Free preventive care: Many insurance plans provide these services at no cost, without charging co-pays or deductible payments.
Talk with your child’s doctor about getting all of the preventive care that is recommended for your child’s age.
Preventive care recommended by the American Academy of Pediatricspdf iconexternal icon
Additional information about some important services for children:
Get Physical Exams On Timeexternal icon
Children need regular checkups. Talk to your child’s doctor about when checkups are needed. Doctors commonly recommend checkups every year for children 3 years and older. For children under 3 years old, more frequent checkups are needed. The doctor or nurse will check to make sure your child is healthy and developing on schedule. (BFpdf iconexternal icon)
Recommended for: Children, from birth to adulthood
More information from CDC
Get Your Child’s Vaccines on Scheduleexternal icon
Check with your child’s doctor to find out which vaccines your child needs. (ACIPpdf icon)
Recommended for: Children, from birth to adulthood
More information from CDC
CDC: What vaccines do you need?external icon
Choose the Right Birth Controlexternal icon
If you are interested in birth control for your daughter, talk to her doctor about her options. (IOMexternal icon)
More information from CDC
Get Your Child’s Blood Pressure Checkedexternal icon
Have a doctor measure your child’s blood pressure during regular checkups. (BFpdf iconexternal icon)
Recommended for: Children age 3 years and older
More information from CDC
Get Tested for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Syphilisexternal icon
If your son or daughter is sexually active, ask the doctor if he or she should get tested for chlamydia, gonorrhea, or syphilis. Ask the doctor about prevention counseling. (USPSTF Chlamydiaexternal icon, Gonorrheaexternal icon, and Syphilisexternal icon)
Recommended for: Young people who have had sex
More information from CDC
Get Screened for Depressionexternal icon
Ask your child’s doctor to screen him or her for depression, even if you don’t see signs of a problem. (USPSTFexternal icon)
Recommended for: Children at least 12 years old
More information from CDC
Follow Development with Monitoring and Screening
Watch your child’s development and talk with your child’s doctor at every check-up about how your child plays, learns, speaks, acts, and moves. Ask your child’s doctor about developmental screening when your child is 9, 18, and either 24 or 30 months, and autism screening at 18 and either 24 or 30 months or whenever there is a concern. (BFpdf iconexternal icon)
Recommended for: Children, from birth to adulthood
More information from CDC
Get Your Child a Seasonal Flu Vaccineexternal icon
Once your child 6 months old, your son or daughter needs a flu shot every year. Your child’s doctor can tell you if he or she needs one or two doses this year. (ACIP)
Recommended for: Children at least 6 months old
More information from CDC
Check on Your Child’s Hearingexternal icon
If your baby did not pass the newborn hearing screening or if you have concerns about your child’s hearing, ask your child’s doctor about a full hearing test to see if there is a hearing loss. (USPSTFexternal icon & BFpdf iconexternal icon)
Recommended for: Children from birth
More information from CDC
Get Tested for HIVexternal icon
All teens at least 15 years old need to get tested for HIV at least once. (USPSTFexternal icon & BFpdf iconexternal icon)
Recommended for: Teens age 15 years and older, and younger children at increased risk
More information from CDC
HIV Testing: Questions for the doctorexternal icon
Get Your Child Tested for Lead Exposureexternal icon
There are usually no signs or symptoms of lead poisoning. A lead test is the only way to know for sure if your child has lead poisoning. Talk with your child’s doctor about a simple blood lead test. (BFpdf iconexternal icon)
Recommended for: Children under 6 years of age living in older housing (built before 1978), and according to state or local requirements.
More information from CDC
Get Screened for Obesityexternal icon
Talk to your child’s doctor to make sure he or she is at a healthy weight.
(USPSTFexternal icon & BFpdf iconexternal icon)
Recommended for: Children age 2 years and older
More information from CDC
Talk to the Doctor about Skin Cancerexternal icon
If your son or daughter has fair (pale) skin, talk to the doctor about how to reduce the risk of skin cancer. (USPSTFexternal icon)
Recommended for: Children age 10 years and older with fair skin
More information from CDC
Take Care of Your Child’s Teethexternal icon
Talk to a doctor about fluoride and finding a dentist, starting at age 6 months. (USPSTFexternal icon & BFpdf iconexternal icon)
Recommended for: Children from 6 months to adulthood
More information from CDC
Get Tobacco Screening and Educationexternal icon
Ask your child’s doctor to screen your child for tobacco use. (BFpdf iconexternal icon) Ask your child’s doctor to provide education or brief counseling to help prevent tobacco use. (USPSTFexternal icon)
Recommended for: School-aged children and adolescents
More information from CDCpdf icon
Get Your Child’s Vision Checkedexternal icon
Have your child’s vision checked, starting by age 3. (USPSTFexternal icon & BFpdf iconexternal icon)
Recommended for: Children age 3 years and older
More information from CDC
The recommendations on this page come from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)external icon, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the Bright Futures (BF) Guidelinesexternal icon, and the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) Committee on Preventive Services for Womenexternal icon.