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Month of the Military Child - Pediatricians Serve as Important Resources for Parents

  • Published
  • Military Health System Communications Office
WASHINGTON --   It's not unusual to find Air Force Capt. Meredith Schuldt playing on the floor.

As a pediatrician at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C., she spends most of her day seeing patients ranging from newborns to teenagers. Playing with toys on the floor, she said, is a good way to communicate with children.

Schuldt doesn't mind. "I'm a big kid sometimes," she said, laughing.

Playing is just one way a pediatrician's role is different from that of a general practitioner who cares for adults. Years ago, a mentor told Schuldt some doctors can follow a script and do every exam the same way. But children don't always follow the script, and pediatricians have to be ready to change the order of the exam and get what they can when they can. "When I get buy-in and accomplish the exam of an 18-month-old who wants nothing to do with me, that is fulfilling."

A big part of Schuldt's work deals with preventing some of the issues that could become bigger problems later - such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and other things that can result from an accumulation of bad habits early in life. She said she wants parents to have all the tools they need to help their children develop and thrive.

Schuldt identifies with the challenges her patients face, especially moving from location to location. She's not a military "brat," but her father was in sales, and her family moved often - six times before she joined the military. In fact, since joining the Air Force in 2008 and attending the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Schuldt has remained close to Washington, D.C. - the longest she has ever lived in one place. In addition, she's the mom of 4-month-old daughter. That helps her relate to what parents are going through.

Schuldt wants parents to see pediatrics as a support system, a place where parents can get help overcoming challenges and tap into resources outside the clinic. The Military Health System offers many support structures, such as nutritionists, lactation consultants and behavioral health specialists, as well as on-base resources to support families as they move around the world.

"I'm not just here to treat ear infections and fill out school forms," she said. "The military is a big family. If parents have needs, pediatricians are here to help."