A clinic differs from a hospital in that it is concentrated on outpatient activities. For the most part, going to the clinic when you are ill—and not in an emergency—can save you tons of money and time. When it comes to children, there are pediatric clinics that are focused on the same specialized care but concentrate on children to help them grow to live happy, healthy lives.
The following are a few things that a clinic is able to do that would be a complicated process at the hospital.
- Asthma Checkups
Asthma is one of the most common ailments that affect children, especially during changing seasons when children are particularly affected by pollen and other substances in the air. It is, of course, recommended to take your child to the hospital if your child is having a severe asthma attack, but in everyday care and management, a pediatric clinic can help your child. This is especially true for renewing prescriptions or taking recommendations for new ones if symptoms do not normally subside.
In particular, a pediatrician who specializes in allergies will be able to help your child as well as provide them with a personalized experience. Many pediatric practices have an allergist on hand for just this reason, given that asthma is such a common ailment for children.
- Physicals
This is less of an actual way of resolving an issue with your child’s health and more a routine for your child, especially if they decide to go into extracurricular activities. Nearly every school from elementary to high school will require your child to get a physical to make sure that they are able to play sports or engage in other physical activities. While many doctors can perform this task, it is most common for general practitioners to do so, and a pediatric clinic can help with performing the physicals as well as keeping up with your child’s health in general.
- Colds and Flus
It’s just logical that it would not be necessary to go to a hospital for common illnesses such as the flu or a cold. Unless your child is at risk for severe reactions to that sickness, you will often opt for a general practitioner instead of the emergency room. In this case, the pediatric clinic can help provide medication and other regimen for treatment so that your child can get better as quickly as possible through rest and recuperation at home.
The clinic is also the main location for receiving the flu shot and avoiding the flu altogether. It is usually free or administered at a low price, and it is important to immunize children because they are part of the at-risk population.
In general, a pediatric clinic is there to care for your child in everyday matters or help with issues that are persistent but not severe. There are often specialists that work directly with the clinic who are certified pediatricians and can ensure that your child gets the specialized treatment that they need.
