What to Expect During This Visit
Your doctor and/or nurse will probably:
1. Check your child's weight and height, calculate body mass index (BMI),
and plot the measurements on growth
charts.
2. Give a screening (test) that helps with the early identification
of developmental delays.
3. Ask questions, address concerns, and offer guidance about how
your child is:
Eating.
Don't be surprised if your toddler skips meals occasionally or loves something one
day and won't touch it the next. Schedule three meals and two or three nutritious
snacks a day. You're in charge of the menu, but let your child be in charge of
how much of it he or she eats.
Peeing and pooping. Most toddlers are ready to begin potty
training when they're between 2 and 3 years old. Signs that your child is ready
to start potty training include:
- showing interest in toilet (watching parent or sibling in the bathroom, sitting
on potty chair)
- staying dry for longer periods
- pulling pants down and up with assistance
- connecting feeling of having to go with peeing and pooping
- communicating that diaper is wet or dirty
Sleeping. Your child needs about 11
to 14 hours of sleep. This might still include one afternoon nap.
Developing. By 30 months, it's common for many toddlers to:
- speak using pronouns (I, me, you)
- identify body parts
- wash and dry hands
- pull pants up with assistance
- jump in place
- throw a ball, overhand
- match shapes and colors
- begin to play with other children
4. Do a physical exam with your child undressed while you are
present. This will include an eye exam, listening to the heart and lungs, and paying
attention to your toddler's coordination,
use of language, and social
skills.
5. Update immunizations. Immunizations
can protect kids from serious childhood illnesses, so it's important that your child
get them on time. Immunization
schedules can vary from office to office, so talk to your doctor about what to
expect.
Looking Ahead
Here are some things to keep in mind until your child's next checkup at 3
years:
Feeding
- Eat meals together as a family
whenever possible.
- Serve low-fat or nonfat milk or a fortified
milk alternative, like soy or almond milk. Offer other low-fat and nonfat
dairy products.
- Limit juice to no more than 4 ounces (120 ml) a day. Avoid high-sugar
and high-fat foods and drinks.
Learning
- Have a safe play area and allow plenty of time for exploring,
make-believe, and active play.
- Read
to your child daily to encourage language development and help prepare him or her
for preschool.
- Repeat back to your child what he or she says. This shows that
you understood what was said and helps your child learn the right words.
- Consider enrolling your child in a preschool
program or arranging play dates to help build social skills.
- Limit screen
time (TV, computers, tablets, and smartphones) to no more than 1 to 2
hours a day of quality children's programming. Keep TVs and other screens out of your
child's bedroom.
Routine Care & Safety
- Children may brush
their teeth with a soft toothbrush and a small amount of toothpaste (no
more than the size of a pea). Let your child brush his or her teeth with your guidance.
Go over any areas that may have been missed. If you haven't already, schedule a dentist
visit.
- Be positive about potty
training. Praise your child's efforts and don't force your child to use
the potty or punish your child for accidents.
- Set reasonable and consistent rules. Use praise to encourage
good behavior and calmly redirect unwanted behavior.
- Give your child a sense of independence by giving two choices
between two acceptable options. More than two can be overwhelming.
- Tantrums,
while less frequent now, tend to be worse when kids are tired or hungry. Try to head
off tantrums before they happen — find a distraction or remove your child from
frustrating situations.
- Don't spank. Children don't make the connection between spanking
and the behavior you're trying to correct. You can use a brief time-out to discipline
your toddler.
- Most toddlers are ready to move from a crib to a regular bed with safety
rails when they're between 2 and 3 years old. Follow a regular
bedtime routine that will help your child settle into a good night's sleep.
- Watch your toddler closely when playing outside and on playground equipment. Make
sure your child wears a helmet
when riding a bike or trike.
- Apply sunscreen
of SPF 30 or higher at least 15 minutes before your child goes outside to play and
reapply about every 2 hours.
- Protect your child from secondhand
smoke, which increases the risk of heart and lung disease. Secondhand
vapor from e-cigarettes
is also harmful.
- Keep your child in a rear-facing car
seat until he or she reaches the highest weight or height limit allowed
by the seat's manufacturer. Previous advice was to turn kids around by age 2. Now,
safety experts say to do this based on a child's size, not age. So, small children
can stay rear-facing until age 3 or 4.
- To prevent drowning,
don't leave your child alone in the bathtub or in a pool, no matter how shallow the
water.
- Protect your child from gun
injuries by not keeping a gun in the home. If you do have a gun, keep
it unloaded and locked away. Ammunition should be locked up separately. Make sure
kids cannot access the keys.
These checkup sheets are consistent with the American Academy of Pediatrics
(AAP)/Bright Futures guidelines.