Paediatrics is the branch of medical science concerned with babies and children and the disorders that can affect them. Catching disorders early on and treating them correctly are crucial for a full recovery: a slight infection can, for example, quickly cause a high temperature.
The paediatrician is specialised in the conditions that can affect this age group, and knows how to diagnose and treat them. It is particularly important that he should be able to take the age of the patient into consideration. If needs be, he will work with other specialists.
Neonatology is concerned with the physiology and pathology of the newborn, who, particularly in the case of a premature birth, are in need of special care. The neonatologist handles all the health-related problems of the very young child that can occur before, during and after birth.