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Pediatrics

Pediatrics (or paediatrics) is a branch of medical care that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. The upper age limit ranges from age 14 to 18, depending on the country. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician. As a parent, it would be quite beneficial to know who are the pediatricians in your areas. Also note that many general practitioners have some training in pediatrics with possibly a diploma awarded.

Differences between adult and pediatric medicine

Pediatrics differs from adult medicine in many respects. The obvious body size differences are paralleled by maturational changes. The smaller body of an infant or neonate is substantially different physiologically from that of an adult. Congenital defects, genetic variance, and developmental issues are of greater concern to pediatricians than they often are to adult physicians.

Childhood is the period of greatest growth, development and maturation of the various organ systems in the body. Years of training and experience (above and beyond basic medical training) goes into recognizing the difference between normal variants and what is actually pathological.It's the period of maximum activities, administered drugs are metabolised at different rates compared to adults, the form in which the drug is administered differs..for child who yet not learn to swallow a drug (with bitter taste)..so many drugs are in liquid form in paediatrics

Treating a child is not like treating a miniature adult. A major difference between pediatrics and adult medicine is that children are minors and, in most jurisdictions, cannot make decisions for themselves. The issues of guardianship, privacy, legal responsibility and informed consent must always be considered in every pediatric procedure. In a sense, pediatricians often have to treat the parents and sometimes, the family, rather than just the child. Adolescents are in their own legal class, having rights to their own health care decisions in certain circumstances only.

Bringing Up Healthy Children - Stop Your Child From Becoming Obese, Teach Him About Healthy Eating Early!