Pediatrics

Premature birth complications can vary between premature babies and some are more serious than others. Preterm birth complications are the leading cause of death among children under 5 years of age, responsible for nearly 1 million deaths in 2013. Neonatal resuscitation skills are essential for all health care providers who are involved in the delivery of newborns. Clinicians must use the latest non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic therapies for effective management of neonatal pain, distress, or agitation to avoid neonatal complications. As a child is growing it is important to concentrate on health care transition planning. Nutrients and growth factors regulate brain development during fetal and early postnatal life. Hence it is important to know the neonatal nutrition. Kernicterus (Bilirubin encephalopathy) is an acquired metabolic encephalopathy of the neonatal period is one of the toxic influences. Neonatal Polycythemia, defined as a central venous hematocrit (Hct) level of greater than 65%, is a relatively common disorder in neonates.

The study of Pediatric Cardiology is responsible for the diagnosis of congenital heart defects, performing diagnostic procedures such as echocardiograms, cardiac catheterizations and electrophysiology studies. The increasing number of neonates with congenital heart defects referred to the neonatal intensive care unit reflects the increasing awareness that the defects may be present. Chest radiography and ECG rarely assist in the neonatal diagnosis. Congestive heart failure in the fetus, or hydrops, can be detected by performing fetal echocardiography. In this case, congestive heart failure may represent underlying anemia (eg, Rh sensitization, fetal-maternal transfusion), arrhythmias (usually supraventricular tachycardia), or myocardial dysfunction (myocarditis or cardiomyopathy). Many of the pediatric heart defects such as patent ductus arteriosus interruption, vascular ring division, pericardial window, diaphragm placation, thoracic duct ligation, ligation of collateral vessels have been repaired using pediatric interventional cardiology. The barriers and challenges to achieving routinely applicable Tissue Engineered and Regenerative Cardiac Surgery Methods are also explored as is a novel concept for the Cardiac Hybrid Operating Room Suite of the 21st Century. Apart from these techniques nursing and care for pediatric cardiac patients also plays an important role for the cure of pediatric cardiac patients.

Researchers are engaged in a variety of laboratory and clinical research programs to extend their understanding of the developing nervous system and pathologic processes that underlie neurological disorders in children. The most common neurological disease is pediatric epilepsy. Approximately 70% of children who suffer epilepsy during their childhood eventually outgrow it. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is a diagnostic tool used for inherited metabolic disorders. To date, MRS has been limited to the assessment for cerebral lactic acidosis in mitochondrial disorders in children. Neuromuscular and genetic metabolic diseases are the most common genetic related disorders in children. The new frontier to improve outcomes in crticially ill pediatric patients with neurological illness is Pediatric Neurocritical Care.

Pediatric Endocrinology is a medical subspecialty dealing growth disorders and sexual differentiation in childhood, as well as neonatal diabetes and other disorders of the endocrine glands. It also includes the study of the most common types of diabetes are type 1 and type 2 diabetes. There is another type of diabetes that is often misdiagnosed as type 1 or type 2 diabetes, called monogenic diabetes which is seen in children

Gastrointestinal disorders in children range from minor to life threatening, and short- to long-term or chronic. Neonatal Jaundice is one of the most common conditions needing medical attention in newborn babies. Gastrointestinal food allergies are not rare in infants and children. Gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopic procedure a pediatric endoscopy has become an essential modality for evaluation and treatment of GI diseases. Complex gastrointestinal surgery is one of the common methods to treat GI disorder in children. The principle diseases concerned with pediatric gastroenterology are acute diarrhoea, gastritis, persistent vomiting and problems with the development of the gastric tract.

Nearly every child or teen faces some challenges as they grow up because of peer pressure, family changes, a death or other loss, managing a chronic illness, or simply because it isn’t easy making the change from being a child to being an adult. Poor mental health can affect overall well-being and can lead to emotional and behavioral changes, ADHD and learning disabilities. Many children experience loss or stress, and others must manage their chronic illness at a young age. Some children have a disorder that runs in the family and puts them at higher risk for depression or anxiety. Some children may also be affected due to school problems and relationship problems and leads to behavioral and developmental disorders. If a child or teen shows extreme anxiety, depression, problems with nightmares and sleeping, aggressive behaviors or if he talks of suicide, seek immediate cognitive behavioral therapies.

Pediatric pulmonology is a medical specialty that deals with diagnosis and treatment of diseases involving respiratory tract. Pediatric pulmonology is a combination of both pulmonology and pediatrics. Pediatric pulmonologists are specially trained in pulmonary pediatric diseases and conditions of the chest, particularly pneumonia, asthma, tuberculosis, complicated chest infections, etc. Epiglottitis is a cause of pediatric dyspnea that should be considered by the EMT when evaluating children in respiratory distress. Hence it is important to study the diagnosis, immunization and preventive measure of these diseases.

A rheumatic disease affects the joints, muscles and connective tissues. Some, like osteoarthritis, are the result of wear and tear. Others, such as rheumatoid arthritis, are immune system problems. Treatment plan will likely include medications, regular exercise, a healthy diet, stress management, and rest. Common Rheumatic disorders are Lyme disease, Systemic lupus Erythematosus, Behcet's Disease, Polymyalgia Rheumatica, Rheumatic fever. Lupus erythematosus is a name given to a collection of autoimmune diseases in which the human immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks normal, healthy tissues. Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that can involve the heart,joints, skin, and brain. Many rheumatic diseases are chronic conditions. They are unlikely to go away. There may not be a cure for our condition, but effective management is available for most. Many people with rheumatic disease lead happy, satisfying lives year after year.

It can be frightening to hear that a child has cancer or a blood disorder. It is acknowledged that neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor of infancy. It is an embryonal malignancy of the sympathetic nervous system arising from neuroblasts (pluripotent sympathetic cells). Researchers are looking for genetic source of childhood cancer. The common blood disorders in children are leukemia and lymphoma. Leukemia is a disease of the white blood cells. The most common type of pediatric leukemia is acute lymphocytic leukemia. Other types of leukemia that occur less frequently in children are acute myeloid leukemia, and chronic myeloid leukemia. Lymphomas (Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma) are the third most common cancer in children. Based on the characteristics and microscopic appearance of the cancer cell, the pediatric lymphomas are divided into Hodgkin Lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Hence learning more about the advances in cancer detection and images becomes a prominent subject to cure childhood cancer.

Hepatology is a branch of medicine concerned with the study, prevention, diagnosis and management of diseases that affect the liver, gallbladder, biliary tree and pancreas. The term is derived from the Greek words hepatikos and logia, which mean liver and study.

Pediatric nutrition is the maintenance of a proper well-balanced diet consisting of the essential nutrients and the adequate caloric intake necessary to promote growth and sustain the physiologic requirements at the various stages of a child's development. Pediatric nutritional needs vary considerably with age, level of activity, and environmental conditions and they are directly related to the rate of growth. Breast Feeding has important ingredients that are not found in any infant formula, to build the baby’s immune system. Pediatric nutrition must consist of essential Vitamins and Minerals which help for the growth and development. Proteins are the basic units required mainly for the construction of the body muscles and in all the metabolic activities of the body. To increase the calcium levels intake of dairy products are needed.

Pediatric hematology is the branch of pediatrics dealing with study, diagnosis, treatment and prevention different types of blood disorders including the study of bleeding and clotting disorders in children. The study of Tumor Cell Biology reviews applications concerned with signal transduction mechanisms in neoplastic cells, and regulation of tumor cell phenotype and behavior, and tumor progression. It important to study causes, risk factors and the hypothesis in pediatrics with hematology disorders. A medical practitioner who specializes in this field of pediatric hematology is called pediatric hematologist. It is important that one should be familiar with the educational and preventive measures in order to prevent children being affected with blood disorders.

Pediatric Allergy is an important subject to be learnt in order to promote understanding and advance the treatment of respiratory, allergic, and immunologic diseases in children. It emphasizes the epidemiologic research on the most common chronic illnesses of children—asthma and allergies—as well as many less common and rare diseases. Swollen or enlarged adenoids and Tonsils are common in children. Environmental and food allergies in children occur when the children’s immune system reacts to normal harmless substances present in the environment. Pneumonia is often caused by viruses, such as the influenza virus (flu) and adenovirus. Other viruses, such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus, are common causes of pneumonia in young kids and babies. Some of the Allergic reactions in children include, red eyes, atopic dermatitis (eczema), itchiness, runny nose, urticaria (hives), an asthma attack and sinusitis.

Children with fever account for as many as 25% of pediatrics emergency department (ED) visits, and the underlying disorders in these cases range from mild conditions to the most serious of bacterial and viral illnesses. Asphyxial cardiac arrest is more common than VF cardiac arrest in infants and children, and ventilations are extremely important in pediatric resuscitation. The track includes Pediatric thoracolumbar spine trauma, Child Abuse & Management, Educational & Preventive Measures, Skull Fractures.

Pediatric Care Nursing is the combination of pediatrics and nursing. Specially trained nurses from field of pediatrics plays a major role in pediatric nursing. The track includes The Importance of Health Care, Neonatal intensive care and Nursing, Schizophrenia and Nursing care, Psychiatric & Mental Health Nursing. Emergency care nursing is the important part of training given to medical nurses and graduates, so that in case if absence of a complete emergency practitioner, they can be a help for patients.

Pediatric surgery is a branch of pediatrics which is dealing with all the surgical operations of children. It is a combination of both surgery and pediatrics. Pediatric surgery is responsible for the treatment of many disorders through surgical operations in children and playing vital role in saving lives at birth stage by newborn and fetal surgery. Pediatric surgery can be mainly divided into two sub categories, known as, pediatric cardiothoracic surgery, pediatric surgical oncology, pediatric nephrological surgery, pediatric neurosurgery, pediatric urological surgery, pediatric hepatological surgery, pediatric orthopedic surgery, pediatric vascular surgery and pediatric oncological surgery.

Pediatric dentists are dedicated to the oral health of children from infancy through the teen years. They have the experience and qualifications to care for a child’s teeth, gums, and mouth throughout the various stages of childhood. Pediatric dentists provide comprehensive oral health care that includes the Infant oral health exams, Pediatric Endodontic, Dental caries and Pediatric oral health research.