After the flurry of newborn visits and vaccination appointments, it can be easy to forget to book your kid for an annual check-up. And even though I?m a stickler for getting my two kids to their yearly appointments, I must admit that life is hectic and sometimes I wonder if it?s really necessary for us to miss work and school when they seem generally healthy to me.
Here?s the official recommendation: The Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) says parents and caregivers should bring their babies in at one week old, and then at two, four, six, nine, 12 and 18 months. From ages two to five, the CPS recommends a check-up every year. After age five, they should see a doctor every one to two years until they turn 18.
Jolanda Turley, a family physician in Ottawa, says that, even though growth slows after age two (so those frequent weight and height measurements become less important), healthcare providers will start screening for behavioural issues and developmental milestones. She agrees with the CPS that once kids hit school age, around five or six years old, going every year isn?t always necessary. ?If you have an absolutely healthy child who is not on any medications, has no chronic conditions and is doing well at school, it?s probably OK to see a doctor every two years,? says Turley. Why does my healthy kid need to see the doctor"
Julia Orkin, a paediatrician at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and chair of the Community Paediatrics Committee at the CPS, says those...