Well Child Exam

Well Child Exam services offered in Joplin, MO

Well-child exams are the best way to ensure your child is as healthy and happy as possible. For parents in and around Joplin, Missouri, the team at Pediatric Associates of Southwest Missouri is an outstanding resource for these routine preventive health visits. Call today to find the best time for your schedule, or use the online booking tool to set up a visit.

What is a well-child exam?

A well-child exam is a preventive health visit that allows your child’s practitioner to deliver the health screenings and preventive care needed at each stage of childhood. These visits usually happen once each year and continue throughout childhood. Established patients can continue seeing their practitioner until they complete college.

The initial portion of your child’s visit centers on gathering routine health data like their height, weight, breathing, and heart function. A quick physical exam follows. There is also time built in for you to communicate with your child’s practitioner about any areas of concern. Potential topics include screen time, pediatric vitamins, behavioral health issues, and sleep patterns.

Why are well-child exams so important?

The information gathered during your child’s well-child visits is compared to statistics compiled from hundreds of other kids of the same age and sex. This comparison allows your pediatric provider to identify areas of developmental delay.

Kids develop at varying rates, and not all developmental delays are a cause for concern. That said, a pattern of developmental delays might indicate a serious issue, and early intervention often improves outcomes.

Well-child visits are also the setting for kids to get the vaccines they need to build a strong and resilient immune system. Your practitioner will advise you on which shots are needed during your visit.

How can I help my child feel more comfortable about coming in for well-child visits?

Kids sometimes develop a fear of medical care. This sometimes develops based on a previous negative experience or can result from exposure to movies or television shows that portray medical care in a frightening manner. Sometimes all it takes is hearing a friend or loved one speak about health visits in a negative way.

If your child fears coming in to see their practitioner, bringing them in with you for your next annual physical might be helpful. Once they see there’s nothing to fear, they may be more excited about their upcoming visit.

Many books explore how much fun it is to come in for health visits. Find one written for your child’s age range and read it together before their appointment.

When you’re ready to book a well-child exam, a quick phone call or a visit to the online booking page is all you need to get started.