Your Baby's First Year Check-ups

There are many things that new parents do not realize they will encounter once their new baby arrives. For some, it's the loss of sleep they may endure or perhaps they underestimate how needy an infant can really be. These are all common issues that you may hear, but one issue that many parents do not give a lot of thought too is the first year of doctor's appointments. The first year of a baby's life is its most important, and to keep the baby on track both physically and mentally requires a lot of trips to the pediatrician's office.

While the baby is still at the hospital, the pediatrician should come by to see him or her. The pediatrician will check the baby out to make sure everything appears normal; this is usually referred to as a Newborn Screen. While the doctor is evaluating the baby, a Hepatitis B vaccine will be given. While the vaccine is strongly recommended, there are some parents who adamantly refuse to vaccinate their children, so therefore the vaccine is not considered mandatory. Some states require that children receive a hearing test prior to leaving the hospital. If you live in a state such as this, expect to have your child taken away for about 15-20 minutes in order to accomplish this. If you do not live in a state where a hearing screen is required, it is strongly recommended that you request one. The hearing screen will not reveal whether the brain is processing the sound waves, it will only reveal that sound waves are making it to the brain. If the newborn fails the hearing screen, then steps can be taken early on to diagnose and correct the possible causes. Once you leave the hospital, you will need to visit the pediatrician's office when the infant is one week old. This is considered to be a post-hospital exam to ensure that the baby has gained a little weight and too make sure there are no issues to be concerned about such as not eating, not sleeping, not nursing, etc. At four weeks old, the infant will need to return to the doctor for a growth evaluation, review of screening tests and to receive the second dose of the Hepatitis B vaccine. The growth evaluation consists of a weight, length and head circumference measurements. The four week visit should not be performed prior to the baby turning four weeks. The next visit will occur in another four weeks when the baby is 2 months old. At the two month visit the infant will again receive a growth evaluation as well as the DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, acellular Pertussis (Whooping Cough)), Hib (Hemophilus influenza, type b Vaccine), IPV (Inactivated Polio Vaccine) and Prevnar (Pneumococcal Vaccine) vaccines.

The four month pediatrician visit will consist of follow up vaccinations of these vaccines in addition to the growth evaluation. The infant will need to return again at six months of age to receive another growth evaluation and the follow up vaccines to DTaP, Hib, and Prevnar. At nine months old, the final Hep B vaccine will be given, in addition to another growth evaluation. The final appointment of the year will consist of MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella Vaccine), Varivax (Chicken Pox Vaccine), and Prevnar. The doctor should perform a Hgb (test for anemia) as well as a Lead & Tb screen. Just like with the other appointments, the 12 month appointment should not be done prior to the child turning 12 months. Whatever age the baby is at when the cold and flu season strikes, it is recommended that a Flu vaccine be given. If there is a shortage in vaccines, keep in mind that children under the age of 2 are considered to be high-risk patients and therefore, should receive a flu vaccine prior to non-high risk patients.

All visits should consist of the pediatrician performing a developmental screening. Some offices perform this by giving the parent a check list to fill out while the child is waiting to be seen. The check list often inquires as to whether a child is performing certain age-appropriate tasks and if the parent has any concerns. Other offices will have the nurse go through the check list with the parent. At any visit if the parent feels there is a need that should be addressed, the parent should not hesitate to bring it up. The doctor is there to help and it is always better to be on the more cautious side when dealing with your child's physical and mental well-being. Often times, the parent's hunch or suspicion is a correct one. The parent should also encounter a safety checklist at each appointment to help ensure that the baby's home is safeguarded against accidents. This checklist is often a simple one that uses common sense, but there are a few safety issues that people may not be aware of, such as prior to learning how to roll over an infant should never sleep on their stomach, sleep with a blanket, or stuffed animal. The first of year life is an eventful one full of many milestones, with the help of your pediatrician, you can be sure that your child will be well on their way to healthy life.