Neonate is the term used for infants, starting from their birth to a month. In some cases, the babies might need extra care and monitoring for certain medical conditions that might have occurred either as a pregnancy/delivery complication, or if the baby is born preterm.
WHAT DO THE OBSTETRICIANS AND PAEDIATRICIANS DO DURING NEONATAL CARE?
- 1. Assess the baby’s breathing pattern after the transition from the amniotic sac to the extrauterine atmosphere.
- 2. Evaluating the baby’s organ functioning, and keep a track of any improvements or abnormalities.
- 3. Providing a comfortable feeling where the baby feels as safe as being inside the amniotic sac.
- 4. Helping the baby bond with the mother through the body’s touch and sensory recognition.
2. Emotional & behavioural changes: Emotional and behavioural changes are the most difficult to handle during adolescence. The age is quite a vulnerable one and needs a little extra attention than usual. Mood swings and a number of mixed feelings start cropping in their delicate minds. They start becoming self-conscious, and complexes can grow. Both inferior and superior complexes start growing in them and need to be addressed at the right time. Another important aspect of emotional and behavioural changes includes attraction to the opposite gender. Sexual feelings and thoughts arise, and can bring in a sense of guilt consciousness in adolescents.
3. Peer pressure: Peer pressure can occur due to various influences, such as extreme exposure to television, and the atmosphere they grow up in. Many teenagers get into bad habits such a smoking and drinking during their adolescence. It starts as a fascinating thing and soon becomes an addiction. This is also known as substance abuse. The feeling of low self esteem among friends and other peers influences many children to take the wrong steps to fit themselves among their peers, which leads to severe problems.
4. General health issues: Many young girls end up becoming extremely conscious about their appearance. They tend to develop eating disorders, and some might avoid eating if they are concerned about their weight, which leads to problems like anorexia. They get into a stressful phase where some might lose appetite and some get into a poor lifestyle which results in problems like obesity.
This stage of growth is such a delicate one where you can neither take your child to a paediatrician, nor to an adult specialist. Teenagers at this stage need someone to handle them with not just care and compassion, but also a lot of patience and strategy to push them on to the right track of life. Parents must start becoming more friendly, and less imposing. However, your adolescent medicine specialist will be able to guide you more on how to go ahead with helping your child cope with their adolescence.
Now let’s step into knowing what all conditions does an adolescent clinic deal with. Here’s the list.
- Primary health care and counseling
- Eating disorder
- Menstrual problems
- Mental health
- Acne problems
- Other puberty problems
- Reproductive health care and counseling
- Chronic illness management
