Well Child Visit

Interior Community Health Center provides care for your child's entire lifespan, from newborn to adult to senior care. Well Child Check-ups are a crucial part of making sure your child is living their happiest and healthiest life!

What is a Well Child Check-up? 

A Well Child Check-up, or Well Child Visit, is a preventive visit where you take your child to see their doctor or healthcare provider to get an exam and talk about your child's growth and developmental progress. These screenings can help identify childhood conditions that can prevent them from living healthy lives or doing well in school, and help you get your child assistance if any conditions are identified. These visits are also a great time to make sure your child is fully vaccinated to prevent illness and be allowed to attend school. 

How often does my child need a Well Child Visit?

Your child's doctor will provide you with a recommended schedule based on your childs specific needs, but a good example of a well-child visit schedule is for your child to be seen at:

• 3 to 5 days old
• 1 month old
• 2 months 
• 4 months 
• 6 months 
• 9 months 
• 1 year 
• 15 months
• 18 months
• 2 years
• 2 and half years
• 3 years 
• Annually at 4 and up

Does my child's insurance cover Well Child Checks?

If your child has insurance, most likely, it does! Medicaid, as well all private insurances with very few exceptions, are now required to cover regular preventive care for children under the age of 18. This includes regular checkups, scheduled immunizations, and screenings for childhood diseases. You will most likely not have a copay, co-insurance, or deductible for these services, but we recommend checking with your insurance to be sure.

If you don't have insurance for your child, we recommend checking out the Denali Kidcare program to see if you qualify for coverage. At Interior Community Health Center, we also provide a generous Sliding Fee Discount Program based on your household size and income which can reduce the cost for your visits and your child's visits with us. 

My child is sick and needs to see a doctor. Can I get a Well Child Check-up done at the same time? 

We recommend bringing your child in to see their doctor or healthcare provider for their illness, but also scheduling a separate well-child check on a different day. Your insurance won't cover a sick visit the same as it will cover a wellness visit, so you'll likely have a copay, co-insurance, or deductible to pay for the sick visit.

It might save you time, if not money, to ask your child's doctor to cram the wellness services in at the same time, but your child's sickness might interfere with the doctor's ability to do a complete well child check. Plus, you might be too busy worrying about your baby to really participate in valuable education about their growth and development. Your doctor might be able to complete some wellness services, depending on your child's illness, but we think it's better for you and your child to get the most out of both types of visits.