A Well Child Visit is a routine visit scheduled by the child's primary care provider(PCP) for a routine checkup. It plays an important part in your child’s medical care in the Children's Clinic Jonesboro AR. It is a chance for the pediatrician to see your child without having to diagnose and treat an illness, Pediatricians are a vital piece of your child’s ongoing healthcare. As a parent, you know when to take your children to the doctor if they are sick. But do you know that Annual pediatrician visits are just as important for children to be healthy and develop normally? 

Some of the Benefits of Well-child visits are:-

• Age-Specific Advice:

Receive developmentally scheduled advice about your child’s health needs at every well-child visit, addressing everything from sleep and nutrition to general wellness.

• Physical Exams: 

Your pediatrician examines your child’s respiratory and circulatory systems, reflexes, eyes and ears, and temperature, helping catch issues before they become problems. Physical examination and screening tests are also a part of the well-child visit. Your child’s visit may include checking blood pressure level, vision, or hearing. Your pediatrician will do a physical examination, which may include listening to the lungs and feeling the abdomen. Screening tests can include tests for anemia, lead exposure, or tuberculosis. Some screening, such as for depression or anxiety, is done using a paper form or online assessment.

• Immunizations:

Even after infancy, children stick to an immunization schedule as part of well-child visits.

• Gauging Developmental Milestones:

Chart changes in height, weight, and other measurements as well as social and other behaviors.

• Prevention: 

Scheduled immunizations are given to protect your child from serious diseases. You can also ask your pediatrician about nutrition and safety in the home and at school. For many children in Jonesboro, the most common cause of harm is a preventable injury or illness. The well-child visit is an opportunity to review critical strategies to protect your child from injuries, such as reviewing car seat use and safe firearm storage. The well-child visit is an opportunity to ensure your child is protected from infectious diseases by reviewing and updating his or her immunizations. If there is a family history of a particular illness, parents can discuss strategies to prevent that illness for their child. Healthy behaviors are important to instill at a young age, and the well-child visit is a time to review these important behaviors, such as sleep, nutrition, and physical activity.

• Track growth and development:

The doctor will track your child’s growth and can help identify developmental milestones in physical, mental, language and social skills. Your pediatrician will review your child’s growth since the last visit and talk with you about your child’s development. These visits are a time to review and discuss each of the important areas of your child’s development, including physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development. Pediatricians often use a resource called Bright Futures to assess and guide discussions with parents about child development.

• Raise concerns:

Make a list of topics you want to talk about with your child’s pediatrician such as development, behavior, sleep, eating or relations with other family members and ask your top three to five questions at the start of the visit.

• Teenagers:

Well-child visits offer adolescents an opportunity to take steps toward independence and responsibility for their own health behaviors. Every well-child visit with a teenager should include time spent alone with the pediatrician so that the adolescent has the opportunity to ask and answer questions about their health. Adolescent visits provide an opportunity for teenagers to address important questions, including substance use, sexual behavior, and mental health concerns.

Your well-child visit is also a wonderful time to ask your pediatrician about any non-pressing concerns about your child’s health. From nutrition and exercise to tips on treating commonplace health issues, your well-child visit serves to get parents on track about their kid’s health.