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Checkups

What to Expect at the Doctor's Office

By Amy Carey

ortunity to ask you questions about your baby's development. "Before examining your child, most doctors will ask specifically about nutrition issues, development and safety concerns," Dr. Busey says. Some doctors tailor these questions to address areas of particular concern. "If a pediatrician is concerned about the baby's growth, for example, she may ask more in-depth questions about the type and frequency of feeding, and the baby's urine output or stool patterns," Dr. Busey explains.

The doctor's questions also will touch on which developmental milestones your child has reached. Podpora remembers that her doctor would ask developmentally appropriate questions such as, "Do you notice your baby holding a toy with one hand and then passing it to the other?"

Naomi Sugar, M.D., clinical associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Washington, agrees. "We often ask questions about gross motor development: rolling over, sitting, and questions about language and social development, which include smiling, laughing, blowing bubbles, making vowel vocalizations (ooo, ahh) and later babbling (dada, mama)," she says. "There is a wide normal range in development, so your baby isn't 'slow' if she doesn't do everything the physician asks about."

Next is the examination itself, which includes measurements of Baby's length and height, weight and head circumference. Most times, these will be plotted on a growth chart. "This is a way to measure the baby's recent growth compared to his pattern of growth. There is no correct weight or length or head size, but there are normal patterns of growth which can be tracked, Dr. Sugar says. Your pediatrician may also tell you what percentile your child falls into according to the growth chart. Simply put, if your baby is in the 50th percentile for height, half the children in his age group are taller than your child, while the other half are shorter than he is. Your doctor should give you more information about percentiles and their significance at your visit.

During the physical examination, your pediatrician will listen to your baby's heart and lungs, look in his ears and at his eyes, possibly check his reflexes, and feel your baby's body to locate any abnormalities. For example, you may see your doctor lightly pressing your child's abdomen to feel Baby's internal organs. The doctor will also examine Baby's genitals, looking for anything out of the ordinary, and rotate Baby's legs to rule out problems with his hips.

Another important part of your baby's routine visit may be the administration of one or more immunizations. "With the immunization schedules we use now, babies usually receive several immunizations at each well baby visit," Dr. Sugar says. "The combinations have been tested and are safe and effective when used together." Your doctor may give you information about each vaccine to read before your visit. You can also do research in the library or on the Web to find out more about vaccinations and making informed choices about administering them to your child. The AAP provides a schedule of recommended immunizations, which can be found on its Web site

Want to see more?

• The First Year: 3 to 6 Months
• Childhood Vaccinations
• When to Call the Doctor
• Talk About It!