Periodicity Schedule for Children
Lantana Pediatrics
The American Academy of Pediatrics and Bright Futures has a set of recommendations for how frequently children are seen for routine visits, also commonly known as “Well Child Checks”. It starts with an initial newborn visit — which, for most healthy infants, is around 3-5 days after discharge from the hospital — and ends at age 21 years, at which time it is appropriate to transition to a physician who treats adults (family medicine or internal medicine). Guidelines can be viewed here but below is a general outline of the routine visits that are recommended. Growth and development are checked at each visit. *See below for immunization abbreviations.
Newborn (3-5 days old): jaundice check; first hepatitis B vaccine if not given at birth
2 weeks to 1 month: Check that infant has regained birth weight, ensure umbilical stump has appropriately fallen off, follow up on feeding tolerance
2 months: first set of immunizations (Hepatitis B, DTaP, Hib, PCV13, IPV, and rotavirus), check head shape
4 months: second set of immunizations (Hepatitis B if first dose not given at birth, DTaP, Hib, PCV13, IPV, and rotavirus), start discussing starting solids
6 months: third set of immunizations (Hepatitis B, DTaP, Hib, PCV13, IPV)
9 months: growth and development check-in, catch up on immunizations
12 months: transition to whole milk, screening for lead in certain areas, screening for anemia, fourth set of immunizations (Hib, PCV13, IPV, MMR, Varicella, Hepatitis A), discuss dental health
15 months: DTap immunization, growth and development check-in
18 months: Hepatitis A immunization, screening for autism
24 months: standing height measured and BMI calculated against CDC growth chart, screening for autism, discuss toilet training, switching to low-fat/fat-free milk
30 months: growth and development check-in
3 years: growth and development check-in
4 years: growth and development check-in, assess for school readiness
Annually until 21 years old
11 years: Tdap, MCV4 immunizations, screening for dyslipidemia (once between 9 and 11 years)
12 years and up: depression screening (annually), discuss puberty progression and patterns
16 years: MCV4, Men B
*Abbreviations: DTap (diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis), Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b), PCV13 (pneumococcal), IPV (inactivated poliovirus), MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis), MCV4 (meningococcal serogroups A, C, W, Y), MenB (meningococcal serogroup B).
