Pediatricians care for kids when they’re sick — and when they’re not sick. In fact, those healthy check-ups are just as important to your child’s overall health and well-being.
Commonly known as well-child visits or check-ups, these pediatric appointments are milestones throughout childhood. And for the first couple years of your baby’s life, they’re especially frequent — and especially vital.
From feeding to colic to sleep issues, well-child visits are a great time to talk through just about anything with your child’s doctor. We at Children’s Minnesota want you to think of our pediatricians as your partner in figuring it all out, encouraging and supporting you every step of the way.
Resources for expectant parents
The kid experts at Children’s Minnesota are here to help support new parents.What are well-child check-ups?
Well-child check-ups are regular primary care appointments with your pediatrician. At each exam, your pediatrician will check your child’s growth and development, as well as offer guidance on nutrition, sleep, safety and other important topics. These visits are a great opportunity to learn more and ask questions about your child’s health.
Why are well-child exams important?
Well-child exams are important for all children. These appointments help parents get professional parenting advice and support at regular intervals throughout the child’s growing-up years.
For example, at a well-child exam, you can check in on the developmental milestones your child may or may not be making. Your pediatrician will provide support and referrals if those milestones aren’t on track. These exams also help vaccinate your child on time to optimize their health. Finally, well-child check-ups are an opportunity to ask questions, raise concerns and get support.
Find a pediatrician
Our team of expert pediatricians is dedicated to partnering with you to care for the health and well-being of your child for many years.How often does my child need a well-child check-up?
At Children’s Minnesota, we recommend following the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines for well-child check-ups.
Children’s Minnesota has put together a simple tracking sheet for families that outlines the schedule for your well-child exams. This schedule of preventive care helps you know what to expect and prepare your child for at each age.
The exam schedule is broken out by these age groups:
- Baby’s first 9 months
- Toddler and pre-school (years 1-4)
- School age years (years 5-10)
- Teen years (years 11-19)
A tip from our kid experts: After your child turns 3 years old, schedule their annual well-child check-ups around their birthday so it is easier to remember!
Get our well-child check-up chart.
Primary care at Children’s Minnesota
We encourage regular well-child check-ups to track your child’s growth and development, to be a resource for behavior concerns, and to partner with you to raise healthy children.
Schedule your child’s well-child check-ups at one of our nine convenient primary care locations throughout the Twin Cities metro area.
