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The Importance of Well-Child Visits
Taking your child to the doctor should not only happen when they are sick or injured. A visit to the doctor should happen on an annual basis. This lessens your child’s chances of becoming sick or injured. By having your child undergo a well-child visit annually, you can ensure your child’s health and growth development are on the right track. You can also prevent any health issues from developing further when they are caught early on. In this post, we will answer frequently asked questions regarding well-child visits as well as informing you of the importance it has on your child’s well-being.
What is done at a well-child visit? At a well-child visit, the doctor provides a series of services, such as physicals, developmental screenings and immunizations. These visits are a perfect time for you to make a list of things you want to ask your child’s doctor about, such as sleep, behavior, eating habits, vision and any other health-related questions you may have.
How often should my child have a well-child visit? This answer varies depending on your child’s age. During your child’s first year of life, their well-child visits will be quite frequent due to the rapid amount of growth they experience in that short amount of time. From birth until the first birthday, your child will undergo a well-child checkup at the following milestones: newborn, 3-5 days, 1 month, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months. After the first birthday, until kindergarten, they will have a well-child visit at 15 months, 18 months, 24 months, 30 months and 3 years. Children and young adults whose age ranges between four and twenty-one should get a well-child checkup once a year.
Why are well-child visits important? During well-child visits, children are provided with immunizations to prevent illnesses. These annual visits also track your child’s growth and allow you the opportunity to see if they are on a healthy development path. They also present a great opportunity to speak with your child’s doctor about their social behavior and learning. These annual visits can help create a strong relationship and trust between doctor, parent and child.
At SIHF Healthcare, our qualified pediatric staff prides themselves in providing the best quality care to your child. We encourage routine well-child visits to promote your child’s quality of life and use this as an opportunity to educate every parent on what to expect when their child reaches a developmental milestone. Contact a health center in your area to set up your child’s well-child visit today at https://www.sihf.org/patient-care-services/pediatrics.