The first few years of your child’s life probably felt like a flurry of pediatrician visits. But now your child is older (and busier). They’re in great health and up to date on vaccines. Can’t you get away with skipping the annual well-child checkup during those so-called “silent years”—when they aren’t scheduled for any immunizations or screenings required by school?
Not so fast, says Laith Al Ejeilat, M.D., a pediatrician at Henry Ford Health. “Annual check-ups for your child are really important,” Dr. Al Ejeilat says. “Pediatricians are trained to look for problems with health and development that parents may not be looking for.”
Here’s why yearly visits with the pediatrician should be on your to-do list.
How Often Are Well-Child Visits Needed?
For a lot of people, doctor appointments are something you do when you’re sick. “The culture of having a primary care doctor is relatively modern. A lot of people didn’t grow up doing yearly doctor visits,” Dr. Al Ejeilat says.
But medicine has evolved—and that new understanding can lead to a healthier childhood. Experts now understand how important annual checkups are for your child’s health.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends well-child visits (AKA checkups) at these ages:
- 3-5 days
- 1 month
- 2 months
- 4 months
- 6 months
- 9 months
- 12 months
- 15 months
- 18 months
- 2 years
- 2 ½ years
- Once a year from age 3 to adulthood
What Happens at Your Child’s Annual Physical?
A lot goes on during a yearly well-child checkup.
- Preventive health: Your pediatrician will measure vital signs like heart rate and blood pressure. They will also track your child’s height and weight to make sure they are growing in a healthy way and not gaining too much or not enough weight. Your doctor will check your child’s hearing and vision. They will also help keep your child up to date on appropriate vaccines, including annual flu and COVID shots.
- Developmental milestones: Through conversation and questionnaires, your child’s doctor will assess your child for important developmental milestones. These include things like whether your child is walking and speaking on a typical timeline and whether they are developing fine motor skills (like the ability to grasp a pencil or zip a zipper).
- Health and safety: Pediatricians can help families find resources to provide access to things like healthy foods and safe housing. They can also help you take steps to reduce serious risks in your home, including gun safety, pet safety, exposure to hazardous substances and more.
- Mental and behavioral health: Pediatricians are a resource to support children’s mental and possible behavior problems. They are available to talk to families about issues like bullying, anxiety, attention problems and possible learning problems.
Need A Pediatrician?
Preventing Problems Before They Get Serious
As a parent, you’re the expert on your kid. But even the most attentive parents can be unaware of health problems that fly under the radar. Dr. Al Ejeilat describes just a few of the problems he’s diagnosed that often go unnoticed:
- Enlarged tonsils (which can lead to sleep apnea)
- Heart rhythm problems
- Nutrition problems
- Scoliosis (a curve in the spine)
- Sleep problems
- Undescended testicle (which can affect future fertility and increase cancer risk)
Pediatricians also follow trends over time, so they can spot things that others might miss. If a child gains excess weight gradually, for example, their parents might not realize it’s become a concern. By tracking height and weight at each visit, the doctor can spot obesity early and help families adopt healthy habits before it gets worse.
“Regular checkups can help reduce the chance of developing serious illnesses—and it’s always easier to prevent a problem than to fix it later,” Dr. Al Ejeilat says.
Adolescent Health
Your pediatrician is a partner in your child’s health, so it’s important to find a doctor you trust, Dr. Al Ejeilat says. Visiting the pediatrician each year helps build that trusting relationship. That benefits parents and kids alike. “Kids who establish a relationship with their pediatrician often look up to their doctor. That can mean they’re more likely to listen to the doctor—even when they start pushing back against their parents’ advice,” he adds.
That trust can be especially valuable in adolescence. “Adolescent brain development is a science that pediatricians have studied. We can share that science with parents and help them navigate some of the difficulties that come with parenting an adolescent,” he says.
Dr. Al Ejeilat also encourages parents to step out of the room during well visits so that adolescents can have some time to talk to their doctor privately. “Families might feel that talking about emotional hardships, sexual health or substance use is difficult or awkward. When a parent trusts the pediatrician and the child feels comfortable with them, the clinic becomes a safe place where the child can open up and receive science-based advice,” he says. Plus, speaking one-on-one with their doctor also helps teens start to build confidence in self-advocating for their health—a skill that will serve them well as they become young adults.
Teamwork and Trust
It’s a complicated time to be a kid. Pediatricians can offer support and provide a positive influence at a time when there’s a lot of hard stuff in the world, Dr. Al Ejeilat says.
“Children and adolescents are spending more and more time online, where they’re exposed to content that promotes unhealthy behaviors and bad decisions,” he says. From misinformation about food fads and unhealthy eating behaviors to online bullying and exposure to substance use, kids today are exposed to a lot of harmful content.
“Pediatricians can be a resource for families to push back against those negative influences. We take time to help families navigate technology, understand the risks and develop strategies to protect kids,” he says. “The pediatrician’s office should be a safe haven for families—a place that cares for their kids and provides fact-based information.”
Reviewed by Laith Al Ejeilat, M.D., a board-certified pediatrician and member of the American Academy of Pediatrics who sees patients at Henry Ford Medical Center – New Center One.
