Pediatrics

Pediatricians are medical practitioners who specialize in the treatment of children from birth through adolescence.

Pediatrics as a separate area of medical practice largely began in the 19th century when people realized that treating a child is not like treating a miniature adult as it requires special knowledge and skills. Later, it lead to further specialization in pediatrics – now most subspecialties of adult medicine have a pediatric equivalent, for instance, pediatric cardiologist, neurologist, gynecologist, surgeon, etc. Recently the upper age limit of patients has expanded – now pediatricians treat adolescents through age 18. And in some countries there is a strong tendency to increase this age limit up to 22!

GMS pediatricians are called on to provide a variety of services, including diagnosing illness, prescribing treatment, counseling families, monitoring the growing child's physical, mental and social development, looking after vaccination schedule, giving instructions regarding special baby care, etc. Of course, most of the time is spent on interaction with parents. We often have to calm them down and dispel their apprehensions concerning their child's health. Being under constant influence of mass media and rumors, parents become absolutely sure that their child's health is in danger and it is of vital importance to boost their child's immunity, make their child take a vitamins course, take a massage therapy for the newborn, get rid of aurococcus in the bowels or make their child take an antihelmintic drug. In these situations when you need helpful advice, it is better to turn to a pediatrician. All GMS Clinic Pediatricians are specialists in general pediatrics, allergology and immunology.

Pediatrician is the child's representative and takes an active part while discussing a particular case with other specialists. Having interacted with the child and their parents for a long while, the pediatrician knows the child's peculiarities, his/her eating habits, daily routine, response to illnesses. When other specialist's (cardiologist's, ENT-specialist's, gastroenterologist's, etc.) advice is needed, your pediatrician will assist you referral and will be present during specialist's consultation. Then your pediatrician will monitor the treatment course, give good advice on how to follow all the prescriptions, evaluate the efficiency of treatment and define your child's tolerance to particular medicine. Dear parents and grandparents, please, remember that specialists change but your pediatrician is always near to assist you with your child's healthcare needs.

GMS Clinic Pediatricians stick to international standards in diagnostics and treatment process. Thus we avoid any difference in views between our colleagues and patient's parents while discussing and interpreting difficult cases. But applying international standards in work doesn't eliminate the individual approach we base on at GMS Clinic. On the contrary, we pay special attention to patient's clinical course peculiarities and if necessary deviate from the generally accepted scheme. For instance, according to the standard we should use penicillin antibiotic to treat streptococcus angina but in case the patient is allergic to this type of antibiotic we have to deviate from the standard. Another example of deviation from medical protocols we often come across in oncology. Since 1990s most chemo-therapy schemes have been standardized. Nowadays new types of medicine is being constantly developed and brought into use and this leads to change in the treatment schemes. Thus patients benefit from the best treatment available today.

GMS Clinic pediatricians rely on evidentiary medicine data in their work. Sometimes this data may be surprising for both doctors and their patients. For example it is proved that cough remedies that we usually buy in good supply at the chemist's do not minimize the cough duration.

Unfortunately, in real life it is not all roses. Sometimes interests of pharmaceutical companies, doctors' unawareness and conservatism in treatment methods, etc. impede the introduction of high-end medical technologies.

GMS Clinic pediatricians are committed to providing your child with the highest-quality care that meets international standards. Our pediatricians are healthcare professionals who studied, completed a training course abroad and passed professional exams at the world's best medical centers.

Medical standards include not only diagnostic and treatment methods but also certain standards of interaction between doctors and their patients. At GMS Clinic we guarantee our patients:

- Detailed discussion of all the questions concerning your child's health while your child is in the specially equipped children's room playing or watching cartoons under constant observation of our nurse

- We avoid prescribing diagnostic tests and procedures unless we are sure they are 100% necessary. We keep your child from extra blood tests, extra visits to the doctor or unnecessary hospitalization, extra injections or medicine, etc.

- We provide comprehensive diagnosis and prescribe adequate and effective treatment. Quite often, especially it concerns virus respiratory infections, it is necessary to prescribe only a refrigerant.

- We do not oppose our pediatricians to private practice pediatricians but we consider medical surveillance in the clinic to be preferable and more efficient as it guarantees our patients a complete set of appropriate examinations and diagnostics as well as our doctors' deep collaboration while treating complicated cases. Besides, you are protected by law when you receive medical care in the clinic. All financial operations are also transparent. If necessary we can also provide you with all documentation for getting tax remissions.

- GMS Clinic is fully responsible for its specialists' educational background and their professionalism as well as for the quality of services rendered. GMS Clinic operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Even if your attending pediatrician is ill, he/she can be substituted by another specialist who will look through your child's medical chart (at GMS Clinic we keep it both in paper and digital form) and will give you expert advice.

GMS Clinic patients have 24 hours access to a broad range of medical services, such as:

• On-site laboratory, X-Ray, MRI, Ultrasound Diagnostics;
• House calls
• Hospitalization to GMS Clinic in-patient department or to other medical centers in Moscow;
• Hospitalization, including urgent hospitalization and hospitalization to world's best medical centers (the services are provided by our partners Assistance+ and our International Department
• Ambulance – provided by our fellow-company Extramed

Thus, GMS Clinic pediatricians have everything to meet the needs of our young patients and their parents and provide them with the best medical care available.