Well-Care Visits

What is a well-care visit?

In addition to taking your child to the physician when your child is ill, or needs an examination to participate in a particular activity, routine well-care visits are recommended.

Well-care, well-baby, or well-child visits are routine visits to the child's physician for the following reasons:

physical examinations
immunization updates
tracking growth and development
finding any problems before they become serious
information on health and safety issues
information on nutrition and physical fitness
information on how to manage emergencies and illnesses

Your child's physician can also provide guidance on other issues, such as the following:

behavioral problems
learning problems
emotional problems
family problems
socialization problems
puberty and concerns about teenage years

When should well-care visits be scheduled?

Your child's physician will give you a schedule of ages when a well-care visit is suggested. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends this schedule for routine well-care visits at the following ages:

before newborn is discharged from the hospital, or at 48 to 72 hours of age
2 to 4 weeks
2 months
4 months
6 months
9 months
12 months
15 months
18 months
24 months
2 years
3 years
4 years
5 years
6 years
8 years
10 years
annually, between ages of 11 and 21 years

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