Your child is most likely your bundle of sunshine. A healthy, joy filled child brings laughter and light to parents and other loved ones. When that child isn’t feeling well and the light grows fainter in those beautiful eyes, the world grows a little dimmer. Having a qualified pediatrician available to diagnose and treat your child’s ailments makes all the difference in the world. This is especially true when it comes to certain childhood issues.
Depression
Americans like to see themselves as happy, well-adjusted people; we pride ourselves on being able to adapt to just about any circumstance. We also have a problem dealing with the fact that we are not as happy, well-adjusted or adaptable as we would like to be. Depression is an issue for children as much as it is for adults. Unfortunately, the resilience that children exhibit under trying circumstances is also what makes it likely that childhood depression will be overlooked.
Very young children may not be so affected by the headlines of recent months; however older kids may be internalizing much of what is happening. For some children having the words to express what they are feeling may be elusive. For others, they may have the words but feel they won’t be heard and there are those who know their parents are dealing with enough on their own so these kids don’t say anything as they work to deal with their own feelings about the tragedies and injustices of the world.
A qualified pediatrician knows how to begin the conversation with kids who are experiencing depression. Children need help to make sense of the world and learn coping skills so they can still enjoy life. Your pediatrician is a key player in discovering the issue and helping you and your child to access help to address the depression.
Trauma
There are different types of trauma. It can be physical, mental, or emotional. Often a child who is experiencing non-physical trauma will act out in peculiar ways. It isn’t unusual for a teacher or some other adult in the child’s life to mislabel the child as having ADHD; however, for some kids nothing could be further from the truth.
Whether it is trauma that you can see physically, such as a blow to the head, or something that is less visible, such as being targeted by a cyber bully, a qualified pediatrician can help. Your pediatrician can find out what is the underlying cause of the trauma and do what is necessary in order to address it. The not-so-visible emotional or psychological trauma is something the qualified pediatrician can identify when others would label it a behavior issue.
Nutrition
This childhood issue affects so many American kids and it begins early in life. The hectic lifestyles that many families fall victim to results in unhealthy food choices for all family members but particularly for kids.Their bodies are growing and they need specific nutrients for healthy development.
Proper diet and exercise can be the difference between a healthy childhood and one with obesity and diabetes. A qualified pediatrician can help you understand the nutritional requirements your kids have and suggest ways to help them achieve that healthy balance.
Pediatric Healthcare has qualified pediatricians who have answers to your questions about childhood issues. Contact us for information about your child’s health. After all, when you have your health, you have everything.
