A well-child visit is the one appointment in the year that is not about a problem. It is the visit where there is time to talk, which is exactly why this practice books them long.
The schedule
The practice follows the schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. In broad terms that means frequent visits in the first two years while growth and development are moving quickly, then once a year from age three all the way through to age 21.
If your child has missed a few, that is not a problem. We start from where you are.
How long a visit takes
Plan on 30-60 minutes for a routine well visit and 45 to 60 minutes for a first visit with a new patient. The longer appointment is the whole reason this practice exists. You will not feel like you are on a stopwatch.
If you ever feel like you were rushed during an appointment, let us know and we will adjust future appointments accordingly.
What we'll cover
Well-child visits include a complete physical exam, growth measurements, and age-appropriate vision, hearing, developmental, behavioral, and mental health screening. We'll also talk about topics that are important for your child's age, such as nutrition, sleep, school, physical activity, screen time, development, and safety.
To help us have a more useful conversation, we encourage you to come with an idea of what a typical week looks like for your child, including their usual diet, screen time, physical activity, sleep schedule, and bowel habits. You don't need to formally track these things, a general picture is plenty.
There is always time for your questions and concerns as well. Feel free to bring a list of anything you would like to discuss, and as children get older, we encourage them to bring their own questions too.
A separate problem during a well visit
Sometimes a separate concern comes up during a well visit, such as a new rash, ear pain, or a medication concern. When a separate problem requires additional evaluation or management beyond the routine well visit, it may be billed as an additional problem-focused service. Depending on your insurance plan, a copay, coinsurance, or deductible may apply.
What to bring
- Your insurance card
- The immunization record, if we do not already have it
- Any school, camp or sports forms that need completing
- Your list