The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends regularly taking your kid to the doctor. Visit your pediatrician even before your kid becomes sick. Generally, depending on the child’s age, you are required to go to the office of your pediatrician after every few weeks, monthly, and then yearly. Still, if your child has a specific health condition or concern, there is a need for regular Bastrop well child exams. The American Academy of Pediatrics has developed a schedule to help you understand how often your child may need to see a pediatrician. Well-child examinations or screenings can help your child enjoy optimal health and wellness during various stages of growth and development.
The simple tips below can help you prepare well for every well-child visit.
1. Think of questions to ask
Your pediatrician is extensively knowledgeable due to many years of training and experience and, thus, can provide clear and precise answers to your questions and address your concerns concerning the health and well-being of your child.
Before you take your child for screening and assessment, consider the questions you may need to ask the pediatrician. For instance, the questions can touch on physical and mental well-being, learning issues, and even the ability to socialize. Moreover, your pediatrician can answer your sleep, nutrition, and nighttime incontinence questions.
If you visit your pediatrician and have many questions, understand how long the appointment lasts. If you have a limited time, ensure you spend only a little time on every question. And if you cannot ask all the questions you have, you can leave the less important ones to be asked during your next appointment.
As your child ages, the child can ask the pediatrician any questions.
2. Take notes
Ensure you record answers your pediatrician provides regarding your child’s general health and development. Writing down the pediatrician’s response ensures you remember the important points of the discussion and know what to expect during different stages of a child’s growth.
The Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI) has a tool that enables you to plan for well-child visits and exams. You can utilize the well-child planner to create a unique guide for your well-child visits.
3. Things to expect during well-child exams
Your pediatrician will subject your child to various physical examinations during a well-child visit. Your pediatrician may take measurements of your child’s height, blood pressure, and weight.
The measurements can help monitor your child’s growth and identify potential health problems.
Your pediatrician will also need to examine the eyes, ears, throat, heart, lungs, stomach, hands, and legs to determine if everything is working fine.
Moreover, the child’s doctor may check the vaccination history and recommend vaccines to help keep your child healthy. The American Academy of Pediatrics keeps a list of examinations, vaccines, and other well-child services to help you monitor the health and wellness of your child throughout childhood. The health organization recommends that your child have a pediatrician from 2 to 5 days old. Starting early visits can ensure you provide your child with comprehensive medical care when a child is more susceptible to potentially severe diseases and infections.
Contact Pompeyo Chavez, MD, today to schedule a personalized well-child exam.