The Pediatrician Next Door – Ep. 137: Are Well Visits Worth It? Should I See the Doctor if I Don’t Need Vaccines?

Host: Dr. Wendy Hunter, MD
Date: October 15, 2025
Main Theme:
Dr. Wendy Hunter explores the real value of pediatric well visits—even when children seem healthy and don't need vaccinations—addressing common parental doubts, hidden risks, prevention, the importance of relationships, and practical challenges.

Episode Overview

Dr. Hunter candidly discusses her own reluctance to schedule an overdue checkup, a feeling she recognizes in many parents. She tackles a core question:
Are routine pediatric well visits worth the time and hassle if the child appears healthy and doesn’t need vaccines?
Through stories from practice, personal reflection, research, and real-life challenges, Dr. Hunter makes a compelling case for regular well visits as essential—not just for vaccines, but for catching hidden problems, giving prevention advice, building doctor–patient relationships, and supporting families in complex ways.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Doctor's Dilemma: When You’d Rather Skip the Visit

• Relatable confession: Dr. Hunter is three months overdue for her own well visit, not from heroics but simple avoidance ([01:30]).
  • Quote: “I am three months overdue for my own well visit... I just don’t want to go to the doctor.” – Dr. Hunter ([01:10])
• Rational and emotional factors: She acknowledges anxiety—what if something important is missed?
  • Story of her mother-in-law’s liver disease being caught early in a routine check ([02:40]).

2. The Unexpected Power of Well Visits: Beyond the Obvious

• Growth charts and hidden signs:
  • Sometimes the only sign of trouble is a dip in the child’s growth curve ([05:00]).
    • Example: A hormone deficiency detected only by plotting height.
  • Quote: "That little dip on the graph was the first sign... Without that visit, we might have brushed it off as just a short kid until years later." – Dr. Hunter ([05:20])
• Vital signs as lifesavers:
  • Example: 8-year-old’s blurred vision turns out to be dangerously high blood pressure—a clue to a serious heart defect found only because of the checkup ([06:10]).
    • Outcome: Early surgery; prevented potential catastrophe.
  • Personal story: 12-year-old misses years of well visits, heart murmur detected late, missed specialist appointment haunts Dr. Hunter ([07:30]).
    • Quote: "I've been thinking about him a lot. There's just no way. There's nothing wrong." – Dr. Hunter ([08:30])
• Other critical cases:
  • Early puberty or “precocious puberty” sometimes reveals grave conditions like brain tumors, diagnosed only because of a routine check-up ([09:30]).
• Routine screenings for vision, speech, development:
  • The “most-skipped” visits (15 months, 18 months, 4 years) are often when crucial developmental screenings happen ([10:40]).
    • Quote: “Those are the visits when we screen for autism and physical delays, speech delays. If you miss those, you might miss the chance to catch a speech delay or learning issue at a time when early intervention makes all the difference.” – Dr. Hunter ([10:55])

3. Preventive Advice: More than “Nagging”

• Prevention messaging:
  • Helmet use, sleep, and healthy eating may feel repetitive, but even brief counsel can have impact ([14:00]).
    • Quote: “Does that steady drumbeat of mine actually make a difference? ... Once in a while, it does.” – Dr. Hunter ([14:40])
  • Example: Teen quit vaping after a conversation during a sports physical ([15:20]).
• Sports physicals save lives:
  • Casual family history question led to vital heart screening ([15:00]).

4. The Value of Relationship & Safe Space

• Kids need a trusted adult—not just parents:
  • Example: 14-year-old reveals anxiety attacks to Dr. Hunter, not to her parents ([17:20]).
    • Quote: “She looked totally put together... But when I asked her in private about stress, she didn’t answer. She just burst into tears.” – Dr. Hunter ([17:40])
• Time alone with provider matters:
  • Fewer than half of teens get time alone with their doctor, which limits disclosure opportunity ([18:30]).
• Long-term trust:
  • Strong relationships with the pediatrician help when issues arise years later ([19:00]).
    • Quote: “When your pediatrician knows your child well... there’s already some relationship, some trust, and that can make all the difference.” – Dr. Hunter ([19:15])

5. Real-Life Challenges: Logistics, Access, and Alternatives

• Scheduling struggles:
  • Appointments often months out, working families find it hard to make it to visits ([20:10]).
  • Telehealth “physical exams”: Dr. Hunter is skeptical—they can’t replace in-person diagnosis ([21:00]).
    • Quote: “You cannot listen to my heart or notice a thyroid lump on a zoom call." – Dr. Hunter ([21:10])
  • Group visits and creative ideas: Some practices are trying family/group checkups, but these have challenges ([22:00]).
• Barriers to access:
  • Many teens lack a "medical home"; only about half have reliable access to coordinated care ([23:00]).
  • Transportation issues: Families sometimes use ERs for routine care because clinics are inaccessible ([24:20]).
    • Key finding: Lack of transportation is a major driver, not just convenience.

Memorable Quotes & Highlight Moments

• On the hidden value of checkups:
  • “Skipping a visit is like saying, well, the smoke detector hasn’t gone off, so maybe we don’t need fire insurance.” ([27:30])
• On what’s truly at stake:
  • “Well visits aren’t about vaccines. They’re about catching hidden conditions, giving life changing prevention advice, building relationships, and making sure families don’t get missed or fall through the cracks.” ([27:10])
• On the challenge of access:
  • “Sometimes it’s not about whether families want care; it’s about whether they can actually get it.” ([25:10])
• On the cumulative effect of advice:
  • “Pause. Ask yourself—when was the last time you had 30 minutes to talk about your child’s safety and health without rushing, without a crisis? That’s what a well visit gives you.” ([16:20])

Structured Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:10] – Dr. Hunter’s personal confession: Overdue for her own well visit
• [05:00] – Growth chart and catching hidden problems
• [06:10] – 8-year-old’s hypertension found at well visit
• [07:30] – 12-year-old heart murmur; missed specialist appointment
• [09:30] – Early puberty, rare diagnoses
• [10:40] – Most-skipped visits and their crucial screenings
• [14:00] – The value of prevention advice
• [15:00] – Sports physical uncovers family cardiac risk
• [17:20] – Teens, privacy, and the value of a trusted adult
• [18:30] – Only half of teens get one-on-one time
• [21:10] – Dr. Hunter on “virtual” physicals
• [23:00] – Lack of medical homes for teens
• [24:20] – Barriers: transportation and convenience
• [27:10] – Conclusion: the real purpose of well visits

Final Takeaways

• Well visits matter, even—and especially—when nothing appears wrong.
  • They catch hidden health problems.
  • Offer prevention advice that sometimes changes lives.
  • Build trust and open doors for honest conversations.
  • Support families beyond basic medical needs.
• Access and logistical challenges are real, and greater attention is needed to overcome them.
• If you’re doubting the trip to the pediatrician: The “quiet” checkups could be the most important ones.

Dr. Wendy Hunter’s closing message:
“Well, visits aren’t about vaccines. They’re about catching hidden conditions, giving life changing prevention advice, building relationships, and making sure families don’t get missed or fall through the cracks.” ([27:10])

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