Patient Services
Well Child Care
Why Are Well-Child Visits Important?
Visits to the pediatrician's office are important even when your child is well. Children have more well-child visits when they are younger because development is faster during these years.
Write down your questions and concerns and bring them with you. This will help you get the most out of the visit.
What does a Well-Child Visit Include?
Each visit includes a complete physical exam. At this exam, we will check your child's growth and development in order to find or prevent problems. The child's height, weight, and head circumference are recorded on a growth chart. This chart remains part of the child's medical record. Talking about your child's growth is a good place to begin a discussion about your child's general health. We can also discuss the body mass index (BMI) curve, which is the most important tool for identifying and preventing obesity.
Hearing, vision, and other screening tests will be part of some visits.
Even if your child is healthy, well-child visits are a good time to focus on your child's wellness. Talking about ways to improve care and prevent problems helps keep your child healthy.
At your well-child visits, you will get information on topics such as:
- Sleep
- Safety
- Childhood diseases
- What to expect as your child grows
We will also talk about other wellness topics such as family relationship issues, school, and access to community services.
Well Visit Schedule
After your baby is born, the next visit should be 2 to 3 days after bringing the baby home or when the baby is 2 to 4 days old (for all babies who are released from a hospital before they are 2 days old).
After that, it is recommended that visits occur at the following ages:
| 2 weeks | 1 month | 2 months | 4 months | 6 months |
| 9 months | 12 months | 15 months | 18 months | 2 years |
| 2 1/2 years | 3 years | Annually from ages 3—21 | ||
Immunization
Vaccinations prevent illness, and it is important that your child receive vaccines at the recommended immunizations schedule.
| Birth to 6 Years | 7 to 18 Years |
Meet and Greet Appointments
ELM Pediatrics is accepting new patients! We encourage you to schedule a "Meet and Greet" to find out if our practice is a good fit for your family.