What is Pediatric Consultation?
Pediatrician consultation or pediatrician consultation is a general medical process that involves the assessment and diagnosis of conditions affecting children and, to some extent, adolescents, as well as the management of overall health and patient health through certain preventive measures.
Pediatrics is a branch of medicine that addresses the medical needs of children. Doctors who specialize in this are called pediatricians. Pediatricians have spent years of education and training in this area. You start with four years of undergraduate research and another four years of medical research. Then complete the next three-year internship program at an accredited hospital. After that, they take an exam to get certified.
Pediatricians also have subspecialties, including oncology, cardiology, nephrology, neurology, and even psychology, but are not limited to the fields mentioned above. Subspecialties require further education.
However, children are different patients than adults and require intensive training. Due to their different physiology, the medical needs and conditions that usually affect children may not be apparent in adults. For example, birth defects are more common in pediatricians than in internal medicine.
Furthermore, as children enter a critical stage, pediatricians must closely monitor the growth and development of their patients, which means strict regular visits.
The psychology of children is also different from that of adults. Children often do not have a deep understanding of pain and illness. Also, many adults do not know how to express their symptoms. In addition to being less expressive, maybe a lack of understanding is also an indicator of the cause. Therefore, there is a need for pediatricians who clearly have good medical knowledge and expertise, as well as the skills to build good relationships with their children and their parents.
Lastly, minors, in the legal sense, do not have the capacity to make their own decisions and thus pediatricians must also work closely with their parents and caregivers.
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Who Should Undergo Pediatric Consultation & Expected Results
Pediatric consultations are aimed at children aged 0-12 years, although now many doctors also treat teenagers and adults up to the age of 20. After that age, they usually seek out an internist or internal medicine doctor, who specializes in adult medicine, although some retain their family physician.
Pediatric consultation can be done to:
- Immunization.
- Treatment of congenital defects.
- Disease prevention.
- Substance abuse services.
- Specialized gynecological services.
- Psychiatric and behavioral therapy.
Common cases such as colds and flu can be cured with just one or two visits to the pediatrician. However, when it comes to the child’s overall health, parents are obliged to visit the doctor regularly, even if there are no symptoms.
How Pediatric Consultation Works
If you understand more closely, you need to know that a child’s relationship with a pediatrician begins when the child is born. Thus, Parents are expected to have one pediatrician before their child is born. Or at least, the hospital staff will be the first to take on the role before parents find a pediatrician of their choice.
Some pediatricians work as outpatients or have their own clinics. Parents will be given instructions on when is the best time to take their child for a visit with the pediatrician.
Most pediatric consultations are called well-child visits. This refers to the time when children have to see the doctor their number of times within a year. It starts when the child is born until he is about 5 years old. Each meeting includes a thorough physical examination and counselling. Doctors can advise parents on the information needed in any matter that concerns their child. Usually things to focus on are nutrition, sleep, and mental and physical development. The doctor can also provide a little input to improve your child’s immunity. During this visit, immunizations or vaccinations may be given.
After 5 years, the child can see the doctor once a year for regular checkups, except when the child requires urgent or emergency care.
Child consultation can also be done while the child is in the hospital. The doctor will monitor the child’s response to treatment such as drugs or surgery. Consultation also occurs 2 to 3 days after the child has been discharged from the hospital.
Possible Complications and Risks of Pediatric Consultation
One of the main goals of consulting a pediatrician is to prevent unnecessary testing of the child, which can only result in pain or discomfort to them. This process itself does not have serious risks. However, as part of the protocol, a number of physical exams and vaccinations, may be required to ensure their health and this can be uncomfortable for children.