Regular pediatrician appointments that include these top health screenings in Lubbock are a great way to ensure childhood health.
1. Newborn Assessment
Immediately after they are born, newborns are given an Apgar assessment for proper breathing, blood flow, and brain function. Other common newborn assessments include a congenital deafness assessment and a blood test for congenital metabolic diseases.
2. Head Circumference Measurement
From birth to two years of age, infants heads are measured around at every well-baby visit. Head growth can become stalled due to an infection or developmental condition, while unusually fast head growth can indicate hydrocephalus or a buildup of excess fluid inside the brain.
3. Developmental Assessment
Throughout early childhood, children are assessed on important milestones such as smiling, rolling over, and walking. This includes the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) to screen for autism between eighteen and twenty-four months.
4. Growth Monitoring
Height and weight are so important they are measured at every well-child visit. Pediatricians calculate body mass index (BMI) to screen for over or underweight.
5. Hemoglobin Testing
Hemoglobin, or iron level blood testing, is performed at the year one and year two well-baby appointments. Iron deficiency can negatively impact the heart and brain.
6. Lead Exposure Assessment
At the one year and two year well-baby visits, pediatricians question parents about possible lead exposure and perform blood lead level tests for at-risk babies.
7. Vision Assessment
Although children ages three to six need to see an eye doctor every year, a pediatrician may recommend an ophthalmologist visit for a baby as young as nine months old.
8. Scoliosis Screening
Screening for scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine, is as simple as examining the spine while a child touches his or her toes.
9. Safety Assessment
Safety-related questions are an important part of every well-child visit. These questions include a wide range of topics such as pets, pools, bullying, drug use, and sexual behavior.
10. Diabetes Screening
Vigilant screening for diabetes risk factors and symptoms is a part of every well-child appointment. Early diagnosis and treatment can help reduce or prevent complications from this increasingly common condition.
Scheduling an appointment with Dr. Alami, a prominent pediatrician in Lubbock, will enable parents to reap the full benefit of these top health screenings for children.
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