Preventative paediatrics has as its primary focus positive health and involves the whole child. This can best be achieved when a practitioner is concerned with the prevention of disease. A baby’s primary healthcare will therefore be of utmost importance. This is Dr Maraschin’s moto “take all the available steps necessary and available to ensure a child doesn’t get sick so that he or she can fulfil their absolute potential”. Dr Maraschin’s practice focuses on the promotion of breastfeeding, growth monitoring and development, vaccination and good nutrition practices.

Dr Maraschin believes strongly in vaccinating as one of the cornerstones to preventative paediatrics. From his own personal experience after hour call outs and admissions to hospital have diminished dramatically due to the introduction of new vaccines over the past couple of years. In this short time illnesses such as rotavirus, pneumococcal and haemophilus infections as well as chicken-pox have been targeted by vaccines.

Vaccines currently protect children against 14 serious childhood diseases. These diseases do not only result in a sick child but some have the ability to cause long term physical damage and even death.

Unfortunately children do sometimes get ill. Part of the preventative paediatric approach is then to detect diseases early so that the complications of the diseases are avoided or delayed. Dr Maraschin therefore encourages all parents to consider the newborn screening test for early detection of inherited illnesses. Other tests carried out on immunity and allergies also aid a practitioner dealing with sick children.

Dr Maraschin encourages patients to follow the vaccination schedule set out below