What are pediatric wellness checkups and why are they necessary for your child?

All parents want the same thing for their children: to see that they are healthy and leading a happy life. We know how important that is, which is why our West Jordan, UT, pediatricians are dedicated to providing preventive medical care, as well as comprehensive treatments and procedures when necessary. From the moment your baby is born you will need to bring them in for wellness checkups.

The number one goal of wellness checkups is to make sure that your child is healthy and that they receive the proper care they need to remain healthy. Sure, we know that everyone gets sick at some point but the purpose of having our West Jordan children’s doctor by your side is to make sure your child gets the preventive care they need to prevent medical problems.

First and foremost, a wellness checkup allows our pediatricians to be able to continuously monitor your little one to guarantee that they are reaching all developmental milestones, from saying their first words to being able to walk. If there are any delays in these developmental milestones our doctors will be able to pinpoint the problem right away.

These visits are also important for parents, as well. First-time parents, in particular, will have a lot of questions or concerns about everything from breastfeeding to healthy eating habits to exercise. We are here to answer these questions and more. While we may focus on the physical development of your child, this doesn’t mean that we don’t also take time to check the mental and behavioral developments of your child, as well.

From birth until 18 years old, your child will also need to get a variety of vaccinations to prevent them from life-threatening illnesses and long-term health complications. These vaccinations also keep other children and family members safe from infection. Make sure to follow this vaccination schedule to guarantee that your child is protected from many preventable childhood illnesses.

Do you need to schedule your child’s next routine checkup? Do you have questions about the services we offer here in West Jordan, UT? If so, don’t hesitate to turn to Southwest Children’s Clinic. We are here to meet all of your little one’s health needs.

Now's the time to fulfill an important requirement for your child. It's the sports physical, and the staff at Southwest Children's Clinic in West Jordan, UT, is happy to provide it. The five pediatricians and their team encourage your children in healthy, active lifestyles, and school sports play a significant role in keeping children and teens active. Here are the details on the PPE or pre-participation physical your child needs.

Why a physical?

A PPE, or pre-participation examination ensures your child is ready and able to engage in physical activity with his or her peers. It answers vital questions such as:

• Is the child healthy enough for sports?
• Does he or she have any limitations the school or organization should be aware of?
• What's the child's overall level of conditioning?
• Is weight within normal limits?
• What's his or her maturity level, especially as compared to children in the same age group?
• What is his or her risk of injury?
• How is his or her vision and hearing?

As your pediatrician goes through a routine physical examination, those questions will be answered. Also, the doctor will complete the paperwork the school or organization requires, including those important immunization records.

What does the pediatrician look at?

All pediatric health assessments check a child's height, weight, vital signs and current health conditions such as asthma, allergies, diabetes, and more. The doctor pays particular attention to heart sounds, pulse and blood pressure, but he or she also checks the child's gait, balance, flexibility and other indicators of muscular-skeletal health. A vision and hearing check are part of a PPE as well.

Physicians at the Cleveland Clinic say that PPEs are critically helpful to a young athlete's overall health because these assessments often catch problems early on before they develop serious complications. Also, they alert the school to a medical history of concussion, fainting or any serious illnesses which seem to run in the child's family.

All in all, a PPE affords parents, children, pediatricians and schools/clubs the opportunity to ensure optimal physical function and a good team experience for all participants.

Book it soon

Most schools and club activities (such as the Scouts) need health forms completed several weeks in advance of season start-up. So, now's the time to call Southwest Children's Clinic for your appointment. And, be sure to bring required paperwork with you. Call (801) 563-1975 for an appointment.

Your child is eager to start the school year so they can participate in sports. That’s great news! Keeping your child active is an important part of a healthy lifestyle and sports can be a great experience for many children; however, it’s also important that your child’s pediatrician performs a yearly sports physical to make sure that they are ready for physical activity.

A sports physical is necessary for every child regardless of their current health. In fact, some schools make it mandatory for children to get an annual sports physical before they participate in any school sports. Regardless of whether this physical is mandatory or not, it’s highly advised that all children get a sports physical once a year.

Your child’s sports physical will involve going through their medical history and conducting a physical examination. The physical examination is pretty self-explanatory. We will check their vitals, as well as their height and weight. We will perform a vision test and evaluate everything from their heart and respiratory system to their musculoskeletal system. The goal of a physical exam is to make sure that your child hasn’t incurred any past injuries or developed any health problems that could be exacerbated by physical activity.

A pediatrician can also answer questions and provide counseling on nutrition, healthy weight loss or gain, and habits that could help your child’s physical health. Remember to bring any questions along with you.

Besides the physical examination, we will also sit down with you and your child and ask questions about their medical history. It’s important to be as detailed as possible. If it’s the first time they are having a sports physical it’s important to bring in a list of any supplements or medications (both over-the-counter or prescription) that they are currently taking.

We will ask a series of questions to find out if there are any serious or chronic health problems that run in the family, if your child has experienced any past injuries, if they’ve ever undergone surgery or been hospitalized, if they have any allergies or if they have any current disorders or illnesses. It’s important to provide as much detailed history as possible so that our pediatric team can perform a thorough and comprehensive physical.

Don’t wait until the last minute to schedule your child’s sports physical. It’s important to get your child on the books before the summer is gone and the doctor’s schedule fills up. You don’t want your child being benched during the season because they didn’t get a sports physical. Call your pediatrician today.

When your little one isn’t feeling well it’s important that they get the proper medical care.

Dealing with a sick child is one of the worst experiences for a parent. Unfortunately, sickness will happen at some point during their childhood and it’s important that you have pediatricians in West Jordan, UT, who can provide your child with immediate, thorough care to help them feel better quickly.

As you may have gleaned from the name alone, a sick child visit is an appointment you schedule with your pediatrician when your child isn’t feeling well. This is not the same as wellness visits, which are routine and required checkups to protect against illness. Of course, following the proper pediatrician schedule when it comes to routine checkups and immunizations for your little one will certainly reduce the chance for illnesses and the likelihood of an emergency or sudden doctor’s appointment.

Of course, when an illness arises you want a team of children’s doctors in West Jordan who can get you into the office right away and provide the proper diagnostic tools to figure out what’s going on so that a treatment plan can be created. Here at Southwest Children’s Clinic, we take your children’s health seriously. This is why we offer same-day visits for children dealing with a variety of conditions and injuries that may require immediate care.

So, what requires an immediate trip to the pediatrician’s office? This is a great question and one our doctors get a lot. We understand that first-time parents in particular can often err on the side of being overly cautious when it comes to taking their child to the doctor’s. Here are some symptoms and conditions that will require a same-day sick visit:

• A high fever or a fever that lasts days or doesn’t respond to pain relievers
• Abdominal pain (pain on the right side could indicate appendicitis)
• A serious injury/fall/accident
• Broken bones
• Trouble swallowing (could indicate an allergic reaction)
• Headaches with a fever or vomiting
• Widespread or painful rash

These are just some of the reasons to give your pediatrician a call; however, we believe in parents’ intuition and if you are concerned about any symptoms your child is experiencing then it’s time to call Southwest Children's Clinic in West Jordan, UT, as soon as possible.

No two children are ever the same and while you certainly want to let your child discover their unique personality it is important to know when these differences in your little one might mean that it’s time to schedule a behavioral or development consultation with a pediatrician.

Whether you’ve noticed that your child has difficulty making friends, doesn’t have any interests or seems to throw more temper tantrums then other kids their age, it’s important to not only be able to pinpoint these differences but also find out what might be causing them. This is where a behavioral or developmental consultation could benefit both your child and your family.

When you hear the words “behavioral consultation” it sounds pretty disconcerting; however, there are many reasons why parents bring their children in for these visits. Perhaps your preschooler hasn’t started talking yet, or your child has difficulties interacting socially with other children. Maybe their academics are falling behind or they aren’t able to keep up with the challenges of school. When scenarios like this arise a behavioral consultation is the best way to be able to figure out what might be going on and what our pediatric team can do to help get your child back on track.

While some of these situations may be due to behavioral disorders, it is also possible that there are certain developmental delays that could also be responsible for these behaviors. There are developmental milestones that every child must reach physically and mentally. No matter whether your child is displaying signs of an autism spectrum disorder or ADHD, or is having difficulties with social situations, sleep, anxiety, aggression or impulsivity, it is important that they visit a children’s doctor for an evaluation.

Whatever concerns you might have about your little one, it’s important that you turn to a pediatrician that you can trust to perform a thorough behavioral consultation while also providing compassionate care and support. It’s essential that your child has everything they need to be successful in their personal, academic and social life and by assessing, diagnosing and treating any behavioral or developmental disorders early, we can provide your child with the treatment they need to lead a healthy and happy life.