Health Checks are preventative healthcare for children under the age of 21.  Preventive healthcare means visiting the doctor and the dentist regularly,  rather than waiting until you are sick. Health Checks are important for your children’s health. Your children may look and feel well but still have a health problem. Your doctor wants to see your children for regular checkups, not just when they are sick.

Health Checks help find and treat children’s health problems early. They are recommended at the following ages:

• Birth
• 3 to 5 days
• 1 month
• 2 months
• 4 months
• 6 months
• 9 months
• 12 months
• 15 months
• 18 months
• 24 months
• 30 months
• 3 years
• 4 years
• Every year until age 21

During a well child visit, the doctor will:

• Check height and weight
• Look at ears and eyes
• Check gums and teeth
• Give needed shots (http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4050.pdf)
• Order blood tests
• Talk about healthy habits
• Answer your questions

 Lead Poisoning

Often, there are no symptoms of lead poisoning. Children can get lead in their body by swallowing or touching dust or dirt that has lead in it. Young children face the most danger from lead. Their bodies absorb lead more easily than adult’s. Children need a blood lead test at 1 and 2 years of age.