How to Choose The Best Child Specialist for Your Baby

Many Indian families nurse the notion that “Child Specialists” are consulted only by parents who deliver pre-term babies. They also tend to think that the apt time to introduce their children to a “Child Doctor” is when the baby is diagnosed with a certain illness during the early years of childhood.

 

This notion is essentially wrong. A Child Specialist should be administered to your baby way before his/her delivery to ensure the baby enjoys a steady period of health, right until he passes adolescence & becomes an adult.

 

A Child Specialist is a doctor who specializes in the care & treatment of infants, children & adolescents as well until s/he is a full-grown adult. A Child Specialist is more popularly known as a Pediatrician. A Pediatrician must be a medical school graduate who has acquired a three-year training of Pediatric Residency under the requirements of the American Board of Pediatrics.

 

To obtain a certificate from the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) & own an official license, each aspiring Pediatrician is required to sit for an examination held by the ABP.

 

If you have/are expecting a pre-term baby, choosing a top child specialist in Siliguri is extremely mandatory. Since a pre-term infant is weaker than a normal term baby, s/he is highly prone to a host of illnesses & infections that prove to be fatal most of the times due to the infant’s highly vulnerable physical & mental health. Administering her/him to a medical practitioner who specializes in children and is familiar with the baby’s health chart is highly advised. It helps in keeping the baby safe & healthy. Prevention is always better than cure.

 

If your baby is delivered during a full-term & is healthy, keeping the infant under the regular supervision of a Pediatrician of your choice helps in proper maintenance of your baby’s health.  The Pediatrician regularly evaluates your infant’s height & weight growth chart. Observes his/her physical & mental development. Offers you expert medical advice on how to raise the baby. Keeps you informed about the medical do’s & don’ts. Regularly administers your baby with important vaccines & immunizations. Helps with the early diagnosis & treatment of any potential mental/physical illnesses.

 

Hence, searching for a skilled Pediatrician well before delivery ensures a smooth childhood to your infant, free of medical complications.

 

So if you want to hunt for the best child specialist in Siliguri, here is a compiled list of simple guidelines to help you through the hunt –

 

The ideal period for searching a Pediatrician is during the second trimester. This task can be exhausting if you put it off until delivery. Once the baby arrives, s/he will be in need of immediate medical attention. As much as the hospital staff takes care of the baby, you’re on your own after the discharge. Without a pre-appointed Pediatrician, you will be clueless when your baby develops her first rash.

 

It is really simple. The answer lies in your computer. Look for blogs & read the reviews. Discover what the mothers are saying. Who do they recommend? The internet provides you with the best of names, ratings & reviews. Shortlist your favorites & schedule an appointment. You would want to indulge in an intimate pep-talk with the Pediatricians & decide who do you like the most. Remember, its all about experience & comfort. The specialist you choose is going to be with you for years.

 

 

Meeting the Pediatrician in person helps you gauge the potential of the practitioner. Observe if the Pediatrician is friendly and patient. You would want to choose the best doctor for your child, who is good at handling babies and is gentle to them. But the most important objective behind the first meeting is to establish a bond between you & your Pediatrician. Choose a specialist you feel the most comfortable with, as you will be communicating with him about your child’s health & not your child.

 

Here is a list of questions that you should ask a Pediatrician –

 

a.    Are you an American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) certified child specialist doctor in Siliguri?

 

b.    Do you have any subspecialty in the medical field? Like in the field of Neonatology or Cardiology?

 

c.    Do you practice in a group or do you hold an individual chamber?

 

d.    What are your views regarding Vaccines, Circumcision & Breastfeeding?

 

e.    When is the best time to call you in the case of minor or major queries?

 

f.    In the case of an emergency, how long will it take for you in average to attend my child?

 

g.    Who is going to attend to my child or answer my queries in case of your absence?

 

h.    Which hospital are you affiliated with?

 

i.    Do you have children of your own?

 

j.    How have you been in practice?

 

 

Even if talking to a doctor can be intimidating, you should always remember that you are hiring his/her services. And the rate at which you will be able to communicate with the Pediatrician will directly affect the health of your baby. So do not hold back any information from the doctor regarding your family pedigree. Be comfortable & at ease in their presence, and observe if the baby bonds with the Pediatrician as well. If not, then you should encourage it.

 

If you or your baby are not comfortable or compatible with the doctor, then don’t hesitate from searching a new one. You can politely inform that you want to discontinue availing their service, whatever may be the reason behind it. A good Pediatrician will take it as a lesson, and not an offense. The prime objective of the whole endeavor should be keeping your baby at the pink of health. And it should be achieved at any expense.

 

So go ahead, pick up the right Child Specialist by keeping these things in mind, and gift your child the precious assurance of good health!