WELL-CHILD CHECK UPS & IMMUNIZATIONS
Your child shouldn’t see the doctor only during illness or emergency. Regular checkups with your pediatrician keep your child safe and healthy. Beginning in infancy, your child should be examined by a physician routinely, based on the recommended schedule put forth by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
WELL-CHILD VISITS
Well-Child visits are regularly scheduled appointments with the doctor to discuss age-appropriate developmental issues along with other areas of concern, including family disease history, growth and nutrition, and age-related safety and behavioral expectations. During these regularly scheduled well-care visits, your doctor will observe and review your child’s physical and mental progress, counsel parents on best health care practices, provide immunizations, and detect potential problems through recommended medical tests and screenings.
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Well-child visits are also a good time for parents to raise questions and concerns about a child’s development, behavior, nutrition, safety, and overall well-being. After your child’s examination, we will provide you with additional wellness information, and supply you with an electronic version of the doctor’s recommendations accessible through our patient portal. We will also review your child’s immunization record, and follow any recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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Well-care visits are strongly recommended as part of preventive pediatric care. We recommend children aged three years and older visit us on an annual basis. If your child suffers from a chronic illness, or requires ongoing medication for conditions such as diabetes, asthma, ADHD or allergies, we recommend regular appointments every six months so that we can monitor the condition and adjust medications appropriately.
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Regular contact with our patients helps us build a strong relationship and allows us to provide comprehensive pediatric care for all stages of your child’s life. We provide care for children through the age of 20, and can help facilitate the transition from child to teen to young adulthood.
IMMUNIZATIONS
We know visits to the doctor can be scary, but nothing is more frightening than the possibility your child could contract a life-threatening but preventable disease. Shots can be uncomfortable, and even painful, but they protect against serious illness like measles, mumps, and polio.
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We understand that there is a lot of anxiety related to vaccinations. Most parents are concerned with keeping their child safe and healthy. We are here for you! Contact us anytime to discuss your fears and to get information on what vaccinations are recommended, and what to expect during your immunization appointment.
WHAT IS IMMUNIZATION?
Immunizations involve the administration of a vaccine, usually as a shot, to stimulate the body’s own immune response in order to protect from subsequent infection or disease. The CDC recommends a series of immunizations starting at birth as a way to protect young children from serious and potentially fatal communicable diseases, including mumps, measles, and chickenpox.
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Making sure to follow the recommended immunization schedule is the best way to help protect your child from potentially fatal diseases. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, vaccinations have reduced the number of infections from vaccine-preventable diseases by more than 90%. If you’re apprehensive about vaccinations, please do not hesitate to contact our office for more information or to schedule a consultation.
HOW IT WORKS
While a majority of immunizations occur a few months after birth, a few necessary vaccinations should be administered early. Expectant mothers should plan on getting the Tdap vaccine (whooping cough) sometime between the 27th and 36th week of pregnancy. Also, your child will receive their first Hepatitis B (HepB) shot at birth, with a second dose within the first 1-2 months.
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Additional immunizations will begin around the two-month mark. Rotavirus, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Pneumococcal, and Polio will all be administered in two doses, with the first at two months and the second at four months. Additional treatments will follow at six months and a year, as well as annual vaccinations for the flu. The Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccination typically occurs after your child reaches one year, with a two-dose series that begins with one does at 12-15 months, and a follow-up at 4 to six years.
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Once your child is 18 months old, additional doses of certain vaccinations are also recommended, including Hepatitis B, Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis. The polio vaccine includes a third does at 18 months and the fourth dose around age 4-6. Once your child nears adolescence, the CDC recommends both the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and the Meningococcal B vaccines, with the first dose at age 11-12.
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For a more detailed list of CDC recommended immunizations, click here. If you missed the original schedule, the CDC’s suggested catch-up immunization schedule can be accessed here.
WHAT TO EXPECT
At Cornerstone Pediatrics, we strive to create a warm, safe, and friendly environment for our patients and their families. From the moment you step through our door, you will be treated with kindness and professionalism.
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During your visit, we will provide the following services:
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A complete physical exam
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Developmental assessment (DDST)
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Evaluation of and treatment for common illnesses
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Health education and developmental, nutritional, behavioral, and parenting guidance
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Throughout our entire intake and examination process, we will make sure to answer questions, provide information and calm any fears or concerns. We strive to foster strong relationships with our patients and their families because to us, your child isn’t just a name on a chart, they are part of the Cornerstone Pediatrics family.
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During our initial prenatal visit, we begin by getting to know the parents. We will answer any questions and provide you with information on what you can anticipate after your child is born. We will also work with you to set up a regular appointment schedule so that we can help your baby thrive.
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As your child grows, well-child checkups will become the first line of defense. From pre-pubescence to the teen years, your pediatrician will monitor growth and development, provide recommending screenings and immunizations, and supply expert guidance and the latest health information.
LET'S TALK
Call us anytime during regular office hours at 915-821-5900 to discuss your child, ask questions, or schedule an appointment. You may also access your records, print out forms and schedule appoints via our Patient Web Portal.