In
today's busy world, the well-child visit has now been termed
in the average parent's mind as the so-called "shot visit".
Parents need to know that there is much more to each visit
than just shots. The average well-child visit includes many
different aspects of a child's overall health and although
the shots are important, they are not the only focus during
the visit.
When
a pediatrician walks in the room, a parent's and child's first
reaction is that the doctor is going to give him/her shots.
In reality, our first and foremost concern is the child's
growth and development. We start off with looking at the growth
chart and if the child is following his/her growth curve.
The growth chart is a tool for pediatricians to assess the
weight, height and body mass index of a child. With the increasing
rate of childhood obesity and type II diabetes, looking at
the growth chart can help with preventing some of these diseases.
Another important aspect to well-child checks is evaluating
the child's development. The milestones in a child's development
helps pediatricians recognize any developmental delays in
the child's motor, language or even social skills.
The
social aspect to a child's life definitely has an impact on
the child's development as well. This includes knowing if
the child is in daycare or homecare, the members of the household,
if the parents are divorced, any exposure to smoke, sibling
interaction, school performance, sleep patterns, etc. The
home environment of a child can have a major impact in the
overall behavior and social skills for that child.
One
very important component to the well-child visit that is of
particular interest to me is the anticipatory guidance given.
This is the part of the visit when the pediatrician sits down
with the parent and the child to discuss age specific safety
measures and precautions. This includes car safety, bikes
and helmets, baths and water temperature, child proofing,
smoke detectors, carbon monoxide monitors, dental checks and
much more. With teenagers, this includes discussing smoking,
alcohol, drugs, sex, gangs, violence, self-breast exams for
girls and self-testicular exams for boys. This is such a key
aspect in the well-child visit for teens. This is the time
when a teenager can really open up to the physician and get
answers to many questions that they may not know whom else
to ask. It gives me a chance to help them deal with many problems
that they are afraid to discuss with others in their life.
This is why I stress the importance for teenagers to go to
their physicians for their sports physicals as well. Although
many schools conduct their own sports physicals with physicians
who are well certified to sign the forms, I think the annual
checkup with your child's pediatrician or family physician
is important in covering all the benefits of the annual well-check,
including sports participation.
The
final part of the doctor's visit prior to the shots is the
physical exam. This part of the visit for the pediatrician
is much more than just checking a child's ears. We take this
time to assess other things like their hips, walking, their
back for scoliosis, hernias for teenage boys etc. This is
a good time for the pediatrician to get a thorough head-to-toe
exam of the child. If needed, we may have the child's hearing
and vision tested.
So,
the next time you are running out the door with your three
kids under the age of five in tow for their doctors' appointments
and you are dreading the shots … please remember that there
are additional and very important benefits that come with
the entire well-child visit. It's all about their overall
growth, development, safety and behavior that is being evaluated
too!
