How often does my child need a well-child visit?
The team at Penguin Pediatrics PLLC recommends scheduling a well-child visit based on your child’s age and specific medical needs.
For newborns, you should schedule an appointment within 24 hours after discharge and again at two weeks old and one month old. During these appointments, the team evaluates your child’s weight and development and performs various newborn assessments. After that, you should schedule a checkup at two months, four months, and six months with nurse visits scheduled two weeks after each checkup.
After the six-month checkup, the team likes to see children every three months for routine exams and necessary vaccinations until they turn 18 months old.
Following the 18-month checkup, Penguin Pediatrics PLLC recommends a checkup again at 24 months followed by yearly visits for overall health and development monitoring. If your child has existing health conditions, they may require more frequent visits for symptom and developmental monitoring.
The team also offers same-day sick-child visits for times between well-child visits when your child experiences a fever, injury, or other medical issue.
What happens during a well-child visit?
Well-child visits are the best way to monitor your child’s health and the progress of their development. The team at Penguin Pediatrics PLLC initially takes time to review your child’s medical history and discuss any new symptoms since your child’s last visit.
Following the discussion, they perform a comprehensive physical exam, check your child’s height, weight, temperature, and blood pressure. They also listen to your child’s lungs and heart and feel the abdomen for any internal abnormalities.
The team may also perform additional screenings, such as hearing and vision tests and blood work if your child has existing symptoms or known medical issues.
Will my child need vaccinations?
A well-child visit is the perfect time to ensure your child is up-to-date on vaccinations, including protection from diseases like polio, measles, mumps, and whooping cough.
The team at Penguin Pediatrics PLLC can also administer seasonal flu shots to prevent serious health complications from the influenza virus.
If your child is over 12, the team may discuss whether they need the vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV), a condition that can increase the risk of certain cancers.
To protect your child’s health and ensure they are developmentally on track, schedule a well-child visit at Penguin Pediatrics PLLC online or by calling the Ashburn office.
