Well-child Care Visit Guide for the first year.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a schedule of screenings and assessments during each well-child visit from infancy through adolescence. The benefits of the well-child visits include: preventing illness, tracking growth and development, building a relationship with your doctor and raising concerns about your child's development related to speech and language development.
At the 3-month visit, this is the time to ask questions if your child is not startled by loud noises, does not cry when hungry or uncomfortable, does not turn head toward voice, does not make other noises than crying, does not produce different cries for hunger, fatigue, and pain or coo when spoken to by caregiver.
At the 6-month visit, you should ask your child's doctor questions if he or she does not laugh out loud, stops activity when name is called, vocalizes pleasure and displeasure, imitate sounds or make noise when talked to.
At the 9-month visit, you should raise concerns if your child does not respond to gestures like "up" or "bye-bye", produce at least three consonant sounds, move body to music, use word for parent/caregiver, or vary tone and pitch.
At the 12-month visit, ask your child's doctor questions if your child does not follow simple spoken commands, respond to "where" questions, point to five or more familiar faces or objects, say familiar greetings and farewells, and stop activity when told "no".
If your child is not demonstrating the communication skills mentioned above, then it is time to raise your concerns with your doctor and request a referral to a licensed speech and language pathologist. At Lifespan Speech and Swallow Therapy, our therapists are trained to provide early intervention to children who may be at risk for developmental delays.
