Health Plan of San Joaquin

Hi! I’m Setar, Health Education Manager at Health Plan of San Joaquin, or HPSJ. Between working full time, caring for an infant and planning activities for our toddler, our summer bucket list seems to only get longer the further we get into summer. We kept our list simple this summer; every day, we make it a point to pull out the sand/water table, or as most of you with toddlers know, what eventually becomes a mud table. My husband has taken our toddler to the library at least eight times. We want to explore a new park near our house and maybe take a train ride to the train museum.

One of the most important things on our summer list is scheduling a wellness visit. Our toddler will be going to preschool and needs an exam before starting school and our infant will be having one of his regular check-ups. As busy as it gets, I look forward to these visits because I get to check in with our doctor on their developmental milestones. For our baby, that means I get to ask questions like, should he be crawling yet? How much should we be reading every day? How can we incorporate play with both siblings? For our toddler, I get to ask about what vaccines can help keep him healthy for preschool and when he should be getting fluoride varnish for his teeth.

From one parent to another, I invite you to get ahead of the upcoming school year. Schedule a wellness visit for your kids today, no matter the age, and encourage your friends and loved ones to do the same. This is also a great time to ask your doctor about any health concerns and stay up to date on immunizations. Physical exams and health screenings can keep our kids healthier for longer and detect any potential issues early to give you plenty of time to support your child.

Health Plan encourages you to contact your child’s primary care doctor today to schedule a wellness exam. If you are an HPSJ member and need help finding a doctor, call 1-888-936-PLAN (7526) TTY 711, Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

HPSJ Members may also receive an incentive for taking care of their health. Visit hpsj.com/myrewards.

Learn more about immunizations by going to cdc.gov and scrolling to search under I for the immunizations health topic.