Why Regular Developmental Checkups Are Essential for Your Child

At KidsHealth Pediatrics, we recognize the significance of developmental assessments in children and how important these developmental milestones are in ensuring that they grow and develop at their appropriate rate. During these tests, our expert healthcare professionals conduct comprehensive evaluations to examine each child’s growth in a variety of areas, including physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development.

Physical Milestones:

Our doctors are diligent in tracking physical milestones. They monitor the child’s head circumference, height, and weight to ensure proper brain development and healthy growth patterns. Additionally, they evaluate the child’s gross and fine motor skills, from their ability to roll over, sit up, crawl, and walk, to their capability to pick up small objects and draw.

Cognitive Milestones:

Our doctors assess each child’s language development, and their ability to learn, think, and solve problems. We observe their ability to solve simple puzzles or tasks, such as stacking blocks or opening containers. We also evaluate their short-term and long-term memory skills.

Social and Emotional Milestones:

During developmental exams, we assess a child’s social and emotional development, evaluating their ability to interact with others, make eye contact, and establish relationships. We also observe the child’s engagement in play activities and their ability to respond to social cues.

Vision and Hearing:

Our skilled team of healthcare professionals monitors a child’s vision and hearing during developmental exams. We look for signs that a child is following moving objects with their eyes or turning their head towards sounds. As children grow older, we check their ability to identify colors, recognize their own reflections, or follow simple directions.

Early identification of developmental delays or concerns allows for prompt intervention and support, ensuring the child’s overall developmental trajectory is maximized. These exams are a routine part of a child’s healthcare and are crucial in ensuring their healthy growth and development.

Regular exams allow our expert pediatricians to identify potential health issues early on, making them easier to manage or treat. Such checkups provide a comprehensive overview of your child’s health, tracking changes over time, considering genetic risk factors, discussing lifestyle habits, and conducting thorough physical examinations.

Our pediatricians conduct comprehensive physical examinations that allow them to assess the overall health of your child. They detect any abnormalities or changes in vital signs such as blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate, which may indicate underlying health concerns. Moreover, these checkups may involve imaging studies like X-rays, ultrasounds, and MRI scans to visualize the internal structures of your child’s body and reveal any abnormalities.

Our regular checkups also provide an opportunity for our healthcare providers to track your child’s health progress over time and discuss lifestyle habits. By addressing behaviors like poor diet and lack of exercise, our pediatricians can provide guidance and resources to help your child maintain a healthier lifestyle.

Moreover, our regular checkups take into account your child’s family history and genetic risk factors. We conduct appropriate screening tests to catch diseases that your child may have a higher risk of developing.

Routine checkups, also known as general physical examinations, play a vital role in this process. Our dedicated team of healthcare professionals takes the opportunity during these checkups to conduct comprehensive assessments and identify any potential health risks before they progress into more serious issues.

Growing children can face a host of different health conditions. One of the most common conditions identified during routine checkups in children is hypertension or high blood pressure. Routine blood pressure measurements can expose this “silent killer” that often goes unnoticed without symptoms in children.

Another condition frequently detected during regular checkups is diabetes. Children and adolescents can be affected by both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. A simple blood sugar test can indicate excessive glucose levels, which are indicative of diabetes. Early detection can help manage the disease and avoid consequences.

Mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety can also be recognized during these checkups. At Kids Health Pediatrics, we understand the importance of early intervention and treatment in children suffering from mental health conditions.

Children and adolescents can also face issues such as anemia, characterized by low red blood cell count or hemoglobin levels, which can cause fatigue and other symptoms. Additionally, eye and hearing issues can also be detected during these checkups.

At KidsHealth Pediatrics, we believe in the importance of regular developmental checkups for your child’s well-being. From birth to adolescence, these checkups are crucial for monitoring your child’s health, growth, and overall development.

In line with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations, we advise the following schedule for developmental checkups:

• Newborn (birth to 3 days)
• 2-4 days old
• 1 month old
• 2 months old
• 4 months old
• 6 months old
• 9 months old
• 12 months old
• 15 months old
• 18 months old
• 2 years old
• 2.5 years old
• 3 years old
• 4 years old
• 5 years old
• 6 years old

During these appointments our healthcare professionals assess your child’s physical, cognitive, behavioral, and emotional progress, enabling early identification of any developmental delays or concerns.

If a developmental delay or concern is identified during a checkup early intervention can significantly improve outcomes. We offer targeted therapy sessions to address specific developmental needs, support groups and resources for parents, and educational and developmental programs tailored to your child’s needs.

At KidsHealth Pediatrics, we think regular developmental checkups are critical for helping children realize their greatest potential. Regular checkups allow for early detection of developmental issues and provide the necessary support and guidance to promote optimal growth and development. We encourage parents to adhere to the recommended checkup schedule and share any concerns they have with our healthcare professionals to ensure the best possible outcomes for their child. For more information, please contact us or book an appointment online. We Have 2 Pediatric Clinics in Scottsdale, AZ & Glendale, AZ. We serve patients from Glendale AZ, Peoria AZ, Sun City AZ, Scottsdale AZ, North Scottsdale AZ, Grayhawk AZ, and surrounding areas of Phoenix AZ.