Pediatricians

Pediatricians are physicians who specialize in the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents, typically from birth through early adulthood depending on regional practice. They monitor growth and development, provide preventive care, diagnose and treat acute illnesses, manage chronic conditions, advise on nutrition and safety, and address behavioral and mental health concerns. As primary care providers for many families, they coordinate care with specialists when complex issues arise.

Training and certification begin with a medical degree followed by residency in pediatrics, which lasts several years in many countries. After completing training, pediatricians typically obtain board certification from a national pediatric board. Subspecialization is common through fellowship programs in areas such as neonatology, pediatric cardiology, pediatric endocrinology, gastroenterology, oncology, infectious diseases, neurology, and developmental-behavioral pediatrics.

Practice settings vary and may include office clinics, hospital wards and intensive care units, emergency departments, and academic medical centers. Pediatricians emphasize family-centered care, continuity of care, and adherence to evidence-based guidelines for preventive care, including immunization schedules and screening for developmental delays, vision, hearing, and risk factors for obesity and sleep problems.

Historically, pediatrics emerged as a distinct specialty in the 19th and 20th centuries with advances in vaccines, neonatal care, and public health. Today, pediatricians work across public and private systems and may serve in roles ranging from general pediatric primary care to subspecialty consultation, hospital-based consultation, or research and teaching. They operate within ethical frameworks that protect minors, with considerations for consent, assent, and confidentiality.