Well-child visits - consultations when the child has no illness but is seen for preventive assessment - are one of the most valuable investments a family can make in their child's health. The recommended schedule is most frequent in infancy: within the first week of life, again at one month, two months, four months, six months, nine months, and one year. After the first year, annual visits are the minimum standard, with additional visits recommended at key developmental transitions. At each visit, I review weight and height plotted on growth charts, assess developmental milestones appropriate to the age, complete or review the immunization schedule, provide nutritional guidance appropriate to the current feeding stage, and give parents the opportunity to raise concerns. The purpose is not to wait for a child to be sick - it is to know each child's normal well enough that any departure from their individual baseline is recognized early, when intervention is most effective.
Written by Dr. Madhusudan B S, MBBS, DCH, AASC (Allergy Asthma Specialist Course), Consultant Pediatrician and Pediatric Allergy Specialist, Tumkur. Phone: +91 96771 80651.
