Adults should receive wellness exams with their primary care physicians at least once or year, or more often if a chronic disease condition requires monitoring. So, do kids need regular visits with their pediatricians, too? The answer is yes. Read on to learn the reasons why these in-office assessments are so important.
1. Your Child’s Doctor Monitors Their Growth And Development And Assesses Their Overall Health
Pediatricians ensure your child is on track developmentally. This means checking if their height, weight, vital signs, stage of puberty, hearing, vision, reflexes, learning, and mental health are all on track. The doctor also checks for conditions that run in the family and issues the child may be predisposed to, which is where preventive care comes in.
Preventive medical care is just as important for children and adolescents as it is for adults. While in general, kids do not require routine testing for cholesterol, blood glucose, and other metabolic factors as often as adults, it is important to establish baseline measurements early on and test when symptoms suggest an issue may be present. Then, the doctor can monitor the child for changes as they grow and mature. This is the heart of prevention: catching problems early on while they are still easily treatable.
2. Your Pediatrician Administers Immunizations and Vaccinations
BridgeSpan Medicine follows the vaccine schedule from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics. This schedule ensures your child is up to date on the shots that protect them from communicable diseases and their complications.
Also, schools, sports, and other organizations often require an updated shot record for admission to their programs. Our providers can update this record and provide it to you, the school, and others whenever necessary.
3. Your Child And The Pediatrician Should Establish a Channel of Communication And a Feeling of Trust
At some point, your child may need to discuss issues such as bullying, sexuality, intimacy issues, and more with their doctor. They should be confident that their healthcare provider has the wisdom, patience, and information needed to help in making good decisions related to overall health and well-being. As such, seeing their pediatrician on a regular basis is important, so trust and rapport can be established.
4. Parents Can Ask Questions, Raise Concerns, And Receive Advice
At routine office visits, parents can benefit from the information and counseling they can receive regarding their child’s health, lifestyle, and behavior. No topic is off limits, as our pediatricians and staff wish to assist parents with the task of raising happy, healthy youngsters into adulthood.
Adolescent Medicine in Purchase, NY
At BridgeSpan Medicine, we take care of kids of all ages as they grow through the stages of development and transition into healthy adults. We offer on-site lab testing services, along with sexual wellness support, nutritional counseling, mental health screening and counseling, and the finest in medical care for acute and chronic illnesses, conditions, and injuries.
If it’s time for your child’s wellness check-up or their school or sports physical, we’re here to provide these important services and to keep their medical chart and vaccination record up to date. Contact us today to arrange a convenient appointment with one of our pediatricians: at (914) 698-5544, or request a visit online.
