Pediatricians provide care to infants, toddlers, and older children up to age 18. Pediatrics jobs can be rewarding and fulfilling, but they may also be challenging at times. The role of a pediatrician in the life of a child normally begins shortly after birth, when a newborn is first examined in the hospital. Normal delivery room examination includes listening to the heart, checking for any injuries the infant sustained during delivery, and checking the infant’s skin color. The placenta and the umbilical cord can also be examined for any damage or structural defects. A pediatrician’s initial examination of an infant immediately following delivery allows any abnormalities or critical issues to be treated promptly, thus improving the odds of a good outcome. If no abnormal situation features are noted, then the newborn can be returned to its mother immediately following delivery.

Later, after the infant has been placed in the hospital nursery (or, in some cases, when the infant is housed with the mother in her hospital room), the pediatrician will return to perform a more generalized examination. At this time, several organs and systems can be evaluated. It’s estimated that anywhere between 15% and 20% of infants have a minor irregularity that is not harmful – meaning they have an unusual feature that won’t cause any damage or long-term effects. Out of this percentage, about 3% will also have a serious abnormality requiring medical intervention.

As the pediatrician begins the exam, the infant’s blood pressure and heart rate will be checked first. A normal heart rate for infants this age should be between 120 and 160 beats per minute, while systolic blood pressure can be as low as 50-70 mm Hg. (Note that as the infant gets older, his blood pressure will increase.) The major areas the pediatrician will check are the skin, head, face, eyes, nose, ears, mouth, neck, chest & lungs, heart, abdomen, genitalia, skeleton, and reflexes (which are tested in order to locate any neurological problems). This might appear to be a long list and can seem scary to a new parent, but the exam is performed quickly and it is always better to find a problem sooner rather than later.

The neurological exam is a particularly interesting part of pediatrics jobs. Most parents probably already know that newborns have reflexes that facilitate survival (such as the rooting and sucking reflexes) and impressive sensory abilities that allow them to recognize their mother soon after birth. Thus even though they don’t see well, babies can locate their mother via smell and hearing, and come equipped to obtain nourishment (i.e. they will automatically suck in response to a nipple or bottle placed in the mouth). In addition to the sucking reflex, the pediatrician will also check for the rooting reflex – where an infant turns his head to the side in response to facial stimulation or touch. Infants should also demonstrate what’s known as the palmar grasp – or the ability to grasp onto a finger when it is placed in the infant’s palm. Other signs the pediatrician look for include deep tendon reflexes, the startle reflex, and the tonic neck reflex.

All of the tests mentioned here are normally conducted in the hospital (or birthing center) before the newborn goes home with his family. Any problems or abnormalities that are detected can thus be investigated further if needed, or treated when necessary. Pediatricians play an important role right after delivery in assessing and furthering newborn health. As children grow and change, pediatricians continue to treat them and assess their well-being. New parents should be reassured by the delivery-room examination as a first step in protecting the health of their child for years to come.

New parents are advised to consult their own pediatrician with any questions or concerns. To learn more about great pediatrics jobs, family practice jobs, or internal medicine jobs, visit PhysEmp.com.

New parents are advised to consult their own pediatrician with any questions or concerns. To learn more about great pediatrics jobs, family practice jobs, or internal medicine jobs, visit http://PhysEmp.com.

Author Bio: New parents are advised to consult their own pediatrician with any questions or concerns. To learn more about great pediatrics jobs, family practice jobs, or internal medicine jobs, visit PhysEmp.com.

Category: Career
Keywords: pediatrics jobs, pediatrician jobs, internal medicine jobs, family practice jobs, newborn health