Paediatrics
Nature of the work
Paediatrics is the area of medicine that
manages medical conditions affecting infants, children and young
people. It is a large and diverse field, encompassing everything
from high-technology specialties such as neonatology, to
community-based services like the management of disabled
children.
Working in paediatrics
Paediatrics is a holistic specialty, focusing
on the child within their family. It aims to minimise the adverse
effects of disease, while allowing children to live as normal a
life as possible.
Paediatricians may offer any of these three levels of patient
care:
- primary care in the community and general practice
settings
- secondary care, perhaps in a hospital setting
- tertiary care, usually in larger district general hospitals and
teaching hospitals.
General paediatrics remains the bedrock of the
service, but there are opportunities to develop close links with
other areas of medicine such as primary care, child and adolescent
psychiatry and public health. Within paediatrics, specialists may
develop skills in a variety of medical fields, including community
paediatrics and neonatal intensive care.
Paediatrics is a forward-looking specialty,
with research frequently leading to impressive and exciting new
medical discoveries.
Information on paediatric surgery can
also be found on this website.
Associated sub specialties
There are many sub specialties within
paediatrics, including:
- oncology
- rheumatology
- neonatology
- neurology
- neurodisability
- nephrology
- endocrinology and diabetes
- gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition
- immunology, infectious diseases and allergy
- paediatric emergency medicine
- paediatric intensive care
- respiratory
- community child health
- clinical pharmacology and therapeutics
- children’s mental health.
Further information
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