2 Month Well Child Check
Child development.
At two months old your baby will tend to do a lot of wiggling and a lot of looking around. Their eyes will start to track objects, and can focus on the faces of people near them.
Child growth.
We will continue plotting your child on the growth chart to monitor how they’re doing. They don’t have to have the same percentages from visit to visit, but we like them to be in the same general area.
General health.
We will look at your baby from head to toe, looking for anything that looks or feels out of place. We’ll listen to their heart and lungs to make sure they sound normal, and check the hips to make sure they are in place. Make sure you ask your doctor about anything on your baby that you are unsure about.
Health history.
We will ask how the baby’s been doing. Let us know if your child has been to another clinic or hospital since the last time we saw them.
Family history.
We go through the family history on the chart to make sure nothing’s changed. Some families hardly ever have anything different, and other families are in flux. Knowing about your family helps us treat your child more effectively.
Social history.
We check on the social history to make sure there aren’t any changes since the last well visit.
Safety issues.
At this age we still like your baby to sleep on their back with nothing else in the crib with them. If you were swaddling, now’s the time to stop. Remember to have your baby in the car seat facing backwards while in the car. Babies this age don’t usually roll over, but they can move, so keep a hand on them while on a changing table or other surface they can fall from.
Caregiver questions and concerns.
This is your time to ask any questions that haven’t already been answered during the visit. It can help to write them down on a paper or on your phone when you think of them.
Vaccines.
Vaccines generally given this visit include DTaP, IPV, Hib, Prevnar, Hepatitis B, and Rotavirus. Since there is some leeway in the immunization schedule from the immunization committee, each particular pediatrician may give immunizations slightly differently. Also, combination immunizations cut down on the amount of pokes a child may get at any one visit. For example, in my clinic, we give Hepatitis B and Prevnar at 6 weeks old, and then Pentacel (DTaP/IPV/Hib) and Rotavirus (which is a liquid) at 2 months old.
Links.
Child development on healthychildren.org.
