Annual Well Checks Specialist

What happens during an annual wellness check?

Annual wellness checks are designed to track your child’s development and identify potential problems early on. During the wellness check, a conversation about your child's health and a review of his/her personal and family medical history will be discussed. A comprehensive physical examination will be done to assess overall health while at the same time checking for any irregularities.

What types of screenings are required for children?

Because children are in their developmental years, their specific screenings will differ from those of adults. These screenings include:

• Blood Pressure - Your child will have blood pressure measurements regularly, starting at around four years of age.
• Lead - Lead can harm your child, slowing physical and mental growth and damaging many parts of the body. Some authorities recommend lead tests at 1 and two years of age.
• Vision and Hearing - Your child's vision and hearing should be tested before starting school, at about 3 or 4 years of age.

Additional tests your child may need can include:

• Anemia (Blood) Test- Your child will be tested for anemia when he or she is nine months and four years of age.
• Cholesterol (Blood) Test- Children (2 years and older) may need this test especially if they have a parent with high cholesterol or heart disease.
• Tuberculosis (TB) Skin Test- Children may need this test if they have had close contact with a person who has TB, or live in an area where TB is more common than average.

Why would my child need a wellness check?

In the United States, about 13% of children 3 to 17 years of age have a developmental or behavioral disability such as autism. An annual wellness check helps to identify such problems early on. Research shows that early intervention and treatment can greatly improve a child’s development.