Over the years, healthcare services have evolved in every dimension. Screenings have become more accurate. New vaccines are being discovered. It takes timely consultation to keep a wide array of illnesses at bay, especially among children and newborns!
If you’re a new parent and don’t have much experience in the department, well-child visits can help you take better care of your child’s health.
Why are well-visits important?
Well-visits help parents track their child’s early development and growth. During these visits, the parents are updated on how much their child as grown ever since the last visit took place. Parents can use the opportunity to speak to the pediatrician in detail about the child’s social behavior, learning patterns, sleeping and eating habits, and other developmental milestones.
Other than that, well-child visits also include scheduled immunizations. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children are highly susceptible to contagious illnesses like measles and whooping cough in their early years.
As daycares and schools start reopening, the threat can significantly increase. Timely immunization helps keep your babies safe from 14 illnesses (including measles and whooping cough) that are highly prevalent in the United States.
What is the best time to get well check exams?
According to The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), your newborn’s first well-child should ideally take place two to five days after they’re born. The visits should be routinely carried out until the child turns three.
After the first visit, the next ones should be scheduled when the child is two, four, six, nine, twelve, and eighteen months old. Ideally, the baby should visit the pediatrician’s office at least six times during their first year.
After the child turns three years old, one visit per year usually suffices. Once they turn five years old, they should see a doctor annually until they turn eighteen.
During the first-ever visit, the pediatrician usually checks for any signs of jaundice and feeding difficulties. They’ll weigh the baby and measure their head circumference. They’ll cater to any screening examinations that the hospital might have missed.
During the subsequent visits, the pediatrician usually asks generic medical questions, answers your questions, and monitor other developmental milestones.
Other than these visits, you can schedule additional visits if you need guidance regarding the child’s diet.
Are well-child visits safe right now?
The answer is yes.
Even with the COVID-19 crisis in place, primary care clinics are generally safer than urgent care clinics and hospitals. The CDC has recommended pediatric clinics to schedule well-child ad sick-child visits at different timings. The clinics have also been instructed to have separate waiting rooms for the two categories. At a time when a pandemic has already put human health at risk, you don’t want your newborn to miss out on their essential immunizations.
If you’re looking to schedule a well-child visit for your infant in San Antonio, TX, look no further than A Thru Z Pediatrics. We offer Pediatrician for New born at our Medical center Stone Oak location.