Summer is just around the corner, and many children will already be counting down the days until school’s out and they can enjoy long, sunny weeks hanging out with their friends. All parents want their kids to be able to enjoy the warmer weather and downtime from school, but for them to make the most of it, they need to be as healthy as possible going into the summer season.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children attend annual wellcare visits. As their name suggests, these are yearly appointments that are performed with preventative care in mind. You can help get your child ready for a healthy summer by scheduling their annual wellcare visit soon.  

What to expect from an annual pediatric wellcare visit?

These visits are very straightforward, and your pediatrician will ensure that your child feels relaxed and at ease at every stage of the appointment. Most annual pediatric wellcare exams will include the following elements:

• A general physical examination which will include checking your child’s height, weight and head circumference.
• Vision screening (unless your child has recently had an eye exam with your family optometrist).
• Hearing screening.
• Discussion of any diagnosed health conditions your child has and how they are impacting their day-to-day life, if at all.
• Discussion about illness prevention, nutrition, physical fitness and health and safety issues.
• Consultation about your child’s learning and behavior.

What are the benefits of annual wellcare visits?

There are a range of reasons why annual wellcare visits are recommended.

Tracking your child’s growth and development. Children continue to grow throughout the majority of the first two decades of their lives. Your pediatrician will carefully monitor your child to see how much they have grown since their last visit, as well as talking to you about any developmental milestones that they have hit during that time. It’s not just these milestones that are important though. Your child will be developing socially too, and it’s important that any issues with their social behavior development are detected early so that they can be offered the right interventions to support them.

Preventative medications. Your child will need regularly scheduled immunizations in order to protect them against some of the most serious illnesses and diseases. Their annual wellcare visit is an ideal time for your pediatrician to ensure that they are up to date with the relevant vaccinations and perform any that may be due. If your child is on any regular medications, your pediatrician may also carry out a general review of these to ensure that they are continuing to work and that you have no concerns.

Support and advice. Raising a child is never easy, and whether it is your first child or last, there is a new challenge around every corner. Your pediatrician is the ideal person to speak to about any concerns that you have about any aspect of your child’s health or behavior. This includes questions you may have about their sleeping patterns, what they are eating, how they are doing in school, their friendships and more.

Remember, while your pediatrician may be an expert in children’s health, only you are an expert in your child. If you have any concerns about their health or wellbeing at any point, don’t wait for their annual wellcare visit, schedule an appointment with your pediatrician straight away.