Pediatric Healthcare

Pediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the physical, mental and social health of infants, children and adolescents. Pediatricians are medical doctors who specialize in the field of Pediatrics. Pediatric care enclose a wide range of healthcare services extending from prevention to the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic diseases in children from birth to young adulthood.

Subspecialties of Pediatrics include:

Neonatology is the subdivision of pediatrics that aims to provide intensive medical care to the newborn infants due to low birth weight, sepsis, pulmonary hypoplasia, congenital malformations, prematurity. It is the hospital-based specialty and is usually practiced in neonatal intensive care units. Perinatology is a subspecialty of obstetrics that aims to provide care to fetus, complicated and high-risk pregnancies. Perinatology is also known as maternal-fetal medicine. Perinatologists are specially trained to provide medical services such as diabetic care, management of multiple gestations, level II ultrasound of the fetus genetic amniocentesis.

Proper nutrition is important when it comes to children, since they are habituating life-long patterns that will be very difficult for them to break later. Poor nutrition leads to various health problems in children including excessive weight gain and obesity. Childhood obesity acts as a precursor to many health problems such as Type II diabetes, heart disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). It is necessary to provide child with proper nutrition and guide him or her to establish good eating habits that will last an entire lifetime.

Pediatric pulmonology is the branch of medicine that provide exceptional care for children with various allergic and pulmonary diseases. Pediatric pulmonologists and allergists diagnose and care children affected with various respiratory problems and allergies such as pneumonia, bronchitis, common cold, influenza, food allergies, hay fever and croup.

Prevention for pulmonary diseases and allergies in children:

Pediatric Dentistry is the branch of medicine which is the subdivision of dentistry dealing with children from birth through adolescence. Tooth grinding, gum disease and tooth decay are some of the common dental issues in children. Thumb sucking habit after the evolution of the permanent teeth, tongue thrusting, lip sucking can lead to dental problems.

Types of Orthodontic problems encountered in children:

Pediatric urology is the subspecialty of surgery in medicine that deals with the disorders of children’s genitourinary systems. Some of the major disorders include bladder control problems, urolithiasis, tumors of kidneys, urinary obstruction. Pediatric Nephrology is one of the specialties of medicine that deals with the study of the proper functioning of kidneys, prevention and treatment of kidney diseases including dialysis and kidney transplantation. Common renal disorders encountered in childhood are fluid and electrolyte disorders, hematuria/proteinuria, Posterior urethral valve obstruction, Fetal hydronephrosis, Polycystic kidney disease, Multicystic kidney disease, Nephritis.

Though these are different sections but do share few common symptoms:

Orthopedics/Orthopaedics is the division of surgery that concerned with the conditions involving the Musculoskeletal System. Pediatric Orthopedics is concerned with treating musculoskeletal disorders in children. Pediatric orthopaedist is a specially trained doctor to evaluate and treat bones, joints and muscle problems in children.

Most common orthopaedic conditions in children:

Neurology is the branch of medicine that deals with the study of disorders of nerves and nervous system. Child neurologists specializes in diagnosing and treating disorders of the nervous system (brain, spinal cord, muscles, nerves). Key treatments for neurological disorders CyberKnife, Deep Brain Stimulation, Gamma Knife Radiosurgery and Vagal Nerve Stimulation.

It is a branch of medicine that deals with the cause, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the diseases related to blood of infants, children and adolescents. Pediatric haematologists/Oncologists are specially trained to treat children with blood disorders and cancer.

Children are mostly prone to following hematological disorders:

The endocrine system releases hormones, that are chemical substances regulating various important body functions. The Pediatric endocrinologist is a doctor specially trained to diagnose and treat children with endocrine diseases/disorders.

Endocrinology Disorders in children:

Pediatric cardiology is the subspecialty of cardiology (Internal Medicine) that aims the study of disorders of the heart as well as the circulatory system in children within the age limit of 0 to 18 years. Pediatric cardiologists are the pediatricians who specialize in cardiology.

Most common heart diseases in children:

Infectious diseases are caused by microscopic germs (bacteria & viruses) that enter the body and produce harmful consequences. Pediatric immunologist choice to specialize in pediatric immunology and treat children from birth through the teenage years having immune system problems.

Most common Infectious diseases in Children:

A mental/psychiatric disorder is concerned with physical health and illness of children and the relationship between psychological/behavioural factors and health, illness and disease. The most common childhood mental disorders are anxiety disorders, depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD). Pediatric psychology is a multidisciplinary study of both scientific investigation and clinical practice which delivers psychological services to infants, toddlers, children and adolescents.

Symptoms of psychological disorders in children:

Pediatric nurses are directed to provide medical care to neonates and children up to adolescence in an inpatient hospital or day-clinic. Duties of a Pediatric nurse are: Normalize the life of the child during hospitalization, minimize the impact of child’s unique condition, respect the roles of the families in the care of their children, prevention of disease and promotion of health of the child.

Types of Pediatric Nursing:

Dermatology is the branch of medicine that deals with the surgical and non-surgical aspects of skin, nails, hair (scalp) and its diseases. A pediatric dermatologist is specially trained to treat children with these diseases. Major dermatological diseases in children are atopic dermatitis, skin infection, tinea corporis, erythroderma, pityriasis rosea and infantile hemangioma.

Therapies for dermatological disorders:

Vaccines play a vital role in keeping the children healthy whereas Immunization is the process of becoming immune to (protected against) a disease. Vaccinations can be done in the early stages of life to protect children before they are exposed to the diseases. Immunizations are a cornerstone of pediatric healthcare. The process of immunizations is implemented for the prevention of life-threatening infections was an important driver of improvements in infant and childhood morbidity and mortality.