Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Why A Pediatric Physical Exam Is A Challenge To Physicians

By Marissa Velazquez


When a loved one is ill it is always traumatic for the next of kin but it is especially difficult to see a sick child. Many parents feel inadequate and helpless because there is nothing that they can do to ease the pain and to make things better. It is certainly best to seek medical assistance whenever a child is ill, especially if they experience pain or discomfort. A pediatric physical exam is the only way in which the ailment can be diagnosed and treated.

Infants and young patients require a very different approach than is the case with adult patients. For one thing, children often do not understand that they are actually ill. They sometimes even think that they are being punished. This causes them to be scared and they may even panic during examinations and refuse to cooperate by staying still. Pediatricians are specially trained to handle these challenges.

Of course, children also need to be treated by specialists because they have unique requirements. Some diseases are almost exclusive to children and many general practitioners are not experienced in diagnosing such diseases. Children also require specialized medication and in many cases the treatment methods differ from those used with adult patients. The development phase of children also has an influence upon the treatment that will be most effective.

Pediatricians have to examine their patients without the benefit of being able to ask questions. Parents may sometimes provide vital information but the diagnostic skills of the physician have to be extraordinary. Children may also view the pediatrician as hostile and they may refuse to cooperate. They see the examination and the treatment as threatening. That is why pediatricians need special skills and endless patience.

It is not only the young patients that can cause difficulties for the pediatrician. The parents are often obstructive. They are hesitant to give permission for some procedures and they are often in the way. In many cases they insist on second or even third opinions, thereby delaying urgent treatment. Pediatricians often spend almost as much time with the parents as with the patient.

Most pediatricians try to make their consulting rooms as friendly as possible. There are toys, videos and games to keep waiting patients occupied and to calm them down. Peaceful color schemes are chosen and everything possible is done to create an atmosphere within which the young patients will feel secure and calm. The actual examination is done slowly and gently and if it is possible, the parents are asked to stay at hand.

One of the best things a parent can do is to make sure that their children become used to visits to the pediatrician from a young age. If they are familiar with the pediatrician and the routine they are less likely to panic when they become ill. The pediatrician can also better treat a child if he has access to the history of the patient.

Every child should have a thorough pediatric physical exam on a regular basis. Once children fall ill they can become very ill in a short time span. Children should receive professional medical attentions as soon as it becomes clear that they are actually ill.




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