Description

What you should expect at the one year visit. This is a good time to ask your questions about your child's development.

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Your Toddler Can:

• Walk holding onto furniture or may be walking alone; may fall frequently
• Get into everything - especially cabinets and open closets
• Hold and drink from a cup; feed himself (picks up food with his fingers)
• Babble a lot; will say a few words.

At Today's Visit:

• You and your provider will have an opportunity to talk about your toddler's growth and development; your provider will ask for an update on your toddler's health
• Your toddler will have a physical examination
• Your toddler will be tested for tuberculosis, may have a blood test for lead and have his hemoglobin (iron) checked
• Your toddler will have a developmental screening that will look at your child's ability to walk, talk and play
• You will have an opportunity to ask questions.

Things You May Want to Discuss During This Visit:

• Other family members involved in the toddler's care
• What you and your partner think about discipline
• Your toddler's sleeping, eating and playing patterns
• Childproofing your home and checking for hazards
• Changes in your family since your last visit
• Some things your baby can do now that she couldn't do at the last visit
• Any other topics you may want to discuss.

How to Prepare for the Next Visit:

• Share what you have learned at today's visit with other family members and caregivers
• Keep track of illnesses and injuries, including visits to other health providers and the emergency room
• Note changes in your toddler's eating, sleeping and social behaviors
• Don't forget to bring your child's immunization record for us to update and your Medicaid/insurance card.

What to Expect at the Next Visit:

• Your toddler will have a physical examination and may receive additional immunizations.

Things to Keep in Mind Between Now and the Next Visit:

Safety and Prevention

• Continue to keep toddler's environment free of smoke
• Watch your toddler closely, especially near dogs, lawnmowers, driveways, overhead garage doors and streets
• Supervise toddler constantly when around water, buckets, toilets and bathtub
• Use sunscreen but also limit your child's exposure to direct sunlight
• Keep all poisonous substances/hazards locked in a safe place, and out of toddler's sight and reach
• Keep cigarette lighters, matches and alcohol out of toddlers sight and reach
• Do not give toddlers plastic bags, latex balloons, or small objects such as marbles or coins
• Switch to a toddler car seat in the back seat; car safety seats may face the front beginning at age 1 and when the child weighs over 20 pounds

Health and Nutrition

• Give your toddler healthy foods and whole milk; wean toddler from the bottle
• Allow your toddler to experiment with food but do not force him to eat
• Feed your toddler at family meals and give 2 to 3 nutritious snacks per day
• Brush teeth regularly, using a tiny pea-sized amount of fluoridated tooth paste
• Choose caregivers carefully and limit the number of people providing care
• Infant's shoes should be flexible, inexpensive and a good fit in both length and width; shoes are needed to protect feet from sharp objects and the cold; rigid shoes should be avoided
• Expect about 6 upper respiratory tract infections per year; most will not need antibiotics; unnecessary antibiotics may be harmful

Development and Behavior

• Keep a regular bedtime
• To set limits and discipline toddlers - use distraction, gentle restraint, removal of object from toddler, or move toddler away and help him get interested in something else
• Use discipline as a means of teaching and protecting, not as punishing; toddlers should never be spanked
• Limit your toddler's TV time - you may sometimes let him watch a show developed for his age (Barney, Teletubbies, etc.)
• Do not allow hitting, biting or other harmful behavior
• Praise, sing songs and read; hug, cuddle, smile and talk to your child often
• Reading books to your child helps him learn new words
• Your child is learning so much; encourage free play with blocks, toys and stuffed animals or dolls; Play both indoors and outside.

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The ABCD grant program is supported by The Commonwealth Fund, a New York City-based private, independent foundation. The views presented here are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Commonwealth Fund, its directors, officers or staff.

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Keywords: infant,periodicity,well child care
Publication date: May 27, 2004
Revise date: Nov 14, 2006
TextID: 8

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