Well-child visits: When to go and why it’s important

With school, extracurriculars, work and all the other things that fill up a family's schedule, it can be all too easy to skip a well-child visit – especially if a child is generally healthy. But well-child visits are an crucial part of maintaining your child’s health.

“It’s easy to say ‘we’ll skip it this year and come back the next year.’ Then all of a sudden I have an 11-year-old in my office I haven’t seen since they were 5 and there’s so much to catch up on,” says Neethu Mathew, M.D., Pediatrician at Children's Health℠ Primary Care Wylie.

Dr. Mathew shares why yearly well-child visits are necessary and provides tips on how to make them happen.

What is a well-child visit?

A well-child visit is a regular check-up with your child’s doctor to make sure your child is growing and developing appropriately. At a well-child visit, your child’s pediatrician will measure, observe and provide screening questions to assess your child’s:

• Height, weight, heart rate and blood pressure

• Hearing and vision

• Speech development

• Gross and fine motor skills

• Mental health

• Social and emotional development

Pediatricians at Children’s Health follow age-based guidelines for well-child visits from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Why are well-child visits important?

These visits are important for many reasons including:

• Preventative care. Making sure kids are up to date on vaccines is key to prevent serious illnesses and infections.

• Charting your child’s growth. If your child sees their doctor every year, it's a lot easier to identify if their growth pattern is normal, or if they may be having any growth problems.

• Understanding behavior. As a parent, it’s not always easy to know what's typical and what's not. Your child’s pediatrician can help – whether it’s determining if frequent tantrums are a normal part of development or a possible sign of an underlying concern.

• Early intervention. Many developmental issues are best treated when they're found early. Did you know kids qualify for low to no cost therapies through ECI (Early Childhood Intervention) if they are evaluated and diagnosed for developmental delays before the age of 3? For example, speech delays are often identified at well-child visits around age 2. Starting speech therapy before kindergarten can help kids feel more confident and ready for kindergarten.

• Building a trusting relationship with your child’s doctor. This helps you and your child feel comfortable talking about any potential health problems.

“When you have a baseline of trust with a pediatrician, it's much easier to start conversations if and when something feels wrong. Each visit has a cumulative effect of building a trusting relationship over time,” Dr. Mathew says. “Plus, it’s amazing when a teenager comes in and you look back with parents and say ‘remember when we were worried he was late to walk? And now he's a track star.’”

Tips for making well-child visits happen

Dr. Mathew is a mom who fully understands how easy it can be for well-child visits to not be top of mind.

“I’ll raise my hand as the mom who took the same child twice in one year and the other child missed a year or two,” she says. “I get it, scheduling several kids and finding time to bring them in is not easy.”

Her tips for making well-child visits happen are:

• Schedule next year’s visit before you leave the office.

• Mark the appointment in your calendar right away.

• If you have multiple children, ask to schedule them back-to-back so you only have to take one trip.

By prioritizing these appointments, you’re giving your child the healthiest possible start. If you’re still looking for the right doctor to partner with in your child’s care, check out our guide on how to choose the right pediatrician for your child.

When to expect follow-up after a well-child visit

If your pediatrician notices anything outside the norm – or if you raise concerns that need more time – they can schedule follow-up visits to address those issues in detail. Think of well-child visits as opening the door to ongoing conversations that support your child’s long-term health.

Addressing barriers to getting to the pediatrician

Children’s Health serves families from many different backgrounds, and our care team does their best to help all families get the care they need.

“Part of getting to know each family includes getting to know their cultural background and support system,” Dr. Mathew says. “We listen and learn and try to help you feel as comfortable and supported as possible.”

We also offer many resources for families, including:

• Social workers who can help families connect with transportation, financial assistance or insurance.

• Spanish-speaking providers for families who prefer to receive care in Spanish.

• Language and interpreter services for families who speak languages other than Spanish and English.

• LGBTQ-friendly providers.

• School-based telehealth services that are free or low-cost for many families and can save them a trip to the doctor’s office.

• Access to healthcare 24/7 with Virtual Visit by Children's Health Virtual Care.

Find care for your child

Children's Health Primary Care offers comprehensive health care for children from birth through young adulthood. Our pediatricians combine quality care with evidence-based practice to meet your child's medical needs. Learn more and find a pediatrician.