The course includes systematic instructions in growth and development, nutritional needs of a child, immunization schedules and management of common diseases of infancy and childhood, scope of Social Paediatrics and counselling.
Goal
The broad goal of the teaching of undergraduate students in Paediatrics is to acquire adequate knowledge and appropriate skills for optimally dealing with major health problems of children to ensure their optimal growth and development.
Knowledge
At the end of the course, the student should be able to:
- Describe the normal growth and development during foetal life, neonatal period, childhood and adolescence and outline deviations thereof.
- Describe the common paediatric disorders and emergencies in terms of epidemiology, etiopathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, rational therapy and rehabilitation.
- State age related requirements of calories, nutrients, fluids, drugs etc. in health and disease.
- Describe preventive strategies for common infectious disorders, malnutrition, genetic and metabolic disorders, poisonings, accidents and child abuse.
- Outline national programmes relating to child health including immunisation programmes.
Skills
At the end of the course, the student should be able to:
- Take a detailed paediatric history, conduct an appropriate physical examination of children including neonates, make clinical diagnosis, conduct common bedside investigative procedures, interpret common laboratory investigation results and plan and institute therapy.
- Take anthropometric measurements, resuscitate new born infants at birth, prepare oral rehydration solution, perform tuberculin test, administer vaccines available under current national programs, perform venesection, start an intravenous line and provide nasogastric feeding.
- Conduct diagnostic procedures such as lumbar puncture, liver and kidney biopsy, bone marrow aspiration, pleural tap and ascitic tap.
- Distinguish between normal newborn babies and those requiring special care and institute early care to all new born babies including care of preterm and low birth weight babies, provide correct guidance and counselling in breast feeding.
- Provide ambulatory care to all sick children, identify indications for specialized/inpatient care and ensure timely referral of those who require hospitalization.
Integration
The training in paediatrics should prepare the student to deliver preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative services for care of children both in the community and at hospital as part of a team in an integrated form with other disciplines, e.g. Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Pathology, Pharmacology, Forensic Medicine, Community Medicine and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
