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What to Expect at the 12-Month Checkup

Doctor In Surgery Examining Baby GirlIt’s almost time for your baby’s 12-month well-child visit! To help you prepare to get the most out of this important checkup, we’ve made a list of what you can expect your pediatrician to check out, what they may ask you, things you might want to ask about, and which vaccinations are likely to be given.

Weighing and measuring

Of course, just like every visit, your baby will be weighed, measured and tracked on a growth chart. Now’s a good time to bring up any questions or concerns you may have about your child’s size and growth.

Complete examination

Using a stethoscope, your pediatrician will listen to your child’s heart and lungs. They’ll look at the shape of baby’s head, in the eyes, in and around the mouth and inside the ears. Then, the rest of your baby will be checked over, including:

  • Muscle tone and reflexes
  • Skin tone and presence of any rashes
  • Belly (to feel for over-sized organs or hernia)
  • Diaper area (to check for rashes or infection)

Questions and concerns

Your pediatrician will have questions for you, and you’ll likely have questions for them. You can expect to be asked about:

  • Assessing risks of infectious disease
  • Lead exposure, tobacco smoke and other environmental toxins
  • Sleep (amount, when and where your baby sleeps)
  • Eating (what and how your baby eats, use of bottles and cups)
  • Teething
  • New skills (is baby pulling up, standing, walking, etc.)
  • Gestures (does baby wave, point, reach)
  • Language (what baby can say, and what he or she can understand)
  • How well your child sees and hears
  • Bowel movements
  • Child's screen time

Try to jot down your questions ahead of time. You might want to ask about:

  • Establishing routines (nap time, bedtime, brushing teeth, new family traditions)
  • Feeding (what to feed, when, how to introduce utensils)
  • Safety (indoors and outdoors, car safety seats, water safety)
  • Dental care
  • Behavior
  • Screen time

Vaccinations

Your little one probably didn’t have to deal with shots last visit, but now it’s time for another round of vaccines to keep your child safe and healthy. Typically, a 12-month-old will receive vaccinations for:

  • Hib
  • Pneumococcal
  • Varicella (chicken pox)
  • MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)
  • Hepatitis A
  • Any catch up on doses