Well Child Exam Specialist

How do well-child exams promote a healthy life?

Well-child exams give your provider the chance to monitor your child's growth and make sure they reach all of their developmental milestones. But these exams are more than a quick check of your child's health.

Well-child exams are all about preventive health care. They allow your provider to find early signs of physical, emotional, social, and mental health challenges. And that means your child can get the help they need to prevent long-lasting, serious problems.

Parents also benefit from well-child exams. During this appointment, you have time to ask any questions and get advice from your provider about how to manage the many challenges you face as children grow and develop.

When should I schedule well-child exams?

Newborns have their first checkup in the first few days after they leave the hospital. Then, newborn care includes six visits over their first year, at 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, and 12 months old.

Well-child exams are scheduled at 15, 18, 24, and 30 months. Then after their third birthday, children, teens, and young adults have yearly checkups.

What services are available during well-child exams?

Cardinal Pediatrics provides all of the care children need, beginning with reviewing their medical history and learning about their sleeping and eating habits.

During well-child exams, some of the following services are routine, while others are done as needed:

• Head-to-toe physical exam
• Immunizations
• Vision screenings
• Hearing screenings
• Developmental screenings
• Allergy testing and treatment
• Lab tests (blood and urinalysis)
• Weight management
• Chronic disease management
• Behavioral, emotional, and mental health screenings

It's important to know that the team at Cardinal Pediatrics takes care of more than your child's physical health. They also diagnose behavioral and emotional problems and provide treatment for some concerns like attention-deficit disorders, anxiety, and depression.

What immunizations are administered during well-child visits?

Cardinal Pediatrics follows the most current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for immunizations. The vaccinations they give protect children and teens from contagious diseases such as:

• Measles
• Mumps
• Rubella
• Chickenpox
• Diphtheria
• Pneumonia
• Rotavirus
• Whooping cough
• Hepatitis A and B
• Tetanus
• Bacterial meningitis
• Polio

Vaccinations to protect your child from the human papillomavirus (HPV) are optional. Children can get the shot starting at 11 or 12 years old. The vaccine protects them from getting cervical, vaginal, and penile cancer later in life. 

If you want exceptional well-child care from a compassionate team, call Cardinal Pediatrics, or book an appointment online today.

We offer pediatric care, physical exams, and newborn care located in Lowell, MA and Chelmsford, MA. Call us to book your appointment today.