Early Adolescence Well-Child Visits (ages 11-13y)

We will look at ages 11-13y, known as early adolescence, as a group rather than individually. It is still important that your child come to see the Pediatrician once per year during this time. There are important milestones, school discussions, and immunizations that are needed. What can you expect at these visits with the Pediatrician?

Vitals – Heart rate and respiratory rate will be counted, temperature and blood pressure are taken.

Growth measurements – Height, weight, and BMI (Body Mass Index) continue to be measured and plotted on growth curves for age and gender.  You may start to see rapid growth in height during this time. The BMI is s a person’s weight in kilograms (kg) divided by the square of height in meters. Higher BMI can be an indicator of high body fatness. BMI can be used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems but it is not diagnostic of the health of an individual by itself. It is another marker we use to help determine the health of your child. 

Vision and Hearing – Most offices will check your child’s vision and/or hearing at these visits, unless you are certain they have been screened at school within the last year. Any abnormalities noted, including poor eyesight, hearing loss, etc, will result in a referral to a vision or hearing specialist for further, more detailed evaluations. 

Development –

• They engage with their environment and others in a positive way, forming caring relationships with family, peers, and other adults.
• They are better able to self-regulate their emotional, social, and cognitive abilities. They are becoming more self-confident. 
• They exhibit compassion and empathy towards others and demonstrate resiliency. 

Questions from the Pediatrician – your child’s doctor will ask questions about nutrition and meals, sleeping, screen time, interactions with family members and peers. Anxiety and depression screenings are done every year in this age group. 

Nutrition – Continue to offer your child a variety of fruits, vegetables, proteins, dairy, fats, and carbohydrates. Promote family meal times with snacks in between. Allow your child to decide how much to eat at once.  Avoid fruit juices or other sweetened beverages, but always have water available to drink. 

Healthy Teeth – brushing teeth twice daily should be an important part of the daily routine. Your child should be seen by the dentist every 6 months for check ups and cleanings. 

Exam – your child will have a head-to-toe exam at every well-child visit. Signs of puberty will be starting to develop. 

Vaccinations – The CDC vaccination schedule recommends booster vaccination for Tdap (Tetanus, Diptheria, acellular Pertussis), the first dose of MCV (Meningococcal) and the HPV series (Human Papilloma Virus) at age 11-12y. Your Pediatrician will discuss these in detail with you at your visit. Depending on the time of year, your child’s doctor may recommend the Influenza vaccine as well.  I discuss adolescent vaccines in depth in another post if you would like more detailed information.

Questions from you – you will likely have questions about proper nutrition, sleep habits, behavior, and schooling. Bring your questions to the visit and never hesitate to ask your child’s Pediatrician about your concerns.

School – This age group is finishing up elementary school and entering middle school. The transition to middle school can be difficult. Talk to your child’s Pediatrician if there is any concern for learning disability or other problems in school. 

Safety information – part of every well-child visit is discussion of safety that is appropriate for age. For early adolescence, this includes:

• car safety – ensure your child wears a seat belt each time he or she is in the car.  
• water safety – teach your child to swim but do not assume this will prevent drowning accidents. There should always be a responsible adult present when your child is in the water. 
• bike safety – ensure your child has a well-fitting helmet to use with bicycles, scooters, skateboards, hover boards, etc. 
• Social safety – talk about relationships with peers and other adults. Know your child’s friends. Discuss the risks of tobacco/alcohol/drugs with your child, as well as how to avoid risky situations. Discuss online safety and be sure to monitor your child’s screen time activities closely
• sun exposure – avoid direct exposure during the middle of the day as much as possible. Use hats and long sleeves. Use sunscreen with a high SPF. 
• firearms – remove all firearms from the home, if possible. Otherwise, ensure they are locked in a safe and stored unloaded. 

Well-child visits should occur yearly. 

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