When to Visit a Pediatrician: A Guide for New Parents

The first year of your child’s life can be thrilling, yet intense and sometimes scary for you but you are a new parent after all. You probably have concerns about your baby’s health, development, or when to contact or visit a pediatrician. Pediatricians encourage us to have yearly check-up’s for children as well, but it is knowing when a sign or symptom is part of development and when it is something that does need to be explored further can be day and night. 

If you are searching for the best pediatricians in Chennai, knowing when to make a call for help is the first step to being a proactive and confident parent.

In this blog, we will have a look at when is the perfect time to pay a visit to a pediatrician and a helpful guide for new parents. 

Your Baby’s First Year: Scheduled Visits

There will be many important health and wellness checkups for your child from birth to 12 months, and these appointments are for more than just immunizations. They help us monitor growth, identify developmental concerns early and provide answers to your questions about feeding, sleeping and behavior. Well-baby visits typically happen:

• Within the first week after birth

• At 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, and 12 months

These visits lay the groundwork for preventive pediatric health care. If you ever find yourself questioning if something is “normal”, this is the best time to ask!

When Symptoms Shouldn’t Be Ignored

It’s ok for babies to have some discomfort (gas, fussiness), but some discomfort is not normal and should never be ignored.

Fever: Any infant under 3 months of age has a fever over 100.4°F (38°C) we need to have it evaluated immediately. In older infants, any fever lasting more than 3 days should also be evaluated regardless of the other symptoms. Additionally, a fever needs to be evaluated if it is accompanied by breathing difficulty, rash, or poor feeding.

• Feeding Difficulties: It is normal for babies to feed frequently, but if your baby is consistently refusing feeds, constantly vomits, or loses weight, then you should seek out a pediatrician.
• Breathing Problems: Rapid breathing, wheezing, or chest retractions (skin pulling in between ribs upon each breath) require urgent evaluation.
• Rashes and Skin Changes: Mild rashes are common in infants. However, if the rash spreads quickly, is associated with fever, or does not fade with pressure, don’t wait.
• Persistent Crying or Lethargy: All babies cry, however, if your child is crying excessively, is inconsolable, appearing unusually sleepy or unresponsive, contact your pediatrician.

Developmental Milestones: What to Watch

Pediatric visits are also great times to assess your child’s development. Each child is unique, but here are some milestones to expect:

• by 2 MONTHS: begins to smile and follow faces

• by 4 MONTHS: begins babbling and holds head steady

• by 6 MONTHS: rolls over, begins to sit up with support

• by 12 MONTHS: stands with help, responds to simple words

If your baby is missing multiple milestones or you have any concerns about vision, hearing or movement, please do not hesitate to bring it up.

Trusting Your Instincts as a Parent

As a parent for the first time,
 you may not always have the medical knowledge at your fingertips but you have some pretty strong instincts. If something feels off, even if it doesn’t meet any of the checklist versions we develop, it’s okay to check with your pediatrician. You’re not being overly cautious, you’re being a responsible parent! 

Many clinics, including our pediatric service, are now providing phone triage and virtual that would allow you to get non-urgent care sooner.

Building a Relationship with Your Pediatrician

A trusted pediatrician provides more than just medical care for illness, they help you recognize the signs of child development as you walk through parenting with your children. Finding a pediatrician early allows your child to get the best consistent care possible and will allow you to have a partner in medical care.

At Sugam Hospital, our Pediatrician In Chromepet acknowledges how important trust is in the pediatric relationship. As a well-educated pediatric team, we believe in evidence-based care and will take the time to appreciate all your questions, regardless of the size of the concern. If you are looking for the Best Pediatric Hospital and are located in Chennai we have both professional pediatricians and a kid-friendly environment in one building.

Being a parent didn’t come with a handbook, but having the right pediatric plan makes a difference. Know when to call for a medical concern, stay connected with routine check-ups, but most importantly do not be shy to reach out for guidance, if anything, it helps bring reassuring peace to families. It is in the best interest of your child’s health to act early.