Paediatrics

What Is Paediatrics?

Child health and diseases is the branch of medicine concerned with the development of children. The child health and diseases department is also known as the paediatrics department. In general terms, it can be described as the science concerned with child development, or the branch of medicine that deals with babies and children.

After an examination in the paediatrics department, every sick child is referred to doctors in other specialities if this is deemed necessary. For mild flu and similar illnesses that can be managed on an outpatient basis, treatment by the doctors of the paediatric outpatient clinic will be sufficient.

The paediatrics department deals with congenital anomalies, motor development, growth, mental health, childhood vaccination follow-up, nutrition, weight control, neurological health problems, and any health problem that adversely affects daily functioning and general health.

If, after the examination, the paediatrician thinks detailed tests are needed, they will refer the patient to doctors who specialise in paediatric subspecialities.

What Is a Paediatrician? What Are the Duties of a Specialist in Child Health and Diseases?

Doctors who diagnose and treat all kinds of health problems in adolescents, children and babies, and who follow up patients when necessary, are called Specialists in Child Health and Diseases. They are also known as paediatricians. To become a paediatric specialist, one must first complete 6 years of medical education at a faculty of medicine, then take the Medical Specialisation Examination and complete 4 years of training in paediatrics. Those who specialise in child biology, anatomy, psychology and physiology can provide healthcare for paediatric diseases. Candidates who wish to specialise in a subspeciality must continue their specialist training and gain the necessary qualifications.

The duties of specialists in child health and diseases are as follows:

• Monitoring children's development and growth from birth,

• Preparing suitable programmes to support both physical and psychological development when necessary,

• Setting up vaccination schedules for newborns and vaccinating them according to the schedule,

• Ensuring that the tests needed to diagnose diseases are carried out,

• Informing parents and children about the diagnosed illness,

• Carrying out the work needed to prevent epidemic diseases,

• Monitoring the course of treatment and adjusting the plan when necessary,

• Referring patients with conditions that require subspecialist expertise,

Preparing reports on illnesses, deaths and births and submitting them to the relevant institutions; raising awareness among families and children about important health topics such as nutrition, hygiene and physical activity.

Paediatric specialists are expected to have strong analytical intelligence and well-developed communication skills, to be able to come up with creative solutions to problems, and to be practical-minded people with a compassionate approach towards children. For this reason, an intensive programme on child psychology is followed during their training.

What Are Paediatric Diseases? Which Diseases Does the Paediatrics Department Treat?

Paediatric diseases cover all kinds of health problems that adversely affect the general health of adolescents, children and babies. These diseases are first examined by paediatric specialists. If deemed necessary, the patient is then referred to specialists in the relevant field.

The health problems that the paediatrics department deals with can be briefly explained as follows:

• Cardiological Diseases: All kinds of health problems affecting the heart are called cardiological diseases. They include conditions such as congenital heart anomalies, tiring quickly, heart murmurs, heart failure, rhythm disorders, acute rheumatic fever, single ventricle, cardiomyopathy, transposition of the great arteries, chest pain, blue baby syndrome, heart valve diseases and inflammation of the heart tissue.

• Neurological Diseases: These are health problems affecting the nervous system and the brain. Problems such as dizziness, paralysis, febrile seizures, epilepsy, anomalies in brain development, damage to the brain during or before birth, headache, autism, nervous system anomalies and muscle diseases are among neurological diseases.

• Endocrinological Diseases: These are health problems of the endocrine glands and the hormones they secrete. Examples include growth lagging behind that of peers, slow development, obesity, excessive hair growth, entering puberty earlier than expected, bone diseases, inability to gain weight, very rapid growth and delayed puberty.

• Psychological Disorders: These are all kinds of health problems that adversely affect psychological health. Examples include hyperactivity, attention deficit, adjustment problems, behavioural disorders, personality disorders, delayed mental development, high intelligence, aggression, temper tantrums, inability to follow rules, depression, anxiety disorders, underdeveloped motor skills, speech problems, bedwetting, eating disorders, obsessions, tics and sleep disorders.

• Hepatological and Gastroenterological Diseases: These are diseases affecting the digestive system, pancreas and liver. They include conditions such as coeliac disease, long-lasting abdominal pain, ulcer diseases, loss of appetite or excessive appetite, nutritional disorders, liver failure, jaundice, health problems developing in the pancreas, and intestinal infections and worms.

• Haematological Diseases: All kinds of health problems affecting the bone marrow and blood fall within the group of haematological diseases. Examples include frequently recurring infections in the body, enlarged lymph nodes, chronic fatigue, exhaustion, excessive weight gain or sudden weight loss, anaemia, lymphoma, bone pain, leukaemia, bleeding disorders, unexplained bruising on the skin and joint pain.

• Urological Diseases: These are health problems affecting the urinary system and the genital organs. Examples include bladder stones, urinary tract infections, bladder anomalies, loss of kidney function, kidney anomalies, hypospadias (the urinary opening being positioned further back than normal), congenitally absent foreskin, chocolate cysts, undescended testicles, labial adhesions and narrowing of the urinary tract.

• Nephrological Diseases: Doctors who have received specialist training to stop kidney diseases from progressing and to prevent kidney failure are called nephrologists. Diseases such as congenital or acquired cystic kidney diseases, lupus, kidney inflammation and Mediterranean fever are among nephrological diseases.

• Oncological Diseases: These cover all cancers and tumours seen in children. Examples include cancers of the bone, bone marrow, brain, eye, liver, lymph, blood and lungs.

• Immunological Diseases: These cover all health problems involving the immune system. Examples include allergic problems, asthma, hay fever, HIV, eczema, insect allergies and other diseases that trigger the immune system to attack healthy cells.

• Respiratory System Diseases: These are diseases affecting the upper and lower respiratory tract. Examples include postnasal drip, cough, seasonal flu, inflammation of the bronchi, throat infections, windpipe anomalies, the common cold, asthma and similar diseases.

• Childhood Diseases: These are diseases contracted in childhood, such as scarlet fever, measles, rubella, chickenpox, mumps and whooping cough. Vaccination prevents these diseases from leaving permanent damage. Because the paediatrics department deals with all health problems seen in children, the number of diseases it treats is also very large. Physical examination, the patient's history and relevant tests are used to diagnose health problems.

Which Treatments Does the Paediatrics Department Provide?

The paediatrics department takes on the treatment of all health problems arising in the period up to adulthood. The methods used to treat diseases can be listed as follows:

• Medication: This can be used in outpatient or inpatient treatment. Cough syrups, fever reducers, painkillers, allergy-suppressing medicines, growth-supporting medicines and antibiotics are used particularly often. The medicines to be used vary depending on the type and stage of the diagnosed disease. After the examination, the doctor will specify which medicine is to be used, for how long and at what dose.

• Vaccination Programmes: Before vaccination programmes were developed, childhood diseases could lead to dangerous complications such as death or paralysis. However, building immunity against these diseases through vaccines has been effective in enabling children to get through them mildly. Preparing and implementing vaccination schedules is among the preventive treatments provided by the paediatrics department.

Treating the diseases diagnosed by the paediatrics department may require interventions such as physiotherapy, psychotherapy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgical operations. These treatments are carried out by doctors in the relevant specialities.