Preventative Care: Why Well Child Checkups are Important
As Pediatricians, we see children for checkups frequently. This is particularly true in the first two years of life, where they are regularly scheduled every 2-3 months. After age 2 years these visits space out to once per year, but are still just as important.
For the most part, parents are faithful about bringing in their children for checkups. However, occasionally there a question as to why these visits are necessary. Today we will discuss what happens at checkups that makes them such an important part of primary care, particularly in the pediatric population.
Of note, I have an entire section dedicated to well child checkups here on the blog. I discuss each age-based visit in detail. Please be sure to check it out here and refer back when your child is due for a checkup!
Getting to know you
One of the aspects of regular checkups is getting to know the family. Family dynamics and the environment a child grows up in are very important aspects of general childhood health. Learning about family values and family history can help Pediatricians to provide better care. On the other hand, building this relationship is also very important to the family. The more you interact with your child’s Pediatrician, the more you will feel comfortable asking questions and trusting in the advice that is given.
So what happens during a checkup?
- Growth. The first thing I do in a checkup is look at growth charts with parents. These are visible demonstrations of how well (or how poorly) a child is growing, and indicate if any changes need to be made.
- Nutrition. Hand-in-hand with growth is a discussion about nutrition. Obviously, the content of these discussions changes significantly between early infancy, toddlerhood, and older children. Not only do we talk about what a child is eating, but also about portion sizes, feeding difficulties, aversions, and eating disorders.
- Development. These conversations are most important during early childhood. Regular developmental assessments are essential to making certain that children are meeting milestones at the appropriate times. Early interventions in developmental delay are key to minimizing their effects and duration. This is also the time that conditions such as Autism are identified.
- Safety. Each checkup should include safety and prevention discussions. Child-proofing, water safety, vehicle and street safety, choking hazards, and online/digital risks are just a few of the topics covered. Injury is a huge issue in Pediatrics, and prevention of injury is a large part of what we do.
- Immunizations. Vaccines are an important part of checkups because they are an important part of keeping children healthy. The CDC recommended schedule for immunization aligns with the schedule for checkups, and these are frequently given during the first two years – at 2, 4, 6, 12, 15, and 18 months, and then again at 4 and 11 years. Pediatricians will discuss what immunizations are recommended during the checkup, why these are given and what they protect against, and any common side effects to watch for.
- Parental concerns. Well checkups are an excellent time to ask questions! Your child’s Pediatrician wants to know what you are concerned about in order to effectively care for your child. Don’t hesitate to ask if there is something on your mind. This also applies to older children and teens – be sure they have a chance to speak up during checkups as well.
Why does my teenager still need to come in yearly?
Growth, nutritional concerns, and safety issues continue to be concerns throughout the teen years. These discussions look very different from when teens were younger children, but they are just as important to address. In addition, teenagers who participate in sports will need a yearly physical before they are cleared to play. This is usually done as part of the checkup.
But what if I don’t vaccinate?
I actually hear this a lot, and if this applies to you I hope you can now see why it is still important for your child to be seen regularly. While it is true vaccinations are given during checkups, there is so much more that goes on during these visits! Missing checkups because of a decision to not vaccinate means your child is also missing everything else that is involved in the checkup visit.
Final thoughts
Well child checkups are one of the parts of my practice that I love the most. Seeing children frequently, practicing preventative care, becoming part of the family – all of these are equally rewarding and important to me. If your child is missing check up visits, he or she is also missing out on growth monitoring, developmental assessments, nutritional information, and safety recommendations.
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