Annual Well-child Visits Build a Healthy Future October 9, 2024 Well-child visits are important for all children from birth to 18 years old. This visit allows the health care provider to track your child’s development and growth to ensure they are reaching all the milestones recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Well‑child visits serve to promote not only the physical well‑being but also the developmental and psychosocial growth of infants, children and adolescents,” said Courtney Kennison, pediatric nurse practitioner with Mid‑Valley Children’s Clinic. “Medical providers recommend routine well‑child visits starting at birth because preventive health care decreases the occurrence of preventable illness and chronic disease while improving overall quality of life,” Kennison said. Monitoring all aspects of your child’s health over time may help the provider detect any possible concerns or patterns they might otherwise miss. Early detection of potential problems is the best way to help your child succeed. If your child does fall behind developmentally there are services such as early intervention that can help them get back on track. Some children just need a little extra help to reach their milestones. “These annual well‑child visits provide an opportunity for the medical provider, caregivers and child to collaboratively identify your child’s strengths, address physical and behavioral concerns, and consider the need for specialty health care services, if required,” Kennison said. This visit is a time for the parent or caregiver to learn the best ways to help their child grow and learn, so they stay on track with their peers. It is a positive and safe space to ask the pediatrician any questions, bring up concerns or challenges, and share successes. Call to Schedule a Well‑child Visit For Mid-Valley Children’s Clinic patients, please call 541-250-4032. For patients of other Samaritan clinics, please call: 541-981-6169. (These phone numbers are only for scheduling well-child checks.)
