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Well Child Exam


About this topic


A well child exam is a visit with your childs doctor to check your child's health. The doctor will check your child's growth, progress, and shot record. It is also a time for you to ask your child's doctor any questions you have about your child's health. Your child will have a full exam during the office visit. Other things that are sometimes checked are hearing, eyesight, and urine and blood tests. The doctor may give shots during your child's well visit. ‚  

General


Getting Ready for a Well Child Exam ‚  
A well child exam is a good time for you to talk with your childs doctor about any of these topics: ‚  
  • Eating habits or diet
  • How your child acts
  • Sleep issues
  • Normal growth
  • Safety
  • Vaccines
  • Toilet training
  • Teen years
  • How you child is doing in school/learning problems
  • Home life

You may want to make a written list of the things you want to talk about with your child's doctor. Be sure to bring your list of questions to your child's well visit. You may also want to do some research on your own before your office visit by reading books or looking at Web sites. Other family members, child caregivers, and grandparents may be able to help you too. Your child's doctor may ask also you about your family's health history. ‚  
The Exam ‚  
The doctor measures your child's weight, height, head size, and sometimes body mass index (BMI). These numbers are plotted on a growth curve. The growth curve gives a picture of your child's growth at each visit. Vital signs may also be checked. These are temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, and listening to your child's lungs. Your doctor will do a full exam. Your doctor will likely start at your child's head and check each body part down to the toes. ‚  
Growth Questions ‚  
Your doctor will ask you about your child's progress. The doctor will focus on the skills that are likely to happen at your child's age. Some of these are motor skills like walking and running, while others are social skills, or how your child interacts with other people. Your child's doctor will also ask you how your child is doing in school. ‚  
Help for Parents ‚  
Your doctor will talk with you about any concerns you have about your child during this visit. The doctor may also talk with you about: ‚  
  • Getting family help
  • Ways to help your child's brain growth
  • How your child plays and acts with others
  • Ways to help your child exercise
  • Safety
  • Eating habits
  • Vaccines

Immunizations (Vaccines) ‚  
Staff will give immunizations to help protect them from getting certain diseases such as measles and whooping cough. Immunizations are most often shots or injections. Sometimes, your child may need more than one dose of vaccine. The vaccines used today are safer than ever. If you have any questions or concerns about immunizing your child, you should talk to your doctor at your child's well care visit. ‚  
Well Child Exam Schedule ‚  
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests this plan for well child visits: ‚  
  • Newborn (3-5 days old)
  • 1 month old
  • 2 months old
  • 4 months old
  • 6 months old
  • 9 months old
  • 12 months old
  • 15 months old
  • 18 months old
  • 2 years old
  • 3 years old
  • 4 years old
  • Once each year until age 21

Well child exams are very important. Since your child is healthy at this visit and it is scheduled ahead of time, you can think about things you want to ask your child's doctor. Be sure to follow the above plan for well child visits as well as any other visits your child's doctor suggests. ‚  

Where can I learn more?


American Academy of Pediatrics ‚  
http://www.aap.org ‚  
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ‚  
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines ‚  

Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer


This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚  

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