All parents wants the best for their children. They want their children to be healthy, smart, and developmentally on target, but there is a lot to keep track of and take note of during their first few years of life when they are developing and growing the most. One of the best ways to ensure your child is on track with his health, growth, and development is to stick to the recommendations for regular child well-checks. These appointments will take place with your child’s pediatrician, and they typically will be seen for about twelve wellness checks by the time they are 3 years old. Sometimes, these appointments can seem unimportant, particularly when everything is perfectly fine with your child and he or she is on track with everything. However, it’s extremely important to continue scheduling and going to your child’s wellness checks for many reasons.
They Help Track Development
Your child will be measured and weighed at each wellness visit, and many pediatricians will also tell parents where their child is in comparison to others his age. For example, if your son is 28 pounds at 2 years old, he is in the 50th percentile for his weight, meaning that half the kids his age weigh more than him and half the kids his age weigh less than him. In the same way, if your daughter is 27 inches long at 6 months of age, she is in the 90th percentile for her height, meaning that she is taller than 90% of kids her age. Pediatricians will also ask developmental questions about your child’s motor skills and physical capabilities, such as when they sat up on their own, when they first walked, how many words they know, and so on. These will help you understand if they are meeting appropriate developmental milestones or if they need some additional help in progressing toward what is expected at their age.
They Help with Early Intervention
The more involved your pediatrician is in your child’s wellness care, the sooner you’ll recognize if there is a problem that needs to be addressed. This can include autism, ADHD, speech delays, growth delays, hearing or vision problems, and much more. Your pediatrician is trained in identifying problems that may require intervention, and they are always open to hearing your concerns and answering your questions about your child’s health, growth, and development. If your child is struggling with speech delays, early intervention can make a huge difference in their long-term development, so identifying and dealing with the problem early is very important. Not only can wellness checks help you identify possible areas that require additional attention, but your pediatrician can also make recommendations or offer referrals if you need to try something else or see a specialist.
They Help Keep Children Healthier
Studies have shown that children who go to their wellness checks at a young age are less likely to be admitted to the hospital with preventable problems. Additionally, the early intervention mentioned above will keep your child on track with development much better than if they weren’t been seen. Wellness checks are designed to keep your child well in every way, including in their diet and nutrition, physical activity levels, sleep habits, safety, and disease prevention. Addressing all of these things regularly at each appointment will help your child be as healthy as possible.
They Give Parents Peace of Mind
It’s very natural for parents to worry about the health and wellbeing of their children. While the internet offers a great deal of information about developmental milestones and proper growth for children, there is no substitute for bringing your child to see a pediatrician for his or her child well-checks. You can ask any questions you may have or discuss anything that is concerning you with a medical professional, and you can get expert advice on how to handle a variety of health-related or parenting issues to give your child the best opportunity to be healthy and happy.
NCHS provides pediatric services to those in North San Diego and Riverside counties, along with many other medical services for the whole family. Visit an NCHS clinic near you today or schedule an appointment at any time by calling (760) 736-6767.