Pediatrics

What is pediatrics?

Generally, pediatrics focuses on babies, children, adolescents, and young adults from birth to age 21 years. A pediatrician is a child's physician who specializes in pediatrics and provides:

preventive health maintenance for healthy children.
medical care for children who are acutely or chronically ill.

Physicians specializing in pediatrics manage the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of their patients, in every stage of development - in good health or in illness.

Pediatrics physicians diagnose and treat the following:

infections
injuries
genetic defects
malignancies
organic diseases and dysfunctions

However, pediatricians are concerned with more than physical well-being. They also are involved with the prevention, early detection, and management of other problems that affect children and adolescents.

Pediatrics is a collaborative specialty - pediatricians work with other medical specialists and healthcare professionals to provide for the health and emotional needs of children.

Pediatrics Education:

Following graduation from medical school, primary care pediatricians complete three years of education in an accredited pediatrics residency program.

Pediatric residency training emphasizes care of the whole infant, child, adolescent, and young adult. Following the pediatric residency, the pediatrician is eligible for board certification by the American Board of Pediatrics with successful completion of a comprehensive written examination. Recertification is required every seven years.

Although nearly 60 percent of pediatricians are involved in the provision of primary care for their pediatrics patients, many others choose to continue their education in pediatric subspecialties.

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The content provided here is for informational purposes only, and was not designed to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease, or replace the professional medical advice you receive from your physician. Please consult your physician with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.

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