Contents
The body of a child is in many ways not similar to the body of an adult and requires special attention. He endures all diseases in his own way, needs special methods of treatment and methods of prevention. Therefore, in medicine, the health of young patients is devoted to a separate specialization – pediatrics, which studies the anatomy and physiology of children, the characteristics of their diseases and develops optimal methods of therapy. The health of an individual child, each family and the future of entire nations depends on pediatricians.
First meeting with a pediatrician
A pediatrician is a specialist with a higher medical education and deep knowledge of the physiology, anatomy of the child’s body, stages of its development, possible pathologies, therefore only children are his wards.
The specialization of a pediatrician includes a number of related skills and knowledge, because he does not deal with one problem, but covers all possible diseases in childhood. Each child should have a personal pediatrician who will monitor his development from the moment of birth, prevent the development of diseases or treat them, only after the age of 18, adolescents go under the care of therapists.
Pediatrics was established only by the XNUMXth century, when scientists came to the conclusion that formed and emerging organisms respond differently to diseases. Over time, this area of science separated from others, which allowed it to develop more intensively.
Today she operates with broad knowledge in the field of child health, the causes of diseases, and the possibilities for preventing many developmental problems.
The duties of a pediatrician include general monitoring of patients to identify possible pathologies and diseases and their treatment. In children under three years old, even the most harmless ailments can lead to serious complications that are quite difficult to treat. That is why babies under one year old are required to see their doctor at least every month.
Monitoring also includes preventive measures such as vaccinations, advice to parents, and scheduled testing. Pediatricians also establish a diagnosis, determine a treatment regimen, and monitor the course of the disease.
Their competence includes the whole spectrum of diseases in a child. This includes both the most common and rare health problems, including:
- diabetes;
- congenital pathologies;
- trauma, burns, frostbite;
- allergic reactions;
- hemophilia;
- nervous system disorders;
- pathology of internal organs;
- hereditary diseases of any nature.
This is just a short list of problems that are addressed to the pediatrician, he is obliged to diagnose any disease in the baby and monitor the process of his recovery. After the initial diagnosis, the pediatrician may refer to a narrower specialist, such as a cardiologist, for professional comprehensive care.
How is the appointment with the doctor
During the appointment, the pediatrician examines the skin, hairline, checks vision and hearing, listens to the heartbeat, measures pressure in order to assess the general condition of the child’s body.
If you suspect the presence of any disease, he writes out a referral to the right specialist and for tests for a more detailed diagnosis.
Also, the admission plan sometimes includes an examination of the parents, acquaintance with their medical history, which makes it possible to determine hereditary diseases. A visit to the clinic may be necessary as part of a routine examination and in emergency cases.
Inspection according to plan
The first acquaintance with a pediatrician sometimes occurs even before the birth of a child. So, a woman registered with an obstetrician-gynecologist can decide on the choice of a pediatrician who will monitor her baby. As a rule, this is the children’s clinic closest to the place of residence. It is also possible to choose a doctor and agree in advance with him about attachment. Then, during the first month after birth, the pediatrician should come to his patient at home. He will examine the newborn, take the necessary tests, recommend preventive measures.
After the first month of a baby’s life, parents should visit the pediatrician’s office with him for a routine examination. Do this once a month if there are no complications. Here, the specialist will be able to verify the normal development of the ward, the child is weighed and measured. If doubts arise, the doctor prescribes the necessary diagnostics, and according to it, he establishes ways to eliminate the problem. Planned monthly visits to the clinic occur up to a year. Such systematic observation allows to prevent most diseases in time, to avoid health complications in the future. After the child reaches the age of one, a visit to the doctor’s office is provided once every three months for vaccinations.
emergency visit
In addition to scheduled visits to the doctor, parents can seek help in other cases. For example, in case of illness, injury of the baby, or simply when the parents are worried. Moms and dads are divided into those who are constantly “on duty” in the clinic for the slightest reason (or without them) and those who rely on luck and personal experience.
Reviews of experts note that it is better to go to the doctor once again than to aggravate the situation with your own hands. An unscheduled inspection is required in such situations:
- constant crying;
- temperature increase;
- the appearance of a rash or individual spots on the skin;
- stool disorders;
- inflammation of the mucous membranes;
- swollen lymph nodes.
Also, a consultation with a pediatrician is needed if parents have any doubts about the normal development of their baby. Most often, suspicions are caused by malfunctions in the nervous system and hearing impairment.
Parents need to carefully observe the process of growth and development of their child, pay attention to his activity. You should not be shy, scared or put off making an appointment with a pediatrician. The sooner fears are dispelled, the better for the children themselves and their parents.
Preparing for the first visit
During the first month, a nurse and a local pediatrician will visit their ward at home. This is called patronage and is very convenient for both mom and baby. Starting next month, the appointment is carried out at the children’s clinic, so you should clarify the schedule of pediatricians, what to take with you and the day when babies are taken. The smallest are always taken on a certain day so that older children do not encounter them. Such a scheme is needed due to the fact that in the first months of life, the child’s immunity is very weakened, and one-year-old children and older often get colds, acute respiratory infections, acute respiratory viral infections, and so on. As a rule, this is one day a week, so it is better to prepare the day before the day of admission.
So, for the first visit, you need to collect all the necessary things in advance, the bag should contain:
- a diaper that is spread on the table for examination, it is better to take a wide one to fold several times, or an additional oilcloth. It is more practical to take two disposable diapers in case a small “incident” happens;
- wet wipes;
- several diapers;
- a set of spare clothes for the baby;
- a toy;
- shoe covers.
This set will come in handy while waiting in line and for the inspection itself. In addition to the bag, experienced mothers are advised to complete a few more points.
Prepare a list of concerns. It should be borne in mind that there will be more than one mother in the queue. Appointment time will be limited and possibly stressful as we are talking about young mothers with babies. Therefore, it is better to write a list of everything that you want to know from the doctor the day before.
Of the documentation, you should definitely take your passport, a copy of your passport, a birth certificate, an insurance policy with you. Documents should be placed in a folder that opens with one hand.
Prepare clothes for mom, it is better to choose underwear and clothes in which it is easy to breastfeed the baby. If the baby is on artificial nutrition, this item is not so important.
Before the trip itself, it is worth adding a bottle of water for mom and for the child in the bag. Also, “artists” must definitely take formula or baby food with them.
In addition, doctors recommend paying attention to the condition and well-being of the crumbs before the trip. If he did not sleep well, refused to eat, is naughty – you can postpone the trip to the clinic. It is also advised to take care of an assistant during the first visit.
If one of the relatives or relatives can accompany the mother with the baby, the examination will be much easier. It is also worth taking care of what the baby will be carried in. A car seat or a special basket is best suited for this, a sling is also convenient.
How to choose a pediatric doctor
Given such an important role of the pediatrician in the life of the baby, many parents would like to choose the best specialist for their child. Unfortunately, in the CIS countries it is quite difficult to do this, since medical institutions work according to a certain scheme. Each city is divided into districts, which are called sections, one pediatrician is assigned to a separate section. This specialist will deal with all the children who live in the territory assigned to him, this is the local pediatrician. Such a scheme slightly simplifies the work of polyclinics, but makes it difficult to choose.
Today, babies are assigned to a children’s clinic based not on the place of registration, but on the basis of the place of actual residence.
During discharge from the maternity hospital, all the necessary information is transferred to the medical facility at the patient’s place of residence. However, parents still have the right to choose. If the attached doctor is not suitable for some reason, you can contact a specialist in another clinic. But under the law, he may refuse to observe the child, since additional patients do not bear him direct material reward. Also, the work of a pediatrician can be performed by a family doctor and a private pediatrician. Which one to choose?
District polyclinic
Here is the specialist who is assigned to the kids living in his “territory”. This doctor has its pros and cons. On the one hand, as a rule, these are doctors with accumulated experience who constantly undergo advanced training. In addition, the doctor’s services are free of charge in the district children’s polyclinic.
But there are also disadvantages that are visible at the first appointment. The local doctor is often annoyed because of the huge queues, disgruntled parents, a constant series of childhood illnesses. For example, in Russia, by law, one pediatrician must keep records of more than 800 children.
Private clinic
In this case, it’s exactly the opposite. You can sign up for any time, no need to wait hours in line while breastfeeding your baby. The doctor will come to the house at the first request, even at night. In this case, the pediatrician becomes, indeed, a personal doctor.
In addition to the queues, here you can forget about a bunch of documents that you have to take with you. When choosing a private clinic, it is better to give preference to those that have been providing such services for a long time. Such medical institutions value their reputation very much and pay attention to the qualifications of their staff. Everyone knows about the disadvantages of such a choice: it is expensive.
Family doctor
This is a very convenient and affordable option. Such a specialist can be both in a public clinic and in a private one. But his services are cheaper than those of a pediatrician. He, too, can come to the house on demand, day or night. The family doctor will keep a record of the baby from birth, sometimes taking tests at home. This is a very popular phenomenon in Europe, in America. Today, in our country, such a specialist is becoming extremely fashionable. However, he has a drawback: unlike a pediatrician, he has less knowledge in the field of child physiology. In fact, this is not a children’s doctor, but it may well work.
At the end of
Since such a specialist performs a very important job – keeping children healthy – it is worth choosing him very carefully. If you don’t like your precinct, don’t hesitate to ask another doctor. At the reception, do not be afraid to ask all the questions of interest, the willingness to answer them determines the quality of the doctor himself. As in other areas of health, in this case, parents are warned about the dangers of self-medication. You should not “play pediatrician” and invent methods for treating the baby, this will definitely not help him. Timely qualified assistance will allow you to avoid many problems and continue to enjoy your growing baby.