Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Who's Who?

After having a child with special needs, you will find yourself learning a lot more about the medical field than you have ever imagined. It can be very confusing. Often times you need to see a specialist, but which one? Here is a quick guide that we hope helps to take out some of that confusion:

  • Allergy – Specializing in treatment of allergies. Allergies are a hypersensitivity disorder of the immune system – usually triggered by an environmental substance.

  • Anesthesia – Specializing in sedation, usually in an operating setting.

  • Cardiology – Specializing in the heart and all things related to the cardiovascular system.

  • Cardiothoracic Surgery – Surgery that specializes in heart and cardiovascular related procedures.

  • Dentistry- specialized in prevention, treatment, and diagnosis of diseases and conditions related to the oral cavity (mouth)

  • Dermatology – Specializes in skin

  • Emergency Medicine – Usually found in the ER

  • Endocrinology- Specializing in the endocrine system, related to hormones (often the thyroid or other glands)

  • Gastroenterology- Specializing in the gastrointestinal tract (digestive tract).

  • Genetics- Specializing in genetic markers, diseases, and conditions

  • Hematology – Specializing in blood related issues

  • Immunology- Specializing in the immune system

  • Infectious Disease- Specialize in hard to diagnosis infections.

  • Neonatal ICU (Intensivist)- Usually found in NICU and similar units in hospitals

  • Neonatology- Specializing in neonates (babies)

  • Nephrology- Specializes in Kidneys

  • Neurology- Specializing in the brain

  • Neurosurgery- Surgeon that specializes in brain surgeries

  • Oncology- Specializes in diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer

  • Ophthalmology- Specializes in the eyes (can do surgery)

  • Optometry- Specializes in the eyes (cannot do surgery)

  • Oral and Maxi Facial- Surgical specialist for diseases, injuries and defects in the head, neck, face, jaws and the hard and soft tissues of the head and face, part of the dental branch

  • Orthodontics- Additional dental training for aligning teeth and jaw

  • Otolaryngology- All things ear, nose and throat related. Also called ENT

  • Palliative- Specializes in relief from the symptoms, pain, and stress of serious illness

  • Pathology- Specializes in the body’s response to and repairing of injury to cells and tissue

  • Pediatric ICU (Intensivist)- Usually found in PICU and similar units in hospitals

  • Pediatrician- Primary care, specializing in children and babies

  • Podiatrist-Specializes in feet

  • Physical Rehab- Specializes in restoring functional ability and quality of life to patients with physical impairments or disabilities

  • Plastic Surgery- Specializes in correction and restoration of form and function. Not just cosmetic, also reconstructive, hand, burns, cleft, and much more.

  • Psychiatry- Specializes in emotional and psychology disorders, may provide chemical intervention

  • Psychology- Specializes in emotional and psychology disorders, may not provide chemical intervention

  • Pulmonary- Specializes in the respiratory system (breathing)

  • Radiology- Specializes in imaging

  • Rheumatology- Specializes in joints, muscles and bones

  • Urology- Specializes in urinary tracts, and male reproductive systems


Please feel free to comment and add any others that we may have missed.

No comments:

Post a Comment