Visiting the best doctor is necessary at a tender age. Getting sick or injured isn’t unusual. It’s even more common for babies and small kids to see a doctor than adults. Kids visit their doctors not only to have their illnesses treated but also for vaccinations.
Now, if these doctor’s visits get more frequent, then it becomes the parents’ duty to look for the best pediatric doctor or opt for a family doctor. Parents ought to know what distinguishes one from the other and all other factors to consider when looking for one.
The most obvious difference is that pediatricians treat children only, while the latter benefits all family members. Stay on this page as we explore more about their differences and determine which best suits your family’s health needs. Keep reading!
Pediatricians and Family Medicine Doctors: Their Differences
At some point, parents wonder what’s the difference between pediatricians and family physicians. Both are licensed medical practitioners looking after your family’s health needs. But does it matter who’s the better choice?
From a patient’s point of view, Omega Pediatrics has outlined a few important differences. It’s hoped that parents and caregivers will have a rational choice when deciding who to reach out to in specific circumstances. Here are their differences:
Age of Patients
Pediatricians are trained to cure the lower age groups’ physical, mental, and social illnesses. Technically, they treat patients aged 0–18 years old. This covers newborns and preemies up to teenagers and adolescents.
Parents visit their nearby pediatrician with their newborn numerous times in the first two years of the baby’s life, which gradually decreases as the baby grows. Babies visit their pediatrician not only for illnesses but also for well-child consultations.
For family medicine doctors, they treat patients in all age groups—from infancy to the elderly. Hence, they can serve the health needs of everyone in the family.
Fields of Specialty and Training
Pediatricians and family medicine doctors are two different specialists. Both have distinct medical fields of training. A pediatrician specializes in children’s health. They finished a four-year medical course and specialized training in pediatrics for three years.
On the other hand, family medicine doctors undergo a four-year medical course and proceed to further training in the medical field they choose. They can choose between internal medicine (IM), obstetrics and gynecology (OB-GYN), and many other fields.
As medical treatment has become more segmented in modern times, subspecialty fields have emerged. Pediatricians undergo fellowship training to become subspecialists in pediatric cardiology, developmental pediatrics, and neonatology, to name a few.
For family physicians, we see practitioners in the fields of IM-pulmonology, IM-cardiology, OB-GYN perinatology, OB-GYN sonology, and many other subspecialty fields. Family physicians issue referrals to subspecialists for further treatment.
The whole family—children and adults—will greatly benefit from the training and expertise of subspecialists, especially in managing complex and chronic ailments.
Expertise
Since pediatricians specialize in children, they have expert knowledge of the complexity of children’s health and the stages of child development. They can provide profound insights to the parents about the child’s growth and behavioral problems.
Pediatricians have expertise in recognizing the symptoms of developmental disorders in young children. Also, they have more experience treating conditions affecting children.
Family medicine doctors have a broader scope of expertise. They may have more experience treating adults, as their training is focused on disease and chronic illness in patients of all ages.
Reasons to Pick Either a Pediatrician or a Family Medicine Doctor
Why You Might Choose a Pediatrician
- A specialist in children’s health.
Parents prefer a pediatrician because they like having a dedicated specialist for all their children’s needs, from infancy to adolescence.
If the concern is only about the baby, then a pediatrician is a great option over a family medicine doctor. The reason is very simple: pediatricians know more about a child’s health as they have studied and understood a baby’s condition.
You will often see pediatricians visiting babies just after they enter this world. This reflects the emphasis on newborn health, and pediatricians have expert knowledge and training in this field.
As your baby gets older, regular visits to their pediatrician allow the doctor to learn more about your baby’s health history. This is crucial for your baby’s growth and development.
Another case is when your child needs special care or has complicated health issues. Then it makes sense that you choose a pediatrician to focus on the specialized health requirements of your child.
- A doctor who can understand children better.
Equally important is choosing a doctor who can interact well with your child. A doctor who is more comfortable and can relate well to them on their level. Children have distinct behaviors and attitudes, and it’s sometimes a challenge to understand them.
So, in every encounter at the clinic, a pediatrician goes the extra mile to make visits to the doctor something to be looked forward to and not a dreaded one for your child.
After all, pediatricians view their expertise not only as a field of study but as a cause to have compassion for children. It’s innate in their attitude that they love children and understand them fully.
And similarly, pediatricians understand how parents feel, too. They can comprehend the challenges of parenting, especially the newbies. Therefore, as part of parent education, they offer guidance and counseling on how to take care of their little ones.
Why You Might Choose a Family Medicine Doctor
A family medicine doctor can treat everyone in the family. Having one doctor for the whole family may have some perks. We list them below:
- Easy transitioning regardless of age.
If you have a long-standing relationship with a family medicine doctor, it would be an easy transition to choose them once you have a new baby. They can care for the whole family from day one, that is, your newborn. And continue to care up to old age.
But, since family medicine doctors aren’t trained to treat children’s illnesses, they might not advise the exact treatment for some particular diseases as a pediatrician can.
- Convenience in doctor’s appointments.
This is especially beneficial for busy parents since they can easily schedule appointments with a family medicine doctor.
There are occasional instances where, for example, you and your son exhibit the same flu and cold symptoms. It would be convenient to see the same family medicine doctor and, thus, receive similar prescription treatment.
In this situation, comfort and convenience weigh more in favor of consulting a family medicine doctor than a pediatrician. This reduces the number of trips to different doctors.
- Continuity of care.
Children will not outgrow a family medicine doctor since they see the same doctor throughout their childhood up to adulthood. Since the same doctor monitors your child’s health from a young age, abnormal health patterns can be easily detected.
- Familiarity with the family’s medical history.
If the same doctor sees many family members, the doctor will have detailed knowledge about the family’s medical history and genetic disorders. Likewise, they can identify patterns that are affecting individual and collective health.
Key takeaway
A family medicine doctor may fit the role of a pediatrician if they have reasonable experience, training, and interest in providing care to pediatric patients. Thus, while most parents typically go to pediatricians, family doctors can also fill the role.
Choosing between a pediatrician and a family doctor entirely depends on the patient’s condition, the specific health needs of your child, and the preferences of the family.
When Should I Switch to a Family Medicine Doctor?
There’s no hard-and-fast rule for transition. Some kids stop seeing their pediatrician early, while others continue through college or even beyond.
Some 11-year-olds escape the kid’s clinic, while there are young adults who love their pediatricians as long as they want for as long as possible. Both of these cases are fine. The right time to switch entirely depends on your child and what they want.
Nevertheless, you’re responsible for making healthcare choices until your child turns 18. After this age, they can decide on their own. Help your child prepare for the switch to adult care, that is, if they decide to see a family medicine doctor, through the following:
- Allow them to discuss what care they need. Talk about how they feel about their present pediatrician and if they’d like to change to a family physician.
- Respect their ideas about treatment options, especially if they’re experiencing unwanted side effects. Encourage them to talk about alternative options.
- Support their growing independence by allowing them to talk privately with their pediatrician. They will then gauge their relationship with their pediatrician.
Choose the Best Primary Care Doctor for Your Child
Your kid’s primary care doctor is a crucial component of a healthy childhood. So, as parents, choosing a doctor calls for careful planning. The best doctor should be a good fit for you and your child, the other siblings, and the whole family.
Choose the best pediatricians and family medicine doctors. A nearby pediatrician is the best pick for babies, toddlers, and school-aged children, while a family physician is ideal from a family’s perspective.
Comparisons are over because the right doctor at the right age should always be preferred. For example, a child under the age of three should see a pediatrician, but a child over the age of eleven or thirteen can see a family physician.
The most important thing is that your child is comfortable with the doctor and that you feel confident in the care they provide.
When it comes to choosing a pediatrician as the primary care provider for your little one, nothing compares to Omega Pediatrics.
We at Omega Pediatrics, with our experience and expertise, make a perfect match for you and your child. We have the compassion to look after your child. We treat each other as family, and we always make kid’s visits a positive and memorable experience.
