Types of Baby Doctors

There's more to the health and fitness of a baby than we think of. There are different types of doctors who are specialized in rendering appropriate and necessary care to the little ones when they're in trouble. Let us see which ones these are, in this article.

When a baby is born, all we see is the family in tears of joy and the baby sleeping cozily in the bed.

 

 But there is a lot that goes into the whole process of delivering and maintaining the healthy birth of a baby. There are many types of baby doctors, who have dedicated their lives to the study of pediatrics. 

 

They take care of infants and young children, and help them when in need. The world of pediatrics is not limited to the monthly visit to the clinic. There are a lot of other specialists too, who work round the clock to make sure babies and children live a sound and fit life. A few of them have been mentioned in this Buzzle article. Check them out.

Different Types of Baby Doctors

Here, we have for you, a list of the various types of doctors that are responsible for the care and health of babies and young children. Most of them are specialists and need to undergo special training and a residency in their specific field, in addition to a medical degree and a pediatric residency.

Neonatologists: A neonatologist is a doctor who works with those babies who are born prematurely.

 

They handle and monitor the care of these newborns and help them survive the premature birth.

 

 Neonatologists also look after babies who are born with serious ailments and newborn babies who are critically ill. It is a job that requires a degree in pediatrics and then an extended study in neonatology.

Pediatrician: A pediatrician is a general practitioner for babies and children. The jobs of a pediatrician are as follows: he performs routine checkups, takes care of minor injuries and common illnesses in children, and when necessary, refers them to specialist doctors too.

Pediatric Oncologist: A pediatric oncologist is a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in babies and children. They are responsible for the use of various methods and medications for treatment of babies and children who suffer from cancer. It is often seen that pediatric oncologists are more proficient in handling their cancer patients.

Pediatric Nephrologist: A pediatric nephrologist is one who looks into kidney disorders in babies and children. He makes sure to check and treat the child for any disease of the kidney like kidney failure, kidney stones, UTI, abnormality in the urine, etc.

Pediatric Neurologist: The nervous system of babies and children is studied by a pediatric neurologist. He looks into any possible disorders, treats head injuries, takes care of children who experience nerve-muscle disorders, or display behavioral disorders. They have to complete a residency in pediatric neurology in addition to pediatric residency.

Pediatric Cardiologist: A cardiologist who looks after babies' hearts is a pediatric cardiologist. It is his job to detect and treat any kind of heart disorder, congenital or acquired, in babies and children.

 

 He is also called upon to measure the heartbeat of an unborn fetus. When a baby or a child requires to be surgically operated to remove defects from the heart like holes, valve defects, etc., a cardiologist refers the baby to a pediatric heart surgeon.

Pediatric Surgeon: A surgeon who surgically operates on children is a pediatric surgeon. It is his job to deal with birth defects and injuries, extract tumors, and even perform transplants when required. For this, a doctor has to complete a 5 year residency in general surgery and then a 2 year residency in pediatric surgery.

Pediatric Endocrinologist: An endocrinologist is a doctor who deals with the hormones in the human body. If the baby or the child exhibits a problem in his or her growth, an endocrinologist is called in to evaluate the level of hormonal growth. He deals with the thyroid, pituitary, and other hormonal problems that the child may be suffering from.

Pediatric Pulmonologist: A pediatric pulmonologist is a specialist in treating lung disorders in babies and in children. A pediatric pulmonologist is responsible for the diagnosis, treatment, and even the management of the treatment plan of the baby as he grows into a child and even when he becomes an adult. This is because babies with lung disorders need constant monitoring, for which these doctors are specifically trained.

These doctors work round the clock to ensure that the babies who are admitted to their care are in good health, safe from diseases and will go on to live long and healthy lives. It is one of the most noble professions there is, tending to the little ones who will be the future generation. It involves a lot of patience and genuine kindness, something that is an inherent quality and cannot be learned even through years of training.

Things You Can Do When Your Child is in the NICU

When our twins were born at just 31 weeks, it was a very scary time for us and our families. 

 Weighing in at just above 3 pounds each, they both were sent straight to the NICU where they stayed for the next five weeks. During this time, the caring nurses, doctors and staff in the NICU did their best to help us get through it while concentrating on the needs of our children above all else. Putting the care of your little ones in the hands of someone else for such a long time is hard. We learned a lot about patience and trust during this time. We also learned some valuable ways to help spend our time and to help us get through the stay and we wanted to pass some advice on to you to help you as well.

First and foremost you need to ask questions. These are your children and you need to know everything that is going on. Asking questions does not mean you are questioning the doctors and nurses, it means you are doing your job as a parent to help make sure that you know and understand what each procedure, each test, each wire hooked up to your baby means. Write down everything that the doctors tell you. So much information is being told to you that it is easy to forget or get confused. Keep a journal of the NICU time to share with your child and to write down your thoughts, hopes, worries, etc.

Take lots of pictures. They will change daily and you need to record this. You will want pictures of the first time that you can finally hold them because that is an awesome day. Don't allow friends or family that are sick to visit, no matter how hard this might be. This includes you too! You don't want to give your child a cold or the flue when they are already fighting to get big, strong and healthy.

Get plenty of rest and take care of yourself and get rest so that you will be well rested when your child comes home. If you have other children and they can be calm in the NICU, it is good to take them in and make them feel a part of it all. If, however, they become upset or rambunctious, you need to take them out of the NICU because this is not good for the calm, quiet atmosphere that the NICU tries to have for their little inhabitants.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that the health and wellbeing of your child comes before anything else. If this means asking for a second opinion, asking a million questions or staying at home because you are feeling a little under the weather then you need to do it. You need to do what you can to help yourself get through this and to prepare for your child to come home.

For more information about HersheyMedicalCenter [http://www.hospitalfastfacts.com/hersheymedicalcenter.php], beaumonthospital [http://www.hospitalfastfacts.com/beaumonthospital.php] or JohnHopkins [http://www.hospitalfastfacts.com/JohnHopkins.php] please visit our website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/440363