Pediatric (0-18 yrs) Consultation
Pediatric consultation is a common medical process that involves the assessment and diagnosis of conditions affecting children and, to a certain extent, teens, as well as the management of the overall health and wellness of the patients through certain preventative measures.
Pediatrics is a branch of medicine that deals with the medical needs of children. A doctor who specializes in it is called a pediatrician. Pediatricians spend many years of education and training in the field. They begin with 4 years in undergraduate studies and another 4 years in medical school. They then enter into a residency program of an accredited hospital for the next 3 years. After that, they take the board exam for certification.
Pediatrics also has subspecialties, including but not limited to oncology, cardiology, nephrology, neurology, and even psychology. Subspecializing requires additional years in a fellowship program.
The intensive training, however, is incredibly necessary since children as patients are different from the adults. Since their physiology varies, their medical needs and the conditions that commonly affect them may not be seen in adults. For instance, congenital deformities are more common in pediatrics than in internal medicine.
Further, as childhood is a critical stage, pediatricians should closely monitor the growth and development of their patients, which would mean strict regular visits.
The psychology of children also varies from that of the adults. Children often don’t have a deep grasp of pain and illness. Many also don’t know how to express their symptoms, and the lack of understanding often forces them to throw tantrums or withdraw themselves from others. Pediatricians, therefore, should have the skill to establish a good relationship not only with the parents but also with the children, aside from in-depth medical knowledge and expertise.
Lastly, minors, in the legal sense, don’t have the capacity to make decisions by themselves and thus pediatricians also have to work closely with their parents and guardians.