What purpose do well child checks serve?

[cornflake girl]

When dd was a baby we took her to wbv's pretty much just to cover ourselves...just in case...you never know when someone might find out you don't go and think you're an unfit parent or something. My dd is now going to be five and I'm wondering if there is any point in taking her. What do they look for? I'll admit that when she was a baby it was reassuring to have her heart and lungs listened to, but now what is the point?

[TiredX2]

DS just went in for his 3.5 year check (our ped does really funky times, so 2, 3.5, 5, 8... instead of the standard yearly).

Simple vision test
Simple hearing test
Basic development questions (physical)
Basic development questions ("academic")

At DD's 5 year check they asked several questions about "academics" but they didn't ask her the standard ones. I think they usually ask kids at that age to draw a picture of a person, if they can write their name... That would also be the time they will do any kindergarten immunizations.

I like to go to keep in touch w/our pediatrician. Also to get an accurate weight. We got the last time for DS still nursing.

[Fiercemama]

Health is not just the absence of illness. Having regular contact with your health care provider allows them to have a more complete picture of your child's state of health, so that they can properly treat your child when they are sick. The well child visits are a time when we also chat with our doctor about whatever acute illnesses our DD has had over the year, even if we didn't need to come in and see him to treat them, and that gets noted in her chart. So he knows that when our DD gets sick, its either ear infections or stomach bugs for her. We discuss any treatments that we've done at home. We talk about her diet. I find they are a good time to ask about those little things you are curious or worried about that just never seem important enough to justify their own visit or call.

Well child visits are also an important way for both you and your child to build a relationship with said health care provider. My DD has never had any hangups about either doctor or dentist visits - because she was able to grow comfortable in their offices when she was well, and she doesn't associate the places with feeling crappy, sick or in pain.

Yes, he measures and weighs her and looks in her ears and eyes and listens to her chest - why would this stuff stop being of value past infancy? I'm an adult and I also get my GP to do this to me once a year.

[stafl]

we don't go anymore. I quit taking my girls to well checkups when DD1 was 2years and DD2 was 2months. Who cares if someone *thinks* I'm an unfit parent, they'd never be able to prove it! My girls are extremely healthy and developing just fine. I used to go just because of the what-ifs, but now I trust my judgment and I know that if either girl were really sick and in need of medical assistance, that I'd know it and would take them in for treatment.

Originally Posted by Fiercemama

Having regular contact with your health care provider allows them to have a more complete picture of your child's state of health

not our doctor! She never remembered anything about us when we went in. She's too busy looking at the growth chart to notice my kids.

Preventive medicine is a scam and a joke. Even for adults, serious problems are very rarely found at check-ups, but all sorts of minor ones are found, meaning more prescriptions and medical treatments that may not really be necessary. Studies have shown that preventive medicine results in much higher cost of healthcare, more incident of hospitalization, but no increase in quality of life. Let me see if I can find those studies...

http://www.ncpa.org/w/w26.html
Intuitively, it would seem that diagnosing illnesses before patients notice symptoms would benefit their health, and more follow-up care would reduce the need for expensive medical interventions later on. But recent research shows that these assumptions may not hold true.
...
Physicians suggest that the intervention was ineffective because doctors who saw patients more frequently performed more diagnostic tests and found more conditions to treat. These patients were also more exposed to the risks associated with treatment and hospitalization.

Other studies have found little or no benefit in such preventive measures as detecting and treating early-stage prostate cancer and such follow-up interventions as surveillance to detect recurrence in patients with breast cancer.

Sources: Morris Weinberger et al., "Does Increased Access to Primary Care Reduce Hospital Readmissions?" and H. Gilbert Welch, "Questions About the Value of Early Intervention," New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 334, No. 22, May 30, 1996.

[1xmom]

My dd is now 5 and she went to all her wbc, I really liked her pedi., we rarely waited more than 5-10 minutes, the pedi. always sat down and acted like my dd was her only pt. for the day. Now since my doesn't get sick a whole lot, I probably will skip the one for next year and maybe just take her every other year.

[ChiroWife]

We started taking DD to check-ups when we moved to WI. DD was 1 1/2. She had a skin condition that I was concerned about (Keratosis Pilaris-didn't know the name at the time). My Peds. (there are 2 females) didn't bat an eye that we were still BFing, non-vax, co-sleeping, etc. And when DD started preschool this year she signed our form no hassle.

For me I like having that relationship with her Dr.'s. Yes, DH is a Chiro. and says I get worked up over stuff sometimes (like last year when she had diarehea for 3+ days), but it makes me feel better. They know where we stand and respect our choices.

I only go to my Gyno. once a year, same with my Dermatologist, and my Optomologist. I think all of these things are important for my health and I want the same for DD. DH also has no problem with this, but maybe it is because we have such good Peds.

[cmb123]

Our practitioner is a Natropath. We visit about once a year or so for a checkup. She like to see how the children (and I) are doing both physically and mentally. We all enjoy seeing her.

[cornflake girl]

Well child visits are also an important way for both you and your child to build a relationship with said health care provider.

I totally agree with this in theory, however, our pedi. is in and out in about 90 seconds, seriously. I guess that's why it seems like such a waste of time. I can't believe some of yours actually spend time chatting with you. Maybe we just have the wrong ped.

[btlsmum]

Fiestymama pretty much summed it up for me.

I do think, CFG, that you might want to change peds. It doesn't sound like you are happy with them. I think finding someone you like is much less extreme than stopping entirely, ya know?

[faythe]

Originally Posted by Fiercemama

Well child visits are also an important way for both you and your child to build a relationship with said health care provider. My DD has never had any hangups about either doctor or dentist visits - because she was able to grow comfortable in their offices when she was well, and she doesn't associate the places with feeling crappy, sick or in pain.

ITA with this. It's important to find a doctor you respect and trust, even if it means shopping around for a while. Those docs are out there.

I live in fear that our insurance will change and we won't be able to keep seeing our doctor. He is a gem. He offered to sit with me through my last labor .

[UmmBnB]

Originally Posted by faythe

ITA with this. It's important to find a doctor you respect and trust, even if it means shopping around for a while. Those docs are out there.
.

And I want to agree as well. Both my kids, thankfully, are very healthy but god forbid something was to happen, I'd be happy that we have a relationship with a ped. who knows them, and who they know.

I did lots of searching and interviewing for peds while pregnant with ds. This is something that not many folks do yet I believe it to be very important...especially if you don't plan to follow the status quo. Finding someone who you respect and who will respect you is so important.

It's the same with our dentist. Ds loves his dentist and even though he's had two fillings, rather traumatic experience the first time around, he still gets excited to go back because he's so in love with dr. Dave.

[quakerlady]

so find a new docter!!!!

Originally Posted by cornflake girl

I totally agree with this in theory, however, our pedi. is in and out in about 90 seconds, seriously. I guess that's why it seems like such a waste of time. I can't believe some of yours actually spend time chatting with you. Maybe we just have the wrong ped.

I had to switch ped's, wish I had done it sooner, ask other moms in your area about how their visits go...

[~OceanPotion~]

I haven't taken dd since she was 1. We haven't had any reason to go-she super healthy.