Being a young mom, numerous questions might leave you wondering about your baby’s health. You might be caught in a dilemma about whether you should consult a pediatrician or a family medicine practitioner for your child’s health needs.
Although a family doctor is trained in pediatrics, they also have generalized training in other fields, such as gynecology. Whereas a pediatrician has the specialty training and expertise to manage children’s health from infancy to young adulthood,
That being said, since a pediatrician’s primary concern is the health of the infant, it’s recommended to engage in their services. We at Omega Pediatrics outline some of the reasons why the best pediatric doctor is preferred to take care of your child’s health.
1. New Baby Well Checks
According to health experts, the health of a newborn should be prioritized. Hence, it’s essential to stay in touch with a pediatric doctor right from the start.
An experienced and competent physician is needed to evaluate the baby’s health, which should be done in the first week of life. After this crucial examination, they will give a final assessment of the newborn baby’s general wellness.
Therefore, to ensure credible baseline health data for your little one, it’s highly recommended to have a certified pediatrician analyze their health. Give your newborn the healthiest possible start.
2. Well -Baby and -Child Checkups
From infancy to childhood, a good and thorough checkup is mandatory, and it should be done regularly. During infancy, you may need to visit the doctor more often. Developmental milestones start from a few days old until the growing-up years.
Especially during infancy, your baby undergoes growth spurts and rapid development. With regular visits, the doctor can closely monitor and record milestones, ensuring your baby grows and develops as it normally should—based on age.
When your baby grows from a toddler up to adolescence, annual physician’s examinations help keep your child’s growth on track and determine if bodily changes are happening as expected.
Checkups in annual physical examinations include weight, height, and overall body appearance. If anything unusual is noticed in the child’s growth, specific measures are taken to ensure that the right development and wellness are achieved.
3. Changes in Behavior
Our children are special; hence, monitoring their growth and development always precedes our parenting journey. Changes in behavior, whether minor or serious, abrupt or otherwise, need to be addressed at the earliest possible time.
Behavioral changes can be a concern for young, or newbie, parents since it might take them some time to comprehend their child’s inherent nature and characteristics. Due to this confusion, parents fail to realize when they should take their child to a specialist.
A visit or discussion with your child’s doctor during regular checkups can be an initial step. Parents can bring up any doubts they may have and seek clarification with their child’s doctor. The best pediatrician is your perfect ally!
Hence, getting an experienced pediatric doctor who can better understand a child’s behavior is essential. The best pediatrician can explain if a specific change in the child’s behavior is normal and age-appropriate or otherwise.
4. Treatment of Childhood Illnesses
At any time, children and young adults aren’t spared from getting sick. Bringing your sick child to the pediatric doctor is always the best route. The doctor conducts a clinical assessment to determine the appropriate treatment and prescribe medications.
More than the treatment, pediatric care includes monitoring your child’s recovery to help them get better and prevent the recurrence of the illness.
- Common Colds
As simple as the common cold, it has many side effects and can potentially turn into a serious condition. Thus, if your child is experiencing a cold, let a pediatrician manage it.
- Sore Throat
A sore throat can turn out to be strep throat, which is a bacterial infection that requires an antibiotic for treatment. A pediatric doctor can prescribe antibiotics, notwithstanding the precise dosages for different age groups of children.
Children are susceptible; hence, a strep infection needs to be addressed immediately to prevent the spread and mitigate the risk of complications.
- Ear Infection
A research study by the Department of Health shows that children are more likely to develop ear infections than adults. Young children are more vulnerable.
An ear infection can be very painful, thus, it needs to be dealt with before it gets worse. This is a strong reason to see the child’s doctor at the onset of the infection.
- Fever
Guidelines are in place for parents to determine when to visit their child’s doctor for treatment. A fever is a common symptom; however, it may be a prelude to something serious in a few cases.
As simple as it may seem, parents and caregivers should not self-medicate a feverish child. Especially for babies and young children, they have precise dosages of medications that only pediatricians are experts on.
- Pink Eye
The American Journal of Infection Control reveals that three million school days are lost every year due to pink eye among children.
- Abdominal Pain
Abdominal pain can have many potential causes; thus, it can be worrisome if your little one is enduring it. It’s hard to figure out what causes the pain, especially in babies and young children, for which we only rely on the symptoms.
More often, the pain is minor and nothing serious. For example, eating spoiled food causes severe abdominal pain but will pass in a day. But if the pain isn’t gone after 24 hours with symptoms like fever and a stuffy nose, it’s a must to visit a pediatrician.
In minor cases, the pain is in the general stomach area. The major concern is when abdominal pain is moving or in a specific area. It might indicate something is wrong with a specific internal organ. Only a visit to your pediatrician can ascertain this issue.
5. Immunity Power
Give your child’s immunity serious thought. The immunization of a baby is a health requirement and a legal undertaking. Failure by a parent to take their baby for pediatric care, especially immunization, could lead to jail terms for negligence.
Ask yourself: Is my child up to date on immunizations? If not, you have a strong reason to visit a pediatrician today. Immunizations are designed to prevent diseases, hence saving lives. Don’t expose your child to the unnecessary risk of contracting diseases.
Your school kid could be at risk if other kids they’re exposed to aren’t immunized. The best way to eliminate this risk is to have your child immunized on a schedule.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has created and implemented a vaccination schedule that’s appropriate for everyone to adhere to. It’s advised to follow the immunization schedule if you want your children to grow healthy and happy.
6. Nutrition
Ensuring that your child is getting the correct nutritional intake is highly important. Children usually tend to be very picky when it comes to their food, but parents should still make sure they’re getting adequate nutrition to further their growth.
It’s the physician’s role to ensure that your child receives the proper amount of the necessary nutrients. The doctor always provides an alternative to the nutrient-rich food that your child might like.
It’s also a good idea to visit the pediatric doctor if your child exhibits a severe version of an otherwise minor issue. For example, while it’s normal to have a low appetite while being sick, not being hungry for two or more days can be a reason to seek consultation.
Nutrition almost always forms the agenda of parent discussions during well-baby or regular checkups with your child. Don’t hesitate to bring up any doubts and concerns you may have, especially about your child’s feeding behaviors.
7. Fulfill Your Baby’s Health Needs
There are specific special health needs for which a pediatrician is very necessary. Especially for a child born with a birth defect, a preemie, or a diverted health condition, it is required to have the professional management of a specialist.
Your child’s pediatric doctor may be your primary care physician in these cases. However, due to the specialized health requirements, the physician may give you a referral to a subspecialist. For preemies, they’re referred to a neonatologist.
If your baby is born with health complications, such as clubfoot, it’s advised that it be co-managed by a team of subspecialists like a pediatric orthopedician, a pediatric surgeon, and a pediatric neurologist.
Visit the Best Pediatrician for Your Child’s Health Needs
Children have distinctive health needs. Choosing a pediatrician over a family medicine practitioner ensures specialized care for your little one. A pediatrician is the best medical professional to manage your child’s health.
You may need to visit the pediatric doctor not only when your child is sick but also when they’re healthy. They’re trained to diagnose and treat a wide range of childhood diseases, from minor to severe health disorders, including developmental health issues.
Pediatric doctors also involve preventive care; hence, they take care of your child’s immunization. They also take care of behavioral and mental health issues, especially during your child’s school-age and teen years.
In terms of behavior, it’s not just a matter of disciplining and retraining your child. The best pediatrician holds the key. The doctor determines the root cause of the problem, diagnoses it, and designs the best treatment option.
Make Omega Pediatrics your valuable partner in promoting your child’s well-being. We take pride in our expertise and training to take care of your child’s healthcare needs.
More than your experienced and competent doctor, we are compassionate toward our young patients. We develop and nurture long-lasting relationships. After all, pediatrics isn’t just a field of study; it’s about understanding the world of children.
We at Omega Pediatric could be your choice for the best pediatrician. We make your parenting journey a fun ride as we nurture relationships with you and your child. We always look forward to your visit to our office in Roswell, Georgia.
