Sponsored: Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Well visits, well-child visits, check-ups — whatever you call them — are essential to keeping children healthy and thriving. But as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and many health care systems across the United States report a dramatic decrease in well visits and routine vaccinations for children.
This makes sense in the context of stay-at-home orders that resulted in cancelled appointments. But now, we are heading into month six of the pandemic and health care is fully open for business.
Unfortunately, well visits have not rebounded as much as experts say is needed to keep kids healthy.
Trusted Relationships With Providers
Regular visits with a primary care provider create strong, trustworthy relationships among pediatricians, children and caregivers. During these visits, children get immunizations, providers track growth and development, and families discuss concerns with experts.
For teens, well visits are an important step in their journey to independence as they learn to gain responsibility for their health care. Teens spend one-on-one time with the pediatrician, allowing them to ask questions they might not feel comfortable discussing with their parents – including topics like sexual behavior, substance use and mental health.
Health Education
A lot of health education happens during a well visit – from diet and exercise to injury prevention and mental health. Well visits also provide an opportunity for families to be connected to resources.
Screening
Another important part of the well visit is screening. Pediatricians screen children of all ages for physical, developmental and behavioral health concerns that may go undetected until they become severe.
Research shows that screening leads to earlier detection, earlier intervention and better outcomes.
Vaccinations
Nearly all vaccinations occur during well visits. Without catching up on vaccines missed during the COVID-19 shutdowns, children will be at risk of suffering from epidemics of vaccine-preventable illnesses, such as measles, whooping cough, chicken pox, flu and others.
In 2017, the immunization rate for MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) was 88.3% in Ohio, according to the CDC. In April 2020, only a fraction of the usual number of vaccinations was administered because of the stay-at-home orders. And according to CareSource claims data, MMR vaccination rates dropped as much as 75% compared to the same time period in 2019. Experts estimate that immunization rates of 95% are needed to completely prevent an epidemic. As vaccination rates decrease, the risk for an epidemic of a vaccine-preventable illness increases.
Keeping That Well Visit – Safely
But is it safe to go to the doctor’s office right now? The pandemic is still ongoing. What’s different from a few months ago when we were told not to go in for well visits?
First, supplies of personal protective equipment are more stable now than at the beginning of the pandemic. Well visits don’t need to be canceled to ensure that hospitals have enough masks and gloves.
Also, health care providers have learned a lot about how the virus is transmitted. They have had time to fine tune the systems and procedures needed to keep families, physicians and staff as safe as possible.
The best way to keep kids safe and healthy during a pandemic is to work with a primary care provider to gain all the benefits well visits have to offer.
