How Do I Know If My Child Is Growing Well?
Questions about whether your child is meeting physical and mental developmental benchmarks are natural. But what’s normal for one child isn’t necessarily normal for another. Read on to learn more.
Every parent wants their child to grow up healthy and strong. And when it comes to helping you do that, Generations Family Practice is in your corner. We provide a number of services that can help keep your child well, including child checkups.
Checkups are a time for your child’s provider to evaluate your child and make sure they’re developing well. However, these checkups aren’t just for your child and their provider. These visits are for you, too, during which you can ask questions and share concerns about how your child is developing.
So with that in mind, the providers at Generations Family Practice in Cary and Raleigh, North Carolina, have listed some questions you should make sure to get answered at your child’s next checkup.
Checkups, sometimes called well-child visits, provide an important time for you and your child’s provider to evaluate how your child is growing and developing. It also provides an opportunity for your child and their provider to develop a trusting relationship.
Typical checkups include a thorough physical examination. Furthermore, your child’s provider will likely discuss disease prevention as well as your child’s physical fitness, nutrition, mental health, and other important topics.
At a checkup, your child’s provider should cover many of the following topics. However, you should have these on hand in case they don’t. Furthermore, you may have questions that aren’t listed here. So, before your appointment, keep a running list of questions, and if you think of more, write them down.
As a child grows up, there are a number of vaccines they will need to help keep them healthy. Although many people think that many childhood diseases, such as whooping cough, measles, and polio, are a thing of the past, outbreaks still happen.
Also, keep in mind that vaccines and immunizations aren’t just for infants and young children. Many vaccinations and immunizations apply to young and older teens as well.
You should also ask about developmental milestones. For example, is your child’s height and weight normal? Or, at what point should your child be talking, crawling, or walking? Knowing these things can provide important insight into your child’s physical health and development.
Similarly, healthy emotional and mental development should also be on your radar. Share information with your child’s doctor and ask questions about your child’s learning and social behaviors.
Are you concerned that your child may be too moody or irritable? Or are they often sad or anxious? Discussing these issues with your child’s provider can help you know if any emotional issues might need to be addressed.
Unfortunately, 20% of American children are obese. So, make sure to discuss your child’s eating habits and activity level. If there are issues, your child’s doctor can recommend ways to help improve their health and ward off possible future complications, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
Keeping your child healthy is a team effort. At Generations Family Practice, our team is here to support you and your child every step of the way. To schedule a checkup for your child, or to get any other kind of pediatric care, book an appointment online or over the phone today.
