It can be anxiety provoking for both child and parent alike when it’s time to see a doctor, whether it’s for a simple annual checkup, or for a specific sickness and/or disease. While seeing a general physician might not harbor the same anxieties as seeing a dentist where needles are so often involved for Novocaine injections, it’s important that adolescents maintain optimum all around heath. 

All too often, good kid health starts with the teeth. Says Enamel Republic Family Dentistry, dentists in Kitchener, a child’s first visit to a pediatric family dentist is a rather very important building block in the formation of a “positive relationship” between child, parent, and dentist. The first visit should be about establishing a lifetime of good oral hygiene. And oral hygiene means a healthy body. Healthy teeth are directly connected to a healthy heart, for instance.   

So then, what can a parent or parents do for maintaining optimum all around healthcare for their young ones? According to a new parenting report, pediatric doctors are typically graduates of required, specialized programs and intense training in their field or fields of choice. Lots of these M.D.s receive additional residency and/or education to treat children exclusively.    

The General Pediatrician

General pediatricians are Doctors of Medicine or M.D.s. They can also be a doctor of Osteopathic Medicine or D.M.s. 

M.Ds are who you go to for immunizations, check-ups, physicals, and other overall medical issues. This doctor will be the most familiar with your child and will oversee him and her until they become adults (anywhere from 18-21 years of age). 

Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine will concentrate on healing the whole body. They are trained to utilize “manipulation techniques” that will provide therapeutic recovery in the body. D.O.s work from out of a family practice and work directly with kids.

The Pediatric Dentist

Say the experts, no one would ever take a young child to a dentist who is familiar with taking care of permanent teeth, but who have no idea how to treat developing teeth. As luck would have it, pediatric dentists are highly trained at treating and caring for the rapidly changing “landscape” of kid’s overall oral health.  

Pediatric dentists not only take care of semi-annual cleanings plus regular check-ups, they also engage in in-depth treatments, such as laser procedures specially engineered for a child’s mouth. 

The Pediatric Surgeon

For reasons that should seem obvious, your child should see a different type of surgeon than you would. After all, children and adults are very different. The main difference is that kids are constantly growing and developing. 

Naturally, you are always hoping that your child won’t need a surgical procedure. But you can take comfort in knowing that if you ever need an operation for your son or daughter, there is a trained pediatric medical professional who can provide them with the necessary treatment.  

It should be noted that pediatric surgeons are also highly trained in the use of ultrasound tools which means they can even treat an infant while he or she is still inside the womb. 

The Pediatric Cardiologist

Pediatric cardiologists are highly trained to work with a child’s heart. These M.D.s are said to be able to work with young infants as soon as they are born. For instance, if your child is born with a heart issue, there are cardiologists who know precisely what needs sot be done to save his or her life, even if they are only hours old. 

Pediatric cardiologists will take care of your child every step of the medical way, from initial diagnosis to full recovery.

The Neonatologist

Sadly, some babies are born with severe and major medical health issues. In a word, this situation can be heartbreaking to say the least. However, neonatologists are M.D.s who can treat the severely medically impaired child. They are specialists who are trained for treating and caring for newborns who for one reason or another are born with severe health problems.   

The experts will tell you that neonatologists should know precisely what’s required for helping your sick child. While they might not physically engage in lots of the treatments themselves, they “direct traffic,” so to speak, in order to get your son or daughter the lifesaving assistance they will require as sickly infants. 

Sometimes, a baby’s medical condition can be not so severe. But even then, the neonatologist will be in the NICU to make sure the sick baby receives the nourishment he or she requires while also remaining in stable condition.