What can you expect from your first developmental pediatrician visit?
- Finding a developmental pediatrician
- Things to prepare
- Initial assessment
- Tests
- Accepting the diagnosis
A developmental pediatrician is a doctor that specializes in child development. They are capable of assessing your child’s development, including language, social communication, motor skills, and play behavior. To provide the best care, they can work with other care providers.
If you have a child that needs help with their development, you might be interested in booking a consultation. This article will list down what to expect on your first developmental pediatrician visit.
But first, what does a developmental pediatrician do? A developmental pediatrician is just like your average pediatrician, but they specialize in young children who are experiencing developmental blockers. In that, they evaluate, diagnose, and help children who may be dealing with the following conditions:
- Issues with motor skills, such as sitting, walking, and feeding
- Speech and language difficulties, such as articulation and pronunciation
- Social communication problems
- Cognitive and learning disabilities
- Patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Keep on reading to know what to expect on your first visit!
Finding A Developmental Pediatrician
In the Philippines, developmental pediatricians are few in number, so it might be difficult for you to secure an appointment immediately. In most cases, it will take you some time before you can meet a doctor.
Fortunately, Perpetual Help Medical Center in Las Piñas (PHMC) offers comprehensive neurosciences services for patients. The Neurosciences Complex is composed of highly skilled and credentialed doctors, including developmental pediatricians. This way, you can secure an appointment at the soonest time possible.
Things To Prepare
Once you have a scheduled appointment, the next step is to prepare for your consultation. It would be helpful to have another person with you to attend to your child during your first visit, so you can put your full attention on your conversation with the pediatrician. Pack a snack and drink for your child and bring their favorite toy too.
It would be helpful if you brought your medical records, along with your child’s. This is crucial if your child has other medical conditions. If you can, use your time to obtain reports from teachers, therapists, and counselors too. Don’t forget previous evaluations, results of tests, and school documents as well.
Other than these, list down the things you notice with your child’s behavior, list down what they can or can’t do, their diet, and activities. This will help you with the initial assessment.
Initial Assessment
During the day of your appointment, make sure to arrive earlier than the scheduled time, so you can allot time for parking and have enough time to get to the location of your appointment.
During the actual visit, you will have the opportunity to ask questions to your developmental pediatrician. By listing down your concerns beforehand, you can make the best out of the appointment. Your doctor and you will need to discuss the complete medical history of your child.
At this time, your child might also be required to undergo a physical exam and necessary tests that are specific to their area of concern.
Tests
Prepare yourself and your child for some tests, because your developmental pediatrician might require additional ones to rule out certain problems and provide an accurate diagnosis.
Aside from getting tested by their developmental pediatrician, your child might also be referred to other care providers, such as therapists. This is essential for a holistic treatment and care plan.
Accepting The Diagnosis
Keep in mind that the time it takes for your developmental pediatrician to make a diagnosis will vary. In some cases, it will only be one appointment. For other cases, several appointments will be needed. To start your child’s care journey, your developmental pediatrician will work with you and recommend a treatment plan.
Aside from the consultation itself, you need to prepare yourself for the diagnosis, as it can be a lot to take in. The most important thing for parents and guardians is to accept the condition of the child, so treatment can be done properly. Remember that acceptance can take time for some parents. But together with your doctor, you and your child (and the people who support you) can work as a team. This way, the child can conquer their condition!
Key Takeaway
A developmental pediatrician is a doctor who can help with learning, developmental, or behavioral difficulties in children. That’s why if you suspect that your child is having difficulties with their development, you might be interested in consulting with a developmental pediatrician. But if you want to get the most out of your consultation, you need to prepare well.
Now that you know what to expect on the first developmental pediatrician visit, you can better prepare yourself and your child. If you need more information, you can reach us here at Perpetual Help Medical Center Las Piñas (PHMC-LP) Neurosciences Complex offers comprehensive services designed to detect, assess, treat and manage various brain- and nerve-related disorders. Kindly call us at telephone numbers, (+632) 8874-ALTA or (+632) 8874-8515. You can also send us a message by clicking here.
