Doctor’s appointments aren’t just for when your child is ill or injured. Depending on their age, children should be checked anywhere from every few months to once a year. These requirements change over the years, but it is important that you follow the guidelines set for your child’s age group. After all, over 4% of children in schools missed classes more than 11 times in the past year due to illness and injury. By keeping up with well checks, you can stop problems before they grow and help your child avoid missing too much school.
But what do doctors do at child well checks? Here are four things you can expect them to address at your child’s visit.
Vaccines
Doctors follow a certain vaccine schedule, so your child will likely get some shots at their appointment. If they do, the doctor will let you both know what to expect before they give the injection, as well as any possible side effects that could occur afterward.
Growth Tracking
The doctor will also take measurements of your child to make sure that their growth is going according to regular standards. Everyone will get their height and weight checked. Young children and babies will also get the circumference of their head measured as well. These will be compared to the typical growth charts, as well as their past results. This can help doctors and parents see if there are any issues that need to be addressed.
Emotional and Mental Health
Doctors will also want to make sure that the child is mentally and emotionally healthy. This might involve questionnaires and possible referrals to mental health specialists. Physical health is linked to emotional health, so it is important for doctors to cover that as well.
Safety
Child well checks also involve making sure that the child has a safe environment in their daily life. The specific safety issues will change as the child gets older. By covering a wide range of issues, the doctor can promote safety and prevent future issues.
It is essential that parents schedule child well checks for their children. Not only does it keep them safe right now, it also helps them to prevent problems in the future.
