Back To School | Well Child Checks
Chapa-De Indian Health Auburn Grass Valley | Medical Clinic
As all parents know, our children grow very fast. Following their growth and development is important to making sure they are growing up happy and healthy. That is why it is necessary to schedule Well Child Checks for our children with a primary care provider, or children’s doctor. The perfect time to schedule these appointments is before your child goes back to school. A healthy child will lead to a healthy year!
What is a Well Child Check?
A Well Child Check is an appointment with a medical provider for your child to have their growth and development checked.
The four main goals of a Well Child Check are:
- Disease detection
- The provider will check for any possible illnesses your child may have.
- Disease prevention
- The provider will give you tips on how to prevent your child from becoming sick.
- Health promotion
- The provider will discuss the best ways for your child to stay healthy, including diet and fitness.
- Anticipatory guidance
- The provider will let you know what to expect with your child’s growth in the upcoming year and how best to care for him or her at this age.
When does my child need a Well Child Check?
Because children develop very quickly, it is important to schedule a Well Child Check for your child at least once a year.
As your child ages, their Well Child Checks will change. There are four stages of Well Child Checks:
- Preschool
- At this stage, your child’s doctor will look for physical skills, social skills, as well as thinking and reasoning abilities.
- Grade school
- At this stage, your child’s doctor will discuss nutrition, fitness, puberty and school.
- Teen
- At this stage, your child’s doctor will discuss dating and sex, fitness, nutrition, driving safety school and substance use.
- Young adult
- In this final stage, your child’s doctor will discuss how to stay healthy in the next stage of their life.
Click HERE to read more about the ages and stages of Well Child Checks.
What happens during a Well Child Check?
At a Well Child Check the medical provider will:
- Complete a physical exam
- Take the height and weight of the child
- Test hearing and vision (beginning at age 4)
- Give you information on sleep, safety, what to expect as your child grows and more.
- Click HERE to read more about what to expect at a Well Child Check.
Oral health
In addition to Well Child Checks, it is important to bring your child to the dentist. A healthy mouth and teeth are important to your child’s overall health. If your child suffers from bad teeth, he or she may experience pain and miss school.
To start school, your child must have an oral examination, or have a dentist check for healthy teeth. This must be done by May of your child’s kindergarten year. Click HERE to read more about California’s requirement of child dental exams.
How we can help
Chapa-De offers Well Child Checks with Immunizations and dental appointments at both of our healthcare centers. To schedule an appointment, please call our Auburn location at (530) 887-2810 or our Grass Valley location at (530) 477-8545 or visit us online at chapa-de.org.
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Chapa-De provides medical care, dental care, optometry, behavioral health, pharmacy services and much more.
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Chapa-De Indian Healthcare Auburn Grass Valley