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Preventive Care

A Private Pediatric Practice located in Sacramento and Folsom, CA
Preventive Care

Preventive Care services offered in Sacramento and Folsom, CA


The best time to visit a pediatrician is before your child gets sick. Preventive care is vital in helping your child stay healthy and avoid preventable health issues such as obesity, physical injury, dental problems, and diabetes. The team of certified pediatricians at Pediatric Medical Associates in Folsom and Sacramento, California, maintains a strict monitoring schedule to ensure your child is growing and developing as they should. As highly experienced pediatricians, they prefer preventive care to help avoid serious diseases. Call now or schedule an appointment online to learn more.

What is preventive care for children?

Preventive care means preventing diseases through routine checks and screenings. It helps ensure your child achieves optimal physical, mental, and social growth.

For the first year of your child’s life, the team of experts at Pediatric Medical Associates constantly monitors your child’s progress by conducting a long list of required tests and exams. During this time, expert pediatricians also conduct a screening for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at nine months.

For example, when you celebrate your child’s first birthday, you also schedule their first dental appointment to ensure their teeth grow properly. All these well-child visits are vital for preventive care because they allow pediatricians to check for signs of common childhood health conditions before they occur. 

Why do children need preventive care?

As your child grows and hits more milestones, it’s important that you don’t reduce your vigilance because even pre-teen and adolescent children require preventive care. Maintaining recommended well visits gives your pediatrician a chance to monitor for and take action against a wide range of childhood health issues, such as:

  • Unhealthy diets, which can lead to diabetes or obesity
  • Lead poisoning, which can hinder your child’s development
  • Vision and hearing tests
  • Tests for anemia
  • Screening for TB risk factors
  • Blood tests to test for cholesterol levels in at-risk children
  • Depression
  • Dental problems
  • Screening for HIV, obesity, and hypothyroidism

Preventive care also focuses on developmental and behavioral assessments at various ages to help catch any intellectual or physical development challenges. If any are detected, early intervention can help your child acquire essential skills and have a good chance of growing normally.

What about preventive care for older children?

In older children and teenagers, preventive care also helps detect risky behavior, such as alcohol, drug, or tobacco use. It also presents an opportunity to talk to your child about sex and keep them safe from STDs, which can occur in teens as young as 15.

Preventive care for your child is an extra step you can take to make sure your child grows healthy. In addition to the routine well-checks, immunizations, and recommended screenings, preventive care allows parents and pediatricians to avoid many of the pitfalls of children’s health until they reach young adulthood.

It’s important to do everything you can to ensure your child's healthy and happy life. You can trust the highly trained and experienced pediatricians at Pediatric Medical Associates to give your child the best quality of care in a friendly, warm, and loving environment. 

Call now or schedule an appointment with the team online to discuss preventive care for your child.