Why does your child need a “well-child” visit? Published April 10, 2012 By Annie Van Winkle 49th Medical Group pediatric nurse HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- When was the last time your child had a well-child checkup? If you can't answer within a few moments, you may be in need. Well-child visits are scheduled for children ages 3 days to 17 years. The importance of these visits is not only for education but for early detection and to trend growth and development of your child. Visit the 49th Medical Group pediatric clinic for a well-child visit schedule. Unlike acute illness visits, these special visits are designed to allow more time for questions or concerns and to promote patient and provider relations. Many parents associate well-child visits with the immunization schedule. Scheduled well-child visit appointments do, in fact, correspond with the timeline for immunizations and is a good time to express any concerns regarding the pending vaccinations. Ask your pediatrician regarding techniques on how to ease the pain of immunizations. According to the Birth to Five Policy Alliance, it has been found "earlier detection of special needs is linked to more positive development for children." Scheduled well-child visits are key components of this early detection. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, well-child visits are important because they incorporate age-specific standards that allow providers the opportunity to evaluate a multitude of different areas. Through these areas of evaluation and physical findings, providers are able to locate deviations from the "norm" so it can be identified and evaluated further which may lead to a diagnosis and early treatment. The 49th MDG cannot stress enough the importance of your scheduled well-child visits. Currently, well-child visits are not utilized to their full potential and are under the national average. As TRICARE beneficiaries, our patient population has a rare opportunity. We have the ability to provide and perform 100 percent of wellness visits. Both the pediatric clinic and the family health clinic are here to promote the well-child visits in their patient-centered medical home. We strive to beat the national average and make our pediatric population among the healthy and most educated. Come create a relationship with your child's primary care team. Let us be the guidance and care that you and your child need.