Every parent wants their child to be as healthy as possible. But good health is more than just treating illnesses as they arise. Preventive care is an important part of keeping your child from getting sick and managing existing conditions to keep them from worsening. The best part? With a MyPriority plan, preventive care comes at no cost to you.
What is a well-child visit?
Well-child visits are a key component of preventive health. Seeing your child’s doctor regularly lets them keep tabs on your child’s growth and development, catch signs of serious illness and administer vaccines (another important preventive care step). The visits are spaced tightly during baby’s early days, when they’re growing quickly and milestones happen frequently, but come annually once your child reaches two years of age.
If you’ve attended one of your child’s well visits, you know the doctor assesses them head to toe. Heart rate, blood pressure, height, weight, mobility and reflexes all provide clues to your child’s overall health and help monitor their growth. The doctor will also do a basic dental, hearing and vision evaluation, and help you find specialists if further care is needed.
How do well-child visits help keep my child healthy?
Checking your child’s current physical condition is important, but well visits also ensure their future health. These appointments ensure your child stays on the recommended schedule for vaccines, keeping them safe from major illnesses like measles, polio and pertussis (whooping cough) that can be even more dangerous to younger bodies. The vaccine schedule is calibrated to ensure your child gets the protection they need when it is most effective, so it’s important to attend the visits on the recommended timeline.
Do well-child visits help with other determinants of health?
Bodily health isn’t the only thing the doctor checks at a well-child visit. Your doctor can help support your child’s health in other ways, from education and resources to psychological care. Regular checkups allow you and your child to address any emotional or behavioral concerns you have, which can often be easier to treat with earlier interventions.
These visits are a great opportunity to address any concerns you may have about your child’s health, ask questions and talk to the doctor about what you’re seeing at home. Whether you’re worried about nutrition, exercise, mental health or how to best access care, your child’s doctor may be able to help. Well-child visits are a team effort, so you and the doctor can collaborate on how best to keep your child healthy.
Is it time for a well-child visit?
If your child hasn’t had a well-child check in a while, it may be time to schedule. (Even if they have, consider this a reminder that preventive care is important for parents too – don’t forget to schedule your own annual visit). Though the visits are at no cost to you with a MyPriority plan, the exams themselves are invaluable. The health education, immunization and early detection your child gets as part of regular checkups are a proactive way to ensure that they live their healthiest possible life.
Still have questions? Learn more about the importance of preventive care here or call 833.437.0357 to speak to one of our award-winning enrollment specialists.1
Had any big changes lately? If you’ve added to your family with a new partner or baby, divorced, lost Medicaid your coverage needs may have changed along with your eligibility. You may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). Get a quote online and see if you qualify for additional savings through subsidies.
