How Often Should I Bring My Child for a Well-Child Visit?

As parents, we all want what’s best for our child — especially when it comes to their health. But how do you go about making sure they stay ahead of sickness?

Here, at Neighborhood Pediatrics in Shenandoah, Texas, our team provides well-child visits as one of the best ways to keep your child’s health in check.

Understanding well-child visits

The thought of bringing your child in to see the doctor when they aren’t sick might seem a bit odd. But well-child visits actually help your child stay well.

We’re able to track your child’s:

Growth development
Immunization schedule
Basic hearing and vision abilities
Body mass index (BMI)

We also learn about your child’s eating habits, how well they sleep, how they handle themselves in social settings, and more. And if needed, we can perform lab work to confirm or rule out certain sickness and disease.

In addition, we can discuss what the American Academy of Pediatrics says about when and how to transition from breastfeeding or giving your child formula to eating solid food, how much screen time your child should have, and what type of drinks they should avoid and at what ages.

Frequency of well-child visits

When you bring your child in to see us, we track all of your child’s growth and changes. This allows us to take note of their progress and make sure they’re reaching all of their developmental milestones. That’s why it’s best for you to follow the schedule we recommend.

Start with planning to bring your infant to us just two to three days after you leave the hospital. After your initial visit, we should see your child at the following ages:

Two weeks
Two months
Four months
Six months
Nine months
12 months
15 months
18 months
Two years
Two and a half years
Three years
Every year until age 21

These appointments are also beneficial to you, as the parent. It’s a great time for you to talk to us about any concerns you might have. As your child learns how to talk, we may ask them questions, too.

Are well-child visits the same as sick visits?

The goal of well-child visits is to keep your child healthy. However, your child might still get sick on occasion. If they do, you need to make an appointment for a sick visit outside of your scheduled well-child visits.

When bringing your child in because of an illness, we focus solely on their symptoms and treatment to get them well.

If you have questions about your child’s well-child visits, we’re here to help. Just call our friendly office staff today, or click here to book an appointment online.