Childhood Physicals and Development Screening
Why are yearly physicals important?
First of all to keep up with their immunizations, second, you want to keep up with their growth and development.
What does the physician look for during a routine physical?
During a routine physical, I look for normal growth on the growth chart, normal development in meeting their milestones, motor skills, and their speech skills. I look for school progress, I look for peer interaction, how that's going and I look for family interaction.
How does the physician evaluate developmental or behavioral concerns?
We do rating scales and questionnaires at different stages during the child's life. It's called Ages and Stages and the parents fill that out. I also do an interview with the parent and the child and ask about behavioral or developmental concerns.
What if a child does present a developmental or behavioral concern?
The next step should be to see their primary-care physician and go through what evaluation and treatment might be needed.
If there is a referral needed to a specific specialist in developmental-behavioral pediatrics, psychiatry, psychology, then the primary-care physician can make those referrals.
