Well Child Visits Questions and Answers

Well-child visits are an important part of growing up for kids, starting typically within the first few days of their life and continuing until they reach 18 years old. These regular checkups cover a wide variety of topics related to a child’s growth, development, health, nutrition and any other questions or concerns that parents have about their children. A well-child visit will include the following components:

– A physical exam to check vital signs and ensure there are no areas of concern
– Track the child’s growth and discuss their development – physical, mental, and social, as well as motor skills and learning
– Discuss nutrition, physical fitness, proper hygiene, prevention of illness, and any other health or safety issues
– Develop an action plan for how to handle emergencies and sudden illnesses or injuries

As your child gets older, the conversation that takes place during a well-child visit will change to stay relevant and appropriate for the age and stage they are at in their life. At Medallus Urgent Care, we provide well-child visits by appointment or on a walk-in basis for patients who either don’t have a family doctor or pediatrician, or who need a well-child visit

The purpose of a well-child visit is to discuss and understand your child’s growth and development. Your doctor will let you know what they recommend for the frequency of these appointments, based on your child’s health and development. If your child is having trouble reaching milestones, their doctor may want to see them more frequently to monitor it closely. Well-child visits are your opportunity to ask any questions you may have about your child’s development, find out anything you should be watching out for, what you can do to help and support your child, and overall, anything you want or need to know about their health, safety, growth, and development. You know your child best, so it is up to you to ask questions or speak up for your child for anything that you feel needs to be addressed with their doctor. Well-child visits are also a chance to ensure that your child is up to date on their vaccinations and to discuss with their doctor any concerns you have about vaccinations. Your child will eventually reach a stage where they want to talk to the doctor alone, in which case what they talk about will be confidential between the two of them. For children, having the same doctor through the course of their childhood and into their teen years can help them navigate puberty, sexual health, drug and alcohol use, and other issues that they will come across as they get older. At Medallus Urgent Care, we understand the importance of well-child visits, but also understand that for some children, going to the doctor can be a scary experience. Our team of experts will do everything they can to ensure that children are made to feel safe and comfortable while we do our work of ensuring that they are happy, healthy children that are growing and thriving.

Well-child visits start almost immediately following birth. Many doctors will want to see a new baby within their first few days of life to give them a quick once over and make sure that they are gaining weight, feeding ok and doing all the normal things babies should be doing. This is also a great opportunity for parents to start asking all of the questions about their new baby. Particularly for new parents, there are a lot of unknowns with a new baby and it can be overwhelming to know if what your baby is doing is normal and if you are doing the right things for your baby. A well-child visit is helpful to alleviate some of these early anxieties. As your child grows, they will continue to have well-child visits on a regular schedule, as discussed with their doctor, to ensure their growth and development are monitored, along with their overall health. In most cases, children will see a doctor for well-child visits until they are 18 years old, although some doctors may want to continue seeing their patient until the child turns 21. At Medallus Urgent Care, we offer well-child visits on a walk-in basis, or you can call to book an appointment if that works better for you.

If you want to know more about well child visits, contact us. We serve patients from Jamestown ND, Valley City ND, Devils Lake ND, Fargo ND, Mapleton ND, Horace ND, and surrounding areas.