Alta, Iowa pediatrics (also spelled paediatrics) is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. The upper age limit ranges from age 14 to 21, depending on the country. Alta, Iowa pediatrics differs from adult medicine in many respects. The obvious body size differences are paralleled by maturational changes. The smaller body of an infant or neonate is substantially different physiologically from that of an adult. Congenital defects, genetic variance, and developmental issues are of greater concern to pediatricians than they often are to adult physicians. Many inherited diseases are more often treated by pediatricians than by adult physicians because only recently did the majority of these patients survive into adulthood. Well-known example are the thalassemias, sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis. Issues revolving around infectious diseases and immunizations are also dealt with primarily by Alta, Iowa pediatricians. Childhood is the period of greatest growth, development and maturation of the various organ systems in the body. Years of training and experience goes into recognizing the difference between normal variants and what is actually pathological.
