A pediatrician is a primary care doctor in San Diego who treats patients ranging in age from newborn to 18 years old or even above. They provide a wide array of services that include performing physicals, diagnosing and treating various conditions, and advising parents on how to keep their child healthy.
What Is Teething?
Teething describes the eruption of the baby teeth, and it usually starts when a child is between four and seven months old. Under normal conditions, the process is quite painless. Contrary to popular belief, the tooth doesn’t cut through the gums, for the gums actually make space for the emerging tooth.
While teething itself is generally painless, the baby may experience discomfort about three to five days before the tooth starts to emerge. The tooth can put pressure on their gums, and the infant will often become fussy and drool a lot. While some babies have swollen gums and show a decreased appetite, they should not stop eating and drinking altogether. Nor should they start showing cold symptoms, fever, nausea, or vomiting while teething. Babies that show such symptoms need to be taken to their pediatrician.
Generations ago, doctors used to recommend dangerous treatments like lancing a baby’s gums to reduce swelling. These days, doctors recommend massaging the gums or giving the baby something cool like a cold teething ring or frozen washcloth to suck on.
When Is a Child Too Old for a Pediatrician?
While some parents have their child stop seeing a pediatrician in their early teens, it can actually be beneficial to have a child continue seeing a pediatrician up through their college years. Some insurance policies even allow a child to continue seeing a pediatrician until they’re 21 years old.
The advantage of staying with a pediatrician that long is continuity of care. The teenager has been seeing their pediatrician since infancy or early childhood and will find it easier to discuss their concerns with them than with a new doctor. The pediatrician can also recommend a new primary care doctor in San Diego when it is time to get one. For more information, visit at Children’s Physicians Medical Group.
