5 Things to Bring to Your Child’s Doctor’s Appointments

Wellness visits are a great time to bring up any concerns with your child’s pediatrician. It also allows them to spot any health concerns early on. The best way to get the most out of these visits is to come to them as prepared as possible. As a parent constantly bringing your child to different activities and doctor’s appointments, it can be hard to remember everything you need to bring with you. Next time your child has an appointment with their pediatrician, read this list to know what to pack with you. 

Insurance Information

Even if you have gone to this provider before with your insurance information, it’s still a good idea to have your insurance ready, so you won’t have to leave in the middle of an appointment to retrieve it. You never know when the office is updating their files, or when they will want to view your insurance information again. If your child has been seen at a different provider recently, make sure to bring with you any test results or notes from that visit. Simply throwing an insurance card or any other medical information into your bag will save you time just in case the office needs it.

Supplies

As busy as doctors offices can get, you never really know how long you will have to wait for your child’s appointment. Coming ill-prepared without everything your child needs for their appointment can cause inconveniences and longer waiting times. If you have younger children with you, make sure you have a diaper bag readily available. Although the office is bound to have diapers on hand, it will be nice to have your own supplies with you. Whatever age your child is, make sure to pack a variety of snacks to bring with you. The last thing you want to add to a long time in the waiting room is a hungry child with no food around. 

Distractions

Along with the inability to predict waiting times, you will want to be prepared with distractions for your child. Bringing your child’s favorite toy, book, or game can help them forget they are waiting in a doctor’s office. If your child is young or is getting their vaccinations, you may want to bring their favorite stuffed animal or blanket to hold during their shots. 

Questions

These wellness check-ups can be a great time to bring up any questions or concerns you have that seem too small to schedule a whole appointment for. As questions about your child’s health or behaviors arise in the time leading up to the appointment, make sure to write them down. This can either be done in a notebook or on the notes app in your phone to make sure you don’t leave them behind when going to the appointment. The provider should be more than happy to answer any of your questions and help with any parenting advice you want.

Notebook

The doctor will often answer your questions with recommendations for you to use outside of the office. Whether this is a certain product to buy or a specialist to bring your child to, you will be glad to have somewhere to write this information down. This can also be put into the notes app on your phone so it is easily accessible when making appointments or going to the store to look for a product. 

Once you have all of these packed, you are ready to make the most out of your child’s appointment with their pediatrician. This should make the appointments an enjoyable process where your child feels comfortable and you are assured their health is in good hands. If you do not feel like this when leaving appointments, it may be time to find a new pediatrician. If you are looking for a pediatrician in Marin County, start by searching for ‘Marin Pediatrics’ online to get a list of providers nearby. From here, you can go through information about local pediatricians until you find the perfect one to get the most out of these wellness check-ups.