Health Screens are important for monitoring overall child development. With Covid-19 rampant it is even more pressing to stay diligent and keep on top of health care for your child. Read on to learn about three important health screens that are a must for your child.

There is nothing more stressful than raising a child. As parents there are endless things to worry about.  Making sure that health milestones are monitored appropriately does not have to be one of them. Finding the right team of health care providers is part of the battle. Simple steps such as picking the right pediatrician to guide you is through the years is a must.

Three Important Health Screens For Your Child:

Visual Screenings

Your child’s eyes will need to be checked regularly just like an adult’s eyes. Your child’s vision needs to be checked at least once a year.  Typically the first exam will be around preschool age. That’s primarily because that’s when short-sightedness and near-sightedness begin to appear. 

It’s possible that your child could start showing eye sight problems at an earlier age. Be on the lookout for any potential eye problems such as clumsiness. Constantly walking into things can be a sign that your child is not seeing properly. 

Development & Immunization Appointments

Development and immunization appointments are numerous and more complicated to keep track of in the early years.  Most screens typically start after your child turns one month old. While schedules can vary somewhat, you should expect appointments at the first, second, fourth, sixth, ninth, and twelfth-month marks.

These will typically focus on ensuring your child is developing properly, along with scheduled vaccinations. After the first year, you should bring your child to the doctor after 15 and 18 months. After their second birthday, you will be placed on a yearly check up schedule unless there are specific issues to monitor.

Throughout this time, your child’s speech, walking, and other fine motor skills might not be on par appropriately for they age. That could mean getting your child the best speech therapy in your area, among hiring other professionals. This is not uncommon so you shouldn’t worry. These professionals will help to get your child’s abilities to an age appropriate level with a little hands on therapy.

Dental Visits

It is recommended that you start taking your child to the dentist between 12 to 24 months. These visits will primarily be checkups to make sure that their teeth are coming in properly. Schedule these visits to happen every six months. Your dentist will show the kids how to maintain proper dental hygiene during each visit.

Obviously these are not the only health screens that will come up in a child’s early years but if you maintain a yearly schedule with a good pediatrician they will guide you and help you to keep your child healthy,  Remember you are not alone. Your health care professionals are there to help with any questions.  It truly takes a village to raise a child.