A paediatrician’s main task is to find out the cause of the child’s health problem, make the right diagnosis, and prescribe the efficient treatment. Also, paediatricians help their little patients develop healthy habits: keep the daily routine, stay active, and have the right amount of exercises.
At the consultation, the paediatrician will ask the parents about the reason for their visit and review the child’s complaints. The doctor will examine the child, check the lungs and heart, measure blood pressure, and carry out other examinations.
If the patient is a baby, the doctor can make the basic body measurements, including the body weight, height, head and chest circumference.
The paediatrician will use the findings to:
• Make the preliminary diagnosis
• Assign additional assessments (tests and clinical investigations)
• Refer the child to a specialized doctor, as the case may be
• Develop a treatment programme, prescribe medications, give recommendations regarding the child’s daily routine, diet, physical activity, etc.
• in case of an acute state, decide whether the child needs to be hospitalized
At the follow-up visit, the doctor will review the test data, carry out a physical examination, and assess the symptoms to detect any changes in the child’s health. The paediatrician will evaluate the therapeutic effects and adjust the treatment programme where necessary.