Articles - Your Well Child
Your Well Child
This section will discuss developmental stages, well physicals and a vaccination schedule. No one child will fulfill the developmental schedule exactly. The ages in this developmental schedule are the average times for a child to reach certain skills and milestones. However, there is a wide range of normal growth at each age that is considered normal. Most children will be ahead of average in some areas and behind average in others and this is not only normal, but also expected. Use these stages of development as general guidelines and not to determine whether or not your child is advanced or delayed. Well physicals will discuss what a pediatrician does at each well checkup and the important issues to discuss at each visit. Many parents wonder what a physician is doing when they move the hips, look into the eyes, check the ears, look at the spine and stick a tongue depressor in the mouth. This section will cover these topics plus important areas to discuss at the appropriate age level.
The recommended vaccine schedule is the general vaccine schedule for a child starting from birth. Some children may have an immunosuppressive disorder or an illness that would cause a change in a recommended vaccine schedule. The schedule can be individualized for these children. Children who have fallen behind or missed certain vaccines will follow a missed or delayed vaccine schedule different from the recommended vaccine schedule. This section should provide a comprehensive overview of the issues of health, development, and behavior and provide an understanding of the most current recommended vaccine schedule.