Child Health Checks
Health Checks are preventative healthcare for children under the age of 21. Preventive healthcare means visiting your Primary Care Provider (PCP) and the dentist regularly, rather than waiting until you are sick. Health Checks are important for your children’s health. Your Primary Care Provider (PCP) can give your child these Health Check (EPSDT/HCY) services.
- Child’s medical history.
- An unclothed physical exam.
- Blood and/or urine tests.
- Immunizations (shots).
- Screening and testing lead levels in blood.
- Checking the growth and progress of the child.
- Vision, hearing, and dental screens.
- Dental care and braces for teeth when needed for health reasons.
- Private duty nurses in the home.
- Special therapies such as physical, occupational, and speech
- Aids to help disabled children talk.
- Personal care to help take care of a sick or disabled child.
- Health care management.
- Psychology/counseling.
- Health education.
Important tests your child needs are shown on the chart below. Please note these are not all the tests your child may need. Talk with your child’s PCP.
- Birth – PKU Test
- 1-2 weeks – PKU and Thyroid Tests
- 12 months – TB Test, Blood Count, Blood Lead Level
- 2 years – Blood Lead Level Test
- 3 years – Blood Lead Level Test, if in a high-risk area
- 4 years – Blood Lead Level Test, if in a high-risk area
- 5 years – Blood Lead Level Test, if in a high-risk area
- 6 years – Blood Lead Level Test, if in a high-risk area
Lead Poisoning
Your child may be at risk for lead poisoning if:
- you live in or visit a house built before 1978 or
- someone in your house works as a
- plumber,
- auto mechanic,
- printer,
- steel worker,
- battery manufacturer,
- gas station attendant, or
- other jobs that contain lead.
There are other ways your child can be poisoned. Call 1-855-694-HOME (4663) if you have questions about lead poisoning. High levels of lead can cause brain damage or even death. Lead in children is a common health concern.
- All children through six years of age must be tested annually if they live in a high-risk area (Missouri state law requirement).
- All children through six years of age must be tested if they have been exposed to lead.
- Children must be tested at one year and two years of age if the child lives in a non-high risk area.
- Children between one and six years of age must be tested if they have not been previously tested.
A lead screen has two parts. First, the Primary Care Provider (PCP) will ask questions to see if your child may have been exposed to lead. Then the PCP may take some blood from your child to check for lead. This is called a blood lead level test. Children at one year old and again at two years old must have a blood lead level test. Children with high lead levels in their blood must have follow up services for lead poisoning. High lead levels in a pregnant woman can harm her unborn child. If you are pregnant, talk with your PCP or obstetrician to see if you may have been exposed to lead. Children between 6 months and 6 years old need to get checked for lead poisoning. You may use the chart below to record when your child gets a health screen or lead poison screen.
- Newborn
- By one month
- 2-3 months
- 4-5 months
- 6-8 months
- 9-11 months
- 12-14 months (your child needs a blood lead level at 12 months)
- 15-17 months
- 18-23 months
- 24 months (your child needs a blood lead level at 24 months)
- 3 years (child need a blood lead level each year until age 6 if in a high risk area)
- 4 years
- 5 years
- 6-7 years
- 8-9 years
- 10-11 years
- 12-13 years (a blood lead level is recommended for women of child bearing age)
- 14-15 years
- 16-17 years
- 18-19 years
- 20 years
Notes: A blood lead level is recommended for women of childbearing age (children age 12 – 13 are entering child bearing age). Children need a blood lead level each year until age 6, if in a high-risk area.
Approval Date: November 4, 2014
Approval Code: HSHP14093
Learn more about EPSDT