You might have heard about pediatric neurologists in the past. A pediatric neurologist is a doctor who treats children who have issues with their nervous system. Your child’s nervous system issue might start in the spine, brain, or even muscles. This can make your child start experiencing different problems such as headaches, seizures, development delays, and so on. These are some of the common symptoms that you should always look out for in your child. If you notice any of these symptoms, you should not hesitate to take your child to this professional. Pediatric Neurologists expert treats children from birth to young adulthood. In this case, they usually choose to make the care of children the core of their medical practice. Most of them have advanced their training and experience. This enables them to meet your child’s unique needs. There are many pediatric neurologists in Dubai, and it is vital that you choose a reliable one to work for you. The following are the factors that you should consider when choosing this professional to treat your child:
1. Experience.
Some pediatric neurologists started operating several years ago, while others have been working for a few years. You will realize that those professionals who began operating a few years ago might offer discounts to attract more clients. However, those who have been in operation might charge relatively higher prices. You should be keen to choose the one that has been in operation for many years. This can guarantee you that this professional is well trained and competent in this area.
2. Professionalism.
Some pediatric neurologists claim to be professionals, but they are not. Some of them are quacks and are only after making some quick money; however, most of the doctors in Dubai are highly qualified. You should be keen to check the credentials of these experts before engaging him or her. Ideally, this expert should have completed his or her four years in medical school. He should have at least 1 or 2 years of general pediatric internship or residency. You should not be afraid to ask for these credentials so that you can get the value for your money. You can even ask a few questions so that you can determine if he or she is knowledgeable in this area. This can help you get quality services.
3. Reputation.
Some pediatric neurologists typically have a bad reputation because they might have offered poor services in the past. If you want to get the best services, you should be keen to check the reputation of this expert. How can you achieve this goal? You should be keen to check the online reviews of different customers. Most customers are likely, to be honest when reviewing these professionals. If you notice that a particular neurologist has good reviews online, he or she is expected to offer quality pediatric services. This exercise can make you take more time, but it is worth it as it can help avoid frustrations down the line.
4. Well-equipped.
Many tools are used by these professionals when he or she is working. Some of these tools include MRI machine, blood test kits, electrodes and even drugs such as Tensilon. An excellent pediatric neurologist should be well equipped with the needed tools. This can assure you that your child will be treated well and thereby get better over time. If your professional of choice does not have all the tools, you should consider choosing another one instead.
5. Availability.
Your professional of choice should be readily available. You should have an easy time to access him or her so that your child’s issue can be dealt with. There are some scenarios when parents have to wait for several days before actually accessing the services of this professional. Ideally, you should be able to access him or her with ease. This can assure you that you will get optimal services.
6. Seek referrals.
You should not be in a hurry to look for this professional. This is the case if you have never had an issue where you need the services of a pediatric neurologist in the past. You should ask for recommendations from your friends and relatives. They can help you chose the right person who can diagnose your child’s issue. You can then ask for a consultation appointment with this professional and see if you want to engage him or her.
7. Quality of the hospital
These professionals mostly work in hospitals. Your doctor’s hospital is your hospital. The quality of care given in this hospital matters a lot. It is worth noting that hospital quality is a critical factor as patients at the top-rated hospitals rarely suffer from complications. Some of them usually have a better survival rate. Your child’s life is very precious. You should, therefore, ensure that your child’s life will not be at risk even after leaving the hospital. You should also consider the proximity of the hospital. The closer the hospital, the better your chances of mitigating further complications in case of a mishap.
8. Communication style and approachability.
Ideally, a doctor should be approachable. You should feel comfortable talking to this professional. However, Pediatric Neurologists are humans too; hence there might be some who are not good in communication. Since some of the diseases that Pediatric Neurologists treat are complex and typically require an extensive study of the patient’s history, you should be able to communicate freely with this expert. Treating these diseases usually relies more on discussions than mere scans. If your professional of choice is welcoming, he or she is likely to be friendly. This expert should be ready to answer all your questions. Two-way communication is very vital during this treatment.
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What are the services that pediatric neurologists provide?
There are many services that Pediatric Neurologists in Dubai offer in their hospitals and clinics. He or she can readily diagnose, treat, and manage the following conditions:
- Epilepsy
- Muscle problems that might make your child experience weakness, such as muscular dystrophy or neuropathy.
- Headaches, including migraines and concussions.
- Autism
- Behavioral disorders. These include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Tourette syndrome, and even sleep disorders.
- Intellectual disability
- Congenital malformations
- Stroke and traumatic brain injury
- Genetic conditions that can affect the nervous system
- Brain tumors
- Infections or inflammations of the brain
- Autoimmune problems that impact the brain and spinal cord.
What should you expect once you visit your pediatric neurologist in Dubai?
Once you have noticed that your child has any of the conditions mentioned above, you should take him to this professional for further tests and treatment. This professional will offer the best treatment that can help mitigate this problem. The moment you visit this expert, the doctor will take a full history of your child. This might include the details of your pregnancy and the birth of your baby. The doctor will want to get a complete picture of your child to help him. Your doctor will speak to you and your child if at all, he or she is old enough to understand and speak.
This professional will examine your child and check several things, such as his reflexes, nerves, balance, strength, and motor function. Once he or she is done, he will discuss the next steps with you. Sometimes, the doctor might prescribe additional tests to give him more information, such as ECG.ECG or electroencephalography which measures brain wave patterns. This is very helpful in diagnosing specific disorders that involve the brain. This test can be used to look for seizures and to make sure that your child’s brain is making the expected types of electrical activity for their age. Your doctor can also perform other tests such as:
- MRI and CT scan
MRI refers to Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Most children usually go for these scanning at one time or another. These are image tests that are used to take pictures of the brain or the spine. These tests can be beneficial in looking for signs of brain tumor, stroke, infection, multiple sclerosis, and so on.
- Lumbar puncture (Spinal tap)
Here, the doctor normally inserts a small needle in the lower back of your child to take a sample of the spinal fluid that surrounds their brain and spinal cord. This can be essential in looking for signs of infection or inflammation.
- Blood tests.
Sometimes, your doctor might order your child to undergo this test. This may include basic lab checking for electrolyte changes or signs of infections. It can also include complicated tests such as genetic tests for specific disorders.
- Electromyogram
This involves an examination of the communication between nerves and the muscles. It is done with electrodes on your child’s skin. Here, the doctor will put a needle into your child’s affected tissue.
- Evoked potentials.
These tests usually help to measure your brain’s response to stimulation of your hearing, vision, and specific nerves. If you check keenly, you will realize that these tests are similar to EEG only that your doctor will make sounds or flashlights to see how your child’s brain responds.
Once these tests are in, this professional will discuss the findings with you. He or she might send a letter to your child’s pediatrician or family doctor. The family doctor or pediatrician will then offer future treatment.
If you want to get the most out of your visit, you should consider several factors. These include:
- Ensure that you write down the symptoms of your child.
Before taking your child to this professional, you must have noted some symptoms that are unusual in your child. You should observe these symptoms and then record them to avoid forgetting them. You can include other health information such as previous illnesses, allergies, medications, and even your family’s history of the disease.
- Make a list of your questions.
There are many questions that you might ask this professional. Some of these questions include:
- Do you have any experience with my child’s specific condition?
- Does your program offer family support?
- Does your practice share specific outcome measures?
- What neurologic tests and lab facilities do you have to diagnose my child?
- Does your center offer tests by a pediatric neuropsychologist?
- Who else would be on my child’s care team aside from the child neurologist?
- Ensure that your child’s previous test results are sent to the neurologist or take them with you
- Try to bring a friend or a family member to ensure that you do not miss anything.
- Try to arrive as early as possible. This is because you might have to fill some forms and so on. You also need time to relax with your child before you visit the pediatric neurologist.
- You can carry your child’s health insurance card.
- Carry other documentation that might help your professional of choice to understand your child’s symptoms such as medical records or an MRI report.
- Ensure that you include the name, address, and phone number of the pediatrician or the care providers that referred you to the pediatric neurologist.
The pediatric neurologist is likely to give you a lot of information. It is essential that you have a notebook so that you can write down what the doctor says. You should not shy away from asking questions if you are confused about something. You should ensure that you understand your child’s diagnosis and treatment and any further steps that you need to take. New appointments usually last for about one hour. Once the tests are over, the neurologist can ask you to bring your child for a follow-up visit in 3-6 months. This can help you a great deal.
It is important to note that child neurologists usually work as a team. They typically work with pediatricians and other primary care doctors. These experts also work hand-in-hand with physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists to help your child develop and learn properly. Besides, this expert can work with other pediatric specialists in order to care for children who have more complex or serious medical issues such as congenital disabilities, genetic disorders, and even epilepsy. These conditions require ongoing care and close follow-up throughout childhood and adolescence.
What factors should you consider before becoming a pediatric neurologist?
Would you like to become a pediatric neurologist in Dubai? There are many factors that you should consider. If you have an interest in the medical field, the aptitude to understand the human nervous system, and the desire to work with children, you can consider becoming a pediatric neurologist.
Here, you will be specializing in diagnosing and treating disorders involving the nervous system in patients who are less than 18 years. It is worth noting that some pediatric neurologists are well-trained in neurosurgery, and this qualifies them to perform surgeries that involve removing the brain tumor and repairing damaged brain or spinal cord. A pediatric neurologist can work in a children’s hospital, an outpatient medical office, a university medical center, or even do private practice.
Becoming a pediatric neurologist in Dubai requires a significant investment of time and education. You have to major in pre-medical studies, neurology, anatomy, psychology, or other related science fields. This can prepare you well and make you more competitive out there. During your studies, you can expect that you will study lows and ethics as they relate to medicine and science fields. You can trust that you will gain firsthand medical experience completing a clinical internship with different friends. Some of these fields include family medical practice and surgery.
The good news is that you will have the opportunity to specialize in either neurology or pediatric medicine. From here, you can find compilers fellowships in pediatric neurology that can last for three years. After earning an M.D and gaining the required experience, the candidates can now apply for board certification and eventually become fully-fledged physicians. This process can be time-consuming. However, it is worth it. If you are good at science and mathematics courses and you like dealing with children and young adults, you can consider becoming a pediatric neurologist. This career is one of the rewarding careers that you should consider.
How much do pediatric neurologists in Dubai earn?
The average salary of a pediatric neurologist in Dubai is around AED 100000. This is an indication that this career pays well.
Which are qualities that every pediatric neurologist should possess?
Since you will be dealing with children and worried parents, there are some qualities that you should possess. This can make you succeed in this field. These qualities include:
- Excellent bedside care.
You will realize that neurology has traditionally been an intensive bedside specialty. Your patient might need to lie on a bed for at least one hour when you are carrying out different tests. It is worth noting that excellent bedside care starts by realizing that the patient and his family might be worried about his or her status. In this case, you should be a caring individual. You should not harass the parent as he might be anxious about the plight of his or her child.
- Be diligent and patient.
Sometimes, you might get a patient with a chronic condition. He or she might need more attention compared to others. You should, therefore, have more diligence and patience to see a case through. You should be ready to face any issue that your patient might have. This is because different patients usually have various problems. In this case, everything else has to be secondary. You should purpose to make your patient the priority all the time. Sometimes, you have to leave your dinner or lunch in order to take care of your patient. Remember that you are responsible for somebody’s life. You should not have any excuse for not attending to your patient on time. You should also be keen to make follow-ups to know whether your patient got better or not.
- Good communication skills.
You should be ready to listen to the parent who has brought his or her child to your clinic or hospital. This parent is likely to have a long story that he or she wants to share with you. You should be ready to listen to every detail of it so that you can connect the dots. You should also be prepared to answer the questions that the parent might ask you. Some pediatric neurologists usually dislike being asked questions. Some often find these questions nagging. However, this is not the case. The guardian or the parent of the child who has a nervous system issue has a right to know what is wrong with his or her child. If you have excellent communication skills, you can trust that you will relate well with your clients. You are likely to get more clients in the long run.
- Diagnostic skills.
This professional should have a strong understanding of testing results coming in from CT scans, MRI scans, spinal tap studies, and so on. He or she should interpret the results obtained and offer the best treatment to the affected patient. This expert should also be aware of the new technology coming down the pike so that he or she can provide the best treatment to the patient. This is because the science of the brain continues to expand.
- Research skills.
A pediatric neurologist should be ready to research with the hope of making medical advancement and providing new treatments. It is worth noting that neurology is expanding daily. In this case, he or she would not rely on outdated information, as this might be detrimental to the health of the patient. This professional must suggest experimental treatment or cutting-edge technology.
- Memory skills.
This expert should have exceptional memory skills not only to capture the specific needs and desires of each of their patients but also to keep a wealth of medical possibilities and test opportunities. In this case, he or she should integrate the old concepts with the new ones so that he can manage to offer the best treatment. This professional should accept new technologies and research medical advancement and still incorporate what he or she learned in the yesteryears. This can make him a competent Pediatric Neurologists in Dubai.
