Are Well Visits Worth It If I Don't Need Vaccines?

If your child doesn’t need shots this year, do you really need to bring them in for a checkup? As a pediatrician—and as a parent who’s currently three months overdue for my own well visit—I get why you might ask that question. Between school drop-offs and getting dinner on the table, the idea of a “routine” visit can feel like one more thing on the to-do list.

Catching What You’d Never Notice at Home

At first glance, most kids look perfectly healthy. They’re energetic, playful, and growing taller by the minute. But well visits are designed to pick up on the things that don’t show up in day-to-day life.

Sometimes it’s something dramatic, like a heart murmur or dangerously high blood pressure. I’ve seen children who came in for a routine checkup and walked out with a referral that ended up saving their life. Other times, it’s subtler: a speech delay, a vision problem, or signs of puberty coming on too early.

Here’s a surprising statistic: the most commonly skipped visits are at 15 months, 18 months, and 4 years—exactly when we do the most important developmental screenings. Missing those visits can mean missing the chance to catch learning or speech delays at a time when early intervention makes the biggest difference.

Prevention: The Boring Advice That Works

Let’s be honest: prevention advice doesn’t always sound exciting. Wear your helmet. Eat your vegetables. Get enough sleep. Even I roll my eyes at myself when I say it. But here’s the thing—it works.

Well visits are when we talk about screen time, nutrition, seatbelts, vaping, mental health, and more. Teens may groan, but sometimes hearing it from their doctor is what makes the message sink in. I’ve had teenagers come back to tell me they actually quit vaping because of a conversation we had at a checkup.

A Safe Space for Kids to Talk

There’s another part of well visits that parents don’t always see: the one-on-one conversations I have with kids and teens. In that private space, I’ve had teens admit to panic attacks, bullying, or risky behaviors their parents didn’t know about.

Unfortunately, not all kids get that chance. Research shows that fewer than one-third of teens talk with their doctor about sexual or reproductive health, and only about half get time alone with their provider. That means we need to do better—but it also shows just how important it is that kids have a trusted adult outside the family who knows them well.

Are There Alternatives?

With everyone’s schedules packed, I know well visits can feel hard to fit in. Newer models—like group visits for families with multiple kids—can make the process more efficient and even fun. But some “alternatives,” like virtual well visits, just don’t cut it. You can’t listen to a heart, check reflexes, or pick up on subtle signs through a screen.

And here’s a bigger problem: only about 45% of adolescents in the U.S. have access to what’s called a “medical home”—a consistent place where their care is coordinated. That means half of teens don’t even have reliable access to preventive visits. Improving access matters just as much as encouraging attendance.

The Bottom Line

So, are well visits worth it—even if no vaccines are due? Absolutely. They’re not just about shots. They’re about catching hidden problems, giving prevention advice that sticks, and building a relationship with a doctor who knows your child before a crisis ever comes up.

I may be late for my own well visit, but I’ll be scheduling it this week—and I hope you’ll do the same for your kids. Because showing up, even when it feels unnecessary, is one of the most powerful ways we can protect their health.

To listen to the full podcast episode (or share it with someone who needs it!) see the link on the bottom of the page.