Well-child visits, sometimes called physicals, matter even when your child feels perfectly healthy. These regular check-ups are one of the best ways to keep your child well.
At each visit, your child’s pediatrician looks at their overall health, growth, and development, answers your questions, and provides the care your child needs, including:
- Health exams
- Tests such as vision, hearing, and lab work
- Vaccinations
- Growth and development tracking
- Referrals to specialists when needed
Regular visits also give your pediatrician the chance to catch and address health concerns early, often before they turn into something more serious.
These visits are also the perfect time to ask questions. Bring anything that’s on your mind, whether it’s about:
- Health and safety
- Nutrition and diet
- Physical fitness and everyday care
- Sleep habits
- Growth and development
- Behavior and discipline
- Emotional, social, or learning concerns, family situations, or questions about puberty and the teenage years
Schedule of Well-Child Care Visits
Below is a general guide to the well-child schedule and what to expect at each visit. Your pediatrician will let you know when to schedule your next appointment and what it will cover.
CHOC Community Pediatrics follows the AAP’s recommended immunization schedule. You can also view the AAP periodicity schedule here.
| AGE | RECOMMENDED OFFICE VISITS |
|---|---|
| Birth | Newborn blood screen Hepatitis B (Hep B) |
| 3-5 Days | Well-child visit |
| 7-14 Days | Well-child visit |
| 1 Month | Hep B |
| 2 Month | Well-child visit DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis) Hib (Haemophilus influenza type b) PCV (Pneumococcal disease) Rotavirus (given by mouth) IPV (polio) |
| 4 month | Well-child visit DTaP Hib PCV Rotavirus (given by mouth) IPV |
| 6 Month | Well-child visit DTaP PCV Hib, if needed Rotavirus (given by mouth) IPV |
| 9 Month | Well-child visit Hep B |
| 12 Month | Well-child visit MMR (measles, mumps, rubella); not before first birthday Hepatitis A (Hep A); not before first birthday Varicella (chickenpox); not before first birthday |
| 15 Month | Well-child visit DTaP Hib PCV |
| 18 Month | Well-child visit Hep A |
| 2 Years | Well-child visit |
| 3 Years | Well-child visit |
| 4 Years | Well-child visit |
| 5 Years | Well-child visit Vision screen Hearing screen DTap IPV Varicella MMR |
| 6-10 Years | Well-child visit yearly |
| 11 Years | Well-child visit TDaP booster (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) MCV (meningococcal disease) HPV (human papillomavirus) in three doses, all to be given within 6 months |
| 12 Years | Well-child visit |
| 13 Years | Well-child visit Varicella blood test, if vaccine not given and no history of chickenpox |
| 14 Years | Well-child visit |
| 15 Years | Well-child visit |
| 16 Years | Well-child visit MCV booster |
| 17 Years | Well-child visit |
| 18 Years | Well-child visit |
