The importance of a ‘Well Child’ Health Check

By Dr. Nisha Narayanan, Consultant Paediatrician, Edinburgh GP

Edinburgh GP are pleased to welcome an exciting new clinician to the team. Doctor Nisha Narayanan is one of the first private paediatrician in Lothian and we are delighted to bring Nisha’s unique and valuable specialism to our younger patients and their families in Edinburgh and beyond.

In this article, Nisha discusses the importance of ‘Well Child’ Health Checks.

As a paediatrician trained and board-certified in both General and Emergency Paediatrics in the United States, I’ve had the privilege of caring for thousands of children, many of whom were in the emergency room due to conditions that could have been detected and managed much earlier. After moving to Scotland, one thing became immediately clear to me: routine preventative paediatric care is less common here than in many other countries.

That’s why I’m passionate about introducing families to the concept of the Well Child Check – a proactive, personalised health check designed specifically for children from birth to age 16.

What is a Well Child Check?
Well Child Health Checks may be a new concept in the UK, but in many countries, Well Child checks are a standard part of growing up. These are routine health checks with a paediatric specialist that start from birth and continue at regular intervals—usually annually—throughout childhood and adolescence.

Think of them not as a response to illness, but as a powerful way to stay ahead of it. These visits focus on ensuring that your child is growing, developing, and thriving—physically, emotionally, and socially.

They allow parents to ensure that their children are growing and developing well, have the optimal vaccines, are screened for common infant, childhood, and young adult ailments, and are counselled on the prevention of disease. This optimises each child’s physical, mental, and social health, resulting in improved health outcomes. It ensures that parents and children not only survive but thrive. The scientific evidence in favour of Well Child visits is overwhelming – the best medicine is always prevention.

Early Detection and Disease Prevention
A Well Child Check isn’t just about ticking boxes. It’s a chance to detect issues before they become serious. As paediatricians, we screen for:

• Genetic and metabolic conditions
• Heart abnormalities
• Type 2 diabetes and obesity
• Developmental delays and learning difficulties
• Mental health concerns like anxiety and depression
• Vitamin deficiencies and anaemia

We also ensure your child is up-to-date on all recommended vaccines—including those not routinely offered on the NHS, such as the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine.

Tracking growth and development
Is your child growing at a healthy pace? Are they hitting developmental milestones? At a Well Child Check, we track their growth, fine motor skills, language, social behaviour, and more. We can spot potential delays early and intervene before they become long-term concerns.

You’ll also have time to ask questions about anything you’ve noticed—from tantrums to sleep habits to school performance.

Support and guidance for parents
Every age brings new challenges. Whether it’s introducing solids, navigating toddler tantrums, managing screen time, or preparing for puberty, parenting can feel overwhelming—and there’s no shortage of conflicting advice online.

The most up-to-date, evidence-based recommendations are difficult to find among the thousands of opinions on the Internet and in books. At each Well Child Health Check, parents receive data-based anticipatory guidance about child safety, injury prevention and best practices in parenting for their child’s developmental stage. Adolescents can be counseled on nutrition, exercise, preventing recreational drug use, and safe sex. You and your child can also make a list of topics that you want to talk about with the paediatrician and bring them with you to your visit. Ultimately, each child is different, and tailored, flexible plans and discussions between parent and physician are always the best option for your child.

A Well Child Check gives you trusted, evidence-based guidance tailored to your child’s age and stage. You’re encouraged to bring your questions—no concern is too small.

Team approach
Children don’t come with a manual, and you should never feel alone when raising your child. Well Child Health Checks allow paediatricians to act as a parent’s partner and resource, and each child’s advocate as they grow. Paediatricians can help parents make medical and parenting decisions, can help parents obtain second opinions for medical conditions, and can help coordinate medical and behavioural care together to serve the needs of children. Regular Well Child Health Checks create strong, trustworthy relationships between paediatrician, parent and child. This can also be beneficial for future health concerns.

Improved long term health
Studies consistently show that children who attend routine paediatric visits have fewer hospitalisations and emergency room visits. Preventative care works.

Why this is so important
I have seen thousands of children in the emergency rooms whose serious medical and psychiatric problems were caught early because they had astute paediatricians who were monitoring them closely. Upon moving to Scotland, I immediately noticed that there is a lack of preventative care in paediatrics and a much more hands-off approach to paediatric health, despite the enlightened Health Visitor service.

Likewise, healthy children are screened and treated most often by generalists who may not have trained for years specifically in paediatrics. When my daughter was hospitalised in Edinburgh, I missed having an advocate to help me coordinate her care and obtain second opinions. I believe my daughter and other children like her deserve high-quality, personalised healthcare and an advocate to help them grow and develop to their highest potential.