One of the doctors you will see in the life of your child after birth is a pediatrician. Knowing when and for how long to see a pediatrician can sometimes be confusing to parents, especially young parents. Pediatricians, unlike family practitioners, focus on the mental, emotional and physical well-being of infants, kids, teens, and young adults. They work with parents to prevent illness, offer advice and foster a healthy lifestyle for kids.
As your kid develops, you will likely visit the pediatrician for various reason. Below are some of these health concerns.
Vaccines
Vaccinations are injections of small amounts of bacteria or virus which help fend off infection and keep kids immune to some diseases. They are also recommended for children at different points in age from birth to 18 years. Some of the common vaccines include diphtheria, influenza, chicken pox, polio, rotavirus, measles and pneumococcal.
Most parents are usually concerned about the safety and effects of vaccines. It is however recommended that kids get combinations of vaccines where possible to reduce the shots they receive. Some children can have a fever or feel soreness at the injection.
Fever
Almost all children will have a fever at some point. If however, the temperature is beyond 100.4F and lasts for more than twenty-four hours or it has other symptoms like a sore throat, diarrhea, and stiff neck then that needs medical attention. You need to visit your pediatrician as soon as possible.
Behavior
Most parents run into some behavioral problems with their kids, whether it is discipline issues, bed wetting or learning difficulties. Your pediatrician can provide guidance in such areas. However, at times the doctor will want to refer you to a developmental-behavioral pediatrician. Such people are trained and experienced to consider your child’s psychological and medical aspects.
Development
One reason why it is essential to take your kid to a pediatrician is to monitor their development
milestones or progress. During each visit, the child is weighed and measured to evaluate their growth in height, weight, and body mass index. The doctor will show you how this compares with other children of the same gender and age to help your kid’s progress. They also check in case of any developmental delays. They can ask about the child’s behavior at home such as rolling over, language or sitting up.
Nutritional Deficiencies
Most children are usually found to be deficient in vitamin D which can lead to problems in the future. You can combat this by visiting your pediatrician to given you calcium servings to curb this deficiency.
These are some of the issues that will make you take your kid for regular pediatrician visits. Regularly visiting the pediatrician will ensure your kid is always healthy.