[Pediatrics before the millennium]

The 70 year anniversary celebration of the Pediatric Department of University Medical School, Debrecen provided an opportunity for the author to survey the characteristic features of Pediatrics: the development of this discipline during the last decades, its diagnostic and therapeutic facilities and future perspectives. Pediatrics responsible for the healthy status, undisturbed development, and helping the 20-25% of the population to become healthy grown up has gone through a significant change during the past years. In diagnostics the new imaging methods, endoscopic procedures and the molecular genetic investigations have provided a considerable progress. In therapy application of immunoglobulins followed by cytokines, the organ transplantation and gene therapy are of basic importance concerning the present facilities and future perspectives. In order to become familiar with the developing possibilities, the latest scientific results physicians are required to carry out self-education. To suit the challenges properly physicians are in need not only of professional knowledge but also of empathy, sympathy to meet the demands on behalf of the patients to a larger extent.