What kind of health care provider can help find out what caused my babys birth defect?
Birth defects are common in our country. Some birth defects are found before birth, some at the time of birth, and some are found during the first year of life. A few don’t show up until the child is older. It is common for parents to want to know what caused their babys birth defect. However, the causes for about 70% birth defects are unknown. A primary care provider (PCP) usually looks at a child who may have a birth defect. The PCP is most often the childs pediatrician or the familys general physician. PCPs look for important clues in the childs first exam for a birth defect. The first exam includes a lot of questions about history, a physical exam, and sometimes testing. The PCP is trying to find a diagnosis (name or cause) for the childs type of birth defect. If a diagnosis cannot be made after the first exam, the PCP may refer the child to a specialist in birth defects and genetics. A clinical geneticist is a doctor with special training to evaluate patients who may have genetic
