Pediatrics is the treatment of disorders and diseases in infants, children and adolescents. A pediatrician is primarily concerned with the influence of disease and dysfunction on a child’s development, from preventive care to treatment of diseases. This specialist has background knowledge regarding congenital defects, immunology, oncology, infectious diseases, immunizations, and disorders that are unique to children.

Physicians in this specialty treat patients suffering from numerous diseases and illnesses, but some of the most common are guillain-barrè syndrome, cystic fibrosis, allergies, pink eye, snoring, scabies, autism, hypothyroidism, epilepsy, leukemia, asthma, lymphoma, chickenpox, cushings disease, crohns disease, encopresis, infant reflux, measles, guillain-barre syndrome, and skin rash.

Once properly diagnosed, practitioners can perform numerous procedures on patients including circumcision, tonsillectomy, patent ductus arteriosis (pda) repair, appendectomy, adenoid removal, umbilical hernia repair, leg lengthening, inguinal hernia repair, hydrocele repair, hypospadias repair, ear tubes, diaphragmatic hernia repair, cancer surgery, minimal access surgery, and club foot repair.

To diagnose patients with possible illnesses and diseases, specialists will often perform one of many tests including ultrasound, mri scan, barium enema, upper gi, x-ray, video swallow, and urine / stool collections.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Washington, D.C. has 359 practicing pediatricians. Broken out by city, pediatrics doctor density in Bolling Afb is 2 and in Washington is 357.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Washington, D.C. has a population of 550,521. Of this population, 110,240 are under the age of 18 and 66,591 are at or above the age of 65.