Doctor Visits
The amount of times and when a kiddo sees a pediatrician is determined by a combination of pediatric care guidelines and insurance allowances. Most insurances cover and allow for the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for well visits and care for children known collectively as Bright Futures. The usual visits are as follows:
Newborn visit
2-week to 1-month visit
2-month visit
4-month visit
6-month visit
9-month visit
12-month visit
15-month visit *
18-month visit *
2-year visit
2.5-year visit *
3-year visit
4-year visit
Yearly visit thereafter
Starred visits are visits that are variable among practices depending on vaccine timing and availability of providers. Every clinic is a bit different in terms of what screening tests and vaccines are available at each visit (often again due to insurance coverages and vaccine suppliers by state), but by age 4, all pediatric offices should have all kiddos vaccinated and screened appropriately and ready for kindergarten.
Here is a sample general visit to-do list from a sample pediatric practice:
THE NEWBORN VISIT
At your baby’s newborn visit, we will
Take their height, weight, and head circumference
Perform a hearing test, if not completed at birth
THE ONE-MONTH VISIT
At the 1-month visit, we will
Take their height, weight, and head circumference
Administer the hepatitis (hep) B vaccine if not given in the hospital at birth
THE TWO-MONTH VISIT
At your baby’s two-month visit, we will
Take their height, weight, and head circumference (your child will be used to this by now)
Give them the first round of three vaccines, Pentacel (a combination of DTaP, Hib, and polio), RotaTeq, and Prevnar
THE THREE-MONTH VISIT
At the three-month visit, we will
Check your baby’s height, weight, and head circumference
Give them the second hep B vaccine
THE FOUR-MONTH VISIT
At the four-month visit, we will
Take their height, weight, and head circumference
Give them the second round of three vaccines, Pentacel (a combination of DTaP, Hib, and Polio), RotaTeq, and Prevnar
THE SIX-MONTH VISIT
At the six-month visit, we will
Check your baby’s height, weight, and head circumference
Administer the third round of Pentacel (a combination of DTaP, Hib, and Polio), Prevnar, and the final round of RotaTeq
THE NINE-MONTH VISIT
At the nine-month visit, we will
Check your baby’s height, weight, and head circumference
THE ONE-YEAR VISIT
At the first-year visit, we will
Take your child’s height, weight, and head circumference
Give the first MMR and first varicella vaccines
Conduct screening for lead and hemoglobin levels in blood, as recommended by the AAP
THE FIFTEEN-MONTH VISIT
At this visit, we will
Take your child’s height, weight, and head circumference
We will also give the Hib, DTaP, and Prevnar vaccines
THE EIGHTEEN-MONTH VISIT
At the eighteen-month visit, we will
Take your child’s height, weight, and head circumference
Offer the first hepatitis A vaccine
Conduct a standard autism screening, which consists of a few developmental questions
THE TWO-YEAR VISIT
At this visit, we will
Take your toddler’s height and weight
Conduct screening for lead and hemoglobin levels in blood, as recommended by the AAP
Conduct a standard autism screening
THE THIRTY-MONTH VISIT (2.5 YEARS)
At this visit, we will
Take your toddler’s height and weight
Administer the last hep A shot
THE THREE-YEAR VISIT
At the three-year visit, we will
Take your child’s height and weight
Perform hearing and vision tests
Take blood pressure
Administer the MMR and varicella vaccines
THE FOUR-YEAR VISIT
At this visit, we will
Take your child’s height and weight
Perform hearing and vision tests
Take blood pressure
Administer the polio and DTaP vaccines
THE FIVE-YEAR VISIT
At the five-year visit, we will
Take height and weight
Take blood pressure
Perform hearing and vision tests