Health – Kids

A pediatrician plays a bigger role in a child’s health other than offering general checkups and vaccinations. A pediatrician is your child’s doctor from infancy right up to adolescence and even early adulthood. They can recognize mental and physical health problems in children before they become serious. They are trained to provide kids treatments for different health problems. They play an important role in the mental and physical development of children.

Role of Pediatricians in the Physical Development of Children

Yes, the pediatrician will provide the basic health services to your child. But during the general or sick visits, the doctor can also screen your child for other problems. For example, if your child’s speech development is delayed, the doctor can screen her for hearing problems along with any other cognitive issue. In most cases, delays in diagnosing a problem can impede a child’s growth or worsen a health problem.

Pediatricians maintain medical records of their patients. But they also maintain the growth chart to ensure that any problem with your child’s normal development can be taken care of with the right treatment at the right time.

When a pediatrician performs a physical examination on your child, it is more than just a basic observation of the body functions. A thorough examination can tell the doctor a lot of about your child’s health such as problems with the hormones or immunity. The physical health is also connected to a child’s mental well-being and vice versa. If your pediatrician misses a symptom, chances are likely that your child’s treatment will be delayed or her health will get affected.

Hormonal problems or hereditary conditions are hard to diagnose in kids. These problems often go unnoticed and cause irreversible damage to a child’s health. But a pediatrician can order tests based on certain symptoms in toddlers and even infants for early diagnosis and timely treatment.

So, it is important to select a doctor in your local area who can provide comprehensive services for your child. For example, your pediatrician Gaithersburg MD if you live in the area must be a doctor you can trust to provide the best of medical services for your child.

Role of Pediatricians in the Mental Development of Children

Children can experience anxiety and stress in today’s competitive school environment. Kids can also be born with learning disabilities or mental disorders. It is very difficult to diagnose mental conditions in children as the symptoms can be subtle. Parents can also miss telltale signs such as speech problems or learning disabilities mistaking them as simply development delays. But pediatricians can screen your child for various mental and cognitive problems to start the treatment right away.

For example, autism and ADHD can often remain undiagnosed and gravely impede a child’s speech, learning, and development.

Teens can suffer from depression, eating disorders, and sexually-transmitted infections. They may not confide in their parents. But a pediatrician may be able to notice the symptoms and conduct a thorough examination to diagnose the diseases. Adolescents may also feel comfortable in sharing their risky sexual behaviors or depressive thoughts with their pediatrician due to the familiarity rather than a new doctor.

Behavioral problems can exist in toddlers and older children. Pediatricians can refer their patients to the right therapist or doctor for further treatment. They can also monitor the progress of their patients who are undergoing therapy or treatment for mental problems.

Behavioral problems and learning disabilities in children require day-to-day management with the help of their pediatricians. Mental problems cannot be treated in a few days with medicines. These conditions require assessment, counseling, and care that a pediatrician can manage for kids of all age groups.

Pediatricians can also act as the bridge between their patients, the parents, and other doctors on the specialized care team if any. Pediatricians can counsel children, which can be helpful in preparing them for the treatment. Pediatricians can also help parents understand the significance of mental health or specialized treatment for their kids. Parents can also depend on pediatricians to provide them with the answers to their queries especially those related to serious mental conditions.

As a first-time parent of a newborn or infant, or when you have moved to a new city like Gaithersburg or Silver Spring, or when your current pediatrician has retired, you need to look out for a new pediatrician for your baby. Selecting the right doctor for your child cannot be a haphazard decision, and you need needs consider a lot of things before you narrow down on the person who will treat your child. In order to select the right pediatrician in Gaithersburg or Silver Spring, MD, here is what you need to do.

• Take referrals

Referrals are always the best place, to begin with when searching for a new pediatrician. Friends, colleagues, neighbors, and family members who have babies or young children are your best source of information about a good practitioner or pediatrician in Silver Spring MD. Visiting a doctor who has been referred to by a friend or family member is always better than visiting a person who you know very little about.  Also, the consultation and guidance you receive in such cases tend to be better, and more matched to your expectations, as you have already heard of them from a trusted person.

• Check listings or directories

In cases where you are unable to receive a referral to a pediatrician, visit your local health center. Or check out an online directory for registered practitioners. American Academy of Pediatrics is a good place for such searches. Many parenting and child health websites also give out information regarding pediatricians who practice in a certain area locality. You can make use of this information when no other means work out.

• Check for credentials and credibility

Another way to assess a good is by checking for credentials. Pediatrics, when listed with a registered or a well-recognized organization, tend to be better and far more credible than those who aren’t. Being a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics or a Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner also adds value. This way, you also know that they are not faking their degrees and that you don’t end up in the wrong hands.

• Visit the doctor

Referrals and credential checks are one part of the game. Visiting the pediatric in person is the other. This is the part where you get to meet your doctor face to face. Your first visit to the pediatric need not necessarily happen with your child, but in fact, can happen even when your pregnant. When you consult with the pediatric clinic or hospital, pay attention to the behavior. It is ok to ask a pediatric if he or she is a parent because you want to be working with someone who shares same concerns about children as you do. You want your doctor to understand the mentality and mindset of being a parent and the worries that come with it.

A good pediatric in Gaithersburg, MD is someone who is extremely patient and willing to listen to your queries no matter how silly they sound.  Such a doctor is also someone response to your queries patiently and in details and reassures you that everything is going to be fine. Through a one-on-one visit, you also get to determine how accessible your pediatric is. Assess the pediatric or clinic by the ease with which you can get an appointment, or connect with your doctor in case of an emergency. Yet another thing that you need to check for is whether the doctor has tie-ups with other physicians whose help may be required in specific cases.  It is also wise to check with the pediatric for cover up when you need the doctor in case of his or her absence. A good doctor will always connect you with another practitioner who is available help you and your child out in your pediatrician’s absence.

Follow these aforementioned steps, and you can find a good pediatrician for your child, with ease.