Patient education: Well-child exam (The Basics)

What is a well-child exam? — This is a routine visit with your child's doctor. During each exam, the doctor or nurse will:

●Check your child's overall health, growth, and development

●Do a physical exam

●Give vaccines if needed, based on your child's age and situation

●Give advice about your child's health and answer any questions you have

A well-child exam is different from a "sick visit." A sick visit is when your child sees a doctor because of a health concern or problem. Since well-child exams are scheduled ahead of time, you can think about what you want to ask the doctor.

How often should well-child exams happen? — Experts recommend a well-child exam at these ages:

●Newborn (3 to 5 days old)

●1 month

●2 months

●4 months

●6 months

●9 months

●12 months

●15 months

●18 months

●2 years

●30 months

●3 years

After age 3, well-child exams should happen once a year until age 21.

What happens during a well-child exam? — It depends on the child's age. In general, the visit will include the following parts:

●Growth and development – This involves checking height and weight. For babies and children younger than 2 years, their head is also measured. If there are concerns about your child's size or growth, the doctor or nurse will talk to you about what to do.

●Physical exam – The doctor or nurse will check the child's temperature, breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure. They will also look at their eyes and ears. They will check the rest of the body to look for any problems.

For babies and young children, the parent or caregiver is in the room during the exam. Teens can choose whether they wish to have a parent or other chaperone in the room with them.

●Habits and behaviors:

•The doctor or nurse will ask about your child's eating and sleeping habits.

•For babies and younger children, they will ask about "milestones" like smiling, sitting up, walking, and talking. They will also talk to you about toilet training when your child is ready.

•For older children, they will ask about exercise, school, friendships, activities, and safety. They will also talk about things like mental health and puberty when your child is old enough.

●Vaccines – The recommended vaccines will depend on the child's age and what vaccines they already got. Vaccines are very important because they can prevent certain serious or deadly infections. They are also often required for your child to go to school or day care. Vaccines usually come in shots, but some come as nose sprays or medicines that children swallow.

●Answering questions – The well-child exam is a good time to ask the doctor or nurse questions about your child's health. They can give advice on things like nutrition, physical activity, and sleep habits. They can also help if you have any concerns about your child's learning, development, or behavior. If needed, they can refer you to other doctors or specialists for more help and support.

More on this topic

Patient education: What you should know about vaccines (The Basics)
Patient education: Vaccines for babies and children age 0 to 6 years (The Basics)
Patient education: Vaccines for children age 7 to 18 years (The Basics)

Patient education: Why does my child need vaccines? (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Vaccines for infants and children age 0 to 6 years (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Vaccines for children age 7 to 18 years (Beyond the Basics)