If you have an infant, a toddler, or an adolescent, taking them for regular check-ups to pediatricians must be your prime responsibility to ensure their holistic physical and mental well-being and age-appropriate development. The Greek words “pais” and “iatros” are the roots of the word pediatrics, which translates to “healer of children.” Infants, children, teenagers, and young adults up to the age of 18 to 21 are the primary patients of pediatricians. If you are the parent of an infant, it is very much possible that you end up visiting a pediatrician about a dozen times a year. As your child grows up, pediatricians provide a schedule for proper regular checkups. You may also consult a pediatric if your child is facing illness- be it physical or mental. These pediatric physicians collaborate with you to provide guidance, assist you to keep your kid healthy, and prevent sickness and manage chronic sickness like asthma. It is important to select the best pediatrician in Pune for your child to ensure their overall well-being.
There are numerous reasons why seeing a pediatrician is a must and some of them are listed below-
Table of Contents
1. Monitors your Child’s Age- Appropriate Development :
The primary job of a pediatrician is to monitor the overall mental, physical, and emotional development of your child. You should accompany your child to the pediatrician so that you can keep track of any developmental milestones or growth. A developmental delay will also be checked for by the pediatrician. Your child will be weighed and measured at each visit in order to assess their growth in terms of weight, height, and body mass index (BMI). Pediatricians are better than parents at identifying deviations from normal behavior. The doctor will compare your child’s development to that of other children of the same age and gender and show this comparison to you so you can see how well your child is doing. On top of taking your child’s height and weight, your pediatrician may also test their hearing, motor skills, and vision to make sure these fundamental systems and skills are growing normally.
2. Educating about immunizations and vaccinations :
Pediatricians ensure that the correct vaccine is administered to your child at the right time. There are numerous vaccines that an individual should be given as he/she proceeds from their infancy to adolescence up to the age of 18 years. These include the DTP vaccine, the Influenza vaccine, the MMR vaccine, and many more. Timely vaccination is very important for ensuring the normal development of your child and for keeping them safe from numerous diseases like polio, measles, smallpox, etc. Immunizations are not only required by law, but they are also essential for the health of the infant. It is highly suggested that parents follow the prescribed vaccination regimen for kids.
3. Provide Appropriate Nutritional Advice :
The pediatricians will keep an eye on their patients’ dietary intake to ensure that the children they treat every day receive the recommended servings of vitamins and minerals. Every parent is very concerned about the eating habits of their child. In the present time, the consumption of oily and fried fast food by children has increased a lot. At the same time, we see that kids are getting pickier about their food choices. Parents often struggle with making their kids eat veggies and fruits that are important to them. Moreover, there are many kids who suffer from obesity and malnutrition. Children frequently have nutritional deficiencies, which can be identified and treated before they cause health issues by the top pediatric surgeon in Pune. These visits can help parents who are frequently very concerned about their child’s health get their questions and concerns cleared up.
4. Help in dealing with Child’s behavioral problems :
Pediatricians also help in dealing with various behavioral problems your child may tend to show over years of their development. The behavior of the child is a constant source of concern, especially for new parents. The majority of parents are unable to determine if their infants are acting age-appropriately or whether they should consult a specialist for the same. As your child grows, they may also show signs of learning or reading disabilities. Some kids face the problem of bed-wetting and stammering. Parents of teens often find the behavior of their kids to be unruly and undisciplined and want some guidance for their adolescents. In all such scenarios, consulting a pediatrician should be your go-to move for your child. Developmental-behavioral pediatricians are the experts in this domain as they have the right training and experience to consider the medical and psychosocial aspects of your child’s condition. They also provide valuable advice for dealing with sleeping issues and eating issues like binge eating, bulimia, etc., that your teen may be going through.
5. Major help during fevers and ear infections :
Young children especially infants are very susceptible to getting fever again and again. The younger the child, the sooner you should take it to the pediatrician. It is well known that children with colds are more likely to get other infections. There is a good potential that they will develop into more serious conditions if not treated right away. Therefore, it’s crucial to think about visiting a pediatrician for a checkup and treatment for the common cold. A young child does typically suffer 6–8 colds annually, and many of them may turn into ear infections. It is important for you and your dear child to get proper consultation and adequate treatment- which is the expertise of pediatricians.
Conclusion
Visiting a pediatrician brings these many benefits for your child. Thus, you should keep visiting your pediatrician regularly to ensure the holistic development of your child. Many parents make the mistake of visiting the pediatrician only when their children fall ill. However, this is a wrong approach as it prevents you from monitoring the overall physical, mental, cognitive, and emotional development of the child. Make sure you keep seeing a pediatrician regularly for the sake of your child’s health and their timely age-appropriate development to keep them at par with other kids their age!
