What is the well-child visit schedule from the AAP?

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends visits at 3-5 days, 1 month, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 15 months, 18 months, 24 months, 30 months, and then annually from age 3 through 21. That's 19 visits in the first year alone if you count the initial newborn check. From age 3 on it's one visit per year. This is the Bright Futures schedule that most US pediatricians follow.

Are well-child visits covered by insurance?

Yes, by federal law (ACA). All ACA-compliant employer, marketplace, and Medicaid plans must cover well-child visits as preventive care with no copay, no coinsurance, and no deductible requirement. This covers the visit itself, routine immunizations, developmental screens, and basic lab tests (anemia, lead, vision, hearing). Sick visits and specialist referrals are not preventive and are subject to normal cost-sharing. If you're billed for a well-child visit, check whether the pediatrician accidentally coded it as a sick visit.

What happens at a well-child visit?

Each visit includes: growth measurements (height, weight, head circumference for infants), developmental screening, physical exam, feeding and sleep review, immunizations per the CDC schedule, and parent Q&A. Infant visits add jaundice check, feeding assessment, and tummy time progress. Toddler visits add language development, autism screening, anemia/lead checks at 9 and 24 months. School-age visits add vision, hearing, mental health screen, BMI, and sports physical if applicable.

How long is each well-child visit?

Plan on 30-45 minutes in the office total — roughly 10-15 minutes with the pediatrician, plus waiting time, vitals with a nurse, and vaccine recovery time. Newborn visits often run longer (60 minutes) to allow for feeding questions and parent support. Teen visits typically run shorter (20-30 minutes) unless a specific concern comes up. If you have multiple questions or concerns, tell the front desk at check-in so they can extend your slot.

What if I miss a well-child visit or move pediatricians?

Missing one visit is normal and fine — get back on schedule at the next milestone. If you miss multiple, most pediatricians will catch up growth measurements, immunizations, and screenings at the next in-person visit. Moving pediatricians: request your child's full medical records in writing (HIPAA-protected, must be provided within 30 days). Bring records to the new pediatrician's first visit. Your vaccine record is also stored in your state immunization registry, which the new office can query directly.

Well-Child Visit Schedule | Pediatrician Checkup Calendar

Well-child visits are preventive care — and they're free

The Affordable Care Act made well-child visits a covered preventive service at 100% — no copay, no deductible, no coinsurance — on all ACA-compliant plans. That means employer insurance, marketplace insurance, Medicaid, and CHIP all cover the full schedule of checkups. The only way to pay out of pocket is if you're uninsured, on a non-ACA short-term plan, or if your pediatrician's office accidentally bills the visit as a sick visit instead of a well visit. That last case happens more than it should and is always worth challenging.

This calculator shows your child's upcoming well-child visits based on current age, what happens at each, and what they cost on your plan. Use it as the scheduling anchor for the next year — most pediatricians book up 2-3 months in advance, especially the popular morning slots.

The full Bright Futures schedule (AAP 2026)

The American Academy of Pediatrics publishes the schedule of well-child visits called Bright Futures. Most US pediatricians follow it exactly.

First year (7 visits)

3-5 days after birth: Birth weight recovery check, jaundice, feeding review, umbilical cord care, any concerns from the first week home.
1 month: Growth tracking starts in earnest, Hep B #2 vaccine, sleep and feeding, parent mental health check-in.
2 months: First big vaccine round — DTaP, Hib, IPV, PCV13, rotavirus. Developmental screen. Tummy time progress.
4 months: Second vaccine round (same as 2 months), rolling and social smiling milestones.
6 months: Third vaccine round, first flu shot (seasonal), introduction of solids.
9 months: Formal developmental and autism screen (M-CHAT-R), anemia and lead levels (first check), sitting and crawling milestones.

Second and third years (5 visits)

12 months: MMR, varicella, Hep A, second flu shot, second anemia and lead. Walking milestone.
15 months: DTaP and HiB boosters. Early talking.
18 months: Hep A booster, autism screen repeat, tantrum and toddler behavior guidance.
24 months: Second full autism + developmental screen, second lead, BMI tracking begins, early potty training review.
30 months: Developmental screen (language, play, social).

Ages 3-10 (annual)

Annual visits. Focus shifts from vaccinations to behavioral, vision, hearing, BMI tracking, mental health screening. Most vision and hearing first formally assessed at age 3-4. Kindergarten vaccines (DTaP, IPV, MMR, varicella boosters) happen at the 4-year visit.

Adolescent (ages 11-21, annual)

11-12 years: HPV vaccine series (2 or 3 doses), Tdap booster, meningococcal, annual depression screen.
13-15 years: Annual checkup with depression and anxiety screening, sports physical if needed, puberty check-in.
16 years: Meningococcal booster. First formal substance use screening.
17-21 years: Transition-to-adult planning — finding an adult PCP, final round of pediatric screenings, college health considerations.

What actually happens in the exam room

Every well visit follows roughly the same structure:

Vitals by a medical assistant — height, weight, head circumference (under age 2), blood pressure (age 3+), temperature if sick concerns.
Parent questionnaire — developmental checklist, concerns to raise, dietary and sleep questions.
Physical exam — head to toe, fontanels, heart and lung sounds, abdomen, reflexes, skin, genitourinary, musculoskeletal.
Developmental screening — age-appropriate tool. M-CHAT-R for autism at 18 and 24 months. Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3) at most visits.
Vaccines per CDC schedule administered by nurse.
Parent Q&A — 5-15 minutes with pediatrician on any concerns. Bring a written list.

How to prepare for a productive visit

Write your questions the night before."Is their bedtime too late" is easy to forget in the room.
Bring the feeding/sleep log for infant visits. Helps the pediatrician assess feeding adequacy.
Note behavioral observations— "doesn't make eye contact" or "says 8 words now" — before arriving.
Bring immunization record if new to the practice.
Dress in easy-off clothing — full physicals require undressing. Saves time and stress.
Comfort items — lovey, bottle, favorite snack for after shots.

When to schedule a non-well-visit

Not every concern fits in a well-child visit. Schedule a sick visit or separate consult for:

Fever over 100.4°F (for infants under 3 months, this is urgent)
Sustained concerns about development, speech, or behavior — ask for a specific developmental evaluation, not a quick check at the well visit
Rash or skin concern requiring inspection
Ear pain, sore throat, persistent cough
Mental health concerns in older kids — ask for a specific 30-minute mental health visit

Sick visits are not preventive and may involve copay, deductible, or coinsurance depending on your plan.

Picking a pediatrician

You'll interact with this person 15-20 times in the first two years and then annually for 18 more. Pick carefully.

Geography: within 20 minutes of home. In winter, with a sick toddler, the 40-minute drive matters.
After-hours access: nurse line, patient portal messaging, weekend availability.
Approach match: Do they support your feeding choices without pushing? How do they handle vaccine questions? Do they take time to explain?
Group vs. solo practice: group practices offer backup when your pediatrician is unavailable; solo practices offer continuity.
Hospital affiliation: which hospital do they admit to? Matches what your OB/delivery plan is.

Most practices offer prenatal "meet the practice" interviews at no charge. Use them. Interview 2-3 before committing.

Related tools

Vaccination schedule — the CDC immunization calendar for each visit.
Child growth tracker — log the percentiles from each visit.
Feeding schedule — what to report at each visit in the first year.
Sleep schedule — another thing the pediatrician will ask about.

Well-child visit schedule

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