{"id":8380,"date":"2020-02-24T10:00:38","date_gmt":"2020-02-24T15:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=8380"},"modified":"2020-07-10T13:40:13","modified_gmt":"2020-07-10T17:40:13","slug":"well-child-check","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/well-child-check\/","title":{"rendered":"What to ask the doctor at a well-child check"},"content":{"rendered":"

When asked why their child is going to the doctor, parents usually answer, \u201cOh, it\u2019s nothing, just a checkup.\u201d But well-child checks (WCC) aren’t “nothing”\u2014they are an important building block in the lifelong health and wellness of babies, children, and teens. Well-child visits are opportunities to track your child\u2019s physical, emotional, and social development.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is a well-child check?<\/b><\/h2>\n

\u201cA well-child check is a time for a clinician to check in with the child and their family regarding their health and well-being,\u201d says Natalie Ikeman, MPAS, PA-C, a physician assistant with <\/span>Hennepin Healthcare<\/span><\/a> in Minneapolis, Minnesota. \u201cPhysical health is checked with an exam but also social, developmental, and emotional health are checked through forms and a discussion.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Your physician will discuss safety, nutrition, and family dynamics at the appointment. A good WCC can give your pediatrician an overall picture of a child\u2019s well-being.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why are well-child checks important?<\/b><\/h2>\n

As the name implies, well-child visits are a time for dialogue between patients, families, and their healthcare providers. They give the healthcare provider a chance to <\/span>make sure children are healthy<\/span><\/a> and developing as expected. They provide the opportunity for parents to ask a doctor any questions or raise concerns they have regarding their children.<\/span><\/p>\n

Well-child checks help catch problems when they start and prevent them from becoming more serious. \u201cThis is the key time to discuss preventive measures to prevent many of the chronic diseases of adulthood now prevalent in the pediatric population (obesity, hyperlipidemia, anxiety, depression, nutrition deficiencies, dental disease),\u201d says Martha E. Rivera, MD, a pediatrician with <\/span>Adventist Health White Memorial<\/span><\/a> in Los Angeles.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to keep up with these routine checkups to avoid missing the warning signs of something that could become a problem. \u201cIt is always better to be proactive rather than reactive,\u201d says <\/span>Jeffrey S. Gold<\/span><\/a>, MD, the founder of Gold Direct Care.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At what ages are well-child checks performed?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Generally speaking, well-child checks are done at the following ages:<\/span><\/p>\n