WELCOME TO DIVISION OF PEDIATRICS

Pediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. The age limit of such patients ranges from age 12 to 21. Pediatrics differs from adult medicine in many respects. The obvious body size differences are paralleled by maturational changes. The smaller body of an infant or neonate is substantially different physiologically from that of an adult. Congenital defects, genetic variance, and developmental issues are of greater concern to pediatricians than they often are to adult physicians.

A major difference between pediatrics and adult medicine is that children are minors and, in most jurisdictions, cannot make decisions for themselves. The issues of guardianship, privacy, legal responsibility and informed consent must always be considered in every pediatric procedure. In a sense, pediatricians often have to treat the parents and sometimes, the family, rather than just the child. Adolescents are in their own legal class, having rights to their own health care decisions in certain circumstances.


Locations:

Fort Washington Medical Center
900 Swan Creek Road E | Fort Washington, MD 20744
Phone: (301) 292-1590

J. Patrick Jarboe Medical Center
22590 Shady Court | California, MD 20619
Phone: (301) 737-0500

Oxon Hill Medical Center
6710 Oxon Hill Road, Suite 250A | Oxon Hill, MD 20745
Phone: (301) 292-7270

St. Mary's Medical Center at Charlotte Hall
37767 Market Drive, 2nd Floor | Charlotte Hall, MD 20622
Phone: (301) 884-7322