The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has created the program Bright Futures to “promote and improve the health, education, and well-being of infants, children, adolescents, families, and communities.” Well child care is a critical opportunity for the pediatrician and the family to assess the child’s growth and development.

Children’s Medical Center has a designated well child waiting area.  Patients are expected to arrive 10 minutes prior to their scheduled appointment time to ensure timely check in. 

No Show Policy

All patients are required to give 24 hour notice if they need to reschedule an appointment. After three no shows in a 12 month period, a patient can be dismissed from the practice. We strive to give all our patients reminder calls for well child visits a day or two before the appointment. Please don’t hesitate to call and reschedule an appointment if needed.

Schedule of Well-Child Care Visits

Focus groups conducted by the AAP Department of Research has yielded four overarching themes of the mission of well child care:

1. Pediatricians and parents share the goal of healthy children.
2. Pediatricians want the well-child visit to best serve the needs of children and their families.
3. Pediatricians are experts in child health, but parents are experts on their child.
4. A team approach can best develop optimum physical, emotional, and developmental health for the child.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and Bright Futures recommend the following interval of well child visits. Each visit may include growth measurements, behavioral assessments, developmental screenings, lab evaluations, and immunizations.

When	Visit Focus
3 to 5 days	Focus is on weight, feeding and safe sleep practices. Lactation support available if desired.
1 to 2 weeks	Focus is on weight, feeding and safe sleep practices. Lactation support available if desired. Second newborn screen performed.
1 month	Focus is on weight, feeding and safe sleep practices. Lactation support available if desired.
2 months	Focus on growth and development. Vaccinations administered
4 months	Focus on growth, development, and sleep. Vaccinations administered.
6 months	Focus on growth, development, sleep, and child safety. Vaccinations administered. Developmental Screen
9 months	Focus on growth, development, sleep, and child safety. Catch up vaccinations administered. Developmental Screen
12 months	Focus on growth, development, and child safety. Vaccinations administered. Developmental Screen. Lead level; Anemia screening.
15 months	Focus on growth, development, and child safety. Vaccinations administered. Developmental Screen.
18 months	Focus on growth, development, and child safety. Catch up vaccinations administered. Developmental Screen.
24 months	Focus on growth, development, and child safety. Catch up vaccinations administered. Developmental Screen. Lead level; Anemia screening.
30 months (2.5 years)	Focus on growth, development, and child safety. Catch up vaccinations administered. Developmental Screen.
3 years	Focus on growth, development, and child safety. Catch up vaccinations administered. Developmental Screen. Blood pressure screening.
4 years	Focus on growth, development, and child safety. Vaccinations administered. Blood pressure; hearing; vision.
Once every year after	Yearly annual well child visit that consist of: a physical exam; developmental, behavioral, and learning assessments.

Reach Out and Read

Children’s Medical Center proudly participates in the Reach Out and Read Program.

Reach Out and Read prepares America’s youngest children to succeed in school by partnering with doctors to prescribe books and encourage families to read together. The program trains doctors and nurses to advise parents about the importance of reading aloud and to give books to children at pediatric checkups from 6 months to 5 years of age with a special focus on children growing up in poverty. By building on the unique relationship between parents and medical providers, Reach Out and Read helps families and communities encourage early literacy skills so children enter school prepared for success in school.

All CMC patients who visit our clinic for a Well Child Visit between the ages of 6 months and 5 years will receive a brand new book from the Reach Out and Read Program. If you are interested in learning more, please visit www.reachoutandreadco.org

Transition to Adult Care

Children’s Medical Center helps our patients aged 18-21 manage their medical care themselves. We love watching our patients grow and develop from a tiny infants into a wonderful, independent, healthy young adults. However, at some point, a patient’s medical needs will outgrow our expertise. And while we value our relationship with each patient, the national consensus is that most people need an adult doctor by the age of 22.

To ease this transition, we have developed a Transition to Adult Medical Care packet. Please review the version most appropriate for your age: