Parents are always concerned about the health of their children, especially babies and toddlers. Since at that age children cannot communicate any sickness or discomfort to their parents, it is up to the parents to spot any problems in the early stages when treatment is easy. However, there are health issues that affect young children that do not display obvious symptoms and may go unnoticed until they reach serious proportions. The only way to protect against such an occurrence is to take the child for regular health checkups to a pediatrician. This is when any incipient health problem will be noticed so that early treatment or preventive action can begin and the issues resolved as quickly as possible. The importance of scheduled immunizations cannot be overstated but that is not enough to guarantee a child’s good health. Health checkups provide a vital extra layer of protection. Many parents, when they have their second child, feel that their experience with the first one has taught them all they need to know. That is a big mistake. No two children are the same and one child may exhibit early signs of a medical problem while another may not show any signs till the condition is well-advanced.
There is no need to remind parents that small children are in their extremely important formative stage of their lives and this is when they are most vulnerable to various diseases and ailments. The comfort that parents feel in knowing that they are doing all that is required to keep their baby healthy and that health concerns if present, are being addressed, is a vital component of happy family life.
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The Elements of Health Checkup for Young Children
All pediatricians have their own systems of monitoring and evaluating a child’s health. That said, there are some basics that all of them follow. These include:
- Discussing Concerns: During the checkups, parents will be able to talk to the doctor about any doubts or concerns they may have about the child’s health and well-being. One thing all parents know is that unexpected issues, on health or other matters, are always around the corner. Having an expert with whom medical matters can be discussed and advice on course of action can be obtained is essential.
- Physical Examinations: The child’s weight, height, temperature, vision, hearing, reflexes and other parameters will be checked. If anything is out of the normal range, corrective action can be started without the delays that may otherwise make treatment more difficult and of longer duration.
- Vaccinations: Age-related vaccinations are a critical aspect of ensuring a child’s good health. These are best administered during regular scheduled checkups.
- Tracking Development: The pediatrician will be able to give you advice on how to encourage and support your child’s development, social growth and language skills.
- Developmental Testing: Standardized tests will be used to understand how the child’s overall development is progressing and if any supplemental action or support is needed.
- Talking About Behaviour: A child is an individual with a personality of his or her own, right from a very early age. Every child has some behaviours that parents find challenging. The uncertainty this could cause may affect the family dynamic negatively. The pediatrician will be able to tell the parent if there is cause for concern or not and if there is, the way for them to deal with it.
- Providing Guidance: The pediatrician will be able to anticipate the child’s future needs and inform the parents about what they can expect and what they should plan for.
- Creating Understanding: Since young children cannot effectively communicate their symptoms when they are ill, regular health checkups will create a baseline on which the pediatrician will be able to determine if there are any signs of the child being unwell or if the child needs any special care or treatment.
Also Read: Paediatric Care – Choosing the Right Hospital
Parents of a young child often feel overwhelmed, even if it is not their first one. Often, there are lots of conflicting messages and signs that increase doubt and uncertainty. Having a reliable source to go to for all your child’s health and development needs will reduce the burden greatly. This will have 2 positive impacts:
- It will give you the confidence and peace of mind to enjoy your child without uncertainty and fear.
- It will make overall family life less stressful and help to make the home a happier place for everyone.
To ensure that a child is healthy and comfortable, the best place for checkups is a multispecialty hospital with a dedicated pediatrics department. The department will have qualified and experienced doctors to provide your child with the best possible medical care and the most up-to-date medical technology to diagnose and treat any issues that may be present. A multispecialty hospital also means that doctors from various medical specializations will be available for consultations that may be required for your child’s health and well-being.