A happy child may not necessarily equal a healthy child. Playful and smiley children could be masking developmental conditions hard to detect by the average parent.
"Well-Child visits are designed to catch those conditions early and refer children for intervention or early childhood special education," said Dr. Eva Ewers, a pediatrician with Irwin Army Community Hospital.
"We normally think of Well-Child visits as a time when kids are due their shots. That's partly true, but Well-Child visits also assess a child's growth and development. In addition, it's an opportunity for parents to ask questions and learn about normal developmental milestones for their child," she said.
"New parents may not be aware their child isn't growing adequately, or perhaps the child is overweight due to formula feeding, or even underweight if they are not breastfeeding correctly," Ewers said. "Following a child's growth on a growth chart helps to know if a child is not eating enough or eating too much."
"The goal for parents is to make eight Well-Child visits the first 18 months. Sticking to this program supports a ready and resilient family," said Maj. (Dr.) Summer Bryant, Chief of Primary Care at IACH.
"Healthy children keep Army families resilient and Soldiers focused on their mission. Well-Child visits are sometimes taken for granted. The reality is that parents play a central role in keeping with the schedule," said Bryant.
IACH advises Well-Child visits at two weeks, two months, four months, six months, nine months, 12 months, 15 months and 18 months of age, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. If it seems like the visits are too close to each other, that's on purpose.
"Babies grow fast and go through many developmental stages within the first few months," said Ewers.
In addition to height and weight, providers check for communication skills, fine and gross motor skills, problem solving, social skills, and other functions that a baby should be performing by a certain age.
If early intervention is needed, providers will refer patients to a specialist.
Ewers said she remembers referring a child for therapy who showed signs of autism.
"After therapy the child caught up with his peers. The sooner you detect autism the better. Most children can improve dramatically and become very capable adults if treated early," she said.
Early intervention also provides parents with the resources, support and training to work and play with their child more effectively. Problems can be better managed or avoided altogether by sticking to the Well-Child visits schedule.
The challenge for Army families moving in or out of Fort Riley is to stay current with the advised schedule. Mobile apps on both the iPhone and Android platforms may help digitally-driven parents. The American Academy of Pediatrics has its own share of mobile apps such as the Bright Futures Visit Planner and the Healthy Children apps.
For parents who prefer a traditional note for their refrigerator, medical homes will hand them a chart on their first visit with a customized schedule of due dates.
To get the most out of a visit, parents are advised to prepare a list of questions.
"Starting a dialogue can lead to a healthy and thriving child, and that is the ultimate goal." Bryant said.
Well-Child appointments can be booked online. Visit www.tricareonline.com or request an appointment via Securing Messaging Service. Register for SMS at https://app.relayhealth.com/.
Social Sharing