paediatricians

Paediatricians are medical doctors who manage the physical, mental, and social health of infants, children, and adolescents from birth through late adolescence. They focus on growth and development, disease prevention, early detection of illness, and treatment of both acute and chronic conditions. In many healthcare systems, paediatricians also provide routine preventive care, including growth monitoring, developmental screening, immunizations, and guidance on nutrition, safety, and healthy behaviours.

Training and qualifications: Becoming a paediatrician requires completing medical school, followed by general clinical training and a specialty residency in paediatrics. Most countries require certification from a national college or board and ongoing continuing medical education. Subspecialty training is available in neonatal and perinatal medicine, paediatric cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, oncology, rheumatology, infectious diseases, and adolescent medicine.

Work settings: Paediatricians work in hospitals, outpatient clinics, and community health centres. They care for healthy children during routine checkups and manage complex, multisystem illnesses. In hospitals they may specialise in newborn care, paediatric intensive care, or subspecialties, and coordinate with nurses, allied health professionals, and families.

Roles and responsibilities: They perform physical examinations, monitor growth and development, screen for disabilities, diagnose illnesses, prescribe treatments, and arrange referrals to specialists. They counsel families on nutrition, vaccination, sleep, safety, mental health, and healthy behaviours that support lifelong wellbeing.

Impact and scope: Paediatric care emphasizes early intervention and family-centred care. Paediatricians contribute to immunization programs, preventive health strategies, and the management of chronic conditions in youth, with an emphasis on supporting a smooth transition to adulthood.