Well-child checkups form the foundation of quality pediatric primary care, an area of medicine dedicated to helping your child thrive through every stage of growth and development. Rubina Azam, MD, FAAP, ABIHM, and the team at Baldwin Pediatrics provide comprehensive well-child checkups to children of all ages in the greater Bay County area. Call their Panama City, Florida, office today, or click online to schedule your child’s next checkup today.
Pediatric primary care encompasses a full scope of medical services designed to meet your child’s basic health needs through each stage of growth and development.
Although same-day sick visits, as-needed urgent care visits, and ongoing appointments for chronic conditions like allergies and asthma are important components of pediatric primary care, routine preventive care services like well-child checkups, developmental screenings, and immunizations are just as indispensable to your child’s health and well-being.
As any parent can attest, childhood is a time of rapid growth and significant change. While it’s important to acknowledge that all kids develop and mature at their own rate, most healthy children reach specific developmental milestones at certain ages.
Participating in regular well-child checkups helps you and the team at Baldwin Pediatrics keep track of your child’s development to ensure they’re growing as they should.
Each checkup starts with a comprehensive physical exam that measures your child’s current height and weight to see where they fall on the standard growth chart. After completing basic hearing, vision, and reflex testing, Dr. Azam performs a series of age-specific developmental screenings.
Dr. Azam also spends time going over what you can expect as your child transitions into their next stage of growth and can address any concerns you may have about worrisome behaviors, abnormal sleep patterns, picky eating, or anything else that’s on your mind.
Even if your child doesn’t have any significant health concerns or medical conditions, well-child checkups are an ideal time to talk with Dr. Azam about the kinds of things you can do to keep them healthy and support their changing needs as they grow.
Taking your son or daughter to all their recommended checkups helps ensure they:
On top of making sure your child’s physical growth falls within a healthy, normal range on the standard growth chart, Dr. Azam provides information about the kind of social behavior and emotional development you can expect for your child’s age. She also provides detailed guidance when you’re facing any kind of developmental challenge.
Your child’s annual checkup is a great time to ask Dr. Azam about recent physical changes, shifting sleep habits, or any worrisome problems they may be having, such as frequent ear infections or chronic stomach pain.
Depending on your concerns, you may discuss ways to make your child’s diet healthier, increase the amount of time they spend outdoors, minimize their screen time, or reduce their risk of sports-related injuries.
Vaccinations are a routine part of many well-child checkups. Keeping your child on track with recommended immunizations is one of the most effective ways to protect them from a wide range of serious, vaccine-preventable diseases.
To schedule your child’s next checkup, call Baldwin Pediatrics today or click on the online booking tool to request an appointment with Dr. Azam at any time.
