes into consideration both height and weight and while it is not a perfect measurement, it is a good indicator of body fat. Children will tend to have different amounts of body fat at different points in time, especially during growth periods, and the healthy range for BMI will vary based on age and gender. Children who are obese have too much body fat according to the BMI index and are at a weight that is greater than what is considered healthy for their height.

Ear Infections

Ear infections, also known as otitis media, are one of the most common childhood medical problems. Ear infections are the most frequent cause of doctor visits for children. In fact, three out of four children in the United States will have at least one ear infection by the time they reach the age of three.

Food Allergies

A food allergy is present when the immune system has an abnormal reaction to proteins in a particular food. Food-allergy symptoms, which can be triggered by ingesting even minute amounts of the food, usually happen within minutes but may, occasionally, happen a few hours later. Food allergies can begin in childhood or in adulthood, with some people suddenly having allergic responses to foods that have never caused problems. In other cases, allergies appear after a food is consumed for the first time. Certain food allergies that affect young children may eventually go away.

High Blood Pressure in Children

While high blood pressure is most common among adults, this condition can affect children. High blood pressure in children is becoming more prevalent, and is most likely linked to an increase with childhood obesity. In younger children, the condition may be caused by premature birth or problems with the kidneys or heart.
 
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