Question About Well Checks

Annual physicals are forever. For us too.

4 moms found this helpful

My whole family gets a yearly physical... no matter the age. I think it's really important!

3 moms found this helpful

Everyone should have a yearly physical!

3 moms found this helpful

I"m 29. When I was a child, it was normal to stop well checks at 5. Yearly physicals, were not the norm. They were never required in school, in any year I went. I played sports in middle and high school, and never was required one. I think doctor's are tools. I think a normal, young, very healthy young person (I think over 12) does not NEED to see a Dr. every year. I will probably take my son to well visits until he is 12, unless his Dr. suggests otherwise...or he has an ailment that needs frequent attention.

I am healthy. When I don't feel healthy, or my body is not functioning as normal...I go to the dr. I don't need to be prodded every single year.

3 moms found this helpful

For Life

I go in for a physical every year. It's the same appointment, it just changes name from well child check to physical

2 moms found this helpful

Everyone should visit their doc at least once a year. As a nurse I can tell you how important it is to have a good competent primary care doc/pediatrician that knows your history. It can mean the difference of life or death in case a chronic condition develops.

2 moms found this helpful

My oldest are 13 and they still have an annual physical. Although schools don't require the physicals every year (each state has different requirements for what grade they need to be done before) I think that it's important for a patient to have a good relationship with his or her physician and that includes allowing the doctor to see a child who is well. My SD was not seen by a primary care for several years so we took over her medical care when she moved in with us and it's hard for our pediatrician to really help us when she's not feeling well because she doesn't "know" her like she knows my sons. With my boys, it's easier for her to tell when they're really sick or injured and need further care vs. just something that will resolve itself with time because she knows what they are like when they are well.

If insurance isn't an issue, I see no reason to not continue with annual physicals. We actually were prepared to use the lapse in medical care as evidence of neglect if we needed to in our custody case. IMO if a family has good medical insurance and forgoes regular physicals, to me that looks like lazy parenting - how hard is it to schedule an hour once a year to pop into the pediatrician to make sure that things are up to date?

2 moms found this helpful

My insurance no longer pays for them after age 5. So that's when we'll stop unless I get a better insurance plan (if it's covered I'd keep going).

1 mom found this helpful

My oldest is 14. Her last well check was when she was 12. My 8 year old still goes every year. I will stop her yearly well checks after she gets all her shots.

Because I stopped taking my oldest for her well checks, the peds office told me that I can no longer call in the morning and get her a same day appointment if she gets sick. I have now switched her to my doctor. She has had a couple sports injuries that the peds would have referred me elsewhere. My doctor has a sports doctor in practice with him so the switch has worked for her.

1 mom found this helpful

I still take my oldest in...she will be 16 in a couple of weeks. I think that for her it is more of a sports physical, but it is still a check to make sure that they aren't any problems. I am so grateful for having those checks because if it weren't for them every year, I think that my other DD wouldn't have been diagnosed with Growth Hormone Defieciency when she was. Having that check every year made it really plain to see that she wasn't growing and that there might be a problem. Good luck to you.
J.--SAHM of 7

1 mom found this helpful

I think everyone should have a yearly physical too.

If the doc thinks it's okay to not come in then do what you feel is best for your kids, or talk to your insurance provider and see how stronly they feel it is important.

1 mom found this helpful

My kids are 5 and 8.
They have yearly check ups.
Always.

1 mom found this helpful

Yearly. My kids are 2,4,5. Their dr. wants them to come in still every year to get checked out.

1 mom found this helpful

I take my kids to yearly physicals. Sometimes it is quite a bit off of yearly but they go. The only time I didn' was when I got new insurance and could not take them to our regular ped and had problems finding one with hours that worked. The school nurse was surprised and said she had to be reminded and I know a lot of people that stop when the child is 5 or 6. One inlaw only takes for school physicals.

My doc's recommendation used to be twice between the ages of 5 and 10 but now there are more vaccinations and other things going on so it has changed to every year.

My grandchildren are 8 and 11 and still do well checks each year. It is one thing that their insurance actually pays for all of it.

They have that till they are 18.

at 7 and eleven they need shots for kids and at 15 so those years after they turn need to be seen but other than that if there not having issues i wouod let them go with out one the dr just keeping u coming for money. i keep mine going till there imunizations are up to date and thats it unless something arises n they need to be seen.

My pediatrician will see my girls until they are 17 years old. All three of my girls will be doing yearly checks until they turn 17. After that it is up to them if they want to do yearly check ups because they will be 18, and I can't make them do it. I am hoping that instilling this in my girls early that they will continue to see how important it is to see a doctor yearly.

My son still does well checks and he'll be 9 soon. Even adults should go for annual check ups.

I will do well checks until they are at least early teens. I think its really important for preventing disease/sickness and good practice for setting kids up for a good, healthy life. If my state cuts it off at any age, I will still schedule yearly exams regardless.

M

When my kids had severe food allergies, I had them checked every year. Now I go once every 5 years because they don't have any food allergies or health issues. I get their eyes checked yearly and the dentist twice a year.