When I adopted a pair of twins, one of the first things that struck me was how many doctor's appointments they needed to go to. As we took them to all of their baby well-checks, I realised that these appointments were designed to find and address issues early before they caused other problems. Fortunately, our family paediatrician found a few critical problems that we were able to resolve head-on, and it was immensely helpful. Check out this blog for information about health care, preventative care, and helping your child to enjoy a better life. I know that some of these tips helped me, and I know that they can help you too.
Pediatricians recommend annual well-visits for children of all ages, and one of the reasons for this is to make sure your young child is meeting developmental milestones. These milestones vary depending on the child's age, but they include things such as talking, eating, dressing, playing, and interacting with other kids. Here are a few important things you should know about these milestones.
Ask According to Averages
Each time you bring your young child in for a well-visit, the doctor will ask you a series of questions. These questions are designed specifically for your child's age at the time, and there may be 10 or 20 different questions. One important thing to realize about these questions is that they are averages. In other words, an average child will be meeting these milestones by this age; however, every child develops at a different pace.
If your child is meeting most of the milestones, you should not worry too much. If your child continues to start experiencing delays with multiple categories or activities, then you may want to show some concern about your child's development.
Recommend steps
When a child repeatedly is not meeting milestones with certain categories, the doctor may then recommend that you seek some form of help for your child. For example, if your child is not speaking enough words by a certain age, the doctor may recommend speech therapy. A speech therapist can evaluate your child and create a plan that will help your child learn how to say sounds and words properly.
If your child does not seem to be developing motor skills as he or she should be, the doctor might recommend occupational therapy. This form of therapy is very useful for helping with motor skills, and it can help kids of all ages.
There are a number of other types of therapy options kids can take part in for help with different types of developmental delays and issues. One of the main steps in finding the right type of help is getting an evaluation completed on your child to determine exactly what needs the child has. This is something you can talk to your doctor about if you feel that your child needs help in any area of his or her life.
Well-visits should be an important part of a child's life. If you have any questions or concerns about your child, be sure to call a pediatrician, such as one at Kids First Pediatrics Of Fayetteville, and schedule a visit today.
Share2 December 2016
