Children are put through a lot, especially during longer hospital stays. Anyone who specializes in pediatrics and adolescent medicine needs not only medical expertise but, above all, empathy. And yet, the professional scope of pediatrics is enormous.
Pediatrics is the study of diseases affecting children and adolescents. It deals with developmental disorders and congenital anomalies in young patients—as well as their prevention and treatment. Children’s bodies differ from adults’ in many ways, which is why the numerous subspecialties are also highly specialized. These include, among others, pediatric cardiology, pediatric oncology, neuropediatrics, social pediatrics, and adolescent medicine.
Pediatric Specialist / Pediatrician
A pediatric specialist, also known as a pediatrician, is responsible for the development of children and adolescents and for the treatment, prevention, and management of their illnesses.
Among the most common childhood illnesses are
- measles,
- mumps,
- rubella,
- chickenpox,
- polio, and
- whooping cough.
Since pediatrics encompasses the entire field of clinical medicine, it is divided into the subspecialties
- pediatric hematology and oncology (treatment of blood disorders and cancer in children),
- pediatric cardiology (treatment of heart diseases in children),
- neonatology (care of premature and sick newborns),
- neuropediatrics (diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the pediatric nervous system)
.
In addition to surgical expertise, pediatricians also possess knowledge of diagnostic procedures as well as pre- and post-treatment care related to specific diseases.
To become a board-certified specialist in pediatric and adolescent medicine, a physician must complete five years of specialized training.
Therapeutic Services in Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
The therapeutic services offered in pediatrics and adolescent medicine essentially include
- neonatal intensive care,
- neonatal and premature infant surgery,
- abdominal surgery,
- Pediatric Traumatology,
- pediatric urology,
- Minimally Invasive Surgery,
- Thoracic Surgery,
- Oncologic Surgery,
- Treatment of Burns and Scalds,
- Treatment of craniosynostosis,
- Laser therapy,
- Functional diagnostics,
- Administration of blood substitutes,
- Chemotherapy,
- Bone marrow transplantation,
- Heat therapy.