Decoding the First Pediatrician Visit: What To Expect

To keep your child healthy, they need routine pediatrician appointments to ensure they remain that way. These appointments are ideal times to provide you with patient education so you can take care of your child to the best of your ability. We can also screen for problems at these times and intervene. And visits to Pediatrics for You, serving Kennewick, WA, and the nearby region, with Dr. Shakti Matta are even more than that.

Gathering Information

No matter your child's age, we'll want to gather information about them, such as if they have any known medical conditions or allergies or take any medications. We may also ask to acquire your child's records from a previous pediatrician at this visit.

Checking the Basics

At your child's first pediatrician visit with us, we'll take your kid's blood pressure and pulse and will listen to their heart and lungs. We'll also take their height and weight to determine their BMI. For younger children, we'll measure their head circumference. We'll compare their height, weight, and head measurements to children of their age and gender to see how they compare. We also compare their weight to their height.

Eyes & Ears

When you bring your child in for their first well-visit, we'll look inside their ears and eyes to assess for any visible issues. For instance, we'll shine a light into your child's eyes to see if their pupils dilate accordingly. 

We'll need to conduct a vision assessment for older children, either with shapes or letters. Your kid will also receive a hearing screening, which consists of them wearing a pair of headphones. They'll listen for beeps and will need to identify the side they hear the noise on.

Sleep, Diet, and Lifestyle Factors

Part of your kid's first visit at our Kennewick, WA, office will also include us getting to know more about your child's lifestyle. We'll want to know how much they sleep. Our pediatrician will ask about their diet and how much physical activity they get. If you have a little one, we'll want to know about their feedings as well as how many soiled diapers they have.

Getting Vaccinations

Keeping your child healthy includes getting vaccinations on the recommended schedule or one that works for them and you. Therefore, at your first visit, if your child needs any vaccines, this is a good time to get them. 

Your kid's first visit with Dr. Matta of Pediatrics for You, serving Kennewick, WA, and the nearby region, is relatively straightforward. We would like to say that it varies based on age, and we will ask if you have any questions or concerns. 

Call (509) 572-2201.