The Importance of Well-Child Exams

Preventive medical care is important for everyone, especially children. The foundation of pediatric preventive care is the well-child visit. Regular well-child visits can make a difference in the overall health of your child. The pediatricians of Mundelein Pediatrics in Grayslake, IL, provide a wide range of medical services for children, including well-child exams.

What You Need To Know About Well-Child Exams

The first well-child exam is performed early, usually within 2 to 5 days of the birth of your child, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. This first well-child exam is an important one because your pediatrician will:

• Measure and record vital statistics including length, weight, and other factors such as feeding issues, jaundice
• Answer any questions or concerns you have about your newborn

Additional well-child exams should be performed at regular intervals, including at 2 weeks, followed by visits at 1,2,4,6,9, 12,15, and 18 months, and then again at 2 years of age, 30 months, 3 years, and then yearly thereafter according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

During these well-child exams, your pediatrician will monitor and track your child’s growth and development over time, helping to ensure your child is continuing to thrive. When your child is older, behavioral, social, and learning abilities will also be evaluated.

For more information about pediatric healthcare guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics, please click here.

The well-child exam is also the perfect opportunity to help ensure your child is current on immunizations, which are important to prevent many infectious diseases.

To view or print a handy guide on immunizations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), please click here. 

When you visit the pediatrician for your child’s well-visit exam, consider bringing a list of questions or concerns you have about your child’s health. Your pediatrician is an expert in infant, child, and adolescent care and health.

Want To Know More About Well-Child Exams?

To learn more about well-child exams, call the pediatricians of Mundelein Pediatrics in Grayslake, IL. You can reach them in the office by calling (847) 548-7337, so call today.