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Medicine does not stand still. New specializations emerge, old ones merge. Now there is not only a pediatrician, but also almost all narrow specialists with the prefix “children’s”. Neurology was no exception. Along with adult doctors, children’s doctors successfully practice.
Brief information
A pediatric neurologist is a doctor of narrow specialization. He is engaged in examination and therapy of lesions of nervous structures, peripheral links and functional disorders in babies from birth.
Today, the profession is in great demand, because according to statistics, pathologies of this sphere are found in every 20th baby in the world. A pediatric neurologist sees children from 0 to 18 years old.
What does a specialist do
The nervous system is the most important regulatory link. It is she who is engaged in the control and regulation of organ structures and functions. At the slightest failure, serious consequences occur, often affecting the rest of your life. In such cases, it is important to recognize, overcome and prevent the consequences of such a problem in time. This is the main role of the pediatric neurological doctor.
Pathology is quite insidious. So, lesions of the nervous structures are hardly noticeable in the childhood period, but they extremely intensively affect the development of the baby. Often there are subsequent school and social maladaptation, lag in mental or physical development.
The clinic of pathologies is various. The variety of manifestations greatly burdens the diagnosis, so it is not easy to independently determine the violations. That is why even preventive examinations play an important role in the diagnosis of lesions. Headaches, convulsions, sleep disturbance, fainting – these are frequent, but not all, signs indicating damage to the nervous apparatus. What are the symptoms to see a doctor?
Often, a doctor is contacted in such cases:
- restlessness, difficulty falling asleep;
- tremor of the chin in a child older than 3 months;
- frequent regurgitation;
- pinching fingers;
- twitching, convulsions with or without fever;
- speech delay;
- lack of basic self-care skills by the age of 2;
- lag in development, difficulties in adaptation.
Assessing the development of the nervous system is not an easy task. This is difficult to do objectively when the question concerns your own child.
It is sometimes difficult for parents to understand that whims, poor sleep, enuresis indicate malfunctions in the nervous system and require the help of a pediatric neurologist.
The doctor deals with neurological lesions of various kinds. We are talking about cerebral palsy, mental retardation, problems with adaptation. Visitors are all babies born prematurely, with birth injuries and hereditary lesions.
How does a consultation with a pediatric neurologist work?
Be sure to check the visual acuity and fields, muscle tone and strength, reflexes on the arms, legs, stomach, face. Specialized tests (for memory, thinking, depression, etc.) may be carried out. This information allows you to determine the root cause of the pathology, its connection with the nervous system.
Preventive examination – the implementation of clinical examination, which must be carried out by a neurologist
It is recommended to undergo regular preventive examinations. There are certain periods of life when consultation is required. Visits take place at moments when certain stages of the development of the nervous system take place, periods of formation that are extremely important to control. It is recommended to visit a specialist at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 3-4 years. An examination by a neurologist is included in the examination standards before school and kindergarten.
If there are complaints, you do not need to wait for the scheduled appointment, but contact a specialist as soon as possible.
If necessary, an examination of the fundus, ultrasound, ultrasound, methods of evoked auditory, visual potentials, EEG, MRI, etc. are prescribed.
The selection of a set of procedures is carried out individually, based on the type of disease, the difficulties of the examination, the age of the child.
Therapies
Based on all the information received, a final diagnosis is established and a specific therapy is prescribed. Today, medical and physiotherapeutic treatment is successfully and widely used. The first is pills, injections, medicines and other means, the second is massage, magnetotherapy, diadynamic currents, electrophoresis, etc. The newest methods of rehabilitation therapy are constantly appearing.
Computerized speech methods are gaining popularity, improving coordination of movements – the so-called cerebellar stimulation.
The duties of this specialist include mandatory monitoring of the effectiveness of therapy, response to treatment procedures. Daily examinations allow you to see the dynamics, timely prescribe a correction or a radical change in therapy.
The doctor conducts conservative treatment. In case of indications for surgical interventions, the patient is referred to a neurosurgeon.
A consultation with a pediatric neurologist is an important step in helping to determine how well a child is developing. It should not be neglected at any age.
From the moment of birth, the development and maturation of brain structures occurs. The earlier the pathology of the nervous system is detected, the more chances for its elimination. Delaying medical advice can significantly aggravate the process. You don’t have to wait for the problem to resolve itself. Self-medication is strictly not allowed. At the first doubtful signs, it is important to urgently show the child to a specialist. A pediatric neurologist will objectively assess the condition and prescribe therapy.