Family practitioners are well-equipped to handle wellness checks and the everyday health issues your family members may have. They have the training and expertise to diagnose and treat the usual maladies that come and go throughout the year. When it comes to your child, though, an experienced pediatrician is preferable for a number of reasons, including better diagnostic ability.
Specialty Training
In addition to the schooling all medical doctors receive, pediatricians must undergo further training. After obtaining a medical degree, which is four extra years after their undergraduate degree, a pediatrician must then complete a residency, which can be anywhere from three to ten years, depending on how specialized the doctor desires to become.
After the residency is finished, the pediatrician may then be certified, by passing an exam given by the American Board of Pediatrics (AAP). A board-certified pediatrician is a full Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. If you see the designation “FAAP” after the doctor’s name, this is what it means. This indicates the highest status of membership in the organization.
After the training for pediatrics, some doctors continue their education and training in specific specialties. This training may continue from one to three years, depending upon the field. These highly-specialized doctors are called upon by general pediatricians when an uncommon problem or special issue is found with the patient.
Advantages of Choosing an Experienced Pediatrician
Since pediatricians have extensive training in treating children, your pediatrician may be better equipped to diagnose health issues in your child before they become serious problems. They are well-versed in child development as well as childhood diseases and illnesses. Experience pediatricians often have a deeper understanding of the cares and concerns of new parents, and can offer more comprehensive advice and guidance as the child grows.
Some diseases and disorders have telltale signs early in a child’s life, and the experienced pediatrician is able to look for and diagnose these issues, should they manifest in your child. Since the pediatrician does not have a complete picture of the family’s health history in the same manner that a family doctor may, it is important you provide a complete history of your family’s health.
Besides expertise in diagnosing and treating childhood diseases and disorders, experienced pediatricians have developed a bedside manner suited for kids. They know how to communicate with a variety of developing personalities. An experienced pediatrician knows how to reassure a fearful child, calm an excitable child and reach the teen who doesn’t want to talk about it. Pediatric offices are also geared to provide an entertaining environment for kids, to help them feel at ease.
Many pediatricians also go the extra mile, and will provide you with their contact information if you need to reach them after regular business hours. They understand the fears and concerns parents of newborns face as well as the anxieties parents have when a child is very ill. Knowing you can reach your child’s doctor in an emergency situation can be very reassuring.
The pediatricians associated with Pediatric Healthcare offer their patients excellent care in a comfortable and child-friendly environment. We enjoy providing each family with the best in health care. If you are looking for an experienced pediatrician for your child, be sure to give us a call. Taking care of kids is our business!
