Pediatrics
Pediatrics is the medical care of infants, children and adolescents. Pediatricians are specially trained to treat diseases, behavioral problems and mental health issues as they relate to children. Pediatric care includes well check-ups, vaccinations and much more.
Pediatric specialists in Panama City, Florida
The Children's Center at HCA Florida's Gulf Coast Hospital provides a comprehensive pediatrics program.
We offer you and your family access to pediatric doctors in numerous specialties, from pediatric cardiology to pediatric orthopedics. Additionally, our 12-bed pediatric specialty unit is the only unit of its kind in the area. Our team is dedicated to providing family-centered care and partnering with you and your child throughout treatment and healing.
Related specialties
Learn more about our related specialties
Our pediatric care program
We realize children have unique medical needs that require specialized attention. Our team is dedicated to helping your child feel safe and secure during their treatment.
Our pediatric services
We provide a wide range of pediatric healthcare services, including:
- Cardiology
- Gastroenterology
- Oncology
- Orthopedics
- Rehabilitation
- Surgery
We provide private rooms with toys and games for all age groups, as well as beds for parents. We encourage you to take an active part in the comprehensive care of your child.
Pediatric emergency care
Our hospital opened the first pediatric emergency room (ER) in the Greater Panama City area. Our pediatric emergency department provides immediate treatment to children of all ages, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Additionally, we offer the region's only pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). In this unit, we care for infants, children and adolescents who are critically ill or injured.
Pediatric rehabilitation
We offer inpatient and outpatient pediatric rehabilitation services, including physical therapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy. Our pediatric-trained therapists have experience working with children with a variety of conditions. They work with you and your child to create a custom treatment plan to maximize your child's abilities.
Pediatric sedation
If your child needs sedation to help with a procedure, they will have access to our specialized pediatric sedation services. We may use sedation during imaging tests and surgical procedures, such as:
- Computerized tomography (CT) scans
- Echocardiography
- Electroencephalograms (EEGs)
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans
- Ultrasounds
The purpose of this medicine is to decrease your child's level of alertness to a comfortable and safe level. Sedation also decreases anxiety and can help temporarily decrease pain. Throughout any procedure requiring sedation, your child can breathe on their own. They will wake up with light to moderate stimulation.
For more information about pediatric sedation, please call our pediatric sedation team at (850) 767-2220.
Child-friendly medical care
The goal of our child life program is to keep your child as comfortable as possible during treatment.
Child life program
We equip you and your child with supportive and positive methods of coping during their treatment. We also offer opportunities for play, enabling your little one to continue to grow and learn during hospitalization.
Our child life services include:
- Behavior management assistance
- Bereavement support
- Creative art activities
- Developmentally supportive play
- Diagnosis teaching and medical education
- Family support, education and supportive conversation
- Medical play/rehearsal
- Pain, symptom and stress management
- Preparation and support for procedures
- Provision of recreational materials
- Schoolwork coordination and assistance
- Sensory stimulation
- Sibling support and education
- Support for admission, transfer and discharge
- Therapeutic and recreational groups
- Teaching of coping strategies
- Volunteer coordination
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