During the first year of a baby’s life, the pediatrician will carefully monitor everything about them. This is to make sure that your baby is growing properly and getting the right kinds of nutrition. During a well-baby check-up the doctor will carefully examine your baby from head to toe. These doctor’s visits continue throughout the first two years starting at every two weeks then four weeks then after a few months. Being diligent about having your baby examined by their doctor will help alleviate any medical surprises later on.

First the doctor will take your child’s measurements. Tracking height and weight during the first year is helpful to doctors and parents. It helps measure your baby’s growth and also identify if there is a problem with their growth that may not be manifesting through other symptoms. After the measurements are completed the doctor will inspect the baby’s head. Primarily he will be looking to measure the space between gaps in a baby’s head. These spaces are left during fetal development so that the brain has room to grow and expand. Over time the soft spots or gaps between the skull bones will fuse together. In the meantime, it is important to be very careful with a baby and his surroundings. The smallest knock on the head can cause damage.

The next step in a well-baby check is to monitor the ears, eyes and mouth. Over the first few months your child becomes more reactive to the stimulants around her. In the doctors’ office it is expected that your child will respond to noise and light. Additionally, the pediatrician will make sure that there is no fluid build in up in the ears which can lead to ear infections or other problems. In the mouth, the doctor will be checking for signs of thrush. Finally the physician will inspect the baby for bruises, rashes, birthmarks and jaundice. There are many indications on a baby’s skin that can be related to a medical disorder. It is very important that at home you monitor any birthmarks or rashes and take the child to the doctors if they get worse or spread.

Caring for a child is a lifelong commitment but the hardest period is the first year of their life. There are hundreds of disorders and medical conditions that a baby can develop throughout the first 12 to 18 months. For this reason it is important that parents are diligent in taking their child to the doctor’s office and having them perform routine examinations. Most parents have nothing to worry about. As long as you are maintaining the best care possible at home, your child will likely grow up to be happy and healthy. During a well child check, your pediatrician can also watch for signs of genetic conditions that may manifest in your child.

Even after a child passes the toddler years, it is important to maintain regular clinical visits at least once a year. The more medical history that is on record, the easier it is for a doctor to determine the cause of an illness in the future.