Dr. Ramesh Sachdeva serves as a professor of pediatrics at the Medical College of Wisconsin. With executive experience at several children’s hospitals in Wisconsin, Dr. Ramesh Sachdeva also functions as the associate executive director of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Many people are unaware that children’s hospitals serve an important and distinct function in the treatment of a child with an illness. These institutions serve a larger purpose than simply making children feel comfortable in their surroundings. Professionals who specialize in pediatrics practice medicine in a way that meets the quickly changing health needs of children and understand that treating them requires more time and more frequent monitoring than the treatment of adults.

Additionally, in certain cases, different equipment is required to treat kids safely, and not every emergency room is prepared. One study shows that less than 10 percent of standard ERs retain equipment that will allow professionals to treat a child safely. The difference extends to the testing and identification of illnesses as well. For example, the lab work of a child will look different than the lab work of an adult due to smaller blood cells, and physicians must be able to recognize complications in both.