CPCMG clinicians and healthcare team are your partners in managing your child’s health. This partnership means all of us – including you – are committed to open communication, attending appointments, sharing information, and making decisions that benefit your child. We have summarized this joint relationship in our PACT: Patients and Clinicians/Care Teams Together. Learn more about this partnership.

One of our best tools to ensure that your child is thriving is the annual well visit. This in-office visit is our chance to make sure your child’s growth and development are on track. Here is what you can expect, and what you can do to help make the well visit a success.

Questionnaires: what’s happening?
Before each well visit, please complete the patient questionnaires (these can be found in MyChart). The information you provide helps your CPCMG clinician evaluate your child’s nutrition, sleep habits and developmental milestones. As your child grows up, your CPCMG clinician will review your how your child is doing in school and what activities they enjoy. Please note that teenagers will answer screening questions to assess for anxiety or depression.

Physical exam: a head-to-toe review
When your child arrives at the office, a medical assistant will start their well visit with a weight, height, temperature, and blood pressure for children ages three and up. We will also check their vision (vision screening begins for children as young as 12 months using an app-based screening instrument; children ages four and up will have their vision checked using a vision chart). Children ages three and older may also have their hearing checked.

Once your CPCMG clinician has reviewed your child’s chart and completed questionnaires, they will perform a complete physical exam. Please be aware that your child may need to be undressed for the physical exam, as it is an important part of a complete well visit to confirm healthy development. Children ages ten and over will be offered a chaperone during the sensitive part of the exam.

Anticipatory Guidance aka let’s talk safety and development
Every CPCMG well visit will include what clinicians call anticipatory guidance. This is a discussion with you about age-appropriate safety, as well as preventing illness and injury. Anticipatory guidance also includes a discussion on expected development and ways you can foster healthy development for your child. This portion of the wellness visit includes vaccines which are an important tool to keep your child healthy.

What we don’t discuss during the well visit
While we cover quite a bit during the well visit, there are health topics that should be discussed during other appointments or ongoing communications with your CPCMG clinician. This includes new health concerns and the management of chronic conditions like asthma or ADHD. These diagnoses may require regular visits to check how your child is doing and manage their medication. Please note that if any evaluation and management of a new or chronic issue occurs during the well visit, a co-pay may be charged.

CPCMG is passionate about delivering the best pediatric primary healthcare to your family. With your input and participation, we will ensure that your child reaches adulthood with a healthy foundation.