What Are Examples of Preventive Medical Care for Kids

Preventative Medical Care Houston, TX

It is common for children to experience accidental bumps and bruises and become ill from time to time; however, parents can keep them healthy with preventive medical care. Because there are different options and schedules based on a child’s age, you should have them seen by a pediatrician.

Preventive medical care screenings

A pediatrician may start with early screening before developing a preventive medical care plan. Typically, this is to look for specific risk factors.

Early screenings

Below are a few examples of what early screenings for kids entail:

  • Iron deficiency — For this deficiency, a pediatrician would likely recommend iron supplements
  • Genetics — A pediatrician can also screen for certain diseases that run in the family, like sickle cell anemia
  • Nutrition — If the doctor has concerns about a child’s development, then they may suggest nutrition counseling
  • Domestic violence — A pediatrician will even look for any telltale signs of child abuse stemming from domestic violence in the home

Optimum protection

As part of preventive medical care for kids, the recommended screenings will depend on the child’s age and other factors. The following are some examples of this:

  • Bilirubin concentration screening (newborns)
  • Autism screening (between 18 and 24 months of age)
  • Alcohol, tobacco and drug use (preventive medical care focuses on these areas for at-risk teenagers)
  • Behavioral assessments (a pediatrician performs this assessment at different ages)
  • Cervical dysplasia screening (this focuses on sexually active females)
  • Developmental screening (also as part of preventive medical care, a doctor will perform a hearing assessment at the age of three)
  • Height, weight and BMI (a pediatrician checks these three things between birth and 11 months, one and four years, five and 10 years, 11 and 14 years and then again 15 and 17 years)
  • Hearing (for newborns and children between 11 and 14 years, 15 and 17 years and 17 and 21 years)

Additional screenings

The pediatrician may recommend additional screenings to implement preventive medical care for kids. These include screenings for blood, dyslipidemia, depression and hemoglobin. For children without fluoride in their drinking water, the pediatrician would suggest chemoprevention supplements. Once an infant’s first teeth appear and through childhood, a fluoride varnish would be a preventive measure.

Preventive medical care includes gonorrhea medication at the time of birth. For teens, there is a hepatitis B screening. A pediatrician would also screen for HIV, hypothyroidism and obesity. Early and preventive care includes the necessary immunizations and certain medications as well.

Regarding vaccinations, these start at the time of birth and continue into early adulthood. Shots for pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus, inactivated poliovirus, measles and mumps are also essential for a child’s health. As for medications, an example is iron supplements to prevent a deficiency or anemia.

Staying healthy

Even one trip to the emergency room can traumatize a child and cost parents a lot of money. Preventive medical care lessens the risk of kids developing a disease and becoming sick. With even more options available than the examples provided, it is important to have your kids seen by a pediatrician.

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