More <bookmarks-menuWell-child visitsChildhood is a time of rapid growth and change. Children have more well-child visits when they are younger. This is because development is faster during these years.Each visit includes a complete physical exam. At this exam, the health care provider will check the child's growth and development in order to find or prevent problems.The provider will record your child's height, weight, and other important information. Hearing, vision, and other screening tests will be part of some visits. So will immunizations.Even if your child is healthy, well-child visits are a good time to focus on your child's wellness. Talking about ways to improve care and prevent problems helps keep your child healthy. Information At your well-child visits, you will get information on topics such as:Sleep Safety Childhood diseases What to expect as your child grows Write down your questions and concerns and bring them with you. This will help you get the most out of the visit.Your provider will pay special attention to how your child is growing compared to normal developmental milestones. Your child's height, weight, and head circumference are recorded on a growth chart. This chart remains part of your child's medical record. Talking about your child's growth is a good place to begin a discussion about your child's general health. Ask your provider about the body mass index (BMI) curve, which is the most important tool for identifying and preventing obesity.Growth chartGrowth charts are used to compare your child's height, weight, and head size against children of the same age. Growth charts can help both you and yo...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Your provider will also talk about other wellness topics such as family relationship issues, school, and access to community services.There are several schedules for routine well-child visits. One schedule, recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, is given below.PREVENTIVE HEALTH CARE SCHEDULEA visit with a provider before the baby is born can be particularly important for:First-time parents. Parents with a high-risk pregnancy. Any parent who has questions about issues such as feeding, circumcision, and general child health issues. CircumcisionCircumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin of the penis.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article After the baby is born, the next visit should be 2 to 3 days after bringing the baby home (for breastfed babies) or when the baby is 2 to 4 days old (for all babies who are released from a hospital before they are 2 days old). Some providers will delay the visit until the baby is 1 to 2 weeks old for parents who have had babies before.After that, it is recommended that visits occur at the following ages (your provider may have you add or skip visits depending on your child's health or your parenting experience):By 1 month 2 months 4 months 6 months 9 months 12 months 15 months 18 months 2 years 2 1/2 years 3 years Each year after that until age 21 Also, you should call or visit a provider any time your baby or child seems ill or whenever you are worried about your baby's health or development.RELATED TOPICSElements of the physical exam: Auscultation (listening to heart, breath, and stomach sounds) Heart sounds Infantile reflexes and deep tendon reflexes as the child gets older Infantile reflexesA reflex is a muscle reaction that happens automatically in response to stimulation. Certain sensations or movements produce specific muscle respons...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Neonatal jaundice -- first few visits only Neonatal jaundiceNewborn jaundice occurs when a baby has a high level of bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a yellow substance that the body creates when it replac...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Palpation Percussion Standard ophthalmic exam Temperature measurement (see also normal body temperature) Immunization information: Immunizations -- general overview Babies and shots Diphtheria immunization (vaccine) DPT immunization (vaccine) Hepatitis A immunization (vaccine) Hepatitis B immunization (vaccine) Hib immunization (vaccine) Human papilloma virus (vaccine) Influenza immunization (vaccine) Influenza immunization (vaccine)All content below is taken in its entirety from the CDC Inactivated Influenza Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) www. cdc. gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/vis-...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Meningococcal (meningitis) immunization (vaccine) MMR immunization (vaccine) Pertussis immunization (vaccine) Pneumococcal immunization (vaccine) Polio immunization (vaccine) Rotavirus immunization (vaccine) Tetanus immunization (vaccine) TdaP immunization (vaccine) Varicella (chickenpox) immunization (vaccine)Nutrition advice:Appropriate diet for age -- balanced diet Breastfeeding BreastfeedingThe following organizations are good resources for information on breastfeeding and breastfeeding problems:American College of Obstetricians and Gyne...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Diet and intellectual development Fluoride in diet Infant formulas Infant formulasDuring the first 4 to 6 months of life, infants need only breast milk or formula to meet all their nutritional needs. Infant formulas include powder...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Obesity in childrenGrowth and development schedules:Infant -- newborn development Infant -- newborn developmentInfant development is most often divided into the following areas:CognitiveLanguagePhysical, such as fine motor skills (holding a spoon, pincer grasp...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Toddler development Preschooler development School-age child development Adolescent development Developmental milestones Developmental milestones record -- 2 months Developmental milestones record -- 4 months Developmental milestones record -- 6 months Developmental milestones record -- 9 months Developmental milestones record -- 12 months Developmental milestones record -- 18 months Developmental milestones record -- 2 years Developmental milestones record -- 3 years Developmental milestones record -- 4 years Developmental milestones record -- 5 yearsPreparing a child for an office visit is similar to test and procedure preparation.Preparation steps differ, depending on the child's age:Infant test/procedure preparation Toddler test/procedure preparation Preschooler test/procedure preparation School-age test/procedure preparation Review Date: 1/24/2023Reviewed ByNeil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. ReferencesHagan JF Jr, Navsaria D. Maximizing children's health: screening, anticipatory guidance, and counseling. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 12.Kelly DP, Natale MJ. Neurodevelopmental and executive function and dysfunction. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 48.Kimmel SR, Ratliff-Schaub K. Growth and development. In: Rakel RE, Rakel DP, eds. Textbook of Family Medicine. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 22.Disclaimer The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.