A primary care doctor is a general practitioner who is a patient’s main source of medical care. This is the doctor that a patient will call first if they are sick or injured. If the patient needs a specialist, the primary care doctor will both recommend a suitable doctor and provide a referral. Similarly, the primary care doctor will advise a patient if they need urgent care.
What Does a Primary Care Doctor in El Cajon Do?
Pediatricians often serve as primary care doctors for patients who are under the age of 18. As such, they will administer routine physical checkups at least once a year to children three years old or above. Younger children, especially babies, need to be examined more often. Their immune systems are not fully developed, and frequent examinations will also make it easier to see if the child is reaching all of their developmental milestones.
A primary care doctor will treat common childhood conditions such as allergies, colds, and warts. They will administer vaccines and advise the child’s parents on matters such as diet and playground safety. As a child moves into their teen years, the primary care doctor will start advising their patient directly about developing good habits to ensure they remain healthy.
What Are Developmental Milestones?
Developmental milestones are skills and behaviors a child should develop as they reach a certain age. For example, a child generally starts walking, albeit with help, when they are about a year old. There is, of course, a range; some children learn to walk at earlier ages than others. If a child isn’t walking by 18 months, though, the pediatrician will want to find out why.
