Start with the reason for going Begin by identifying what you want the trip or outing to accomplish. The purpose may be practical, such as attending a medical appointment, visiting family, moving home, or managing an administrative task. It may…

Start by Choosing the Right Level of Care Urgent care can be useful for problems that need prompt assessment but do not appear immediately life-threatening. Examples may include a minor injury, a localized rash, vomiting or diarrhea without severe dehydration,…

Why the Enrollment Deadline Matters A newborn is not automatically covered indefinitely simply because a parent has health insurance. Birth usually triggers a qualifying life event, allowing a parent or legal guardian to request special enrollment outside the normal enrollment…

Why newborn insurance matters Newborns commonly need healthcare soon after delivery, even when pregnancy and birth have been uncomplicated. Initial services may include a hospital newborn examination, screening for metabolic and genetic conditions, hearing screening, pulse oximetry screening, bilirubin assessment…

What an After-Hours Nurse Line Does An after-hours nurse line is a clinical service designed to help families decide what to do when routine office access is unavailable. A registered nurse or another qualified triage professional typically follows a pediatric…

Start with infant-specific qualifications A baby doctor should have training and clinical experience appropriate for infants. In many settings, this means a pediatrician, a physician whose specialty training focuses on children from birth through adolescence. A family physician may also…

What Newborn Screening Is Designed to Do Newborn screening is a population-based public health service intended to identify infants who may be at increased risk for selected conditions. The exact panel varies by country, state, province, or territory, but programs…

Why babies have medical tests Medical tests in babies serve several purposes. Screening tests look for selected conditions in infants who appear well, because some metabolic, endocrine, genetic, hearing, or cardiac disorders may not cause immediate visible symptoms. Early identification…

Developmental surveillance begins with the clinical history Developmental surveillance is the continuous process of gathering information about a child’s emerging abilities and wellbeing. At each visit, the clinician may ask what the baby can do, whether skills are appearing over…

What a growth percentile actually represents A growth percentile places one measurement in relation to measurements from a reference group. For example, if a baby’s weight is at the 25th percentile, approximately 25 percent of comparable babies in the reference…