From the first days of a child's life, parents rely on a paediatrician. The paediatrician follows the child's overall growth and development and is there when the child is healthy as well as when the child is ill.
What a paediatrician does
- Advises parents on feeding, hygiene, sleep and everyday care.
- Checks developmental milestones, such as when a baby starts to roll over, crawl, sit and talk.
- Plans vaccinations and routine tests, and decides when a child should see another specialist.
- When a child falls ill, examines them, orders tests if needed and decides whether hospital treatment or a specialist consultation is required.
Paediatric subspecialties
When a child has a more specific or complex problem, the paediatrician may refer them to a subspecialist. Paediatric subspecialties include:
- paediatric cardiology
- paediatric neurology
- paediatric gastroenterology
- paediatric nephrology (kidneys)
- paediatric endocrinology (hormones and growth)
- paediatric pulmonology (chest and lungs)
- paediatric surgery
- paediatric urology
- paediatric orthopaedics
- paediatric ophthalmology
- paediatric ENT
- paediatric dentistry
Children are not small adults. Doctors and nurses who work with children also need to know how to approach them and help them feel safe, and this matters as much as clinical knowledge.
Bringing a child for treatment abroad
If you are considering treatment for your child in Türkiye, bring all previous reports, test results and imaging, and a list of medicines and allergies. Ask how parents can stay with the child in hospital and who will follow up after you return.
MedAssist can share your child's records with a paediatric specialist at a partner hospital, arrange appointments and organise travel and accommodation for the family. The treating doctor decides on the plan.