Regular visits to the clinic are mandatory for mother and newborn. The development of a child in the first months of life progresses at such a pace that it is impossible to do without constant monitoring. An examination by a pediatrician helps to identify diseases, if any, at an early stage. The presence of hereditary diseases and the risk of pathologies is checked. If the child is healthy, the doctor determines the baby’s level of development, carries out parametric measurements, and prescribes tests.
If the child is completely healthy, the doctor simply takes anthropometric measurements and records them, prescribes tests
Further scheduled examination (dispensary examination) is aimed at monitoring the dynamics of the child’s development, carrying out the necessary vaccinations and health programs. The pediatrician visits infants up to 1 month at home (at least 3 times). Such examinations are called patronage. It is advisable that the child be examined by an orthopedist, ENT specialist, neurologist, surgeon, or ophthalmologist before the baby is one month old. When the baby turns 1 month old, it’s time for the mother to go with him for his first medical examination at the clinic.
What items should I take to the clinic for examination?
When going to see a pediatrician with a newborn, you need to take certain things and documents with you. A sample list consists of:
- two diapers (one for the changing table, the other placed on the scales);
- a pacifier (if the baby takes it) and a rattle to keep the baby occupied while waiting for the appointment;
- wet baby wipes and extra diaper;
- if your doctor's visit takes place in the summer, take a bottle of drink;
- a certificate of vaccinations and a certificate of ultrasound and audio screening results;
- a notebook or notebook with questions that you had to ask the doctor during this period (start your mother’s diary immediately after the maternity hospital).
If you were not able to have your baby examined by different specialists before your first visit to the clinic, be sure to do this on your first visit. It is very important to detect the development of diseases in time or confirm the complete health of the baby.
We will tell you which specialists you need to see, what tests you need to take, and what they check for the newborn. Our review will help you stop worrying and understand how important these examinations are for your monthly baby.
It is advisable for the mother to prepare questions for the doctor - they should be written down throughout the entire period between visits
Pediatrician
A pediatrician is a doctor whom a mother and her treasure should see once a month until the child is 1 year old. The clinic specifically sets aside one day a week when doctors examine only infants. “Baby day” allows babies to avoid contact with other children, which prevents the risk of disease. By calling the reception, you can find out what day this day falls on, how your local pediatrician receives you, and how to make an appointment with him.
The main activities at each doctor’s appointment are aimed at measuring the baby’s anthropometric indicators. Weight, height, chest and head circumference are measured. The results obtained help the child therapist find out how correctly and successfully your little treasure is developing. The pediatrician must assess the functional state of the organs; he can coordinate the daily routine and give advice on feeding the baby.
If the examination shows no problems and the baby is healthy, a referral is issued for the vaccinations scheduled for each age. The next one after the first, which is done in the maternity hospital, is carried out against viral hepatitis. Negative reactions to this vaccine are extremely rare; children usually tolerate it well.
Prepare for the fact that on the second visit you will need to take a blood and urine test for your baby. Analyzes show the functioning of internal organs and help identify inflammatory processes.
In addition, the doctor will tell you about preventive measures against rickets. Traditionally, newborns are prescribed vitamin D (1 drop – 500 IU) or water-soluble vitamin D3 taken once a day. Perhaps the dose will be calculated by the doctor based on the physical condition of the baby, or he may not need to take additional supplements at all. For bottle-fed babies, the doctor writes a prescription to receive food at the dairy kitchen.
Additional Research
Special studies are also carried out as prescribed by the pediatrician. When the doctor is alarmed by the results of the initial observation of an infant, he can send the baby for an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity. Additional diagnostics are necessary to check the functioning of the kidneys, liver, spleen, gallbladder, and pancreas. Allows timely identification of pathological processes in these organs.
Having detected a murmur in a child’s heart, the pediatrician usually prescribes a cardiogram (ECG) for the baby. Echocardiography is performed if there is a suspicion of heart or vascular disease. If any diagnosis is confirmed, the child is registered with a cardiologist. You can find out the appointment time at the reception; the doctor himself will tell you the frequency of visits. Complex cases are within the competence of the medical commission.
Neurologist
A neurologist checks the functioning of the child’s nervous system. The specialist examines muscle tone, checks the baby’s innate reflexes, sets parameters for neuropsychic development and checks motor skills. The mother must understand that examinations by a neurologist are very important for the child. Some lesions of the central nervous system that occurred during gestation can be detected precisely at 1 month of life.
A neurologist checks the child’s reflexes; the purpose of the examination is to identify central nervous system diseases in the early stages Special procedures are carried out that can identify the syndrome of central nervous system depression, the syndrome of increased neuro-reflex excitability. Having discovered a pathology, the neurologist prescribes treatment, which is especially important to begin in the first month. The baby’s nervous system continues to develop, so timely correction and elimination of identified disorders will involve a reversibility mechanism. This means that the baby receives the necessary help and continues to develop normally.
Among the examination methods there is also neurosonography (ultrasound of the brain). The first examination should be carried out in the maternity hospital. If it is not done, the neurologist will definitely prescribe it. The procedure is aimed at detecting developmental defects, signs of hydrocephalus, hypertension syndrome, vascular cysts, ventricular dilatations, and intracranial hemorrhages.
Orthopedist
A child needs an orthopedist to examine the musculoskeletal system. The first appointment allows the doctor to determine the presence or absence of hip dysplasia in the baby. By spreading the child’s legs at the hip joint and examining the gluteal folds for symmetry, the specialist is clearly convinced of whether there is a problem or not. The disease, diagnosed at an early age, is well treated by correction. If the disorder starts, the child will need the help of a surgeon, who will have to correct more complex changes. An orthopedist can identify congenital clubfoot, muscular torticollis, and dislocation. An ultrasound of the hip joints is required, which confirms or reveals their dysplasia (we recommend reading:).
Surgeon
The surgeon's studies can detect inguinal or hemangioma (a tumor on the skin of a vascular nature), cryptorchidism (when the testicles have not descended into the scrotum), phimosis (narrowing of the foreskin) (we recommend reading:). The listed diseases are typical for boys. Early diagnosis of pathologies ensures correct and successful treatment of identified ailments.
If disorders are diagnosed so early, the doctor carries out the necessary treatment to prevent the formation of more complex changes. A hernia causes compression of the mass contained in it by the hernial orifice. Untreated phimosis leads to an inflammatory process in the glans penis (balanitis or balanoposthitis). You may be scheduled to visit only a surgeon, since in some clinics the doctor combines two specialties, orthopedist and surgeon.
Oculist
The area of research of the ophthalmologist is the vision of the infant. Naturally, no table is offered to the child at one month of age. The doctor examines the fundus of the eye to exclude retinal pathology, checks the focus of the gaze and the correct patency of the nasolacrimal ducts. Having established that there are violations, the ophthalmologist draws up a conservative treatment plan that helps save the baby from dangerous complications in the visual organ.
Early vision testing is necessary to identify possible congenital or acquired disorders ENT
The task of the ENT specialist is to use audiological screening to check the child’s hearing for any disorders. Having detected deviations, the specialist issues a referral to the audiology center. The center's doctors conduct more in-depth studies on the subject of hearing loss. Hearing is very important for a child because it affects his mental and speech development. Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent more serious problems.
The baby is 2 months old, which doctors should I visit?
Basic examinations have already been completed, so at 2 months you should only visit your pediatrician. The doctor will continue to monitor the overall development of the baby, familiarize you with the ultrasound findings for dysplasia and disturbances in the functioning of internal organs, and with the results of the tests performed. They may be asked to take tests again. What events await you in 2 months:
- Parametric measurements of height, weight, chest and head circumference. Calculation of weight gain. If problems were discovered during the first visit, the doctor will prescribe a repeat examination for them.
- Testing a child's hand control. Hearing and vision testing. If the child is healthy, the doctor may limit himself to an external examination.
- Additionally, they will remind the mother who is breastfeeding about the importance of the baby taking vitamin D or fluoride if it is found to be deficient. For a bottle-fed baby, the pediatrician may prescribe iron supplements.
Children's health requires the close attention of parents and specialists - medical examinations of the baby should not be neglected. Which doctors are important to visit in the 1st year of a baby’s life?
After discharge from the maternity hospital, the first meeting of the newborn with the doctor takes place at home: the baby is visited by a pediatrician and a visiting nurse. They open the child’s medical record, in which they enter the baby’s main indicators: weight, head and chest circumference, and note the method of feeding.
The pediatrician introduces parents to the schedule of planned visits to the clinic and recommends coming on “healthy child days” to avoid the risk of contracting any infection.
When visiting a doctor, you must take a diaper with you,
a change of diaper, drinks and food for the baby, toys and a pacifier.
Approximate visit schedule
1 month
The child is examined by a pediatrician, ophthalmologist, surgeon, orthopedist and cardiologist. To ensure the baby’s health, absence of diseases and deviations from normal development, ultrasound of the hip joints, neurosonography and echocardiography of the heart are recommended. If the baby is not sick, he is vaccinated: a second hepatitis B vaccine.
2 months
Scheduled appointment with the pediatrician.
3 months
Routine visit to a pediatrician, neurologist and otolaryngologist. The child is also vaccinated - the first DTP vaccination.
4 months
Visit to the pediatrician.
4.5 months
A second DPT vaccination is given.
5 months
Scheduled appointment with the pediatrician.
6 months
At this age, the baby is shown to a neurologist, ophthalmologist, surgeon, orthopedist and pediatrician. The child receives 2 vaccinations: the third DTP and the third against hepatitis B, and is also prescribed blood and urine tests.
7 months
8 months
Scheduled appointment with the pediatrician.
9 months
Visiting the pediatrician and dentist.
10 months
Scheduled appointment with the pediatrician.
11 months
Routine visit to the pediatrician.
12 months
The child visits a neurologist, surgeon, orthopedist and pediatrician. The baby will also have a Mantoux test and vaccination against measles, rubella and mumps (mumps), and also mandatory blood, urine and stool tests for worm eggs.
If a neurologist detects developmental disorders in a child, he may
recommend massage, physiotherapy or medication as treatment.
What do specialists check during appointments?
Visit to the pediatrician
It includes weighing the child, measuring his height, chest and head circumference. The doctor examines the baby's throat, ears and nose for inflammation and redness, listens to the heart, and checks the child's stomach. The pediatrician also evaluates the overall development of the baby and advises on the introduction of complementary foods.
Visit to a neurologist
A neurologist assesses the degree of development of the child’s neurological functions, the state of muscle tone, motor and mental development, and identifies possible signs of disorders. The doctor also examines the baby’s fontanelle and measures the circumference of the head and chest.
In assessing the development of the baby, the neurologist is interested in the course of pregnancy and childbirth. Before visiting this specialist, parents need to pay attention to the baby’s habits, his sleep, whether the chin is trembling, and how the child holds his arms and legs. For a neurologist, any detail characterizing the baby’s condition is important.
Visit to an ophthalmologist
A child’s vision develops in the first 3 months, so visiting an ophthalmologist should not be neglected. The procedure includes checking the reaction of the pupils to light, examining the fundus and its veins, assessing the child’s ability to fix his gaze and follow moving objects. The doctor can identify or exclude blindness and malformations of the tear ducts. The specialist is also required to give recommendations on how to care for the child’s eyes.
Visit to the surgeon
The surgeon’s task is to promptly identify problems with the navel and umbilical ring, malformations of the chest and abdominal organs, hernias, and in boys, hydrocele and undescended testicles.
Visit to an orthopedist
An orthopedist monitors the development of the child’s musculoskeletal system, identifies and treats problems associated with the development of the skeleton, hip joint, foot deformities and poor posture.
Visit to an otolaryngologist
The doctor identifies problems related to the health of the child’s ears, nose and throat, examines the ENT organs for inflammatory processes, and also identifies malformations.
Visiting the dentist
The dentist assesses the condition of the oral cavity, gives recommendations on caring for the first teeth and preventing caries.
The child's clothes should be comfortable and simple, so that in the office
The doctor could quickly dress and undress the baby.
The “golden rule” of visiting pediatric doctors
When planning visits to doctors, you should not try to see several specialists at once. Kids get tired quickly, and fear of strangers is added to this. A child's nervousness may cause doctors to misunderstand the child's condition. Therefore, to prevent your baby from being given a false diagnosis, it is advisable to plan visits to one, maximum, two doctors per day.
Olesya Butuzova, pediatrician:“Immediately after discharge from the maternity hospital, the newborn is examined daily by a pediatrician at home until the 10th day of life. Then he comes on the 14th and 21st days, and at 1 month the baby and his mother go to the clinic for the first time. Until the age of one year, the baby should be shown to the pediatrician once a month.”
Expert: Olesya Butuzova, pediatrician
Elena Nersesyan-Brytkova
Discharge of mother and child from the maternity hospital carried out on the 3rd - 4th day after physiological labor, i.e., those that occurred naturally, and on the 7th - 10th day after a cesarean section. The final decision on discharge is made jointly by an obstetrician-gynecologist and a neonatologist, after making sure that everything is fine with the mother and child.
After discharge, the local pediatrician or family doctor takes full responsibility for you and the newborn. They should visit you on the first or second day after discharge from the maternity hospital, so it is very important to inform the maternity hospital of your actual place of residence, that is, where exactly you will live with the child.
The purpose of the doctor’s visit in the first days– make sure that you and the baby are feeling well, whether any new symptoms have appeared, whether you require outside help, whether the mother has enough milk, and whether the baby is being fed correctly.
Very often, after giving birth, a mother, especially if this is her first child, develops self-doubt and fear of harming her child. In this case, a bunch of questions arise that, as a rule, there is either no one to ask, or they are given many, sometimes mutually exclusive, answers. That's why It is important to keep in constant contact with your pediatrician or family doctor in order to have the opportunity to obtain a competent opinion at any time.
Going to the clinic for vaccinations
So, the doctor examines the child for the first time at your home. In the future, your meetings will take place at the clinic every month, provided that the child is growing healthy. Many are afraid of such visits, citing the fact that the child may get sick after encountering some kind of infection within the walls of the hospital. But this is not the main reason that your local pediatrician is waiting for you in his office.
There is a vaccination calendar, according to which, starting from the 1st month of life, your child will be given vaccination to protect against major infectious diseases. But a doctor can authorize vaccination only after a comprehensive examination of the child, and sometimes after consultation with related specialists.
For this you need:
- determine whether the child is eating well and whether his physical development meets the norms - weighing and measuring body length;
- assess the speed and harmony of the child’s mental development, which is also called mental development, and, if necessary, give recommendations for its stimulation;
- exclude the presence of any acute disease - measure body temperature;
- exclude the presence of problems with the nervous and musculoskeletal systems,
- and if there is any suspicion, send the child for consultation with an appropriate specialist;
- if necessary, or as planned, give directions for general clinical tests: blood and urine;
- and answer all the mother’s questions about the condition of her child.
If the examination is carried out and the child’s condition allows, then he is vaccinated. Please note that vaccination should only be carried out at the clinic in a separate room. This is done to ensure that vaccination is as safe as possible, and, in the event of any unforeseen situations, the necessary measures are taken.
Examinations of “narrow” specialists
In addition to a pediatrician, your child should be regularly examined by specialists.
The first scheduled comprehensive examination is carried out at 1 month, then your pediatrician will refer your child for a general urine test, a general blood test, an ECG and an ultrasound of the hip joints.
At this age, your child will be examined:
- doctor - neurologist, the purpose of the examination is to: assess the neuropsychic development of your child, identify any deviations from the norm in the nervous system;
- orthopedic traumatologist, the purpose of the examination is to assess the activity of the musculoskeletal system, to exclude hip dysplasia;
- pediatric surgeon– to exclude congenital surgical pathology: cryptorchidism, umbilical or inguinal hernias, etc.;
- ophthalmologist– examination is carried out if necessary, after referral from the pediatrician.
Next meeting with “narrow” specialists will take place at the age of 3 and 6 months. Then you will be examined by a neurologist to evaluate and, if necessary, correct the baby’s neuropsychic development. The conclusion about the need for examination by other specialists is given by your pediatrician.
IN age 9 months be prepared for the next comprehensive inspection, which will include pediatric dentist And pediatric surgeon. Starting from 6 months (and for some even earlier), the child begins to teethe. And the dentist must evaluate the order of teething, and, if necessary, give recommendations on this matter.
A one-year-old child is already a fully formed personality, with his own thoughts, desires and affections. In addition, he has already been introduced to new food and complementary feeding has been introduced. He depends less and less on his mother.
Over the course of a year, the baby has grown enough, all the organs and systems of the body have formed. And in order to assess the harmony of development and identify any deviations from the norm, during this period the most comprehensive examination of the child is carried out in the clinic.
In 1 year:
- General clinical analysis of urine and blood - to exclude anemia (which may be a consequence of poor nutrition of the baby);
- Weighing and stadimetry are indicators of physical development;
- Mandatory inspection doctor - pediatrician, permission is given for routine vaccinations;
- Inspection neurologist to assess the neuropsychic development of the baby;
- Pediatric surgeon must exclude surgical pathology;
- Orthopedist-traumatologist– to identify and prevent abnormalities in the musculoskeletal system;
- Ophthalmologist or optometrist– to exclude signs of development of myopia and other visual impairments in the child;
- Otorhinolaryngologist, or ENT– to eliminate problems in your profile;
- Dentist– examines the oral cavity and gives recommendations for its care.
It’s great if a child appears in the house; it’s even better if his growth and development proceeds without any disturbances. But, unfortunately, the slightest deviations from the norm, not detected in a timely manner, can lead to undesirable consequences. To prevent the occurrence of such situations, there are regular comprehensive examinations of the child in the clinic.
Parents must understand that only they are responsible for the health of their child.
And friendly interaction with your local pediatrician will only benefit your baby. And do not hesitate to ask questions to specialists, because their task is to help you and clarify all unclear points.
New parents, no matter how closely they monitor the health of their child, cannot always notice a deterioration in the child’s condition in time, therefore, in the first year of life, children’s specialists closely monitor the baby’s health and there is a special schedule for visiting doctors for up to a year.
In the maternity hospital The newborn is closely monitored. Tests are taken from the baby, specialists conduct a full examination of the baby, and with the consent of the mother, the necessary vaccinations are given. All this time, mother and baby are under the close supervision of specialists. And if the child and mother are healthy, then they are discharged from the maternity hospital within 3-5 days.
Download the table with indicators of physical development of children under 1 year old, and be sure that the baby is developing according to the norms!
After discharge Monitoring of your child continues. In the first month life, a local doctor and a visiting nurse come home to a new mother and her baby. The pediatrician should visit the newborn 2-3 days after discharge from the hospital. The health visitor will visit the mother and baby weekly during the first month of the baby’s life.
Based on the results of the examinations and in the absence of contraindications, the baby is given routine vaccinations (re-vaccination against viral hepatitis B).
In the second month In life, mother and baby visit only the local pediatrician.
When the baby turns three months The pediatrician will issue a referral for:
- orthopedist
- neurologist
Based on the results of the examinations, your doctor makes a decision about the baby’s readiness for routine vaccination (general vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough) and against polio.
Fourth and fifth months The child’s life is examined only by a local doctor. At this age, the baby is given a second scheduled vaccination with DTP and against polio.
At six months The baby is examined not only by a pediatrician, but also by a neurologist. At this age, it is recommended that the baby be introduced to complementary foods. The pediatrician will tell you all the necessary information about starting complementary feeding. After the examination, the doctor decides on a planned third vaccination against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio and viral hepatitis B.
In their seven and eight months The baby is routinely examined by a pediatrician.
Aged nine months In addition to the local pediatrician, the baby is re-examined by a surgeon. It is also necessary to visit the dentist, regardless of whether your baby has teeth or not.
At ten and eleven months The child is examined by a pediatrician to assess his health.
At twelve months of age The child undergoes the last comprehensive examination of early childhood. At this time, it is necessary to pass all the necessary tests and undergo specialist examination.
- pediatrician
- neurologist
- orthopedist
- surgeon
- otolaryngologist
- ophthalmologist
- dentist
The child is also vaccinated against measles, rubella, and mumps. Taking into account specialist examinations, the pediatrician will determine your child’s health group and develop a further monitoring plan for him.
Despite the generally accepted schedule for visiting doctors for up to a year, scheduled examinations by specialists in each clinic are different and may differ slightly. Ask your local pediatrician for all the details. Try not to neglect visits to specialists. After all, timely detection of the disease and timely treatment in the first year of a baby’s life is the key to your baby’s health for many years.
- how to survive it? Read our next article.
Both children and adults do not really like going to doctors, this is a well-known fact, and if the child does not have any health problems, parents do not always pay due attention to planned visits to medical institutions. However, such visits are an important factor in the prevention of childhood chronic diseases aged 1 to 3 years, because if, with the help of early diagnosis, the doctor identifies the initial stage of the disease, it will be much easier to fight it.
Mandatory are medical examinations of children at 1 year , and before entering kindergarten and school, however we advise, if possible, carry out routine inspections every year , because taking care of your health is never “at the wrong time.” We will tell you in our article which doctors you need to visit and what tests you need to take during the examination.
Preventive medical examination of a child at 1 year
During the preventive medical examination of the child at 1 year should be examined by the following specialists:
Pediatrician At the appointment, you should always take anthropometric measurements of the baby (measure his height, body weight, head and chest circumference), based on these indicators the child’s physical development is assessed. By palpating the baby and listening with a phonendoscope, the doctor analyzes the functioning of all organs and systems of the child.
It is better to come to an appointment with a pediatrician already with the test results, so that if any infectious, inflammatory or allergic diseases are detected, the doctor can immediately prescribe the necessary treatment. If you have questions about preventing colds, introducing complementary foods and vaccinations, you can also discuss them during a routine visit to your pediatrician.
Important nuance : a preventive examination is not a profanity; if you and your child come for an examination, each of the listed specialists must personally carefully examine (listen, palpate) the child to identify the profile pathology, and not just ask the parents if there are any complaints.
If during the examination the baby is diagnosed with any diseases, the pediatrician will expand the list of consultants by adding the necessary specialized specialists.
Of course, the process of visiting doctors is not the most pleasant experience for a child.
He will tell you how to prepare your baby for going to the hospital. Candidate of Medical Sciences Sapa Irina Yurievna : “If the upcoming visit to the doctor is a planned periodic examination, warn the child about the visit in advance, explain why it is necessary to do this, how important it is to monitor whether he is growing and developing correctly. To help your child prepare mentally, tell them exactly what will happen at the doctor’s appointment: close one eye with a special spatula and look at the sign with signs or letters at the ophthalmologist; open your mouth wide and say “ahh” to the otolaryngologist, lift your T-shirt and let yourself be listened to by the pediatrician. Emphasize that all children go to the doctor for these checkups. Be close and morally support your baby during the medical examination, if possible, hold him in your arms or by the hand. And the main rule for parents is: don’t be nervous yourself, the child perfectly reads the state of adults and begins to get nervous himself.”
Preventive medical examination of a child from 1 to 2 years old
After a year, you will need to come for an examination at 18 months for revaccination against whooping cough, tetanus, and at 20 months - against polio. If you follow an individual vaccination schedule, your pediatrician will most likely create a different schedule of visits for your baby.
Due to the fact that vaccinations must be given to a healthy child, before the vaccination it is necessary to do a general and general examination, and with the results obtained, come to an appointment with a pediatrician.
At the end of the year, a routine examination of the child is carried out by specialists:
- pediatrician,
- neurologist,
- orthopedic surgeon,
- ophthalmologist,
- dentist.
If necessary, you can add to the standard list of doctors a consultation with a speech therapist and a gastroenterologist, give the child an electrocardiogram and an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity.
Our mother Nulliet tells : “Our pediatrician did not give us a schedule for visiting doctors after a year, but personally I will show the children to an orthopedist because of former dysplasia. Together with our older children, we visit other specialists as needed: a cardiologist, a gastroenterologist, an orthodontist. I also donate blood and urine to my older children once every six months, and we also definitely do tests for the younger ones before vaccinations.”
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