For well child exams and preventive care we follow American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines. Each visit includes a complete physical examination. At this exam, we will check your child’s growth and development as well as offer guidance on nutrition, sleep, safety, and other important topics. Following this schedule of preventive care and immunizations are important to keep your child healthy.

Adolescence, roughly ages 11-21 years, is a time of huge transformation – physically and mentally. That’s why we adjust our approach to well exams during adolescence. We spend time with teens and their parents in the room at the same time, but we also take time alone with the teen. Click here to learn more about the importance of this alone time. 

11 year well child checkup

Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Blood pressure; Body mass index (BMI)
Immunizations*: Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (Tdap)**; Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine (MCV)***; Human Papillomavirus (HPV)‡; Influenza
Lab/other: Lipid test; Fluoride varnish1; Vision and hearing2
Screenings: Social/emotional screening

12 year well child checkup

Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Blood pressure; Body mass index (BMI)
Immunizations*: Influenza
Lab/other: Fluoride varnish1; Vision and hearing2
Screenings: Social/emotional screening

13 year well child checkup

Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Blood pressure; Body mass index (BMI)
Immunizations*: Influenza
Lab/other: Fluoride varnish1; Vision and hearing2
Screenings: Social/emotional screening

14 year well child checkup

Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Blood pressure; Body mass index (BMI)
Immunizations*: Influenza
Lab/other: Fluoride varnish1; Vision and hearing2
Screenings: Social/emotional screening; Depression screening

15 year well child checkup

Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Blood pressure; Body mass index (BMI)
Immunizations*: Influenza
Lab/other: Fluoride varnish1; Vision and hearing2
Screenings: Social/emotional screening; Depression screening

16 year well child checkup

Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Blood pressure; Body mass index (BMI)
Immunizations*: Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine (MCV)***; Serogroup B Meningococcal Vaccine (MenB) available; Influenza
Lab/other: Fluoride varnish1; Vision and hearing2
Screenings: Social/emotional screening; Depression screening

17 year well child checkup

Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Blood pressure; Body mass index (BMI)
Immunizations*: Influenza
Lab/other: Fluoride varnish1; Vision and hearing2
Screenings: Social/emotional screening; Depression screening

18 year well child checkup

Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Blood pressure; Body mass index (BMI)
Immunizations*: Influenza
Lab/other: Fluoride varnish1; Vision and hearing2
Screenings: Social/emotional screening; Depression screening

19+ year well child checkup

Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Blood pressure; Body mass index (BMI)
Immunizations*: Influenza
Lab/other: Fluoride varnish1; Vision and hearing2
Screenings: Social/emotional screening; Depression screening


*Other vaccines as recommended by your health care provider.

**Tdap – teens 13 through 18 years old who missed the Tdap dose or received Td only at 11 or 12 years old should receive 1 dose of Tdap.

***MCV – teens who received the 1st dose of MCV4 at 11 or 12 years old should receive a booster dose at 16 years old. Teens who received the 1st dose at 13 through 15 years old should receive a booster dose at 16 through 18 years old. If the 1st dose was given at 16 years or older, a booster dose is not needed.

†Influenza – once a year during flu season

‡HPV – 2 doses given typically 6 months apart at 11-12 year old adolescent well child visit (may be started as early as 9 years old.) If first dose given on or after 15th birthday (and through age 26), 3 doses are given.

Children’s Comfort Promise

Taking the scary out of needles isn’t impossible. That’s why we’ve made a promise to our patients. We call it Children’s Comfort Promise. It means we will do everything possible to prevent and treat pain.

Evidence supports that if we always use the following 4 steps, children will have less pain with needle procedures (like immunizations, lab draws or IV starts).

  1. Numb the skin
  2. Sugar water or breastfeeding (for babies 12 months or less)
  3. Comfort positioning
  4. Distraction

This is just one of the ways we go above and beyond for the most amazing people on earth.