It's the family pediatrician within the SSN, assigned to your child when you enrol them. Visits are free, and the pediatrician is your first stop for everything from vaccinations to common illnesses, up to age 14.
Without one, you don't have a free first-line doctor for your child and can't access the SSN system smoothly. Switching pediatricians is easy and free if you're not happy.
"After enrolling her newborn in Ravenna, Aiko picked a pediatra di libera scelta from the printed list at the ASL. From that point on, all check-ups and vaccinations went through the same office."
Around age 14, your child moves from the pediatra to a regular medico di base. The transition is usually automatic but worth checking at the ASL.
Official source
Ministero della Salute
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