What Is a Pediatric Plastic Surgeon?

A pediatric plastic surgeon is a special type of plastic surgeon who has sought additional training in the treatment of complex congenital deformities. Kids can have complex problems that most plastic surgeons do not see on a regular basis – problems that require a specific set of skills and a certain amount of knowledge to treat.

In the same way that pediatricians differ from internal medicine doctors, pediatric plastic surgeons are different than general plastic surgeons. Kids may have problems such as cleft lip/palate, craniofacial disorders, hemangiomas, congenital tumors, birth defects, dog bites, and more that require specific expertise to treat correctly.

Dr. Eric Stelnicki is a board-certified and fellowship-trained plastic surgeon. He is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of Pediatric Plastic Surgeons, Broward County Pediatric Society, and Palm Beach Pediatric Society. He is one of the only plastic surgeons in South Florida to be affiliated with all these prestigious pediatric institutions.

Pediatricians typically prefer sending their patients to pediatric subspecialists. Most surgical subspecialties like general surgery, ENT, orthopedics, and neurosurgery all have pediatric branches. Plastic surgery is no different. The problems of children are not the same as adults. Therefore, finding a plastic surgeon who specializes in the problems facing your child is very important.