Yearly exams are critical for monitoring the health and well-being of every child. What’s considered normal for one kid might be abnormal in the next, even though they may have similar lives. It’s important for children to develop long-term relationships with their doctors so that they can be correctly diagnosed. If a doctor only sees a child when they are sick, then the doctor won’t get to know what the child is like when he or she is healthy.
What to expect during a pediatric checkup:
- Measurements. Weight and height to determine body mass index (BMI).
- Vital signs, including oxygen level, heart rate, and temperature.
- Examination of ears, lungs, heart, skin and eyes.
- Questions asked by parents and doctors to address concerns.
- Immunization updates to safeguard against measles, mumps, polio, rotavirus and other serious childhood diseases.
The benefits of a yearly checkup:
- Protect child from illness
- Track growth
- Detect developmental problems early
- Discuss eating and sleeping patterns to improve the daily routine
If you’d like to know more about what’s expected during each stage of a child’s development, The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has created a schedule of recommendations for Preventative Pediatric Health Care. You can download it here.
If it’s been a while, please reach out to your child’s doctor to see when they are due for their next exam.
