A Brief History of Pediatric Healthcare

Maryam Quraishi
Nov 13, 2023
4 min read

By Nana Efua Turkson

Introduction

Pediatricians, as their name implies, are medical doctors who specialize in the treatment of children and adolescents under the age of 18 as well as adults caring for children and adolescents under the age of 18. The word pediatrics is believed to originate from two Greek words, pais, which means child, and iatros, which means doctor or healer, which all mean someone who deals with children. There are so many topics that fall under the umbrella of pediatrics, such as physical, psychological, developmental, and mental health for the specific age groups. It is no secret that pediatricians are experts in a number of different areas, such as cardiology, neurology, adolescent medicine, and critical care medicine. A pediatrician's responsibilities generally include reducing mortality rates among infants and children, controlling infectious diseases, promoting healthy lifestyles, monitoring the development of the child, and performing preventive health screenings to ensure that they are healthy. We will now delve a little deeper into the history of pediatric healthcare and see how it goes back thousands of years.

Early Pediatrics

Ancient History

The field of pediatrics, which focuses on the medical care of children, has its roots traced back to ancient Egypt. The Ebers Papyrus, an extensive medical text dating back to around 1550 BCE, provides us with some of the earliest recorded information on the subjects that pediatricians specialize in. To put the 108-column text in simpler words, Ebers Papyrus covers topics that are found in pediatric health care and remedies for various things such as constipation, migraines, headaches, diabetes, and even blindness. An ancient Egyptian remedy taken from the Ebers Papyrus for headaches says to Combine the inner of an onion, fruit of the am tree, natron, setseft seeds, cooked bones of a swordfish, cooked redfish, cooked crayfish skull, honey, and abra ointment. Apply to the head for four days. Another medical text, The Writings of Hippocrates dated c. 440 BC. covered topics like clubfoot, worms, diarrhea, and asthma, with loads more. The Greek physician, surgeon, and philosopher, Aelius Galenus, or better known as just Galen, recorded cases of children with ear discharge and phenomena. Galen lived from 129 A.D to 216 A.D and some of his most important demonstrations was that the arteries don't carry air but instead blood, which has been taught for 400 years.

The 1800s

Moving closer into time, the first pediatric hospital in the world is the Hôpital des Enfants Malades. It was founded and opened in 1802 in Paris and was famous for only caring for children up to 15 years. The Hôpital des Enfants Malades and many more pediatric care centers in France set an example for many pediatric hospitals that emerged in Europe in the 1800s. Many other pediatric hospitals were opened in Germany, Russia, Austria, Poland, and England in the 19th century. Then, the first hospital for children in the United States was opened in Ohiladpehia, Pennsylvania in 1855 by Francis West Lewis after visiting the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children in London, and decided to dedicate a specific hospital for specializing in children. George Frederic Still was an instrumental physician from England who was devoted to pediatrics writing a textbook titled, Common Disorders and Diseases of Children. Along with George Frederic Still, Dr. Abraham Jacobi went on the guide the practice of many successive physicians who specialized in pediatrics. George Frederic Still is said to be the father of pediatrics in America. Dr. Jacobi was a German pediatrician who came to New York in 1853 and even developed multiple societies for pediatric health and also a department especially specializing in children in New York hospitals.

Modern History

The American Pediatric Society

Although research and documents about children were known, the distinguishing of pediatrics as a separate specialty was distinguished later on. The American Pediatric Society, also known as the APS was founded near the end of the 19th century when scientific medicine was just emerging from the shadows and is the first pediatric society established in North America. The driving force behind the APS is Job Lewis Smith, who acknowledged the need for a forum for the discussion of pediatric uses along with clinical problems.

The American Academy of Pediatrics

The American Academy of Pediatrics, also known as the AAP, is the largest professional association of pediatricians in the United States. The academy was founded in 1930 by 35 pediatricians to address pediatric healthcare standards. The American Academy of Pediatrics also has the largest pediatric publishing program in the world, ranging from medical textbooks to parenting books. A program created by the American Academy of Pediatrics called Brush, Book, Bed aims to improve and promote healthy lifestyles in children by creating a nightly routine of brushing teeth, reading together, and setting a bedtime.

The AAP has also been advocating for better school starting times for adolescents. With insufficient sleep in adolescents being an important public health issue, the APP strongly supports efforts of school districts to allow students to get more hours of sleep each night. The APP wants school districts to aim for starting times no earlier than 8:30 am to be able to allow students to receive a healthy amount of sleep which will improve physical and mental health and also academic performance.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the history of pediatric healthcare is a testament to the remarkable progress that has been made in ensuring the well-being of our youngest and most vulnerable population. From the Erebs Papyrus written around 1550 BC to some of the most profound organizations that specialize in pediatric healthcare. These medical doctors made important contributions to the world of pediatrics centuries before it was even a specialized field. Without the work of Aelius Galenus, Hippocrates, and the father of pediatrics, George Frederic Still amongst many others, shed the light on specific care for children and adolescents. The organizations of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Pediatric Society have made stunning advancements in pediatric healthcare along with informing and educating others on topics pertaining to pediatrics.