Pediatricians - Big Stone Gap, VA

What is General Pediatrics?

General Pediatrics is defined simply as the medical care of children and adolescents. It is one of the broadest specialties, delivering care to patients from birth through young adulthood, and encompassing everything from preventive health to the management of acute and chronic illness. Pediatricians care for the physical, emotional, behavioral, developmental, and social problems that affect children and teens.

A general pediatrician has a wide variety of responsibilities, including:

The management and treatment of illnesses and injuries
Discouraging the spread of serious illness in children, through education and vaccination
Monitoring patients' physical and developmental growth
Performing routine health screenings
Promoting a healthy lifestyle
Guiding parents in all areas of parenting, from offering reassurance to giving advice on everything related to their child, such as feeding, safety, and education

Perhaps more than any other patient group, children are products of the environment in which they live. Because of this, pediatricians don't just treat kids -- they treat communities and families as well. They often become advocates for children and for children's rights. General pediatricians are physicians dedicated to the health and well-being of young people.