Well-Child Visits

What is a well-child visit?

A well-child visit is a routine check-up that your child has at regular intervals with the team at Katy Pediatric Associates. It gives your pediatrician the opportunity to assess your child’s health and monitor their development, ensuring that they’re meeting their physical, mental, and behavioral growth benchmarks.

Your child should have more regular well-child visits during their younger years since there are more developments happening at this time. Katy Pediatric Associates provides care for infants, children, and adolescents, meaning that you can have continuous care and well-child visits from your child’s first week through their 18th birthday. 

Well-child visits also give you the opportunity to directly ask your pediatrician any health questions you might have about your child. It’s important during your child’s check-up for you to inform your pediatrician of anything concerning you’ve seen or noticed in between their visits. Remember, your pediatrician might be an expert on your child’s health, but you’re an expert on your child.

What happens during a well-child visit?

Your pediatrician begins the well-child visit by evaluating your child’s growth and taking a variety of measurements. They measure their height, weight, temperature, and head circumference if they’re between 0 and 24 months. 

Your pediatrician also:

• Performs a physical exam and checks your child’s hearing and vision
• Recommends or administers any necessary shots, like immunizations
• Assesses the progress of your child’s mental development
• Discusses health and safety concerns, illness prevention, physical fitness, and diet
• Teaches you different ways to handle sudden illnesses or emergencies

Your pediatrician records all of this information in your child’s permanent medical record so that they can track their development over the course of their well-child visits. 

When should I schedule a well-child visit?

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends screenings and assessments when your child is:

• Three to five days old
• One month old
• Two months old
• Four months old
• Six months old
• Nine months old
• 12 months old
• 15 months old
• 18 months old

You decrease the frequency of well-child visits when your kid turns two years old and come in every six months between the age of two and three years old. Between the ages of three and 18, well-child visits should be scheduled annually. 

Start your kid's well-child visit today by making an appointment with the friendly team at Katy Pediatric Associates by calling the office in Katy, Texas, or requesting an appointment by using the convenient online scheduler.