What is Pediatrics?
Pediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the
diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases of infants, children and
adolescents. Pediatrics is also concerned with the factors that affect the
growth and development of children. Pediatrics covers a broad area of health
services ranging from preventive health care to the treatment of chronic
diseases. General pediatrics includes specialty areas such as adolescent
medicine, endocrinology, cardiology, emergency medicine, gastroenterology,
infectious diseases, neonatal medicine, neurodevelopmental disabilities,
nephrology, pulmonology, rheumatology and surgery.
Pediatricians are primarily concerned with the health,
welfare and development of children and adolescents. Pediatricians are
specialized through training, experience and continuing education. Pediatric
surgeons are those who are specialized in caring for infants and children with
surgical problems.
Pediatric cardiology deals with comprehensive cardiac care
for infants, children and adults. It covers congenital heart diseases and
other cardiovascular diseases. Pediatric rheumatology includes the evaluation
and treatment of children with rheumatologic conditions such as juvenile
rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatic fever and other autoimmune diseases.
Infectious disease is another subspecialty area in
pediatrics. It deals with the treatment and prevention of infections which
impact children. The treatment in this area includes vaccines for virus
infection and antibody therapy. Pediatric endocrinology deals with disorders
like diabetes mellitus, growth disorders, thyroid problems, calcium problems
and obesity. Pediatric neonatology deals with caring for premature and at-risk
babies with a variety of health conditions.
Gastroenterology area in pediatrics deals with the
gastrointestinal and liver problems in children. Pediatric pulmonology
specializes in children with cystic fibrosis, asthma, airway problems and
other pulmonary diseases. Pediatric neurology treats children with
neurological disorders such as developmental delay, neuromuscular diseases and
language or learning disabilities.
Pediatric surgery provides general surgical needs for
infants, children and adolescents. This includes common pediatric surgical
problems such as appendicitis and hernia. Other surgery areas include
congenital malformations, major trauma, lymphomas of head and neck, chest
deformities and solid tumors.
