Well-baby visit: 12 months

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By: Suzanne Dixon

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Article Summary

Your baby is a year old ? congratulations! You may get a 12 month well-baby check but your Red Book should give you details of exactly what to expect in the area where you live. Your baby will wriggle more and be more worried about being examined than ever before. If you visit your surgery for this visit there will probably be a box of toys in the waiting room for children to play with, but don't be surprised if your growing toddler wants to keep close to you when it's time for them to be checked over. And although they may have tolerated the examination before, they'll be less appreciative now. Don't worry - it's expected.

Your visit may well coincide with your toddler being offered the MMR vaccine against Measles, Mumps and Rubella. Warning a baby this young about having injections doesn't help much, as their sense of time and comprehension is limited. They'll pick up on any apprehension in your voice or manner. Be there to hold your baby, distracting them, if possible, with a song or a game. If you stay calm and supportive, your baby won't get so upset.


You might find at this visit:

Your baby's weight is recorded and they may be measured. By the age of one year, your baby will have about tripled their birth weight. Your baby will be growing more slowly, but steadily, in their second year, but you can address any concerns you have at this visit.

You can ask questions you may have about vitamins, supplements and your toddler's diet.

If your baby is too chubby, they may be drinking too much milk. Your health professional can let you know if your baby's weight is out of proportion to their height and whether you should change what they're eating. Toddlers don't need 'diets', just a healthier menu.

Discuss juice, as many nutritional problems stem from a baby having become a juice addict.

Other things that may be discussed:

Every baby is different and reaches developmental milestones at unique times. Even so, it's good to talk about your baby's individual development.

Has your baby seen another GP since the last visit? If so, why? What was the     &outcome of that visit, and was any medication or treatment prescribed?
Does your baby have any teeth yet? If so, how many? 
Can they pull themselves to a standing position and move away from whatever
    is supporting them? Can they get from one place to another in some way?
Is your toddler walking on their own, or with their hand held?
Can they say more than 'Mama' and 'Dada'? If so, what?
Do they use nonsense words and listen to conversations? Can they imitate to     some extent?
Do they turn to the sound of their name and the names of familiar objects?
Can your baby point with their finger at things they want, or at things they want     you to notice?
Can your baby play games like 'peek-a-boo', or do gestures to favourite     songs?
Can they play with objects using both hands working together? 
Can they feed themselves with their hands, or drink from a cup?
Do they try to imitate familiar tasks like sweeping the floor or face washing?
Can your baby look for hidden objects?

Talk it over

Follow-up tests. If your baby had a previous hearing test or eye examination because of some special concern, remind your health professional. It may be a good time for follow-up tests.

Contagious diseases. If someone in your household, or in frequent contact with your baby has a serious infectious disease such as tuberculosis, hepatitis or meningitis, your baby may need to be tested.

Discipline. Your health professional can help you with discipline, an issue on most parents' minds at this age. It's good to get some advice now because your toddler's behaviour is likely to get more challenging.


Speak up!

There may be some issues of special concern to you. Let your health professional know if your toddler:

can't or won't bear their weight on their legs
has one or both eyes crossed, even some of the time 
doesn't use both hands equally
doesn't know their name and/or doesn't babble or talk gibberish
isn't crawling, or moving forwards in some way 
doesn't seem curious, exuberant or happy most of the time, or doesn't look for     social interaction with familiar people 
has no fear of strangers or anxiety at separations. Fear and anxiety in these     situations are normal at this age
doesn't point at things 
seems to have problems with vision or hearing 
has lost an ability they had before 
is not feeding themselves 
chokes or gags frequently, dribbles or has difficulty swallowing liquids.

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