Well-Child Visits Help Children Grow Big and Strong
Parents know: a healthy childhood helps put children on the right track for the rest of their lives. That involves things like sparking their curiosity, reading them bedtime stories and begging them to eat more broccoli. That’s only half the battle, however.
You might think you only need to take your child to the doctor when they’re feeling under the weather, but taking them to the doctor even when they’re healthy helps ensure they are growing up big and strong, too.
These visits are called ‘well-child visits,’ and they come at no cost for Service Benefit Plan members when visiting Preferred providers. During a well-child visit, your child’s doctor tracks their growth and asks about their behavior. It’s also the perfect opportunity to ask any questions you may have about your child’s development, like how much sleep they need and when they’ll start to talk.
Well-child visits are also a chance for your child to receive important routine vaccinations that protect their health. After years of study, vaccines are proven:
- Very effective at disease prevention
- To reduce the risk of hospitalization
- To reduce the risk of death in children
- Safe with little to no side effects
Vaccinations are strongly recommended by physicians and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Click here to see the recommended vaccines for children.
Your child’s first well-child visit should happen when they’re three to five days old and continue until they’re 17 years old. Talk with your child’s doctor about when their next well-child visit should be and what vaccinations they're due for.
Remember that routine vaccinations and preventive care visits come at no cost when visiting Preferred providers. Having a doctor nearby can make keeping your child up to date on their preventive care a breeze. You can use our National Doctor and Hospital Finder tool to find a Preferred provider in your neighborhood.
Sources:
https://www.drugs.com/cg/well-child-visits.html