It doesn’t matter how many kids you have; every time your child falls sick, you’ll be worried sick for their well-being.
Even though you might regularly schedule appointments or well-child visits with your primary care pediatrics, sometimes they might refer you to a “specialist”.
Since children’s bodily systems behave and respond in a much different way than adults’ body systems, the field of pediatric care has become quite diverse.
Specialists are doctors with advanced education and training in one field of child health. They might specialize in pediatric cardiology, pediatric allergy and immunology, pediatric psychology, or one of the many other fields concerning human health.
Here’s what eight different branches of these specialties deal in, concerning your child’s health:
Newborn Pediatricians
These are often your primary care pediatricians, who deal with your child’s vaccinations, basic radiological imaging, and healthy development. They also may be the ones who conduct well-child visits for your child as they grow up.
Newborn pediatricians may refer you to specialists if the seriousness of your child’s health problem is a bit beyond their scope. But don’t worry if you’re given a referral; they’ll explain the ins and outs of what you can expect from the upcoming visits.
Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physician (PEM)
These physicians will be your first responders if you bring your child into the emergency room. They’re well-trained to provide basic-to-intermediate care for various issues. They’ll be the ones treating your child if they’ve been in an accident or have had a spontaneous allergic reaction after consuming some eatable.
They’re also equipped to deal with mental health and behavioral issues, such as in children with ADHD.
Pediatric Allergist or Immunologist
If your child has any kind of allergies, such as food, clothing material, pets, etc., the pediatric allergist and/or immunologists are the ones to provide you with information on the best treatment options available. They’ll often conduct extensive testing to determine exactly what your child can’t tolerate on the allergy spectrum.
They’re the ones who treat respiratory allergies such as asthma, eye infections, skin allergies, and other autoimmune disorders. They also may have the surgical expertise to perform bone marrow or stem cell transplants.
Pediatric E.N.T. Specialist
E.N.T. stands for (Ear, Nose, and Throat), but a pediatric E.N.T specialist is also known as otorhinolaryngologist. They specialize in all forms of illnesses relating to the ears, throat, and nose. They’ll treat your child for colds and ear infections and may also have the necessary surgical expertise to operate on a cleft lip problem.
Pediatric Gastroenterologists
Gastroenterologists are experts in health issues relating to the digestive system. From acute problems like constipation to chronic illnesses like Crohn’s Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), gastroenterologists deal with all.
They often work with other specialists, such as pulmonologists, speech therapists, etc., if your child has any illness covering more than one domain.
Pediatric Pulmonologists
Pulmonary Medicine is the branch that deals with lung diseases such as asthma, chronic cough, pneumonia, etc. They also may consult neonatologists if lung issues are detected before your baby is born.
Some babies may have trouble sleeping due to certain breathing problems. Pulmonologists can also help treat them.
Pediatric Cardiologists
This specialty deals with heart disease in children, whether at birth or acquired later in life. If your baby has shown signs of heart problems before birth, the cardiologists may work with your neonatologist or gynecologist to help treat your baby.
Pediatric Developmental and Behavioral Specialist
Sometimes, it may be difficult for you to distinguish between whether your child is just throwing a tantrum or if they have a serious health problem. If your child has been displaying signs of distress, it’s best to consult a specialist to find the underlying cause.
Pediatric developmental specialists can guide you on how to care for and manage your child’s behavioral issues. They can also help diagnose and treat developmental issues, delay in school learning milestones, ADHD, etc.
We understand how worried parents can become when their child is sick. At A Thru Z Pediatrics, our primary care pediatricians provide reliable and effective healthcare services for children. We also provide well-child visits and ADHD testing San Antonio to the people residing in San Antonio, as well as the areas of Live Oak, Cibolo, and Schertz. We serve in two different locations of Stone Oak and Medical Center.
Book an appointment with us today.