Well-child and sick care
Caring for your child’s total health — mind, body and spirit — is just one way Children’s Minnesota clinics stand out. Wherever your child’s health journey goes, we’re here for you every step of the way.
Primary Care Services
Well-child check-ups
You want the very best for your child and that’s why we recommend following the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines for well-child check-ups. At each exam we’ll check your child’s growth, well-being 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.
Schedule of exams and immunizations
This schedule of preventive care and immunizations helps you know what to expect and prepare your child at each age.
Newborn
Well child appointment schedules for newborn to 1 month may vary depending on your baby’s needs. Follow your pediatrician’s recommendations.
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight, length and head circumference
- Lab/other: Hearing test1
- Education materials:
1 month well-child check-up
Well child appointment schedules for newborn to 1 month may vary depending on your baby’s needs. Follow your pediatrician’s recommendations.
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight, length and head circumference
- Immunizations: N/A
- Screenings: Maternal depression screen
- Education materials:
2 month well-child check-up
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight, length and head circumference
- Immunizations: Rotavirus (oral); Haemophilus Influenzae Type B (HIB); Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV13); Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DTaP); Inactivated Polio Virus (IPV); Hepatitis B (HBV)
- Screenings: Developmental/behavioral screening, Maternal depression screening
- Education materials:
4 month well-child check-up
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight, length and head circumference
- Immunizations: Rotavirus (oral); Haemophilus Influenzae Type B (HIB); Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV13); Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DTaP); Inactivated Polio Virus (IPV); Hepatitis B (HBV)
- Screenings: Developmental/behavioral screening, Maternal depression screening
- Education materials:
6 month well-child check-up
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight, length and head circumference
- Immunizations: Rotavirus (oral); Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV13); Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DTaP); Inactivated Polio Virus (IPV); Hepatitis B (HBV); Influenza†
- Lab/other: Fluoride varnish**
- Screenings: Developmental/behavioral screening, maternal depression screening
- Education materials:
9 month well-child check-up
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight, length and head circumference
- Immunizations: Influenza†
- Lab/other: Fluoride varnish**
- Screenings: Developmental/behavioral screening
- Education materials:
*Done at 9 or 12 month well-child check-up
**Fluoride varnish available at tooth eruption
†Influenza – once a year during flu season; twice the first year given
1 Hearing screening as needed
12 month well-child check-up
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and length; Head circumference
- Immunizations: Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR); Chickenpox (Varicella); Hepatitis A (HAV); Influenza†
- Lab/other: Hemoglobin*; Lead* (as needed); Tuberculosis (as needed); Fluoride varnish2
- Screenings: Developmental/behavioral screening
- Education materials:
15 month well-child check-up
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and length; Head circumference
- Immunizations: Haemophilus Influenzae Type B (HIB); Pneumococcal Conjugate Virus (PCV 13); Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DTaP)**; Influenza†
- Lab/other: Fluoride varnish2
- Screenings: Developmental/behavioral screening
- Education materials:
18 month well-child check-up
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and length; Head circumference
- Immunizations: Hepatitis A (HAV)¹; Influenza†
- Lab/other: Fluoride varnish2
- Screenings: Developmental/behavioral screening
- Education materials:
2 year well-child check-up
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Head circumference; Body Mass Index (BMI)
- Lab/other: Lead* (as needed); Fluoride varnish2
- Screenings: Developmental/behavioral screening
- Education materials:
- Your child’s checkup: 2 years
- Sleep and your 1-to-2-year-old
- Communication and your 2 to 3 year-old
- Calcium and your child
- MyPlate food guide
- Healthy habits for TV, video games and the internet
- Developmental milestones: 2 to 3 years
- Vaccine information: Guide to reliable resources
- Acetaminophen/Ibuprofen dosing
2.5 year well-child check-up
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and length; Body Mass Index (BMI)
- Immunizations: Influenza†
- Lab/Other: Fluoride varnish2
- Screenings: Developmental/behavioral screening
- Education materials:
- Your child’s checkup: 2.5 years
- Disciplining your toddler
- Toddler reading time
- Fitness and your 2- to 3- year-old
- Communication and your 2 to 3 year-old
- Calcium and your child
- MyPlate food guide
- Healthy habits for TV, video games and the internet
- Developmental milestones: 2 to 3 years
- Vaccine information: Guide to reliable resources
- Acetaminophen/Ibuprofen dosing
3 year well-child check-up
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Blood pressure; Body Mass Index (BMI)
- Immunizations: Influenza†
- Lab/other: Fluoride varnish2; Vision3
- Screenings: Developmental/behavioral screening
- Education materials:
4 year well-child check-up
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Blood pressure; Body Mass Index (BMI)
- Immunizations: Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DTaP); Polio (IPV); Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR); Chickenpox (Varicella); Influenza†; These pre-kindergarten immunizations may be completed between at age 4 or 5.
- Lab/other: Fluoride varnish2; Vision and hearing3
- Screenings: Developmental/behavioral screening
- Education materials:
*Done at 9 or 12 month checkup
**DTaP given at 15 or 18 months
1HAV given at 18 months or 2 years
2Fluoride varnish available
3Vision and hearing screenings as needed
†Influenza – once a year during flu season; twice the first year given
5 year well-child check-up
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Blood pressure; Body mass index (BMI)
- Immunizations: Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DTaP); Polio (IPV); Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR); Chickenpox (Varicella); Influenza†; These pre-kindergarten immunizations may be completed at age 4 or 5.
- Lab/other: Fluoride varnish1
- Screenings: Developmental/behavioral screening
- Education materials:
6 year well-child check-up
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Blood pressure; Body mass index (BMI)
- Immunizations: Influenza†;
- Lab/other: Lipid profile, Vision and hearing2
- Screenings: Social/emotional screening
- Education materials:
7 year well-child check-up
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Blood pressure; Body mass index (BMI)
- Immunizations: Influenza†
- Lab/other: Lipid profile, Vision and hearing2
- Screenings: Social/emotional screening
- Education materials:
8 year well-child check-up
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Blood pressure; Body mass index (BMI)
- Immunizations: Influenza†
- Lab/other: Lipid profile, Vision and hearing2
- Screenings: Social/emotional screening
- Education materials:
9 year well-child check-up
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Blood pressure; Body mass index (BMI)
- Immunizations: Influenza†
- Lab/other: Lipid profile, Vision and hearing2
- Screenings: Social/emotional screening
- Education materials:
10 year well-child check-up
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Blood pressure; Body mass index (BMI)
- Immunizations: Influenza†
- Lab/other: Lipid profile, Vision and hearing2
- Screenings: Social/emotional screening
- Education materials:
1Fluoride varnish available
2 Vision and hearing
†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.
Pediatric medicine is not just for babies. Children’s Minnesota welcomes patients throughout their college years or through age 23. Our clinicians keep up-to-date with adolescent issues including pubertal development, acne, gynecology, depression and adjustment concerns. We have a dedicated adolescent clinic on our Minneapolis campus.
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 about the importance of this alone time.
11 year well-child check-up
- 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: Vision and hearing2
- Screenings: Social/emotional screening
- Education materials:
12 year well-child check-up
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Blood pressure; Body mass index (BMI)
- Immunizations*: Influenza†
- Lab/other: Vision and hearing2
- Screenings: Social/emotional screening; Depression screening
- Education materials:
13 year well-child check-up
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Blood pressure; Body mass index (BMI)
- Immunizations*: Influenza†
- Lab/other: Vision and hearing2
- Screenings: Social/emotional screening; Depression screening
- Education materials:
14 year well-child check-up
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Blood pressure; Body mass index (BMI)
- Immunizations*: Influenza†
- Lab/other: Vision and hearing2
- Screenings: Social/emotional screening; Depression screening
- Education materials:
15 year well-child check-up
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Blood pressure; Body mass index (BMI)
- Immunizations*: Influenza†
- Lab/other: Vision and hearing2
- Screenings: Social/emotional screening; Depression screening
- Education materials:
16 year well-child check-up
- 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: Vision and hearing2
- Screenings: Social/emotional screening; Depression screening
- Education materials:
17 year well-child check-up
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Blood pressure; Body mass index (BMI)
- Immunizations*: Influenza†
- Lab/other: Vision and hearing2
- Screenings: Social/emotional screening; Depression screening
- Education materials:
18 year well-child check-up
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Blood pressure; Body mass index (BMI)
- Immunizations*: Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (Tdap)**; Influenza†
- Lab/other: Lipid profile; Vision and hearing2
- Screenings: Depression screening
- Education materials:
19+ year well-child check-up
- Examinations: Physical examination; Weight and height; Blood pressure; Body mass index (BMI)
- Immunizations*: Influenza†
- Lab/other: Vision and hearing2
- Screenings: Depression screening
- Education materials:
*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.
1Fluoride varnish available
2Vision and hearing screenings as needed
Reliable vaccine resources
Be well informed. If you have questions, talk with your pediatrician about the benefits and potential risks to vaccines, and to get accurate vaccine information. If you want to do more research, use these reliable vaccine resources from trusted experts including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and American Academy of Pediatrics.
COVID-19 vaccine
The Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for ages 5 and older. Learn more and find out how to schedule your child’s vaccination.
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 help prevent and treat pain. This is just one of the ways we go above and beyond for the most amazing people on earth. Learn more about the Children’s Comfort Promise »
Printable schedule
Help for common illnesses
Sometimes your child may have symptoms from an illness or injury that can be comfortably managed at home. Click the links below to get helpful information about some of the most common childhood health issues.
If you’d like to talk with someone about your child’s symptoms, call your clinic and ask to speak with our 24/7 nurse line.
Safety tips
How to care for a child after shots
Some redness or soreness after immunizations is normal. Learn more about how to treat side effects and when to call your doctor.
Safety for babies
Fussiness and throwing up are common signs of both routine childhood illnesses and abusive head trauma (shaken baby syndrome). For children’s safety, all babies and infants are assessed for abusive head trauma at every appointment.
Car seats to protect your child
Car crashes are one of the leading causes of death and injury for children. Keeping your child safe requires using the right car seat for your child and installing it correctly.