What Happens at Child Wellness Checkups?

Find out more about well-child checkups and why they are crucial for your child’s health.

From the moment your baby is born, you want to give them everything. You also want to ensure they have everything they need to grow up healthy and strong. That’s where well-child visits come in. These checkups with your pediatrician allow them to check up and monitor your child’s health when they are growing fast and reaching one developmental milestone after another. These well-child visits help your child stay healthy and detect issues early on.

But My Child Is Healthy. Do They Still Need a Checkup?

Pediatrician visits aren’t just for sick kids. In fact, healthy children still need to visit their pediatrician regularly for wellness checkups to ensure they stay healthy. After all, these visits are the best way for your child’s medical team to monitor their health and development and catch problems early on. During your child’s well-child checkup, your pediatrician will evaluate your child’s health, growth and development.

How Often Do Wellness Checkups Occur?

How often your child visits their pediatrician will depend on their age. While you can easily find the American Academy of Pediatrics’ well-child care visit schedule online, for easy reference, your child should come in for a wellness checkup at,

  • Three-five days old
  • One month old
  • Two months old
  • Four months old
  • Six months old
  • Nine months old
  • 12 months old
  • 15 months old
  • 24 months old
  • 30 months old
  • Three years old

Once your child reaches three years old, they only need to come in once a year for wellness checkups.

What Is Involved in a Wellness Checkup?

When your child comes into their pediatrician’s office, they will first check and record their height, weight and vital signs (e.g., heart rate; blood pressure). Your pediatrician will also go through your child’s medical history and family history to understand their current health and any preexisting conditions.

From there, your pediatrician will perform a comprehensive physical evaluation of your child, checking everything from reflexes and nerve function to the heart and lungs. During these wellness checkups, your pediatrician may also administer certain vaccines to keep your child safe and healthy and perform additional screenings such as hearing, vision and behavioral screenings to check for vision or hearing loss, ADHD or other behavioral problems.

A pediatrician isn’t here just to provide sick care to children; they are also here to provide preventive care such as well-child visits to support your child’s optimal health to prevent illnesses and injuries. Call your pediatrician to schedule your child’s next well-child visit.

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Monday:

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Tuesday:

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Wednesday:

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Thursday:

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Friday:

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Testimonials

  • "“Very satisfied with the care my child receives with Dr. McAfee. We’ve been seeing Dr. McAfee for years. She is like a trusted friend. Highly recommend Acton Road Pediatrics.”"
    Lisa/Pleasant Grove
  • "“Nothing worse than getting a call that your child is sick. But being able to call Acton Road Pediatrics and get them seen that day makes all the difference. Dr. Breedlove was so kind and accommodating. She put me at ease and took good care of my daughter.”"
    Jasmine/Leeds
  • "“I can’t imagine anyone but Dr. Moore as our pediatrician. We recently moved to the Birmingham area and heard a lot about Acton Road Pediatrics. Happy to say that all of the recommendations were spot on. Friendly staff, efficient processes, respectful of our time. Just a great experience all the way around.”"
    Anna/Hoover
  • "“We love Dr. Frees and her entire staff. She is down to earth and has a great bedside manner. They are like an extended family. Thanks to everyone for taking such great care of my children.”"
    Heather/Birmingham
  • "“Dr. Breedlove is amazing! She is great with her patients and spends as much time as needed with you to get all questions answered and also just to get to know you. You’re not just a number to her! You can tell she truly cares about her patients! I would recommend her to anyone!”"
    Francine/Pelham
  • "“Dr. McAfee and her staff are amazing and I even switched my daughter from her pediatrician to be seen by Dr. McAfee exclusively. She takes care and remembers you every single time. I wouldn’t trust anyone else with the care of our family.”"
    Cameron/Bluff Park
  • "“I’ll keep this simple. Dr. Moore is the best pediatrician by a long shot. I recently transferred my son’s care to her. The office staff is so friendly! I always leave feeling so much better in every way. I’ll never use anyone else for my son. If you need a great pediatrician to help you with your kid’s health and wellness do yourself a favor and meet this doctor!”"
    Lydia/Mountain Brook
  • "“My twins had their first visit with Dr. Breedlove and it was a delight. She immediately made me feel very comfortable and it felt as if she had been their doctor for years. I am very happy to have found a pediatrician that I feel I can trust with the care of my children.”"
    Monica/Hoover
  • "“Great experience! My daughter got sick at school and I was able to make a same day appointment with Acton Road Pediatrics and got in right away. The front desk staff and the medical assistant were very nice and helpful. Dr. Frees was great, gave realistic expectations and timelines. I’m so glad that we chose Dr. Frees as our pediatrician.”"
    Eleanor/Chelsea
  • "“Dr. McAfee is a great doctor! She’s very understanding and listens to your concerns. She takes time with my son to help him with his health issues! I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a pediatrician.”"
    Julie/Bessemer
  • "“As a first time parent I was really nervous. The staff and Dr. Breedlove were all very friendly and helpful. I especially loved how Dr. Breedlove really took her time to explain everything with us. The visit was great and the doctor’s demeanor has really put my husband and me at ease. I’ve told my New Mom group all about Acton Road Pediatrics!!”"
    Payton/Gardendale
  • ""Great medical office, wonderful, warm experience from start to finish. Appreciate Dr. Moore taking time to go over the diagnosis clearly and treatment options. Many thanks to everyone at Acton Road Pediatrics.""
    Angela/Birmingham
  • "“Dr. Frees is incredible. Not only has she taken great care of my children, but also she is lovely to speak with at every appointment. It’s rare to find a doctor that combines such personal touches and care for a patient as a person with outstanding quality of medical care. I highly recommend Dr. Frees!”"
    Janet/Vestavia