Pediatrics

Most children in the U.S. (around 70%) are generally healthy and require infrequent pediatrics to maintain their overall health. Around 20% have mild to moderate chronic conditions, such as regular ear infections and asthma, that require further specialized attention. The remaining 10% have serious chronic problems, such as congenital heart conditions or juvenile diabetes, which may require intensive management throughout their lives.

When your child is sick or if their development is impeded by a condition or disease, it can be a stressful and worrying time. The relationship between a family and their pediatrician should be based on open and clear communication, compassion, and trust.

Symptoms for diseases and conditions can manifest very differently in children and adults, and some treatments are unsuitable for people under the age of 18.

Pediatricians are fully trained medical physicians who have undertaken further training to become child specialists. They diagnose and treat physical, behavioral, and mental health issues in babies, children, adolescents, and young adults up to the age of 18.

In the first 2-5 years of your child’s life, frequent visits to your pediatrician are particularly important. As your child is developing so rapidly, pediatric physicians:

Routine vaccinations are essential to protect your child and the wider community from highly infectious and fatal diseases.

As with any medical procedure, there are potential side effects. In the case of vaccines, the most common side effects are redness, swelling, and irritation at the site of the injection. Less frequently, children might develop a slight fever. Extremely infrequently, there are more serious side effects. Exact information and statistics should be freely available at your pediatric clinic, and your pediatrician should openly discuss with you any concerns you may have.

Many childhood immunizations have undergone rigorous testing by the FDA to ensure that the benefits far outweigh the possible risks. Misinformation has been widely spread, and may be putting children’s lives at risk.

For example, cases of measles, a highly contagious and potentially fatal infection in infants, have soared in the U.S. in recent years. Once considered eliminated from the U.S. through routine vaccinations, there have been 1,256 diagnoses between January and October, 2019.

There are certain conditions that are particularly prevalent in the Bronx.

We refer requests for pediatric care to Dr. Vinay Shah, MD, an independent pediatrician who has an office at Parkchester Medical.