In recent months, families have been doing their part by staying at home as much as possible to help stop the spread of COVID-19. As communities open up, it’s important your child goes in for their well-child visit. These well-child visits are essential for many reasons, including:

• Tracking growth and development including milestones, social behaviors, and learning
• Discussing any concerns about your child’s health
• Getting scheduled vaccinations to prevent illnesses

Concerned about keeping your child safe? Call your doctor’s office to see what special measures they might have in place. Many offices and clinics are taking extra steps to see children safely during this time, like:

• Scheduling sick visits and well-child visits during different times of the day
• Asking patients to remain outside until they are called into the facility to reduce crowding in waiting rooms
• Offering sick visits and well-child visits in different locations

These are challenging times, but you have the power to help keep your child healthy. Making sure that your child sees their doctor for well-child visits and vaccines is one of the best things you can do to protect your child and community.

Along with regular well child visits, it is also vital to establish a dental routine early. Regular dental visits teach a child that oral health is important. A child who is taken for dental visits early in life is more likely to have a good attitude about oral health providers and dental visits. These visits should start by the time he or she turns two years of age.

One goal of dental visits is finding problems early. Tooth decay can be stopped or managed if it is caught early. Treating problems early keeps oral diseases from getting worse and costs less than treatment would later. Treating disease early is also important because oral disease can be transmitted from mother to baby through saliva.

Good oral hygiene starts as early as infancy. Whether you’re nursing or bottle feeding, you should begin incorporating some type of dental hygiene regimen as soon as possible. Before any teeth erupt, wipe down the gums with gauze or a soft, wet washcloth. Once teeth begin to come in, keep them clean. Using the right set of tools is essential for this daily ritual. For example, it is important to purchase a toothbrush designed specifically for babies, which will have a much smaller head, for their tiny mouths.

Clinics are now open and welcoming back patients while adhering to strict covid-19 regulations including rigorous cleaning, social distancing and the requirement of masks for everyone ages 5 and up.

The Child and Teen Checkups Staff is here to help! We can answer questions, help you find and set up a medical or dental appointment or find other resources. Please call us, Monday-Friday 8AM-4:30 PM at 612-348-5131 or visit us at www.freechildcheckups.com