Children need to see the doctor far more frequently than adults do. According to the CDC, 78% of all children between 1 and 17 years had seen a doctor in the previous six months. In contrast, just 60% of adults between 18 and 45 visited a doctor.
Pediatric healthcare includes multiple services, and not all of them may be provided by the same facility. A perfect pediatric clinic would provide a variety of pediatric specialties, subspecialties in surgery, and suitable diagnostic tools.
Therefore, before selecting your child’s primary care provider, you must research their services. Here are a few pediatric services the right pediatric clinic for your child would offer.
Sick Visits
Children can become too unwell to move about running places. Instead of driving to specialists, many parents make house calls to diagnose their children. Since it’s just simpler to bring healthcare to the child than to take the child to healthcare, it’s better to pick a pediatric clinic that’s close to your location to schedule regular well-child visits. That’ll help ensure your child is in good health.Behavioral Treatment
Pediatric care typically overlooks child psychology, even though a child’s well-being depends on both their physical and psychological health. Given the significance of mental health for a child’s physical well-being, parents should use pediatric psychology as a criterion when selecting a pediatrician.Asthma Treatment and Management
About 6 million kids under 17 years have asthma in the US. Even while asthma is manageable, you might struggle to manage it if you don’t know what your child is sensitive to. Parents should locate a doctor or clinic that can treat asthma because it’s one of the most common disorders in the teen population of the US. Additionally, the clinics must have the equipment to handle emergencies with asthma and the necessary testing equipment to diagnose the medical condition.
E.N.T. Specialist
An otolaryngologist, commonly known as an E.N.T. specialist, is a medical expert for ear, nose, throat, and other concerns related to the head and neck. In addition to treating your child’s ear infections and colds, they may also have the surgical skills required to perform operative procedures.Gastroenterologists
Most of the time, digestive concerns are the main reason for child discomfort that forces parents to visit a doctor. Therefore you must ensure your pediatric clinic has gastroenterologists. They specialize in digestive system-related health disorders. Gastroenterologists treat various conditions, from sudden issues like constipation to long-term conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and Crohn’s disease.Vaccinations
To protect them from diseases, children must receive routine vaccines. For the most prevalent ailments, many pediatric clinics provide a variety of immunizations, such as:- Chicken Pox Vaccine
- Tetanus Vaccine
- Hepatitis A and B Vaccine
- Hib Vaccine
- HPV Vaccine
- Influenza Vaccine
- Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Vaccine
- Meningococcal Vaccine
- PCV Vaccine
- Polio Immunization Vaccine
- Rotavirus Vaccine
Sports Physicals
All healthy children are physically active, and an energetic child is often the happiest. Sports are crucial to a child’s growth and development. A sports physical is a specialized area of pediatrics that determines whether a child has a medical issue that could impair their ability to perform in sports. Parents must locate a doctor to evaluate their children’s potential to excel in sports and become physically active adults.Pulmonologists
Pulmonary medicine deals with lung conditions such as pneumonia, persistent cough, and asthma. If your child has any lung issues before birth, you must consult neonatologists to ensure they’re in good health during their initial years, which are crucial for healthy survival. Infants also have respiratory issues making it difficult for them to fall asleep. Pulmonologists will also help look after any breathing issues, improve quality of life, prevent complications, and help families learn to manage symptoms of breathing issues.Pediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM)
If you take your child to the emergency room, these doctors will be the first to help. They have the skills to offer basic to intermediate care for various conditions. They provide emergency care if your child experiences a sudden allergic response or suffers an injury in an accident. They also help handle mental health and behavioral problems, such as those that children with ADHD may have.