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Meet the Doctor Bridging the Gap Between Medical Science and Children's Behavioral Health

Interviewed and Transcripted by Lesther Tadeña

Dr. Mark Talatala

In this article, we will delve into the world of Dr. Mark Anthony Talatala, a consultant in Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, and one of the few medical doctors that specializes in developmental and behavioral pediatrics in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.

What Does A Job As Developmental And Behavioral Pediatrician Entail?

"Most of my patients are children who have developmental concerns. Basically those who have problems with their language and speech, those who are unable to do motor skills like walking, and those who have problems with their intellect, school performance, and even behavioral concerns including [issues with] hyperactivity or attention span for compliance with tasks. Those are the children that I cater to."

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What Are The Common Developmental And Behavioral Disorders That You Usually Encounter?

The most common things that I encounter and developmental conditions that I address is a lack of language skills, which entails speech concerns as the child is unable to perform social communication skills. Second is hyperactivity—there are so many children that tend to roam and run around. Third is poor performance in class where they have difficulty doing simple tasks or difficulty doing and performing what is expected of their academic skills at their academic level. Lastly, I also cater to those children who have Down Syndrome, Trisomies, and Multiple Congenital Anomalies, as anything to do with genetics, has a developmental correlation.

What Is Your Perspective On The Importance Of Early Intervention And Its Impact On Long-Term Outcomes?

The earlier, the better.

A lot of research and studies have shown that once you have an earlier management of any medical concerns, the better the outcome. For instance, just like having cancer, the earlier you detect the tumor, the earlier medication can be given and the better the outcome from early intervention. This also holds true in the developmental field as if we catch a child with a developmental concern at an earlier age, we can manage it better as we can provide the necessary mental or physical stimulation for the skills needed by the child.

Are There Any Additional Support Services Or Resources Available In Our Community That Can Assist The Child And Its Family?

It’s a very sad note on this part—we try our very best in terms of the government sharing what they can for affected children and their families. We try in a sense that there are institutions even in Bacolod that can offer services for them. It may be limited but at least they are a little bit more financially affordable and capable of being paid by the parents.

For instance in Corazon Locsin Montelibano Regional Hospital, we do cater to children with special needs in terms of their therapies and in terms of education. The government has allotted special education classes for the children that have difficulties with their academics and behavior.

If the family may be able to afford a little bit more, there are also services offered by private institutions. The difference is that private practices are more one-on-one therapies with better programs. But, of course, this entails a bigger financial burden for the family. It is still a struggle for us as we want to give out services to children and families with less financial capabilities and it is still an undergoing process.

How Do You Manage The Emotional And Psychological Aspects Of Working With Kids And Families Who Are Experiencing Behavioral And Developmental Challenges?

In the end, education is the key for the family.

I always say to them: At the end of the day we choose our own battles, so no matter how hard you educate patients and if they are not receptive, we can only do so much, but we do try to encourage them. If they will listen and follow—then good for them, but if they cannot then we just hope for their betterment later on.

Stress-wise, I believe in hope. We always hope for the betterment of everyone. Second is to pray—we may be in the field of science but prayers overcome mountains. Lastly, we try to tell patients not to worry as things will fall in their right place as long as you hope and you pray.

What Motivated You To Specialize In This Area Of Medicine?

The first reason is that I see a need for most of these children. The incidence of children requiring a [clinical] evaluation has increased in the past few decades, and there are only a few of us interested in this field. As you can see children are growing up without proper evaluation and the ratio and proportion for my specialty and theirs is large and it's one of the reasons why I went into this field.

Second, on a personal note, I am not a person that is very interested in being called by the hospital everyday due to medical emergencies. I want to be more of an educator, and my sub-specialty is geared towards that area.

Basically, It's mostly an OPD (Outpatient Department) basis for me. There are no emergencies in my practice, [and] most of the time I get to educate parents on how they can develop their child. This is geared more towards my personality, which is why I chose this field.

What are the Difficulties and Challenges in your field?

I want to put forth two things: First, from my own perspective, my own difficulties with the patients; and the second is the difficulties between my patients (children) and their parents.

In terms of the difficulty in my field: Number one is that we obviously lack a little bit of resources in terms of management for children. There are very few who engage in this field. Basically there are a few doctors specializing in the field itself and also very little allied personnel such as physical therapies, occupational therapies, and speech therapies. This is actually the one biggest factor considered a hurdle in our field—lack of manpower and the lack of people to cater to them.

For my patients and their parents, there is also the financial aspect to consider. A lot has to be set aside for the long-term therapy and education of the children. On my part, I am also in charge of delivering not-so-good news to them, especially when giving them a diagnosis that may not be technically or socially acceptable, creating an emotional burden to them.

What Is Your Message To Students That Are Aspiring To Be Working In Your Field?

Importantly, medicine is not about how academically inclined you are. For me it is more about diligence—it is how you dedicate yourself to go through the journey. Always remember that being a doctor does not mean you have all the glamor, fame, and perhaps the financial stability later on, but always have the heart because if you have the heart and you are true to what you're doing you will be provided with so many things. Remember as doctors and future doctors later on, you have the key to change one person's life. If you do it with a good heart and a good mind, then you will truly succeed in life.