Well-Child Visits & Milestones in Hilo & Across Hawaiʻi — Medicaid (QUEST) Accepted

Well-child visits are regular check-ups that track your child’s growth, development, and health, and keep vaccines on schedule, even when your child feels fine. They are some of the most valuable visits in all of medicine, because they catch concerns early and build healthy habits from the start. At Ohana Care Clinic in Hilo, we care for keiki through every stage of growing up.

What a well-child visit is

A well-child visit is dedicated time to make sure your child is growing and developing as expected. We measure growth, check vision, hearing, and physical health, review nutrition and sleep, give recommended vaccines, and talk through whatever questions you have as a parent. The American Academy of Pediatrics and Bright Futures recommend a set schedule of these visits, frequently in infancy and then yearly through the teen years, because so much changes so quickly in childhood.

Developmental milestones

At each visit we check developmental milestones, the skills most children reach by a certain age in how they move, speak, learn, play, and interact. Tracking milestones helps us celebrate your child’s progress and, when something seems behind, identify it early, when support makes the biggest difference. We use the structured screening recommended by Bright Futures rather than relying on a quick glance, including screening for autism and developmental delays at the recommended ages.

Whole-child, behavioral health included

What makes our well-child care different is that emotional and behavioral health are part of every visit, not an afterthought. We screen for behavioral and developmental concerns, support parents through the hard parts of each stage, and, because we integrate primary care and behavioral health, we can help right here if a concern comes up. This is whole-child care in the truest sense.

Culturally grounded care

We care for the whole child, in the spirit of lōkahi — balance and harmony among the connected parts of life: the body, the mind and emotions, the spirit, the ʻohana (family), and our relationship with the ʻāina (land) and community. In a Native Hawaiian understanding of health, these are not separate, and neither is our care. To mālama (care for and protect) your keiki and to raise them pono (in balance and rightness), we listen to your family’s story, welcome your ʻohana into every visit, and honor the values and traditions that ground you. Offering kōkua (help given freely, with aloha) in a way that respects your family is at the heart of how we practice.

Insurance and how we see your keiki

We accept Medicare and Medicaid, including the Hawaiʻi QUEST Integration plans (AlohaCare, the Hawaiʻi Medical Service Association (HMSA), ʻOhana Health Plan, and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan), along with most commercial insurance, and we are accepting new pediatric patients in Hilo. Your child’s first primary-care visit is in person at our Hilo clinic. We see children in person for well-child exams, vaccines, and hands-on care, and we use telehealth for follow-ups and questions. Pediatric behavioral health with our mental-health providers can begin by video; care from our primary-care team starts with an in-office visit.

Common questions about well-child visits

How often does my child need a well-child visit?

The American Academy of Pediatrics and Bright Futures recommend frequent visits in the first two years (often at birth, and around 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 24, and 30 months), then yearly check-ups through the teen years. We will set the right schedule for your child.

What happens at a well-child visit?

We measure growth and development, check vision, hearing, and physical health, review nutrition and sleep, give recommended vaccines, screen for developmental and behavioral concerns, and answer your parenting questions.

What are developmental milestones?

Milestones are the skills most children reach by a certain age in movement, speech, learning, play, and social interaction. Tracking them helps us catch any delays early, when support is most effective.

What insurance do you accept for pediatric care?

We accept Medicare and Medicaid, including the Hawaii QUEST Integration plans (AlohaCare, HMSA, Ohana Health Plan, and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan), along with most commercial insurance. We are accepting new pediatric patients in Hilo.

References

American Academy of Pediatrics & Bright Futures. (2024). Recommendations for preventive pediatric health care (periodicity schedule). https://www.aap.org/en/practice-management/care-delivery-approaches/periodicity-schedule/

American Academy of Pediatrics. (n.d.). Bright Futures guidelines and pocket guide (4th ed.). Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://www.aap.org/en/practice-management/bright-futures/bright-futures-materials-and-tools/bright-futures-guidelines-and-pocket-guide/

Papa Ola Lōkahi. (n.d.). Native Hawaiian health. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://www.papaolalokahi.org/

This page is general health education from Ohana Care Clinic, reviewed by Donna Leonard, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, and written by George Mackel, MSN, APRN, NP-C, PMHNP-BC, CARN-AP. It is not a substitute for a personal evaluation by a qualified clinician who knows your child’s situation, and reading it does not create a provider–patient relationship. If you are worried about your child’s health, reach out to us or another licensed provider. In an emergency, call 911.

Donna Leonard, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, and George Mackel, MSN, APRN, NP-C, PMHNP-BC, CARN-AP — President & Owner