A healthy child exam is a preventative medical evaluation for children, including vision assessment, measurements, vaccinations, developmental milestones, and education. Doctors also oversee basic needs and may delay routine vaccinations for sick children.
A healthy child exam is a physical and medical evaluation of a child that is usually performed by pediatricians, general practitioners, osteopathic physicians, or nurse practitioners. These exams are scheduled frequently during the first year of life, and then generally after a child turns two, they have one once a year. Many things happen during an exam for a healthy child, and here is a short list of some things parents can expect from one:
Vision assessment using vision screening
Examination of the child’s body
Height/weight measurements
Routine vaccinations
Assessment of developmental milestones
Diet questions
Age-specific education related to a child
In essence, the Healthy Child Examination is a form of preventative medicine, intended to detect any problems with a child’s physical health or development. It also gives parents an opportunity to ask any questions regarding any physical or developmental changes they have noticed in their child. Each exam is usually tailored to the individual child and the child’s age. For example, doctors might make sure parents are safety-proofed homes for active children and warn them about the dangers of accidentally ingesting dangerous substances.
Another important aspect of these exams is making sure children are up to date on their immunizations. While there are some parents who refuse these vaccinations, most doctors believe they are important to prevent contracting very dangerous and life-threatening diseases such as polio. Vaccinations are usually given at specific ages when they’re thought to be most effective, and children might also get tested early to rule out things like exposure to tuberculosis. Some schools, especially upon admission to kindergarten, require proof of these vaccinations or require parents to sign waivers if they choose not to vaccinate their children.
Equally valuable is determining whether children are growing appropriately and reaching certain developmental milestones. While every child is different, children who are not progressing in a number of areas may require special support or help to catch up with peers, or failure to meet milestones may suggest a serious illness. Usually missing one or two developmental milestones isn’t of much concern, but if a child falls short of most of them at some point, this can suggest significant needs.
Doctors also play an oversight role during an examination of the healthy child to make sure children are meeting basic needs. Doctors usually ask questions about behavior, diet, home safety, and can comment on any test results that might suggest potential problems for the child. For example, with great concern about childhood obesity, a child with a high weight and low height might be examined more carefully and a doctor might give advice on changing diet or order additional tests to rule out things like childhood diabetes.
As a child grows older, the healthy child examination may begin to include education for the child. Some doctors even ask parents to leave the room when they’re examining teens to question them about potential drug use and any sexual behavior, although this isn’t true for all exams. However, for every age, doctors try to cover major health pitfalls and issues, so that a child (or parent) gets the best preventative advice and medical care until the next exam.
Especially in the first years, parents can spend much more time at the doctor’s than only during examination visits of the healthy child. Children get sick with colds, flu, bronchitis and infections, which can require many visits. One question parents may ask is whether a sick child should participate in an exam for a healthy child. This may be at the discretion of the treating physician.
Some doctors may still want to see the child for examination, but may delay things like giving routine vaccinations until a child feels better. A child who is feeling very unwell may not be able to fully participate in an exam and could skew the results, especially of things like vision tests or developmental tests. Many parents find it best to reschedule these exams for when a child is completely healthy.
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