Your Well-Child Visit Schedule: From Childhood to Adulthood

When your child is sick, you know to call us, but did you know regular check-ups are just as important for healthy kids? This guide breaks down why well-child visits matter, a typical schedule and what to expect.

What’s a Well-Child Visit? 

It’s a check-up with your pediatrician to keep your child’s health, growth, and development on track. These visits start right after birth and continue through their teen years, all the way to adulthood (we see patients until their 21st birthday). They’re a great way to monitor your child’s growth, stay updated on vaccinations and talk about healthy development. 

Here’s what typically happens during a well-child visit: 

• Measurements and Screenings. Your visit starts with the medical assistant to measure your child’s height, weight, and vitals. We monitor head growth in infants, and check blood pressure every year starting at age three. We follow the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) schedule for screening vision and hearing, and checking for lead and anemia, among other risk factors. 
• Developmental Check. We’ll talk to you about your child’s milestones—like rolling over, walking, talking or interacting with others. It’s a chance to make sure everything’s on track and to catch any potential delays early. As your child gets older, we want to know how they are doing in school, getting along with peers, and taking on new responsibilities.
• Your Concerns. A big part of check-ups is listening to your concerns and addressing your questions. Are you worried about how your child is eating, sleeping, or pooping? Did they bite someone at daycare? Is your family going through a difficult time and you’re worried about how your child will react? No topic is off limits!
• Physical Exam. We will do a head-to-toe exam to make sure your child’s physical health is on track. 
• Vaccines. At every visit we check your child’s immunizations to make sure they are up-to-date, and answer your questions about the vaccines. These vaccines are important to protect your child from serious illnesses like measles, polio and whooping cough. The shots they’ll get depend on their age, but the goal is to build strong immunity as they grow.

How do Well-Child Visits Change as Kids Get Older? 

While all of the above stays the same, you will notice some changes to the visits as your child becomes a pre-teen, teen, and adult.

• Adolescence. When your child enters adolescence the visits become longer and we address new topics. We will talk to you and your teen about puberty, mental health, substance use, dating and sexual health, and their growing independence. We will explain our confidentiality practices, ask them to complete some confidential health questionnaires, and give your teen some alone time with us to discuss concerns. While we value and support your critical role in your teen’s life, we also want to encourage their growing autonomy and give them a safe space to bring up their concerns.
• Adulthood. At 18 years of age we want our patients to be able to navigate their health care independently, from calling with questions to making their own appointments. We will need their permission to share any medical information or advice with a parent.    

Why Are Well-Child Visits Important? 

Tracking your child’s growth, ensuring they stay healthy and addressing any concerns early is essential for their long-term health and wellbeing, not to mention your peace of mind as a parent. These check-ups provide preventative care like vaccines, monitor key milestones and offer a chance to discuss topics like mental health and eating habits. 

• Relationship and Trust. Check-ups also help you and your child build a strong partnership with your pediatrician. At East Portland Pediatrics we believe this relationship and trust is just as important as our knowledge and expertise in keeping your child safe and healthy, and your family thriving. 
• Getting to Know You. These regular visits help us get to know you and your family’s culture and values. This helps us customize your care and the advice we give. As we become familiar with your child, their growth, and any medical conditions, we can more easily recognize changes from their normal so that we can better identify problems before they become serious.
• Paving the Road to the Future. Regular childhood visits help your child become comfortable being in our office and talking to their healthcare team. Having a comfortable, established relationship with their pediatrician makes it easier for them to share concerns and problems in adolescence and young adulthood. Seeing a teen trust us enough to share their concerns is one of the greatest honors we experience!

What About a Sports Physical? 

Let’s start with the bad news first. A sports physical at school or urgent care does not replace a well-child visit. But the good news is that a well-child visit includes a Preparticipation Physical Evaluation (PPE), otherwise known as the sports physical!

We will ask you to fill out a PPE Medical History form (also available to complete online here) at every check-up from age 12 through high school. This must be done and reviewed before we can complete the Medical Eligibility form. While these should be good for two years, we recommend doing it annually in case a check-up is delayed for any reason. Having these always up to date makes sure your child doesn’t miss out on any practices or games! The forms will be ready for you to download from the patient portal at your convenience. 

The Well-Child Visit Schedule 

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has created a detailed health schedule to keep up with your child’s changing needs. Here’s the breakdown: 

Newborn 

• 3–5 days old 
• 2 weeks old
• 1 month old

Infancy 

• 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months 

Toddler Years 

• 12 months, 15 months, 18 months 
• 2 years (24 months) 
• 2½ years (30 months) 

Early Childhood 

• 3 years, 4 years, 5 years 

School Age 

• Yearly check-ups from ages 6–10 

 Adolescence 

• Yearly check-ups from ages 11–20

How to Prepare for a Well-Child Visit

Have you noticed any changes in your child’s health, such as new symptoms or changes in behavior or patterns in their eating or sleeping habits? Write your questions down ahead of time, and during the visit don’t hesitate to ask for clarification if something isn’t clear. 

• Portal Access. Make sure your portal access is set up and ready to go. Coming soon you will be able to fill out your pre-visit forms in the comfort of your home before the check-up! These will be available in the portal. After your visit you will be able to see the growth chart, screening and test results and the After-Visit Summary, and you can download the sports clearance form when you need it.
  • Experiencing login troubles? You can easily reset your password here. Need more help? Call us at 503-255-3544. 
  • Each parent or caregiver can have their own portal account and login.
  • Your teen can (and should!) have their own portal account. This allows them to complete their own visit questionnaires, and helps build their confidence in navigating their own healthcare. Talk to us to get started.

• Make Time. As you can see, there is a lot that happens at a check-up! From pre-visit paperwork to vaccines or hearing tests, these visits take more time than a visit for strep throat or an ear infection. We schedule even more time for check-ups as your child becomes older to allow for discussion of complicated topics. Be sure to give yourself enough time.
• Dress for Success. In order to do a thorough exam, we will be asking you to undress your baby or child. As weather allows, dress your child in clothes that are easy to remove and put back on. Older children and teens will be offered gowns to put on. If they are uncomfortable with a gown, bring a tank top and loose shorts!

Insurance Coverage and Well-Child Visits 

Great news for families—well-child visits are covered under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This means your insurance should cover preventative care checkups with no copays or coinsurance. Some types of insurance are exempted from the ACA rules, and some try to not cover recommended screenings, so it’s best to check with your insurance provider before your child’s visit.

We’re Here to Support Your Family

Well-child visits are all about investing in your child’s health and future. From baby years through the teen years, these checkups provide the preventive care, advice and screenings they need to grow into healthy adults. As they hit their teenage years, these visits continue to be very important for building responsibility and talking about health topics that matter to them. 

If your child is due for a well-child visit, don’t wait—contact us today to schedule an appointment. East Portland Pediatrics is your partner in parenting and helping your child grow up happy, healthy and strong.