The Importance of Well-child Care Exams

Find out why these well-child visits with a pediatrician are so important. 

If your child seems healthy you might wonder why you need to bring them in to visit our Clarkston, Smyrna and Lithonia GA, pediatricians for a routine checkup. While you should certainly turn to us when your child is sick or injured, it’s just as important that your child doesn’t skip out on these well-child checkups as they are one of the best ways to prevent illness and injury from happening in the first place.

Schedule an Appointment Before Your Baby’s Birth 

You want to find a doctor that you know and trust, especially when it comes to your newborn’s health and care. This is why we recommend that all expectant parents come to our practice a couple of months before their baby’s due date so they can establish rapport with our Clarkston, Smyrna and Lithonia, GA, pediatricians to make sure that our practice and team are the right fit for them.

We know that this is a big decision, and by coming into our office well before your baby is born you can get a better idea of the care you and your little one will receive. You should also bring any questions that you have with you to this appointment.

Your Newborn’s First Appointment 

You will bring your newborn into our office for the very first time about 3-5 days after their birth. The first appointment usually takes anywhere from 20-30 minutes. You will need to fill out paperwork when you arrive and provide us with your insurance card and hospital discharge papers. Make sure to bring all these items with you, along with anything that you need for your newborn such as bottles, diapers and wipes.

During this first visit, vital signs will be taken, and your baby’s height and weight will be recorded. Our doctor will also perform a thorough evaluation to check reflexes, the head and hips, and other parts of the body to make sure everything is healthy and developing properly. We will also administer any necessary immunizations (however, this typically won’t happen until their 2-month appointment).

Childhood Checkups 

Your child, especially during the first three years of their life, will need to come in regularly for checkups, screenings and immunizations, which we provide right here at our practice. It’s important that all children come in for these well-child visits, no matter how healthy they may seem. These checkups allow us to monitor their growth and development and pinpoint developmental delays, behavioral issues and health problems early on. Once your child turns 4 years old, they will only need to come in once a year for checkups if they are otherwise healthy.

Are you looking for a pediatrician that provides compassionate, welcoming care in Clarkston, Smyrna or Lithonia GA? If so, turn to the team at Decatur Pediatric Group for all of your child’s health needs. To schedule your child’s next well-child visit, call us at (404) 296-7133.