Health has always been a priority for all, especially in the early ages. For better growth and physical wellness among children, tracking your child’s growth and development is a must in preparation for reaching succeeding developmental stages in his/her life. This can be done properly with pediatric care, which is now more consequential, especially during a critical period in his/her life.
For children, any underlying health condition that is not treated at an early stage may eventually have an impact on their growth and well-being. Nonetheless, these can be addressed through interventions tailored to kids, like pediatric surgery. According to senior consultant pediatric surgeon Dr. Chui Chan Hon, pediatric surgery refers to the treatment of children’s conditions with surgical techniques and methods. Pediatric surgery covers people from birth until the age of 18.
Among the most common conditions among infants and children that can be addressed through surgery are congenital conditions and acute conditions such as infections, growths, or tumors.
Dr. Chui Chan Hon
Dr. Chui refers to congenital conditions as growth defects that children are born with. These conditions include defects in the gastrointestinal tract like atresias and Hirschsprung’s disease.
Acute conditions, on the other hand, are the swellings, growths, tumors, or even cancers that children may encounter later on. There are also acute conditions leading to infections in kids, such as infections of the intestines or appendices, that would also require surgical treatment.
With new developments in pediatric surgery, including sub-specialization, minimally invasive surgery, and pediatric anesthesia, health conditions are now better identified, treated, and prevented among infants and children.
Pediatric surgeons are further updated and trained through sub-specialization in order for them to properly identify and perform the treatment a child needs.
There has also been a great development in minimally invasive surgery, which allows pediatric surgeons to perform surgical operations on children with smaller cuts and wounds, which helps speed up their recovery.
Additionally, pediatric anesthesia has made great improvements, allowing children to receive anesthesia more safely. As a result, many pediatric operations can be performed as outpatient or ambulatory surgery, which doesn’t require hospitalization.
Surgeons’ ability to determine the best method for the patient is an important factor in successful surgeries. Dr. Chui listed three key factors that pediatric surgeons consider, namely the patient’s condition; the child’s age and needs, since some are more anxious and need extra care and attention before, during, and after the surgery; and close coordination with the parents and adjusting to their needs.
Renowned globally, Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore has earned a reputation for its top pediatric expertise coupled with unwavering commitment to curing and attending to patients’ health needs. Mount Elizabeth has set a standard for performing complex pediatric surgical conditions and treatments, thanks to its cutting-edge technology and skillful medical personnel who are committed to taking care of patients across ages, beginning with children.
“We have doctors in all subspecialties in pediatrics, and these are important personnel who can support the treatment of pediatric surgical conditions. Besides that, we have nurses, as well as the staff who are very familiar with and well-trained in managing pediatric patients,” Dr. Chui further explained.
“In addition, we have very good new scanning machines that we acquired that have lower dosages of radiation in CT scans and many other types of imaging techniques as well,” he added.
For inquiries, please contact Mount Elizabeth Hospital’s patient assistance center located at G/F-B, Marco Polo Hotel, Meralco Avenue and Sapphire Street, Ortigas Center, Pasig City 1600; e-mail manila.ph@ihhhealthcare.com or call 0917-526-7576. Follow them at facebook.com/MountElizabethHospitalsSGPhilippinesOffice.
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