Why Well-Child visits matter?

DON’T DELAY AND POSTPONE YOUR WELL CHILD VISITS

We understand this is a difficult and unusual time, and many families have questions about COVID-19. We want to reassure you that we are confident that we can safely provide the care your child needs.

Why Well-Child visits matter?

Don’t fall behind on your child’s routine care — a minor issue today could become a major problem tomorrow. In today’s world, it’s more important than ever to make sure your child regularly visits the doctor – not just when they are sick, but also when they are well. Well-child visits allow your pediatrician to examine your child holistically, assess their physical and emotional needs, support their growth and development, and intervene quickly if any issues arise.

What are the risks of skipping well-child visits?

If your child is healthy, it can be easy to let well visits fall by the wayside. While those annual checkups may seem like just another thing to fit into your family’s hectic schedule, they play a crucial role in preventing future problems. Well, visits are essential to ensure your child gets the required vaccinations to attend school, go to daycare and participate in sports. Visiting the pediatrician when your child well also provides you with an opportunity to ask questions – and get expert answers – about your child’s health, development, and well-being. Delaying these visits can put your child at greater risk of illness or delay needed interventions. For example, many common developmental delays are discovered during routine checkups with pediatricians – early intervention makes a big difference in getting your child the support they need before something small turns into a bigger issue.

What to expect at a well-child visit?

During an annual wellness visit, your child’s pediatrician will:

  • Determine if your child is meeting growth and developmental milestones for their age.
  • To advise and discuss the nutritional needs of growing children and healthy complimentary weaning.
  • To screen the child for Anemia (mainly nutritional Iron Deficiency) and for vitamin deficiencies.
  • Evaluate your child’s vision and hearing for anything out of the ordinary – it’s important to catch these issues early.
  • Ask about sudden changes in your child’s usual activities, mood, and overall health.
  • Assess your Child’s nutritional status for – undernourishment & Obesity.
  • Prevention and counseling for obesity and childhood metabolic disorders related to obesity.
  • Assess your child’s mental health and ask questions about how they are coping with school, friends, family, and any other outside influences.
  • Provide immunizations for childhood diseases and common conditions that affect children.
  • To provide lapsed and missed out doses of immunization
  • Give sports physicals to children who want to want to participate in competitive sports at school or in the community.
  • Get to know your child: their diet, sleeping patterns, nutrition, social interactions, behavior, and stress levels.
  • Help your child establish healthy habits and provide tips for families to reinforce these at home.
  • Provide age- and behavior-based counseling for teens on topics such as depression, and ways to stay healthy and fit and be positive
  • Check-in on how your family is doing and identify any supportive resources or advice related to navigating daily life.

What are the ages for well-child visits?

A standard well-child visit schedule spans from infancy through adolescence, and includes checkups at the following ages:

  • In your baby’s first year: Newborn visit (3-5 days after birth), at 1 month old, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months, and at 12 months
  • 15 months
  • 18 months
  • 2 years
  • 2½ years
  • 3 years
  • 4 years
  • 5-6 years
  • 7-8 years
  • 9-10 years
  • 11-14 years
  • 15-17 years

Your pediatrician can be a trusted partner, friend, and guide at every age and stage of your child’s development. Don’t skip well-child visits for your child. Every child deserves it, especially in the first 5 years of life. At OMAN INTERNATIONAL WOMEN & CHILDREN’S CENTRE, your child’s health is always our top priority. Let your child nurture and grow beautifully and safely under our care and supervision.

To Keep you safe and healthy, we have strict measures in place to ensure the safety of our patients, families, and staff, including universal masking, deep cleaning, reconfiguring space to support physical distancing, and staggering appointment times.