Pediatrician

When your own baby or child falls ill and for Pediatrician must, this is a stressful situation for most parents and children. The pediatrician is the right contact person for illnesses of the child, but also for checkups and vaccinations. Advice on developmental problems or behavioral problems are also part of the duties of a pediatrician.

What is a pediatrician?

A Pediatricianthat in the technical language Pediatrician is a specialist in pediatric and adolescent medicine. After studying medicine, he specializes in a five-year advanced training course on the peculiarities of the child's and adolescent body as well as the most common diseases of children and adolescents and their treatment options.

In addition, the work of a pediatrician also has a preventive - that is, precautionary - function, which is particularly important when it comes to vaccinations and preventive medical checkups. Some paediatricians opt for further training in a special field such as the treatment of cancer, nervous or heart diseases in children.

Other areas of further training are the treatment of diabetes, orthopedic problems, rheumatism, lung diseases, developmental disorders and digestive and kidney problems. Most pediatricians in private practice treat a wide range of diseases and refer a sick child to their specialist colleagues in the event of problems or for further diagnosis. A specialized pediatrician often works in a children's hospital.

Treatments

A resident Pediatrician with his own practice, he is often confronted with harmless bacterial and viral diseases such as infections of the respiratory tract or the digestive system in his everyday work. He examines the children and then suggests treatment.

In addition, there are injuries or minor accidents that can be treated on an outpatient basis. Another important area of ​​activity of a pediatrician is the performance of preventive examinations, which are colloquially referred to as Us (U1 - U11, as well as J1 and J2). During these examinations, the pediatrician assesses the age-appropriate emotional, social and physical development of the child and finally enters his findings in the yellow health care booklet that the parents should bring to each U.

The check-ups take place at specified times and the physical and mental abilities to be checked are specified. Preventive examinations are an early detection measure so that any abnormalities can be responded to in good time. The pediatrician also carries out the vaccinations recommended by the STIKO (Standing Vaccination Commission of the Federal Republic of Germany). If parents are unsure about the need for certain vaccinations, the pediatrician is a competent contact and will be happy to advise parents on these questions.

Diagnosis & examination methods

The methods that a Pediatrician available for examination and diagnosis are based primarily on his practice equipment and his focus. In the case of minor illnesses, the focus is on diagnostic procedures such as palpation, listening to the heart and lungs with a stethoscope, talking to parents, weighing and measuring the child, and checking the throat and ears.

A pediatrician can also examine the child's blood, smears and urine for abnormalities. Some paediatricians can perform rapid tests directly in their practice, others send the samples to a laboratory for evaluation. Whether a pediatrician practice has an X-ray or ultrasound machine depends on the practice's orientation.

Specialized pediatric practices also carry out examinations in their area of ​​expertise. For example, a pediatric cardiologist can write an EKG or a pediatric pulmonologist can perform a respiratory function test.

What should parents watch out for?

When parents looking for one Pediatrician it is often helpful to talk to other parents about their experiences.

Ultimately, however, especially in paediatrics and adolescent medicine, it is often a question of personal sympathy, because the most important thing for a good relationship with the pediatrician is a solid foundation of trust.

The child should feel comfortable during the examinations, which is achieved above all through child-friendly treatment of the child by the doctor. However, a good pediatrician should also take sufficient time for the parents' questions and worries so that ambiguities can be quickly cleared up.

At least during the first decade of life, the pediatrician is an important companion for parents and children.