Immunizations are critical to brain development A child must be healthy in order to grow and develop, to interact with others, to play, and to learn. A child needs to receive regular health care and dental care, and be guided to establish good health habits. A child also needs to eat nutritious foods, exercise and get plenty of sleep for healthy brain growth and development.

Beginning at birth, a child needs regular well child check-ups with the same doctor to monitor and assure healthy brain development as well as overall healthy development. Regular check-ups provide a chance for the doctor to monitor healthy development and:

ensure that the child receives immunizations at the recommended times. Immunizations protect against diseases that can affect brain cells, slow development, and even cause death.
test vision early and at appropriate intervals. Vision is critical for healthy brain development, and correction of vision problems should occur early as possible.
test hearing early and at appropriate intervals. Hearing is essential for a baby to develop language and to learn to communicate. A child with impaired hearing may develop language more slowly or not at all.
make referrals for dental care. Dental health is important for overall health and nutrition , both of which affect brain development.
guide parents to understand developmental milestones and make a referral for evaluation if development is not typical.
make referrals for other services, such as WIC or family counseling.

Each child needs a medical home in order to see a health care provider regularly for well child check ups and sick visits. The provider should also be able to refer the child for medical care after office hours.

Health care can be very expensive. When families have to pay for their entire medical care themselves, costs can become overwhelming. Studies show that they may put off health care until a condition becomes much more difficult to treat or even life threatening. There are resources to assist families with medical costs if they don’t have health insurance, sometimes referred to as a third party payer. The Families USA website has links to other websites that list resources to assist eligible families with healthcare costs.