The Ministry of Health and Welfare is to expand a newborn care pediatrician system, under which a designated doctor and medical team follow up on the health and development of children aged three or younger, it said, urging parents to sign up for the program.
A child’s first three years are crucial in their development, and a designated newborn care pediatrician can help regularly review an infant’s physical and behavioral progression, provide health education information and healthcare consultation for each stage of growth, and remind parents about disease prevention, vaccinations and fluoride treatments, the ministry said.
If an infant needs special medical treatment, the pediatrician can assist in referring the child to a specialized hospital, or if the pediatrician sees developmental delays or believes the child is in a “high risk” family, they can report the case and arrange an early intervention or at-home visits, it said.
Minister of Health and Welfare Hsueh Jui-yuan (薛瑞元) said that the designated newborn care pediatrician system was planned by National Health Insurance Administration Director-General Shih Chung-liang (石崇良), while he was director-general of the Department of Medical Affairs.
Launched as a trial program in six administrative regions in 2020, it was later expanded to 11 municipalities and counties, Hsueh said.
The ministry is further expanding it to all cities and counties this year, he said, adding that it would begin with parents, recommended by pediatricians, who voluntarily sign up their children for the program.
It seeks to later include obstetricians and gynecologists in the recommendation process, allowing a newborn care pediatrician to be designated as soon as a child is born, he said.
As it is common for infants to be cared for by parents and grandparents, it is important to be able to contact a child’s family no matter where the infant is staying, so they can be reminded about checkups, he said.
“Families should be able to be contacted about vaccinations based on the recommended immunization schedule, such as having a designated nurse acting as a case manager, instructing the parents and answering their questions,” he said. “They should also be reached for regular checkups with the designated pediatrician, to assess their development and prescribe treatment or early intervention if needed.”
Chen Mei-huei (陳美惠), a physician and executive secretary at the National Health Research Institutes’ Child Health Research Center, said that parents can voluntarily join the program at the ministry’s designated Web site (https://docforkids.mohw.gov.tw) for free, and she recommends selecting a contracted clinic or hospital near their home.
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