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Things Your Pediatrician Knows Better Than Other Doctors

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Pediatricians really do know a lot about babies, kids, and teens. Even if they themselves do not have children, they have dedicated their lives to making other children and families better, stronger, and healthier. Here is another look at things pediatricians know better than any other doctors when it comes to your kids.

Your Children and Teenagers Do Not Hate You

From toddlerhood to adolescence, children are constantly testing boundaries. They push you and misbehave to see if you care enough to pay attention. Then they begin yelling horrible things at you, such as "I hate you!" and "I wish I had never been born!"

Yet, your pediatrician already knows that your kids will do this. It is a common behavior growing up, but you should know that just as you probably said and did the same things, you did not really hate your parents. Subsequently, neither do your children hate you. Respond with love, and your angry child will come around.

Children as Young as Ten Can Be Clinically Depressed

Early warning signs of clinical depression in your child can begin appearing as early as the "tween" years--10-12 years old. For girls, it may be a little more obvious because of menstrual cycles and high levels of emotional reactive behavior. For boys, they can be much more sullen, withdrawn, and quiet. If you think your pre-teen or teen may be clinically depressed, your pediatrician can help you figure that out and understand why.

Overeating and Constant Hunger in Your Child May Be a Sign of Something Serious

There are multiple disorders of the human body that start in childhood. Some of these are related to metabolic functions. Prader-Willi, for example, is an all-consuming need to constantly seek out and eat food, putting your child on the fast track for obesity and death. Another metabolic disorder requires that your child eat immense amounts of fatty foods just to put on some weight. Still another disorder, pica, causes children to eat tons of non-food items and vomit up food, depriving their bodies of what they need.

If you spot something out of the ordinary with the way your child eats, your pediatrician should be seen immediately. The pediatrician is familiar with many of these eating disorders in children. He or she can provide a diet and medication to help you and your child with these unusual eating disorders and help treat them for a lifetime.


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