Being a parent is an exciting and rewarding experience, but it comes with the responsibility of taking care of a child in many ways – most importantly their health.
Well-child visits can help ensure your child’s health is in good condition, and when the need arises, they get the medical care they need. Regularly going to your pediatrician for these appointments is crucial to ensuring your child’s growth and development are optimal.
You play a significant role in well-child visits, so we’ve compiled everything you need to know and how to prepare for these appointments.
Size and Weight Measurement
One of the primary purposes of well-child visits is to assess if your child is growing normally. In each visit, your pediatrician will collect your child’s measurements and compare them to other children of similar age to check if your child is growing according to their peers. If your child is underweight or overweight, adjustments in their lifestyle will need to be made to ensure they are getting the best environment and conditions to grow properly.
Physical Examination
During each well-child visit, your pediatrician will perform a thorough physical examination. This involves examining your child’s body, motor skills, reflexes, sight, and hearing. Be prepared to talk about any issues you’ve noticed at home.
The physical examination is an important part of well-child visits because it often highlights health problems that may be going undiagnosed. Examples include an irregular heartbeat, a hearing problem, and poor motor skills.
Immunization
Vaccines are necessary to protect your child from preventable infections and illnesses. Vaccines are normally administered at well-child visits. Some of the diseases and illnesses your pediatrician will provide vaccines for include:
- Diphtheria
- Tetanus
- Pertussis
- Chickenpox
- Polio
- Hepatitis B
- Measles
- Mumps
Health And Nutrition Consultation
To have a holistic view of your baby’s health and development, your doctor will inquire about your child’s life at home. Be prepared to provide detailed information about your child’s daily routine. Your pediatrician may ask you how many hours your baby sleeps or how often and what they eat.
Your doctor will also ask about your medical history. Many diseases are genetic, so your family’s history is a predicting factor of your infant’s health.
Well-child visits are also opportunities to consult about your baby’s behavior. You may find some of your child’s actions unusual. You can talk about these with their pediatrician.
Well-Child Visits In Spring And The Woodlands, TX
Well-child visits are a crucial component of your child’s medical care. These regular check-ups help spot medical issues and prevent them from becoming complications. Your pediatrician is your partner in ensuring your child’s growth and development are optimal, so it’s important to see them often.
Here at Northwoods Pediatric Center, we are committed to providing personal and compassionate care. We know that parenthood is a challenging journey, so we give support through educating parents on how to best take care of their little ones’ health.
We offer not only well-child visits but also other wellness exams and services for your child. Give us a call at (281) 296-7770, or send us a message online to schedule your child’s well-child visit.
