The terms “pediatrics” and “pediatricians” both have to do with the field of medicine that focuses on anyone under the age of 18. This field of medicine is referred to as “pediatrics” or “pediatric medicine,” whereas the physicians that have specialized in pediatrics are referred to as “pediatricians.”

A child’s health is much more than just their physical health, it is understanding how their health includes physical, psychological, cognitive, and social functioning aspects that all work together to help them develop and grow in a manner that is considered healthy. How well children develop and grow can be influenced by many more factors than what is considered in medical care for adults. Pediatricians are required to take all of those factors into account when treating children, which include influences from their family, their peers, and their community, and involve observing how they express themselves in their daily activities and behaviors. Pediatricians provide medical care for anyone under the age of 18, including adolescents who are going through hormonal changes that are unique to their age group, children who are growing and developing incredibly quickly, and toddlers and infants who are unable to communicate verbally to indicate that something is out of the ordinary. All of these different age groups require a different set of knowledge to ensure that physical changes and cognitive development are within the realm of what can be expected for them.

Children’s health is incredibly important because many factors that affect children’s health can have lasting effects on how they develop into adulthood, both physically and in cognition. Children’s health is vastly different from that of adults, which is why the field of pediatric medicine quickly became a necessity to be separated from general medicine. A fair amount of children’s health also relies on preventative care and knowing physical indicators that something is abnormal in order to ensure that they do not develop a condition or illness that could be much more harmful to them than it would be to an adult. Having a pediatrician that knows your child well and can provide regular check-ups throughout their entire childhood and adolescence will help to ensure that they have the best shot at developing into a healthy adult and living a long and healthy life.

You know your child best, and seeing them daily will help you recognize when something seems out of the ordinary with them. Three signs that your child is most likely healthy and feeling good are if they have a normal appetite, if they are able to consistently get a good night’s sleep, and if they have a normal energy level to do all of their normal daily activities. You can work with your pediatrician to make sure that what is considered normal for your child remains within the realm of what is considered healthy for a child in that age group, as all three of those signs can change in varying degrees as your child ages.

A health check-up is an opportunity for a pediatrician to ensure that your child is growing physically and mentally at a rate that is within the realm of what is normal for their age. As such, they will typically perform a physical examination to make sure that the child’s weight and height are progressing normally and will also check their blood pressure and reflexes. All components of the physical examination are to check on their physical health. During these check-ups, pediatricians will also keep an eye out for anything of concern regarding their emotional and cognitive development. They will be looking for indicators of mental health issues such as anxiety or depression, eating disorders, or signs of abuse as your child ages. Additionally, this is both when they will provide your child with all necessary immunizations to prevent illnesses and when you will have the opportunity to ask the pediatrician any questions or bring up any concerns you may have regarding your child’s health.
 
Board-certified pediatricians are available at Dr. Julia B. Barriga, M.D., to care for your child and to assist you in understanding his or her condition and course of treatment if he or she has health or developmental difficulties. For more information, contact us or schedule an appointment online. We are located at 5001 East Busch Blvd Tampa, FL 33617. We serve patients from Tampa FL, Terrace FL, Thonotosassa FL, Lutz FL, Greater Carrollwood FL, Lake Magdalene FL, Westchase FL, and Town ‘N’ Country FL.