At Joliet Pediatrics, Dr. Sherahsan Niazi and Dr. Mark Joseph Brinkman are local pediatricians who will care for your child. They will help you with preventative care to help your child grow into a healthy teen and adult. You should prioritize keeping up with scheduled well-child visits in Joliet, IL.

What Is a Wellness Visit?

A wellness visit is a typical check-up you take your child to at your local pediatrician. Before age two, your child should have frequent wellness visits. Newborns will see their doctor six times during the first year, and then, after the age of two, children should have an annual check-up. During these visits, your pediatrician will check your child's vital signs, weight, and height and monitor behavioral development, such as motor skills and language.

These visits inform parents about child growth and development and are the time to note if intervention is necessary due to underlying problems or delays. This visit is also important because it is the time for parents to ask pediatricians as many questions as possible about caring for their child or any concerns they may have about behavior.

The Link Between Preventative Care and Well Visits

In preventative care, well-child visits in Joliet, IL, are a major part of it. Because these visits act as screenings, your doctor can alert you to problems you can take care of now, such as obesity, high blood pressure, growth stunts, lags in language, ADHD symptoms, and more. For example, if your child has stunted growth, it may be due to poor sleep, as growth hormones are mostly active when your child is in deep REM sleep at night. Inadequate sleep can cause brain fog and mood changes, affecting school performance. Dietary changes and getting more exercise can also prevent childhood obesity, an increasing problem worldwide.

Preventative care also matters when considering heredity. If there are diseases that are common in your family, like cancer, diabetes, or heart disease, each well-child visit can monitor for signs that your child may be at risk. By acting early, you can help prevent your child from succumbing to diseases that may be common in the family.

Your well-child visits in Joliet, IL, with Dr. Niazi and Dr. Brinkman are vital to keeping your child healthy and monitoring for life-altering illnesses. In addition to screening for disease, your doctors provide vital advice on lifestyle management. They can keep your child healthy. Learn more and schedule a consultation by calling Joliet Pediatrics at (815) 741-8888.