Choosing the Best Medical Care

Advocating for Your Child's Health Care

From Residency to Practice

Informational Resources

Post-Graduate Training

Types of Specialists

Working with your Child's Primary Care Doctor

Working with Your Insurance Company

All doctors are not the same. Some doctors are specialists who received advanced training in one specific area of medicine. Doctors may treat adults primarily, or they can be pediatricians who treat only children. Understanding the differences between these types of doctors and choosing who is most qualified to treat your child are part of your responsibility as your child's health care advocate.

When children become ill, 95 percent of their health problems can be managed by their family doctor or pediatrician. A small percentage of children have more serious health problems and require referral to a specialist. Usually a general practitioner, pediatrician or family doctor will refer a child to a pediatric specialist. In most cases, a pediatric specialist is the most qualified doctor to care for children with serious or complex medical problems.

Sometimes, depending on the problem, a child will be referred to a specialist who treats both children and adults. Ask if the specialist was trained and how much of his or her current practice is dedicated to pediatrics. If your child is referred to a non-pediatric specialist, ask how the specialist's training or practice prepared him or her to care for children.