Teen Health: Choosing a Paediatrician Doctor at Kolkata

Around Class 7, many children decide they have outgrown the child specialist doctor who saw them through fevers and vaccines, so looking for the best paediatrician doctor at Kolkata for a 14-year-old can feel odd. Yet the years from 10 to 18 bring more change than any stretch since infancy: puberty, a growth spurt, new skin, late nights, board exams and a phone that rarely leaves the hand.

In India, paediatricians generally care for young people up to about 18, so the "teenage doctor" or "child specialist for teenagers" you are looking for is usually the paediatrician.

Puberty: what is usual, and when the timing is unusual

In girls, breast development usually starts between about 8 and 13 years, and the first period follows roughly two to three years later. In boys, it usually begins between about 9 and 14 with enlargement of the testicles; the growth spurt comes later. Mild breast swelling in boys is common and usually settles. See a doctor if it is large, feels like a hard lump, comes with nipple discharge, appears before other signs of puberty, or has not settled after about two years.

Book a paediatrician visit if:

• signs of puberty appear before 8 in a girl or before 9 in a boy

• a girl has no breast development by 13, or a boy no testicular enlargement by 14

• a girl has no period by 15, or none within three years of her breasts starting to develop

• height gain suddenly slows or stops

Periods, acne and sleep: small worries that deserve answers

Period problems, and when a gynaecologist comes in

Irregular cycles are common in the first year or two, but many girls hide real problems out of shyness. See a paediatrician if her periods:

• last more than 7 days, or soak a pad every one to two hours

• come less than 21 or more than 45 days apart

• cause pain that keeps her home from school

• stop for three months after being regular

• come with tiredness and paleness (possible anaemia)

If she soaks through a pad every hour for two hours or more, passes large clots, or feels dizzy or faint, do not wait for an appointment (see the emergency list below).

Blood or urine tests the doctor advises can be done at MCR's own pathology lab in the same building. If bleeding is very heavy or there are signs of a hormonal condition such as PCOS, the paediatrician will tell you when to involve a gynaecologist.

Acne

Acne is common and is not caused by dirt. Wash gently twice a day, do not squeeze spots, and avoid over-the-counter creams containing steroids, including some fairness creams, as they can worsen skin. See a doctor if acne leaves marks or scars, forms painful lumps or hurts your teen's confidence. Never start acne tablets or antibiotics without a prescription.

Sleep and screen time

Most teenagers need around 8 to 10 hours of sleep, but the body clock shifts later at puberty. A fixed wake-up time, phones charging outside the bedroom and no screens in the last hour before bed help. Mention loud snoring, daytime sleepiness, or gaming that crowds out sleep, study or friends.

Exam stress and mood: when to seek mental-health help

Madhyamik, Higher Secondary, ICSE, CBSE, entrance coaching: some exam stress is normal. Talk to a doctor if, for two weeks or more, your teen:

• is low, tearful or irritable most days, or withdraws from friends and old interests

• sleeps or eats much more or less, or worries constantly about weight

• has frequent headaches or stomach aches on school days, refuses school, or marks fall sharply

Do not wait two weeks if your teen is losing weight quickly, skipping meals, making themselves vomit, misusing laxatives, or fainting; see a doctor promptly. The same applies if you suspect alcohol, tobacco or drug use. If your teen talks about wanting to die or has harmed themselves, do not wait for an appointment at all (see the emergency list below).

A paediatrician can look for physical causes such as anaemia or thyroid problems, give your teen space to talk, and refer to a child and adolescent psychiatrist, psychologist or counsellor. Asking early is sensible, not a label. India's government mental-health helpline, Tele-MANAS, is 14416.

Sports injuries and adolescent vaccines

Sports injuries

Most sprains from neighbourhood (para) football, cricket or dance heal with rest, ice wrapped in a cloth and a raised limb; avoid massaging a fresh swelling. Growing bones have growth plates near the joints, so get it checked the same day if your teen cannot bear weight or use the limb, or there is marked swelling, bruising or pain directly over the bone. See a doctor if pain has not eased in two or three days, or if knee or heel pain keeps returning.

After a head knock, stop play at once and do not return that day, even if your teen says they feel fine. If there is any headache, dizziness, confusion, a "foggy" feeling, or a change in vision or balance, see a doctor. Return to study and then sport step by step, only once symptoms have fully gone and the doctor agrees.

Fainting or collapsing during or just after exercise, or chest pain, severe breathlessness or a pounding or racing heartbeat during exercise, can be a sign of a heart problem. Stop sport at once. Go to a hospital emergency if your teen fainted or collapsed, or the symptoms have not settled; if they settled quickly, still see a doctor the same day. No sport until a doctor has cleared them. Also tell the doctor if anyone in the family died suddenly and unexpectedly before about 40.

Tdap and HPV vaccines

• Tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough: the government schedule gives a Td booster at 10 and 16 years; the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) schedule recommends a Tdap booster around 10 to 12 years.

• HPV: protects against the virus behind most cervical cancers. IAP recommends it for girls from 9 years, ideally by 14: two doses if started at 9 to 14, three doses if started at 15 or later. Boys can also be vaccinated; ask your paediatrician. Ask too whether your daughter can get it free at a government health centre.

• Catch-up: a chance to fill gaps, such as a missed MMR or chickenpox dose.

Bring the vaccination card so the paediatrician can advise what is due. See our child vaccination schedule guide.

Go to a hospital emergency now if...

Do not wait for a clinic appointment if your teenager:

• talks about wanting to die or has harmed themselves (stay with them, and move medicines, pesticides, rat poison, blades and ropes out of reach; you can also call Tele-MANAS 14416)

• has swallowed extra tablets on purpose or by accident (even if they seem well), a large amount of alcohol, pesticide, rat poison, kerosene or any unknown substance, or is hard to wake. Do not try to make them vomit, and take the packet or bottle with you.

• faints, collapses, or has chest pain or severe breathlessness

• has a fit (seizure), especially a first one or one lasting more than 5 minutes

• has swelling of the lips, tongue or face, or trouble breathing or swallowing after a food, insect sting or medicine

• has an asthma attack not relieved by their reliever inhaler, or is too breathless to talk

• has fever with a stiff neck, severe headache, unusual drowsiness or a rash that does not fade when a glass is pressed on it

• has diabetes and is vomiting, breathing fast and deep, or is drowsy

• has a head injury and was knocked out (even briefly), is unusually drowsy or hard to wake, confused, vomits more than once, has a worsening headache, a fit, weakness or numbness in an arm or leg, slurred speech, blurred or double vision, clear fluid or blood from the nose or ear, or neck pain

• has a limb that looks bent, or is numb or cold below an injury

• has sudden severe pain in a testicle, or severe tummy pain

• soaks through one or more pads every hour for two hours or more, passes large clots, or feels dizzy, faint or breathless with bleeding

If you cannot get there safely, call 112.

Confidentiality: how a teen visit works, and how parents can help

Teenagers often have questions they will not ask in front of a parent, so many paediatricians spend part of the visit with the teen alone. What a teen shares is generally kept private. The exceptions are when there is a risk to their safety or when Indian law requires the doctor to report something, for example under the child-protection law (POCSO). The doctor will usually explain these limits to your teen at the start.

How parents can help:

• Tell your teen beforehand that some time alone with the doctor is normal.

• Let them answer the doctor's questions themselves.

• Treat mood, period or skin worries as real, not "just a phase".

• Avoid comparing marks, weight or height with cousins or classmates.

What makes the best paediatrician in Kolkata for a teenager?

For adolescent health in Kolkata, "best" means different things to different families. Whether you call them a paediatrician, a pediatrician or simply the child specialist, ask:

• Does the doctor see adolescents and talk with them alone for part of the visit?

• Do they speak a language your teen is comfortable in?

• Do clinic days fit around school and tuition, and can tests be done in the same building?

For a fuller checklist, read how to choose a paediatrician or child specialist in Kolkata.

Paediatricians at MCR

• Dr. Suhena Sengupta: 15 years of paediatric experience, caring for children from newborns to adolescents. Bengali, Hindi and English. Fee Rs 900.

• Dr. Debangshi Ghosh: MBBS, MD. In clinic on Thursday and Saturday, 11 AM / 6 PM; please confirm the session time when you book. Fee Rs 500.

Meet all our paediatricians in Kolkata, or book from the Paediatrics Department page. Follow-ups such as discussing reports may suit an online consultation.

How to book at MCR

MCR Super Speciality Polyclinic & Pathology is at 11A, Sourin Roy Road, near Behala Tram Depot, beside Ellora Cinema Hall, Behala, Kolkata 700034, close to Sarsuna, Thakurpukur, Joka, Parnasree, Barisha, Silpara, Taratala, New Alipore and Tollygunge. The clinic is open Monday to Saturday, 8 AM to 8 PM, and closed on Sunday; individual doctors keep their own timings. Call or WhatsApp 9830525004, or tap "Book Now" on the Paediatrics Department page.

Frequently asked questions

My teenager says they are too old for a child specialist. What can I say?

That in India paediatricians generally care for young people up to about 18, that periods, acne, sleep and stress are an ordinary part of their work, and that part of the visit can be with the doctor alone. Letting your teen write down their own questions helps too. For a teen with a long-term condition, the paediatrician can also help with the move to adult care later.

Should my daughter see a paediatrician or a gynaecologist for period problems?

Starting with the paediatrician is reasonable for most teen period concerns. The doctor can examine her, advise tests and tell you when a gynaecologist is needed.

Will the doctor tell me what my teenager said in private?

Generally not, because privacy helps teens speak honestly. The exceptions are a risk to your teen's safety, or something Indian law requires the doctor to report, for example under the child-protection law (POCSO). The doctor will usually explain these limits at the start.

My son is shorter than his classmates. Should I worry?

Boys often start puberty later than girls. If he has no signs of puberty by 14 or his height gain has slowed, see a paediatrician to check his growth chart.

This article is general information, not a substitute for a consultation with a doctor; please follow the advice of your child's paediatrician.