Keeping your child healthy is one of the biggest responsibilities of a parent. Very young children in particular, have immune systems that are more susceptible to various diseases. If you have a very young child, you know how often they can become ill. Typically, what they contract isn’t very serious, but you still have to contend with several different illnesses and infections. Older children’s immune systems tend to be very strong, but they still need regular checkups to remain healthy. Moreover, many illnesses, physical or mental, manifest themselves differently in children.
For anyone under the age of 21, a pediatrician is the most appropriate practitioner. Typically, children under this age visit pediatricians, and they start seeing more general practitioners once they reach the age of 21. However, certain pediatricians are better for your child than others. Millcreek Pediatrics is one of the best practices in the country because of the depth and breadth of services they offer.
Mental Health
Many pediatricians are very adept at handling physical illnesses, but they’re not very well equipped to handle children’s mental health issues. A number of mental health issues can manifest well before a person is eighteen years old. That could be something serious like schizophrenia, or something more common like a situationally based depression. Whatever the case may be, your child needs to have his or her mental needs addressed. If you are going to a pediatrician that doesn’t offer mental health services though, you will have to go to a separate doctor’s office to address the mental health aspect.
Going to several different medical offices can be time-consuming and very expensive; for working parents, that time can be very limited. That’s why it’s so important to find a pediatrician who also provides psychological care. The psychological care at a practice like Millcreek Pediatrics is incredibly helpful to a child’s development.
Behavioral Health
In children, mental illness and behavioral issues are often very difficult to differentiate. You might think your child is suffering from some kind of psychological malady, but it’s really a behavioral issue. The physicians at Millcreek Pediatrics are well trained in differentiating the two different issues. They also handle behavioral issues so that you can help your child adjust better to current and future difficulties.
Addressing behavioral problems early in your child’s life will help your child develop into a well-adjusted and productive adult.
Whatever pediatrician you choose should be one who is devoted to the full care and treatment of your child. That means regular checkups and physicals as well as addressing any mental and behavioral issues. Not only will that save you time and money, it will help because your child can develop a relationship with a pediatrician. Trusting your doctor is incredibly important to full and complete care.
