If your child has an illness, injury, or disease that requires surgery, a Pediatric Surgeon has the experience and qualifications to treat your child. Surgical problems seen by pediatric surgeons are often quite different from those commonly seen by adult or general surgeons. Pediatric surgeons treat children from the newborn stage through late adolescence. They choose to make pediatric care the core of their medical practice and the unique nature of medical and surgical care of children is learned from advanced training and experience in practice. Pediatric surgeons diagnose, treat, and manage children’s surgical needs including:

• Surgical repair of birth defects
• Serious injuries that require surgery (for example, liver lacerations, knife wounds, or gun shot wounds)
• Diagnosis and surgical care of tumors
• Endoscopic procedures (bronchoscopy, esophagogastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy)
• Laparoscopic procedures
• All other surgical procedures for children

Children are not just small adults. They cannot always say what is bothering them. They cannot always answer medical questions, and are not always able to be patient and helpful during a medical examination. Pediatric surgeons know how to examine and treat children in a way that makes them relaxed and cooperative. In addition, pediatric surgeons use equipment and facilities specifically designed for children. Most pediatric surgical offices are arranged and decorated with children in mind. This includes the examination rooms and waiting rooms, which may have toys, videos, and reading materials for children. This helps create a comfortable and nonthreatening environment for your child. If your pediatrician suggests that your child see a pediatric surgeon, you can be assured that he or she has the widest range of treatment options, the most extensive and complete training, and the greatest expertise in dealing with children and in treating surgical disorders.

Pediatric surgeons utilize their expertise in providing surgical care for all problems or conditions affecting children that require surgical intervention. They participate in transplantation operations, and like most surgeons today, they use laparoscopic techniques for some operations.

They also have particular expertise in the following areas of responsibility:

Neonatal - Pediatric surgeons have specialized knowledge in the surgical repair of birth defects, some of which may be life threatening to premature and full-term infants.

Prenatal - Pediatric surgeons, in cooperation with radiologists, use ultrasound and other technologies during the fetal stage of a child's development to detect any abnormalities. They can then plan corrective surgery and educate and get to know parents before their baby is born. Prenatal diagnosis may lead to fetal surgery, which is a new forefront in the subspecialty of pediatric surgery. Application of most fetal surgical techniques is still in the experimental stage.

Trauma - Because trauma is the number one killer of children in the United States, pediatric surgeons are routinely faced with critical care situations involving traumatic injuries sustained by children that may or may not require surgical intervention. Many pediatric surgeons are involved in accident prevention programs in their communities that are aimed at curbing traumatic injuries in children.

Pediatric Oncology - Pediatric surgeons are involved in the diagnosis and surgical care of children with malignant tumors as well as those with benign growths.

Col Man Mohan Harjai

Neonatal & Paediatric Surgeon