Well Visits
Pediatricians consider preventive care to be a crucial part of a child's total health care.
Well-child check-ups offer an opportunity to evaluate and monitor your child's growth and development. These appointments are scheduled to allow the time that is required to assess and discuss your child, your family, and your concerns. If you feel you need additional time to discuss the particular concerns of your child, please let us know so that we can set aside the time needed in the doctor's schedule. A little planning will make these visits much more valuable for you. If you have any questions about your child's health, please feel free to bring a written list of questions that we can discuss during the visit. This will maximize the benefit of your visit with us.
Management of acute medical problems or chronic medical conditions that are not stable (e.g. problems that require new prescription medication or changes to an existing medication regimen) are not recognized by insurers as preventative services. These services will require a separate appointment or will be reported to your insurance as a separate problem-based visit in addition to the wellness visit. If there is not adequate time booked to complete both the wellness visit and the problem based visit, your provider will ask you to schedule an additional appointment to adequately address your concerns or to reschedule the wellness visit.
Immunizations are discussed and given (if appropriate) at these visits. We follow the
American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines for the schedule of these well visits and immunizations. Typically,
well-child routine exams are recommended at 1 and 2 weeks, 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 24 and 30 months, and
yearly between the ages of 3 and 18 years. When calling for appointments for physical exams, please call at least two months in advance, if possible. If an exam is required sooner, an appointment may be available, but may require seeing a physician different than your child's usual physician. We also keep a waiting list of patients wanting sooner appointments, in case of cancellations in the schedule. Appointments may be scheduled up to three months in advance, and for the first 2 years of life, can be done before leaving the office for the previous appointment.
While many well appointments can be done a little earlier than recommended, some cannot (example: the 1 and 4 year vaccines are not accepted by the school system if given before the child's birthday and must be repeated). All routine checkups can be scheduled later than the recommended time, as we can always get your child caught up on vaccines. If your child needs to be seen sooner than the scheduled well visit for any concern, please call to schedule a sick or follow-up visit. Remember, if you want an earlier appointment than what is available, please ask to be put on our waiting list ~ we have cancellations every week!
Bright Futures (AAP) Well Child Visit Anticipatory Guidance