Pediatricians are physicians who specialize in the care and treatment of infants and children, from birth through adolescence. The pediatrician will monitor the normal growth and development of the child, comparing it to established benchmarks. Deviation from these standards will trigger investigation and diagnoses of a number of conditions.

Pediatricians attempt to diagnose and treat a variety of birth defects, as well as childhood infectious diseases (such as mumps, measles, whooping cough, ear infections, etc.). The long-term schedule of childhood immunizations is maintained by the pediatric physician.

Regular office visits to the pediatrician during the childhood years are strongly suggested, both to keep up with planned immunizations and to aid in proper treatment when illness or injury occurs.