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Preventative Health Information for Kids

Preventative health care is essential for everyone, especially kids. It focuses on providing routine regular medical care to maintain good health and prevent illness and disease. Preventative health involves keeping track of kids' growth and development over time and ensuring that children receive recommended immunizations within the appropriate time frame.

  1. Importance of Preventative Health Care

    • Preventative health care is necessary for the overall good health and well being of children. It strives to prevent illness and other medical conditions from developing or progressing. From birth through age 21, kids should see a doctor on a regular basis for well child check-ups. It is especially important for infants and young children to see a doctor regularly because they often cannot let parents and caregivers know when something is wrong.

    Well Child Check-Ups

    • Preventative health care visits for kids are typically called well child check-ups. These check-ups enable the doctor to check the overall health of the child, track the growth and development, complete a physical examination and provide the necessary immunizations. The child's doctor often consults with the parents or caregivers to discuss important health and safety information. It also gives parents the chance to ask questions and address concerns related to their child's health.

    Aspects of Well Child Check-Ups

    • The doctor performs many different tasks to check the measurements and assess the physical, developmental and social aspects of the child. The child's height and weight are checked and the head circumference is measured in children less than 18 months. Blood pressure checks typically begin at 3 years of age. The doctor performs a thorough physical examination where he evaluates the child's head, neck, lungs, heart, abdomen and reproductive organs. Sometimes doctors perform blood tests, urine tests and pelvic examinations to check for conditions. Motor skills are also checked and doctors typically request kids to perform a task related to their age. Gross motor skills tests may involve jumping and fine motor skills tasks may involve picking up a small object. The child's hearing, vision and overall development and behavior are also checked at well child check-ups.

    Recommended Well Child Check-Up Schedule

    • The American Academy of Pediatrics provides a recommendation on the frequency of well child check-ups. For infants, check-ups should occur at newborn, 3 to 5 days, 1 month, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months. For young children, well child check-ups are recommended at 15 months, 18 months, 24 months, 3 years and 4 years. For school-aged children check-ups should be at 5 years, 6 years, 8 years and 10 years. Once children are over the age of 10, it is recommended to receive a yearly check-up from 11 to 21 years old.

    Preventative Oral Health

    • Preventative oral health care is necessary because it helps children maintain healthy teeth and gums. Children should see a dentist every six months to receive a check-up and prevent oral health problems. The routine examination involves a thorough cleaning and physical examination. Dentists also provide information to kids and caregivers regarding healthy oral health habits.

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