How Old Should Children Go To The Pediatrician?
When parents see that their children are about to enter puberty or have a teenager, it is normal to ask themselves whether they should continue to see a pediatrician or seek another doctor. Although in most cases the pediatrician is considered to serve children exclusively, they can see patients aged between 14 and 17 years.
So, if it’s not clear to you what the pediatrician’s functions are, why you need to go regularly to appointments, if your 10-year-old child should be seen by a general practitioner or other specialist, read this article.
Below, we will help to clarify all these doubts so that you can make the best decision.
The figure of the pediatrician
The child’s bond with the pediatrician is established from the first days of the newborn’s life. From then on, the pediatrician will be in charge of taking care of your health.
During the first years of life, the child should be taken for a consultation between 4 and 5 times a year. Once they enter adolescence, this number decreases to about once a year if there is no urgency.
The pediatrician obviously plays the role of the doctor. But it is also a guide for parents on nutrition, disease prevention and any questions that arise about the child’s stages of growth. Thus, pediatrics is one of the most complete specialties in medicine.
How often do I need to visit the pediatrician?
According to the children’s age and health status, visits to the pediatrician are usually scheduled as follows:
- For newborns who do not have any pathology, the first appointment is scheduled for the fifth or tenth day of life.
- Up to six months of age, the baby must attend the appointment once a month to supervise any changes inherent to the accelerated growth of this period.
- From 6 months to a year, routine appointments should be made every two months. Of course, as long as the child does not have any illnesses during these intervals.
- During the first year of life, visits are made every three months.
- Between the second and fifth years of life, visits to the pediatrician should be scheduled every six months.
- From 6 years old and up to 12 to 14 years old, visits to the pediatrician for general control will be made once a year.
The pediatrician should examine the child whenever he or she has an illness. Given his knowledge of the child’s history and family history, he will be the most suitable professional to prescribe the necessary doses of medication, according to what the child presents.
If necessary, he can also refer the child to other specialists.
In several countries, such as Spain, 17-year-olds are seen by specialists in pediatrics. However, this happens more for political and social reasons than related to medicine.
Therefore, if your child is over 15 years of age, he or she can be treated by a general practitioner with peace of mind. The choice will be made by the family and the patient.
Why do some parents take their teenagers to the pediatrician?
From the age of 15 onwards, adolescents no longer need the attention of a pediatrician. He can attend the consultation with a general practitioner or even with the specialist related to the presented pathology. But why do some parents still take their teenagers to the pediatrician?
Parents usually already have a trusting relationship with the family pediatrician. After all, they saw their children grow up with this figure. This makes it very difficult for them to accept opinions from other doctors who are not yet familiar with their child’s history.
Not only do parents tend to cling to their child’s pediatrician as their only medical reference. In many cases, it is also remarkable that a relationship of trust is built between the children and the doctor.
This is very positive, as when they reach adolescence, they feel more open to talking, asking questions, or talking about their concerns about their bodies.
On average, the age for children to attend an appointment with a pediatrician is up to 14 years. In the case of countries like Spain, if the adolescent has a pathology that forces him to stay in hospital, the pediatrician’s service age will be until reaching adulthood.
