Wellness visits are an important way for your doctor to track your child’s growth and development, give vaccinations or screening tests that are needed, and address any health issues they may have.
Well-child visits typically include a head-to-toe physical exam of your baby, measurements and developmental surveillance. They also give your doctor a chance to answer your questions and give you the peace of mind that comes with knowing your baby is growing healthy and strong.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a wellness visit every six months for the first year of your child’s life.
A well-child visit is a crucial step in your baby’s overall health and development. These visits help your pediatrician track their growth and check for physical and mental health issues.
Your doctor will perform a more formal developmental screening than usual at this time, asking questions about your baby’s movement, feeding and behavior. They will also take measurements of your little one’s height, weight and head circumference.
The doc will check your child’s hearing by performing an otoacoustic emission (OAE) or auditory brainstem response test. This will help your pediatrician ensure your baby is developing at a normal rate and that they don’t have any underlying issues with their hearing.
You’ll also get to learn if your little one needs any additional screenings, like blood lead levels. A hemoglobin level is typically done at this time, too, to monitor their risk for anemia.
Your doctor will recommend a variety of vaccinations for your baby during this visit. The most common ones include the hepatitis B vaccine, a dose of the polio vaccine, the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine and varicella (chickenpox) vaccine. You’ll have until 23 months to complete all of the shots.
The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends a wellness visit every three months for the first year of your child’s life.
In addition to immunizations, well-child visits are important for checking in on baby’s development and making sure you’re getting the right screenings. Your doctor can also provide guidance on the best ways to ensure your child stays healthy throughout their life.
During your baby’s first wellness visit, your doctor will review your baby’s history and check for health concerns. This includes a full physical exam and screenings, such as vision and hearing tests.
Your doctor may also offer advice on how to protect your baby from ear infections and respiratory illnesses like colds and a cough. This is an important part of a well-child visit, as it helps prevent serious problems down the road.
To help keep your baby’s schedule as stress-free as possible, consider scheduling the appointments for a time that works for both of you. Many offices are busiest in the morning or before lunchtime, so choosing a time before those times is a good way to minimize wait time.
Your doctor will give baby a third dose of hepatitis B, RV, DTaP, Hib and PCV as well as a flu shot (two-doses given at least one month apart). Hematocrit or hemoglobin screening is also a routine part of this visit.
The American College of Physicians recommends a wellness visit every six months for the first two years of your child’s life.
If your child has insurance, it will cover some of the cost of these wellness visits.
During a wellness visit, your doctor will look at your child’s growth and development and ask questions about their health. Your doctor may recommend immunizations and screening tests to prevent illness and injury.
Your doctor will also talk with you about how to care for your baby and how much they should eat, sleep and play. This is an ideal time to raise any concerns you have about your baby’s health or growth.
If your baby is at risk for developing an infection or has a chronic health condition, your doctor may want to see them more frequently than once a year. They might also recommend that you take your child to a specialist for specific treatment, or to have them examined if you think they might have a health problem that isn’t being addressed by the doctor.
Well-child visits are an essential part of your child’s overall health and well-being. They keep your child healthy and help your doctor find problems early, so they can be treated successfully.