Pediatric Primary Care
Pediatric primary care is the ongoing healthcare for infants, children and teens. It focuses on growth and development, prevention and wellness, and treatment of common illnesses and minor injuries. Pediatric primary care offices serve as a medical home for children, where care is usually provided by a pediatrician.
What is a pediatrician?
A pediatrician is a medical doctor who provides the first line of care for infants, children and teens. Because kids are still growing and have very different medical and emotional needs, pediatricians receive additional years of training focused on a child's physical, behavioral and emotional health.
Unlike family doctors, who care for patients of all ages, pediatricians are 100% dedicated to kids and teens—100% of the time.
What does a pediatrician do?
Pediatricians monitor children's growth, development and overall well-being from birth through young adulthood. They also help keep children and teens healthy through routine checkups, preventive care, chronic disease management, and by diagnosing and treating illnesses and injuries.
Whether you are looking for a pediatrician for your newborn, toddler or teen, it is important to find the right doctor and practice for you and your child.
5 things to consider when choosing a pediatrician
- Access: Make sure the pediatrician is accepting new patients.
- Insurance: Verify the practice accepts your insurance plan. View insurance plans contracted with Children’s.
- Credentials and experience: Research and learn more about the pediatrician you are considering. Check to see if they are board-certified, where they received their medical degree and how many years they have been practicing.
- Good fit: Make sure the practice is a good fit for you and your family. The office staff should be warm and inviting, and you should be comfortable asking questions and expressing any concerns.
- Convenience: If convenience is important to you, see if the pediatrician has an office that is located near your home, work or school. Also, make sure the practice’s hours of operation are convenient with your family’s schedule.
Why should I choose a Children’s pediatrician?
At Children’s, we know the importance of having a pediatrician you trust. Our board-certified pediatricians are specially trained to care for kids from infancy through puberty and into young adulthood. Additionally, our pediatricians are affiliated with our three pediatric hospitals and work closely with Children’s specialists, giving you access to pediatric care experts in more than 60 different specialties, programs and clinics.
Our pediatricians offer a wide range of pediatric primary care services, including:
- Well-child checkups and immunizations
- Sick visits for common illnesses and minor injuries
- Prenatal consults and newborn visits
- Routine school and sports physicals
- Care for developmental and behavioral concerns
- Chronic condition management
- Specialist referrals
- Tests and screenings (hearing, vision, etc.)
Well-child visit schedule
Well-child check-ups are important for children of all ages to track growth and development, make sure appropriate milestones are met, and stay up to date on health screenings and vaccines. We recommend scheduling your child’s well child visits according to the schedule below:
- Within the first 3 to 5 days of being born
- 1 month old
- 2 months old
- 4 months old
- 6 months old
- 9 months old
- 12 months old
- 15 months old
- 18 months old
- 2 years old
- 2.5 years old
- Annually from 3 to 20 years old
What vaccinations does my child need?
Your child will receive most of their childhood vaccines by the time they are 6 years old. Many vaccines are given more than once, at different ages and in different combinations. You can download an immunization schedule here.
Find a pediatrician near you
Children’s offers pediatric primary care offices at the following locations across metro Atlanta:
Center for Pediatric Wellness
6000 Lake Forrest Drive NW, Suite 110
Atlanta, GA 30328
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Adamsville Pediatrics*
3571 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SW
Atlanta, GA 30331
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Cartersville Pediatrics
210 East Felton Road
Cartersville, GA 30121
Hughes Spalding Primary Care Clinic**
35 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive SE
Atlanta, GA 30303
Snapfinger Woods Pediatrics
5008 Snapfinger Woods Drive
Decatur, GA 30035
*Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Adamsville Pediatrics is a service of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Hughes Spalding Hospital which is owned by Grady Health System.
**Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Hughes Spalding Hospital is owned by Grady Health System and managed by HSOC Inc., an affiliate of Children’s.
Helping Your Kids Stay Healthy and Safe
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