Top Skincare Tips by Dr. Shaun Segal for
Every Age Group
One way or another, as a parent, you are continually left to balance school options, food options, one screen time limit or another. However, when it concerns the health of your child, there is no one decision, which matters as much as most: Who is the doctor of your child?
I am Dr. Shaun Segal, a committed paediatrician practising in Johannesburg, and I have witnessed first-hand the difference that having a child with constant access to specialised medical care makes right at the beginning of his/her life.
The thing is that children are not miniature adults. Their immune systems, bodies and minds work in totally different ways. and in taking your child up to a general medical practitioner here and there you may be receiving treatment of the symptom, but never the insight of the greater problem.
Right now, I would like to take you on a tour of five quite concrete reasons why your own paediatrician in 2025 is not an indulgence, it is an essentiality. Besides, let us simplify it.
1. Paediatricians know how children develop, and when something went wrong
The list of milestones is long throughout childhood, first words, first steps, first day of school. However, as the vast majority of the parents only pay attention to the visible, there is so much going on at the invisible level in the brain, immune system, bones, and gut.
Being a paediatrician, I am educated to monitor not only the physical development, but emotional and cognitive processes as well. I understand whether it is willing to pay attention to the fact that a two-year-old child has a speech delay or whether the irritability of a six-year-old child is not connected with problems with sleep or nutrition.
Adult reference points are commonly applied in general doctors. We don’t. We base our work off per child growth charts, behavioural checklists and age based assessment tools.
In one word: a specialist paediatrician views not only the symptom but the entire picture.
And when something is wrong; either a small hold up or an early indication of a neurological problem we are in a position to intervene promptly. Then the intervention comes in very handy.
2. Your Child understands he or she is Safe and Married With a Face he or she knows
Emotional safety is as critical in healthcare as you will know if your child ever became rigid at the moment a stethoscope appeared.
Children start to feel comfortable when they visit the same doctor on a regular basis and this doctor is able to speak to the child in the same language used, is able to remember the name of the pet, is not pushy and able to explain the vaccines without pressuring the child to accept them. When one has such trust, a communication level improves, a diagnosis is more properly made, and there is less dread overall.
A growing child that will not hesitate talking about his or her condition and tell us he or she has stomach pain every morning can make us detect the anxiety or food intolerance at its early stages. A teenager aware that I am not going to criticize him/her can share school-related problems or depressive feelings.
Such a form of relationship does not evolve in a walk-in clinic. It is time consuming. Familiarity. Continuity.
And that is what a child doctor like myself will provide: the reliability, the security of a stable place where the kid will feel heard.
Also Read:- Dr. Shaun Segal on Building Healthy Habits in Children: Sleep, Diet & Routine
3. Caring Paediatrics is More than the Disease, Prevention is What it is All About
By 2025, perhaps we will know more than ever before concerning the long-term consequences of early-life health. Lack of nutrient, sleep problems, mental health, allergies and even screen time *all* of them can influence the development of your child.
That is why paediatricians do not only treat ear infections or offer shots. We ask:
Is your child sleeping?
Do they consume enough iron-contained foods?
Do they have difficulties in school?
How do they manage to face a social situation?
We know that health is not merely about ill health it is about patterns, habits and prevention.
As I continuously see your child, I am able to identify the red flags in time and do an adjustment before they snowball. That would include encouraging picky eaters, sending you off as a referral to a therapist, or providing helpful information on dealing with screen time. These are not short term solutions but long term plans.
4. We Have The Idea Of What Is Normal- And What Is Not
Google is useful. It is even frightening.
Google toddler rash or child won t eat, and you are bound to give up in a sea of conflicting information. And an ordinary virus suddenly turns into a serious ailment of life. Or even worse, you shove off something severe because the internet told you so it is normal.
This is where a paediatrician comes-in.
Due to the fact that I am a working person who is exposed to children on a daily basis I know exactly what is normal and what is not. I could tell you when your child shouldn t get worried about the fever, … when it should worry you. I can see the differences between bruises everyone gets at the playground and those, that require additional investigation.
Such clarification is priceless. It will make you feel more at peace and it will spare your child the extra tests and treatments or delays.
Besides, in 2025, new viruses, emerging and changing health risks, and immunisation requirements are expected. You would like to have a person that does not guess but is on top of it.
5. It is a Partnership – not a Once and Once Off Deal
Another thing I adore about being a paediatrician is that I get into long-term relationships with the families. I have witnessed how babies have all developed like teenagers. I have helped parents with sleepless nights, first colds, changes in eating habits and schools.
With a paediatrician you know, you do not form one file. You are a family that I know and love.
And that consists of:
I do not need to hear your child history again because I remember it.
I remember what has (or has not) worked last time.
I do this follow up not because I am getting a fee, but because I care.
It is not such that is transactional. It’s personal.
And in an era when most of healthcare seems hectic and responsive, paediatric care will transform a relationship that is seldom offered; one of consistency, trust and support in the long-run.
Recommended Reading:- Dr. Shaun Segal’s Guide to Healthy Routines That Help Kids Thrive
Have you ever wondered what this will mean to you in 2025?
The healthcare is in transition. Fast. However, a thing that did not and will not change is the necessity of care that is child-specific, focused, and personal.
And, in case you use walk-in clinics or switching gps, I would recommend the advantages of having a committed paediatrician.
At my practice you may find:
Specialized check-ups beyond the basic ones
Effective communication between kids and parents
Information-backed tips on each and everything, including sleep and screens
Time to find problems that you may not identify at home
A life-long companion who brings up your child
Having a paediatrician on your team either your child is born, in preschool or in his adolescence years provides you clarity, confidence, and the actual sense of peace of mind.
The last words of Dr. Shaun Segal
Being a parent already comes with a mental burden that is more burdensome than other people can imagine. You do not want the guess work to be added on that list.With your child having his or her own paediatrician, you no longer have to second-guess all the symptoms and read late-night forums.
You have a person who is familiar with your child, acknowledges your instincts, and takes you through the process step-by-step in a serious and prepared manner.That is what I provide in my practice. Not only medical treatment but downright companionship, and sympathy.
And in case that is something that your family could use in 2025, I can help.
