The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends well child visits at the following times:
- Before your newborn is discharged from the hospital.
- If your baby is discharged before two full days of life, your baby should be seen again within 48 and 72 hours.
- During the first year of life – a visit at about 2 – 4 weeks of age and at 2, 4, 6, 9, and 12 months of age
- During the second year of life – visits at 15, 18, 24 and 30 months of age
- In early childhood – yearly visits from 3 – 5 years of age
- During early school years – visits at 6, 8, and 10 years of age
- In adolescence and early adulthood – yearly visits from 11-21 years of age
The Well Child Visit
Well child visits are more important than you might imagine. The visits allow your doctor to evaluate your child’s general health, growth, and development. When children are sick, they don’t feel like showing the doctor how well they walk or talk. They don’t relate very well either, so their social skills cannot be evaluated. A well child visit requires a well child. A 6-month-old’s appointment for an ear infection can’t be used for the 6-month well child visit.
1 month
Crying
Colic
Thumb sucking
Pacifiers
Sleep
Temperment
2 months
Child Care
Returning to work
4 months
Talking to your baby
Teething
Bedtime routine
Age-appropriate toys
Reading to your baby
6 months
Talking to your baby
Daily routine
Self-comfort
Transitional object
(stuffed animal)
9 months
Talking to your baby
Safe exploration
Simple rules like “don’t touch”
Transitional object
Bedtime routine
1 year
Behavior
Language development
Safe play
Consistent rules
Hitting, biting
Self-quieting
15 months
Curiosity
Power struggles
Negative behavior
18 months
Appropriate language
Power struggles
Praising positive behavior
Night waking, night fears, nightmares
Sharing
2 years
Praising positive behavior
Appropriate language
Parallel play
Limits and structure
Toilet training
3 years
Praising positive behavior
Preschool readiness
Reading
Physical activity
Fears
4 years
Praising positive behavior
School readiness
Family chores
5 years
Health habits
TV limits
Bedtime 7-8 p.m.
Personal care and hygiene
Hand washing
6 years
Team sports
Family chores
Teaching child right and wrong
Self-control
Impulse control
Managing anger
Child’s friends
School performance
Discipline
8 years
Healthy habits
Tobacco, alcohol, drug education
Education about pubertal changes
Peer relationships
Reading
10 years
Bedtime 8-9 p.m.
Hobbies
Homework spot
Acceptance of diversity
Opportunities for success
Education about pubertal changes
11-14 years
Sleep
TV and computer limits
Time management
Family time
Team sports
Family rules
Sexuality issues, sex identification, abstinence, protected sex, sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs)
Substance abuse, alcohol, tobacco
15-17 years
Stress
Feelings
Challenges
School work
Life plans
Safe driving
New skills like life saving, peer mentoring
Sexuality issues, STDs, abstinence
Substance abuse, alcohol, tobacco
[info] The information on this website is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be diagnostic or therapeutic. All charts and schedules are guidelines, which our physicians attempt to follow. In certain circumstances, the physicians may deviate from these guidelines without comprising the standard of care. [/info]
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