What Are Well-Child Exams?
To ensure your child is growing and developing at a normal rate, it is important to get regular well-child exams. A well-child exam helps keep your child healthy by giving us the opportunity to identify hidden issues and prevent additional ones from occurring. We can also suggest ways to enhance your child's well-being by going over any concerns you might have. Please read our vaccine policy here, as we ask our pediatric patients to follow the recommended vaccination schedule provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you would like to find more information about how you can stay proactive when it comes to your child's health or to schedule a well-child exam, call Immaculate Heart of Mary Family Health Center in Chandler, AZ.
What Are the Benefits of Well-Child Exams?
A well-child exam at Immaculate Heart of Mary Family Health Center is a crucial aspect of pediatric healthcare, offering a comprehensive evaluation of a child's growth, development, and overall health. Here are some key benefits of well-child exams:
- Early detection of health issues
- Monitoring growth and development
- Immunization updates and scheduling
- Nutritional guidance and dietary advice
- Parental education and support
- Developmental milestone assessment
- Vision and hearing screening
- Dental check-ups and oral health education
Who is a Candidate for Well-Child Exams?
While children with specific health issues may require additional care and monitoring by specialists, all children, regardless of their health status, should undergo routine well-child exams to ensure optimal growth, development, and overall well-being. These exams are essential for monitoring physical, cognitive, and emotional milestones and detecting any potential health concerns early on. Candidates for well-child exams include infants, children, and adolescents, as these regular check-ups provide opportunities for preventive care, vaccinations, and health education tailored to each child's age and individual needs.
What Can I Expect from a Well-Child Exam?
Well-child checks are the foundation for preventive healthcare and health maintenance for your children.
Our well-child checks monitor your children across 5 domains: growth, development, vaccinations, sensory screenings, and the medical physical exam.
Growth: Weight, height/length, head circumference
Development: We use the clinically validated 'Ages and Stages' questionnaires that screen for delays in gross motor skills, fine motor skills, communication, problem-solving, and personal-social skills.
Additionally, we employ additional screening tools at specific times to evaluate the risk for lead toxicity, anemia, cholesterol, and TB.
Vaccinations: we will compare your child's vaccination record to the AZ State vaccine registry to ensure your child is getting all of the appropriate vaccines at the right time. We also participate in the "VFC" vaccine for children program, which allows us to provide free vaccinations to children who are uninsured, underinsured, or on AHCCCS.
Sensory Screenings: we will screen your children for hearing and vision problems as indicated, and if you ever have any concerns. We have otoacoustic emissions screening devices for infants and young children, and an audiometry pure tone machine for older children. We also use digital photo screening for early detection of visual impairments starting at age 1.
Immaculate Heart of Mary Family Health Center Reviews
Horrible experience . Notified them multiple times during my visit that I was there for annual physical , and they still submitted the wrong code, so i kept receiving the bills for my husband and I. Their billing
Get in Touch
"*" indicates required fields
Check Up on Your Child's Health
At Immaculate Heart of Mary Family Health Center in Chandler, AZ, we want your child to stay happy and healthy. By scheduling an annual well-child exam, you will be provided with the knowledge you need to make well-informed decisions regarding the care of your child. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Hart or Dr. Armstrong today to learn more.
Well-Child Exams FAQs
Well-child exams are crucial for several reasons:
- Growth Monitoring: Healthcare providers track a child's height, weight, and head circumference to ensure they are growing properly.
- Developmental Milestones: Providers assess a child's developmental progress, such as motor skills, language, and social interactions.
- Vaccinations: Well-child exams are an opportunity to administer necessary vaccinations and keep immunizations up-to-date.
- Early Detection: Regular exams can help identify health or developmental issues early, allowing for prompt intervention and management.
- Parent Education: Parents receive guidance on nutrition, safety, behavior, and other aspects of childcare.
The frequency of well-child exams can vary based on the child's age and our staff at Immaculate Heart of Mary Family Health Center's recommendations. In general, infants may have more frequent visits in their first year of life (e.g., at two weeks, one month, two months, four months, six months, nine months, and 12 months), followed by regular annual visits as they grow older.
It's generally best to keep well-child exams separate from sick visits, especially for infants and younger children. Well-child exams focus on preventive care and developmental monitoring, while sick visits address specific health concerns. Combining the two might not allow enough time for a thorough examination of both aspects. However, in some cases, if the child is due for a well-child exam and has a minor illness or concern, our team may address those issues during the same visit.
Well-Child Exams Posts
When Can My Child Start Getting Well-Child Exams?
*Individual results are not guaranteed and may vary from person to person. Images may contain models.