The 12 month milestone is a big one in a baby’s life.  It marks their first year on the planet, and it signifies a lot of changes in their life and people’s expectations.

Child development.

At twelve months most children are taking one or two steps on their own.  Some may be using just a light grip on a caregiver’s finger to give the confidence.  They say a few words that may not be completely clear, but are used appropriately-such as ‘ma’ when looking at their mom.  They can understand some simple instructions, and know the names of common items-like ‘cup.’

Child growth.

We continue to chart your child’s growth on the growth chart.  We will tell you your child’s percentage of height, weight, and head circumference.  One way to describe percentage is where your child fits in with 100 kids of their same age.  For example, if your child is 50% height, then 50 would be taller, and 50 would be shorter.  Remember, though, even though we compare your child to others on the chart, your child is their own person, so we want them to continue to be on their own line.     

General health.

We will listen to your child’s heart, lungs, and belly, check their skin, and watch how your child moves and uses their body.  A pediatrician can learn a lot just by how a child moves and plays in the room, and how they interact with their caregiver.

If you have questions about something the doctor sees, or some part of the exam, it’s okay to ask.

This is also when we remind you to brush your child’s teeth, and start to recommend your child see a dentist.  Even if your child only has a few teeth, it’s still worth a trip to the dentist.  

Food and nutrition.

Lots of changes happen at this age.  We like to get rid of bottles and pacifiers, and switch to cups.  The milk changes from formula or breast milk to whole Vit D milk from the store (although it’s still fine to continue breast feeding) and water.  We like around 20-24 ounces of milk a day to help with calcium, vitamin D, and fat.

Most babies are being switched to regular solid foods by this time.  And at a year all foods are fair game as long as they don’t choke.  So things like hot dog pieces, grapes, nuts, and popcorn have to be given very carefully, or not at all.  12 month olds are capable of sitting and eating meals with the rest of the family, but make sure they get some healthy snacks in between.  Go ahead and let them feed themselves as much as possible, even if they’re a little slow and messy.  

Health history.

Be sure to let your pediatrician know if you have taken your child to any specialist.  Even if they’ve gotten the report already you can discuss what was said at the appointment.  

If you’ve had to take your child to an urgent care or ER let your pediatrician know.  We prefer to see your child ourselves if possible since we know your child, but we do know that’s not always possible.

Family history.

Has anyone developed any new illnesses since we last saw you?  Some illnesses can be hereditary or may impact your child in other ways.  

Social history.

Has anything changed in your household?  Are there new pets, different daycare, has grandma moved in?  Let your pediatrician know.

Safety and health issues.

We still want your child backwards in the car seat.  Make sure they are supervised around baths, pools, buckets of water, and pets.  Check that they can’t pull heavy things on themselves, such as TVs and shelving; there are anchors you can get to attach such things to the wall.  Try to read books with your child; liThe 12 month milestone is a big one in a baby’s life.  It marks their first year on the planet, and it signifies a lot of changes in their life and people’s expectations.

Vaccines.

The official CDC schedule at 12-18 months gives a lot of leeway for timing of shots, so your office may differ slightly from another office.  We usually choose our schedules based on required timing between shots, what kind of combination vaccines we have, and how many shots we’re giving at any one visit.  In the end, however, pediatricians give the needed shots in the appropriate time.

Links.

Vaccine schedule at cdc.gov.

Ages and stages at healthychildren.org.