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well child visit 0 15 months

AAP Schedule of Well-Child Care Visits

well child visit 0 15 months

Parents know who they should go to when their child is sick. But pediatrician visits are just as important for healthy children.

The Bright Futures /American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) developed a set of comprehensive health guidelines for well-child care, known as the " periodicity schedule ." It is a schedule of screenings and assessments recommended at each well-child visit from infancy through adolescence.

Schedule of well-child visits

  • The first week visit (3 to 5 days old)
  • 1 month old
  • 2 months old
  • 4 months old
  • 6 months old
  • 9 months old
  • 12 months old
  • 15 months old
  • 18 months old
  • 2 years old (24 months)
  • 2 ½ years old (30 months)
  • 3 years old
  • 4 years old
  • 5 years old
  • 6 years old
  • 7 years old
  • 8 years old
  • 9 years old
  • 10 years old
  • 11 years old
  • 12 years old
  • 13 years old
  • 14 years old
  • 15 years old
  • 16 years old
  • 17 years old
  • 18 years old
  • 19 years old
  • 20 years old
  • 21 years old

The benefits of well-child visits

Prevention . Your child gets scheduled immunizations to prevent illness. You also can ask your pediatrician about nutrition and safety in the home and at school.

Tracking growth & development . See how much your child has grown in the time since your last visit, and talk with your doctor about your child's development. You can discuss your child's milestones, social behaviors and learning.

Raising any concerns . Make a list of topics you want to talk about with your child's pediatrician such as development, behavior, sleep, eating or getting along with other family members. Bring your top three to five questions or concerns with you to talk with your pediatrician at the start of the visit.

Team approach . Regular visits create strong, trustworthy relationships among pediatrician, parent and child. The AAP recommends well-child visits as a way for pediatricians and parents to serve the needs of children. This team approach helps develop optimal physical, mental and social health of a child.

More information

Back to School, Back to Doctor

Recommended Immunization Schedules

Milestones Matter: 10 to Watch for by Age 5

Your Child's Checkups

  • Bright Futures/AAP Recommendations for Preventive Pediatric Health Care (periodicity schedule)
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Child well visits, birth to 15 months

  • Child well visit checklist
  • Quiz: Child well-being and immunizations

Checking in: Questions to ask at your child's well visits

Welcoming a new child is exciting. But caring for a baby can also leave you with a lot of unanswered questions. Your baby’s care provider can help. From giving immunizations to offering you feeding tips, care providers help your baby grow up healthy. That includes making sure you have the answers and support you need.

well child visit 0 15 months

A note about immunizations at child well visits

Your child’s care provider will give your baby immunizations during most visits. Immunizations work better and reduce the risk of infection by working with the body's natural defenses to help safely develop immunity to disease. Keeping your baby on schedule is also key, so don’t forget to schedule visits on time.

Learn what to ask at your child's well visits

Preparation is key for a stress-free appointment. Your baby should go to at least 8 child well visits before they are 15 months old. Knowing what will happen at each of these appointments can help you get ready. Knowing what to pack for your visit and questions you might ask when you get there can make your life easier. Watch the videos and view the questions below to get ready for each early child well visit.

Child Well Visits: Newborn

Video transcript.

Screen 1: What to expect at your baby’s appointment – Newborn

Screen 2:  Your newborn will need a checkup before going home.

Screen 3:  What to expect before you leave the hospital:

  • Physical checkup (measurements, vitals).
  • Screenings: Critical congenital heart defect, vision, hearing, newborn bilirubin, blood (check for disorders).
  • Developmental and behavioral assessment.
  • Immunizations:  HepB.

Screen 4:  Before you leave:

  • Make sure your contact information is current.
  • Schedule your next appointment.

Screen 5:  In light of COVID-19, remember to practice social distancing at your well-child visits. Wash your hands often and wear a mask. Contact your care provider with questions about your visit.

Screen 6:  UnitedHealthcare Logo

Your newborn will need a checkup before going home from the hospital. Watch the video to learn what screenings and immunizations you can expect at your child’s first appointment.

3 to 5-day visit

Child well visits: 3 to 5-day visit.

Screen 1: What to expect at your baby’s appointment – 3-5 Days

Screen 2:  Early well-child visits and immunizations set your baby up for a healthy future.

Screen 3:  What to expect at your child’s appointment:

  • Physical checkup: Measurements, vitals.
  • Umbilical cord examination.
  • Screenings: Vision, hearing, blood (check for disorders).
  • Review screenings done at birth.

Screen 4:  You’ll also talk about if baby can:

  • Suck to eat
  • Grasp your finger
  • React when startled

Screen 5:  Before you leave:

Screen 6:  In light of COVID-19, remember to practice social distancing at your well-child visits. Wash your hands often and wear a mask. Contact your care provider with questions about your visit.

UnitedHealthcare Logo

Watch the video to get an idea of what to expect at your appointment

In addition, here are some questions you may want to ask:

  • How can I keep my baby comfortable and safe from seasonal weather?
  • What can I do to make breastfeeding more comfortable for me and baby?
  • When will my baby gain more weight?
  • Should I always put my baby to sleep on their back?
  • How do I care for my baby’s umbilical cord?
  • How often should my baby get a bath?
  • How do I calm and soothe my baby?

1-month visit

Child well visits: 1 month appointment.

Screen 1: What to expect at your baby’s appointment – 1 Month

  • Immunizations: HepB.
  • Postpartum depression screening (for mothers).
  • Raise hands
  • Focus on your face

Screen 7:  UnitedHealthcare Logo

  • When will my baby sleep through the night?
  • What should I do for the peeling skin on my baby’s head?
  • How do I care for my infant's skin?
  • What is a normal number of wet or soiled diapers I should change every day?
  • Are there programs to help me buy formula or breast pumps?

2-month visit

Child well visits: 2 month appointment.

Screen 1: What to expect at your baby’s appointment – 2 Months

  • Physical checkup: (measurements, vitals).
  • Screenings: Vision, hearing.
  • Immunizations: DTaP, Hib, IPV, RV, HepB, PCV13.
  • Developmental assessment.
  • Turn and lift head
  • Kick while laying on back
  • Notice hands
  • Follow objects with eyes
  • How often should my baby be eating?
  • Should I be using formula in addition to breastfeeding?
  • How can I keep my baby comfortable after immunizations?
  • How can I find childcare I can trust?
  • When should I stop swaddling my baby?
  • I’ve been feeling sad and anxious since delivering my baby. What should I do?
  • What is “tummy time”?

4-month visit

Child well visits: 4 month appointment.

Screen 1: What to expect at your baby’s appointment – 4 Months

  • Roll onto tummy
  • Reach for objects
  • Watch an object move
  • Laugh and giggle

Screen 7: UnitedHealthcare Logo

  • Is Tylenol safe to give my baby for a fever?
  • How can I help my baby have healthy teeth?
  • How can I soothe my baby during teething?
  • How can we begin to create a sleeping routine?
  • How long should my baby spend doing “tummy time” each day?
  • How long should my baby nap each day?

6-month visit

Child well visits: 6 month appointment.

Screen 1: What to expect at your baby’s appointment – 6 Months

  • Screenings: Vision, hearing, oral health.
  • Immunizations: DTaP, Hib, IPV, RV, HepB, PCV13, IIV.
  • Roll in both directions
  • Play with toes
  • Hold a bottle
  • Sit with good head control
  • When and how should I introduce foods other than breastmilk or formula?
  • How can I wean my baby off night feedings?
  • How long should my baby use a pacifier?
  • Can my baby sleep with a favorite blanket or toy?
  • When can my baby start drinking from a sippy cup?

9-month visit

Child well visits: 9 month appointment.

Screen 1: What to expect at your baby’s appointment – 9 Months

  • Screenings: Vision, hearing, anemia, lead, oral health.
  • Immunizations: IIV.
  • Sit unassisted
  • Crawl and pull up to stand
  • Work to get toys that are out of reach
  • I think my baby is behind in development (e.g., crawling). What can I do to help?
  • What do I need to babyproof in my home once my baby can crawl?
  • Should I be brushing my baby’s new teeth?
  • How long should my baby be sleeping at night?
  • How long should I let my baby cry at night?

12-month visit

Child well visits: 12 month appointment.

Screen 1: What to expect at your baby’s appointment – 12 Months

  • Screenings: Vision, hearing, lead, oral health.
  • Immunizations: MMR, HepA, Varicella, PCV13, IIV.
  • Walk while holding onto something
  • Use gestures to get things
  • Eat solid foods with fingers
  • Say more than one word
  • Respond to name
  • What should I do when baby pulls my hair or bites?
  • Are my baby’s sleep patterns normal?
  • How can I treat diaper rash?
  • What can I do about sore arms and back from holding my baby?
  • Should my baby nap at the same time each day?
  • How do I keep my child safe as they learn to walk and explore?

15-month visit

Child well visits: 15 month appointment.

Screen 1: What to expect at your baby’s appointment – 15 Months

  • Immunizations: DTaP, Hib, IIV.
  • Walk and run
  • Squat and stand back up
  • Throw or kick a ball
  • Point for things 
  • When should my baby switch from a crib to a bed?
  • How much juice or milk should my baby be drinking?
  • Should my baby have screen time?
  • When should my baby go to the dentist?
  • When should I switch to a front-facing car seat?

Wellness visits are also important for your child after 15 months

As your child grows, it’s important to continue to have regular checkups with your health care provider. You can view checklists for preventive care visits at every age, from 1 month to adulthood.

Looking for resources to help support you and your child?

  • Most health insurance plans cover early child well visits or provide assistance. Call the number on your insurance card for more details.
  • If you are a UnitedHealthcare Community Plan member, you may have access to our Healthy First Steps program , which can help you find a care provider, schedule well-child visits, connect with educational and community resources and more. To get started, call 1-800-599-5985 , TTY 711, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 1
  • If you need help getting to an appointment, or getting formula or healthy food, call the number on your insurance card.
  • If you are having a hard time getting food or are experiencing unemployment, your care provider may be able to connect you with resources that can help.

Related content

  • Preventive care

More like this:

  • What’s preventive care and what’s covered?
  • Children's health

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Well-Child Visits: Parent and Patient Education

The Bright Futures Parent and Patient Educational Handouts help guide anticipatory guidance and reinforce key messages (organized around the 5 priorities in each visit) for the family. Each educational handout is written in plain language to ensure the information is clear, concise, relevant, and easy to understand. Each educational handout is available in English and Spanish (in HTML and PDF format). Beginning at the 7 year visit , there is both a Parent and Patient education handout (in English and Spanish).

For the Bright Futures Parent Handouts for well-child visits up to 2 years of age , translations of 12 additional languages (PDF format) are made possible thanks to the generous support of members, staff, and businesses who donate to the AAP Friends of Children Fund . The 12 additional languages are Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Hmong, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, and Vietnamese.

Reminder for Health Care Professionals:  The  Bright Futures Tool and Resource Kit, 2nd Edition ​ is available as an online access product. For more detailed information about the Toolkit, visit  shop.aap.org . To license the Toolkit to use the forms in practice and/or incorporate them into an Electronic Medical Record System, please contact  AAP Sales .

Parent Educational Handouts

Infancy visits.

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3 to 5 Day Visit

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1 Month Visit

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2 Month Visit

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4 Month Visit

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6 Month Visit

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9 Month Visit

Early childhood visits.

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12 Month Visit

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15 Month Visit

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18 Month Visit

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2 Year Visit

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2.5 Year Visit

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3 Year Visit

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4 Year Visit

Parent and patient educational handouts, middle childhood visits.

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5-6 Year Visit

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7-8 Year Visit

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7-8 Year Visit - For Patients

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9-10 Year Visit

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9-10 Year Visit - For Patients

Adolescent visits.

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11-14 Year Visit

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11-14 Year Visit - For Patients

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15-17 Year Visit

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15-17 Year Visit - For Patients

well child visit 0 15 months

18-21 Year Visit - For Patients

Last updated.

American Academy of Pediatrics

The 15-Month Well-Baby Visit

Medical review policy, latest update:.

Medically reviewed to ensure accuracy.

The physical checkup

Developmental milestones, more about your toddler, 15-month shots, questions to ask your doctor.

As always, don't forget to make your next appointment before you leave the pediatrician's office, which is the 18-month checkup . Trusted Source American Academy of Pediatrics AAP Schedule of Well-Child Care Visits See All Sources [4]

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15 Month Well Visit

Commentary by Emma Frost, MD, MPH Published June 2023

Your patient is now 15 months old, and they will continue to display many of the classic behaviors of a toddler. They will move more, and faster, and they will be better at (and louder about) letting caregivers know their likes and dislike. Whereas the 12-month-old visit is busy with screenings and immunizations, the 15-month-old visit should have significant time devoted to history-taking and preparing parents with anticipatory guidance tailored toward toddlerhood. This module outlines the 15-month well child visit.

  • 1a. Introduction
  • 1b1. Activity: Caregiver Activity
  • 1b2. Activity: Promoting Physical Activity
  • 1b3. Activity: Play
  • 1b4. Activity: Toys
  • 1b5. Activity: Screen Time
  • 1c. Elimination
  • 1d1. Development: Walking and Other Movements
  • 1d2. Development: Self-Feeding
  • 1d3. Development: Following Commands
  • 1d4. Development: Speaking
  • 1d5. Development: Emotional Connection
  • 1d6. Development: Clothes/Dressing

2. Physical Exam

  • 2b. Oral Exam
  • 2c. Hip Exam

3. Screening

  • 3a. Developmental Screenings
  • 3b. Oral Health and Other Screenings

4. Immunizations

  • 4a. Overview

5. Anticipatory Guidance

  • 5a. Communication and Social Development
  • 5b. Sleep Routines and Issues
  • 5c1. Behavior and Discipline: Consistency
  • 5c2. Behavior and Discipline: Temper Tantrums
  • 5c3. Behavior and Discipline: Discipline
  • 5d. Oral Health
  • 5f. Feeding and Appetite Changes

Introduction

Cover of Bright Futures Guidelines

As toddlers continue to develop their ability to express their likes and dislikes and move around independently, starting out with a good history is essential. Ask caregivers to tell you what about their child brings them joy and if there is anything that concerns them. Remember to ask not only about the patient’s wellbeing, but also about that of the family unit as a whole. This allows you to provide guidance and resources to help caregivers function as the best version of themselves, so they can foster a safe, supportive environment for their child.

Early Childhood: 15 Month Visit

  • Published: 2017
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2017. "Early Childhood: 15 Month Visit", Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents, Joseph F. Hagan, Jr, MD, FAAP, Judith S. Shaw, EdD, MPH, RN, FAAP, Paula M. Duncan, MD, FAAP

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The 15-month-old is a whirlwind of activity and curiosity, with no apparent sense of internal limits. Children this age require constant attention and guidance from parents and caregivers. The child’s first tentative steps are now headlong dashes to explore new places. The energy needed to master the challenge of walking now focuses on exploring new horizons. The effect of the dramatic developmental changes at 15 months of age, such as independent mobility, growing self-determination, and more complex cognitive abilities, provides parents with pleasure and delight in the newfound exuberance and determination of their toddler.

With these exciting new developments, the young toddler often forms elevated desires and expectations, as manifested, for example, by a new level of resistance to being dressed, diapered, or put to bed, and a growing desire to explore and do things on her own. These expectations and desires may outstrip her physical abilities, which leads to a new and often displayed emotion—frustration. She gets upset when she is unable to accomplish a task, when she cannot make someone understand her rudimentary communication, and when she cannot do precisely as she wishes. If crying and even screaming fail to elicit the desired response, her protests may escalate to full-blown tantrums or episodes of holding her breath.

The toddler’s new mobility, exploratory skills, and exuberance increase her risk of injury. She is likely to run into the street or climb a flight of stairs without a moment’s hesitation. Lacking a sense of danger or a fear of falling, the child aged 15 to 18 months will try to scale playground equipment or poke a finger into an electrical socket. Minor injuries may surprise her, but they rarely deter her for long. Her explorations may bring her into contact with dangerous chemicals kept under the sink or medicines in unlocked cabinets if parents are not careful to secure these storage areas.

This critical period of learning for both the parents and the toddler is most productive when parents help their child begin to make healthy choices by serving nutritious foods without pressuring her to eat; offering her the freedom to explore within safe bounds; responding to her needs while limiting her constant demands; encouraging her beginning participation in daily routines, such as feeding herself or offering her a choice between 2 favorite books before bedtime; and learning to cope with their own anger and frustration as they help their toddler master her emotions. At the 15 Month Visit, the health care professional helps parents learn the parenting skills they need to achieve the delicate balancing act of providing a safe and structured environment that also allows their toddler the freedom and independence to learn and explore.

The child at 15 months of age is likely to be wary of the health care professional and balk at the examination. Anxiety connected with the toddler’s wariness toward nonfamily members can be lessened if the examination is performed with the child on her parent’s lap and the health care professional positioned approximately at eye level with the child. A warming-up phase can be encouraged by initially offering the child a book while speaking with the parent and by starting with the least intrusive aspects of the examination. The tools used in the examination can be made less fearful by first showing them to the child or by modeling their use, such as by putting the measuring tape first around the health care professional’s own head, or examining the parent’s ear. The child’s increasing comfort will be signaled by her giving way to the impulse to explore the new environment of the examination room.

Priorities for the 15 Month Visit

The first priority is to attend to the concerns of the parents.

In addition, the Bright Futures Early Childhood Expert Panel has given priority to the following topics for discussion in this visit:

▶ Communication and social development (individuation, separation, finding support, attention to how child communicates wants and interests)

▶ Sleep routines and issues (regular bedtime routine, night waking, no bottle in bed)

▶ Temperament, development, behavior, and discipline (conflict predictors and distraction, discipline and behavior management)

▶ Healthy teeth (brushing teeth, reducing caries)

▶ Safety (car safety seats and parental use of seat belts, safe home environment: poisoning, falls, and fire safety)

Health Supervision

The Bright Futures Tool and Resource Kit contains Previsit Questionnaires to assist the health care professional in taking a history, conducting developmental surveillance, and performing medical screening.

Interval history may be obtained according to the concerns of the family and the health care professional’s preference or style of practice. The following questions can encourage in-depth discussion:

General Questions

What are you most proud of since our last visit? (If the parent responds, “Nothing,” the clinician should be prepared with a compliment, such as, “You made time for this visit despite your busy schedule.”)

What is something funny or wonderful that your child has done lately?

How would you describe your child’s personality these days?

What things about your child are you most proud of?

What are your child care needs?

What questions or concerns do you have about your child?

Past Medical History

Has your child received any specialty or emergency care since the last visit?

Family History

Has your child or anyone in the family (parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, or cousins) developed a new health condition or died? If the answer is Yes: Ascertain who in the family has or had the condition, and ask about the age of onset and diagnosis. If the person is no longer living, ask about the age at the time of death.

Social History

What do you find most difficult, challenging, and wonderful about being a parent?

What major changes or stresses have occurred in your family since your last visit? What is the effect of these changes on your family?

Surveillance of Development

Do you or any of your child’s caregivers have any specific concerns about your child’s development, learning, or behavior?

Clinicians using the Bright Futures Tool and Resource Kit Previsit Questionnaires or another tool that includes a developmental milestones checklist, or those who use a structured developmental screening tool, need not ask about these developmental surveillance milestones. (For more information, see the Promoting Healthy Development theme.)

Social Language and Self-help

Does your child.

Imitate scribbling?

Drink from cup with little spilling?

Point to ask for something or to get help?

Look around when you say things like “Where’s your ball?” or “Where’s your blanket?”

Verbal Language (Expressive and Receptive)

Use 3 words other than names?

Speak in sounds like an unknown language?

Follow directions that do not include a gesture?

Gross Motor

Squat to pick up objects?

Crawl up a few steps?

Make marks with crayon?

Drop object in and take object out of a container?

Review of Systems

The Bright Futures Early Childhood Expert Panel recommends a complete review of systems as a part of every health supervision visit. This review can be done through questions about the following:

Do you have concern about your child’s

– Cross-eyed

Ears, nose, and throat

Stomach or abdomen

– Vomiting or spitting

– Bowel movements

Genitals or rectum

Development

– Muscle strength, movement of arms or legs, any developmental concerns

Observation of Parent-Child Interaction

During the visit, the health care professional acknowledges and reinforces positive parent-child interactions and discusses any concerns. Observation focuses on

What is the emotional tone between parent and child?

How does the parent support the toddler’s need for safety and reassurance in the examination room?

Does the toddler check back with the parent visually or bring an object to show the parent?

How do the parent and toddler play with toys (reciprocally, directively, or inattentively)?

How does the parent react when the health care professional praises the child? How does the parent react to being praised?

Does the parent notice and acknowledge the child’s positive behaviors?

If siblings are in the room, how do they interact with the toddler?

Physical Examination

A complete physical examination is included as part of every health supervision visit.

When performing a physical examination, the health care professional’s attention is directed to the following components of the examination that are important for a child this age:

Measure and plot on appropriate WHO Growth Chart

– Recumbent length

– Head circumference

– Weight-for-length

– Assess ocular motility.

– Examine pupils for opacification and red reflexes.

– Assess visual acuity using fixate and follow response.

– Observe for caries, plaque, demineralization (white spots), and staining.

– Palpate for masses.

– Observe for nevi, café-au-lait spots, birthmarks, or bruising.

– Observe health care professional interaction and stranger avoidance.

– Observe how the child walks or otherwise moves around the room.

a See the Evidence and Rationale chapter for the criteria on which risk screening questions are based.

Immunizations

Consult the CDC/ACIP or AAP Web sites for the current immunization schedule.

CDC National Immunization Program: www.cdc.gov/vaccines

AAP Red Book:   http://redbook.solutions.aap.org

Anticipatory Guidance

The following sample questions, which address the Bright Futures Early Childhood Expert Panel’s Anticipatory Guidance Priorities, are intended to be used selectively to invite discussion, gather information, address the needs and concerns of the family, and build partnerships. Use of the questions may vary from visit to visit and from family to family. Questions can be modified to match the health care professional’s communication style. The accompanying anticipatory guidance for the family should be geared to questions, issues, or concerns for that particular child and family. Tools and handouts to support anticipatory guidance can be found in the Bright Futures Tool and Resource Kit.

Individuation, separation, finding support, attention to how child communicates wants and interests

Individuation

This is an age at which parents must encourage their toddler’s autonomous behavior, curiosity, sense of emerging independence, and feeling of competence. At the same time, they must provide clear and consistent guidance about appropriate limits of safe and socially acceptable behavior.

Speak positively and honestly about the strengths of the family. Praise the child for being friendly and cooperative. Compliment parents for encouraging their child’s autonomy while making sure he is safe and for helping the child through the visit. If siblings are present, compliment them on their strengths as well.

Assess the degree of parental stress in connection with the child’s behavior.

Sample Questions

What are some of the new things that your child is doing? How does your child show that he has a will of his own? How do you react?

Whenever possible, allow your child to choose between 2 options, both of which are acceptable to you. For example, let him decide between a banana and peach slices for a snack, or between 2 of his favorite books. Allowing him to make choices in some areas will decrease power struggles in others.

Allow your child to determine how much of the healthy foods you serve he will eat. Do not continue to feed him if he is not interested.

Both stranger anxiety and separation anxiety pose frustrating challenges for many parents. Taking the time to explain that they originate in new cognitive gains often helps parents to remain patient with their young toddler.

Sample Question

How does your child react to strangers?

Stranger anxiety and anxiety connected with separation from family members is still common at this age.

Never make fun of his fear. Do not force him to confront people who scare him, such as Santa Claus or clowns, but gently support and encourage him to explore at his own pace. Accept his fear and speak reassuringly.

Some children are slow to warm up. They show this by being cautious or withdrawn. Others are outgoing. They show this by being friendly and interactive, or even by being aggressive when they feel anxious or threatened (eg, hitting or biting).

Finding Support

During this time of intense demands by their toddler, parents frequently experience fatigue and frustration in the moment-to-moment effort of providing both support and safe limits. Seeking out opportunities to discuss child-raising issues with other parents can help alleviate stress and give parents new ideas for positive ways to handle difficult moments with their child.

How often do you get out of the house without your child, aside from going to work?

Take some time for yourself and spend some individual time with your partner. Seek support and understanding about being a parent from people you trust.

If your child has special health care needs, it is even more important to find support from other families like yours. Take time to connect with other families who share your circumstances and can be part of your social and support networks.

If you feel you are experiencing barriers to taking care of your child, the extensive early childhood service system can help. Ask our office for help with the right referrals.

Attention to How Child Communicates Wants and Interests

15-month-olds usually speak few words, but are able to understand many. Parents need to learn strategies to promote communication and language development. By naming everyday objects, the parent can help the child learn language and satisfy his curiosity about the world. Interactive reading (reading in which parent and child talk together about the text and pictures as well as the parent reading the book to the child) is another important way to stimulate language development. Parents may ask health care professionals about the effects of being raised in a bilingual home. They may be reassured that this situation permits the child to learn both languages simultaneously. Use of multiple languages should be encouraged.

How does your child communicate what he wants? Who or what does he call by name? What gestures does he use to communicate effectively? For example, does he point to something he wants and then watch to see if you see what he’s doing? Does he wave “bye-bye”? What languages do you speak at home? What languages does your child use to communicate his needs? What words does he use?

A child’s understanding of how words can be used to share experiences and feelings will be increased by the conversations, songs, verbal games, and books you share with him. Books do not have to be read. You can use simple words to just talk about the pictures and story.

Help your child learn the language of feelings by using words that describe feelings and emotions.

Narrate your child’s gestures. For example, if he points to a book, say, “You are pointing at a book. Do you want it?”

Use simple, clear phrases to give your child instructions.

Encourage your child to repeat words. Respond with pleasure to his attempts to imitate words. Listen to and answer your child’s questions.

Regular bedtime routine, night waking, no bottle in bed

Regular Bedtime Routine, Night Waking, No Bottle in Bed

Reinforce the importance of maintaining naptime and nighttime sleep routines. For toddlers who are still experiencing some night waking or fussing, a review with parents of the toddler’s bedtime ritual and sleep history is warranted. Prepare parents for the common reoccurrence of night waking at 18 to 20 months of age. This is normal and is in keeping with the child’s new capacity for thinking and remembering both fears and desires. For more difficult and entrenched night waking, a more in-depth assessment and plan may be needed.

How is your child sleeping? When does she go to sleep? What is your bedtime routine? How many hours a day and night does she sleep?

Continue to put your child to bed at the same time each night. Maintaining a consistent and soothing bedtime routine, in the room where your child will be sleeping, will help prepare her for bedtime.

Tuck her in when she is drowsy, but still awake.

Even though they have been sleeping well, some children this age may go through a short period of night waking. If she wakens, do not give her excess attention; a brief visit with reassurance from you is all that is needed for her to return to sleep. Give your child a stuffed animal, blanket, or favorite toy that she can use to help console herself at bedtime, should she wake. Consider using a night-light.

Do not give her a bottle to sleep with, or bring her into bed with you as a means to get her back to sleep.

Do not put a TV, computer, tablet, or other form of digital media in your child’s bedroom.

Using media at bedtime to help your child go to sleep actually leads to worse sleep. Instead, use a consistent bedtime routine with quiet songs or stories.

Conflict predictors and distraction, discipline and behavior management

Conflict Predictors and Distraction

Some of the trigger points for tantrums and conflict between parent and toddler can be avoided through creative strategies. Encourage parents to check for easily correctable problems that may be based on their child’s temperament, hunger, or sleepiness. Often, toddlers will have an identifiable trigger for a problematic behavior that is reinforced by a desired response that is elicited from the parent.

Review with parents whether some conflicts can be avoided by “toddler proofing” the home and by accepting the messiness that usually accompanies the eating and playing of a 15-month-old.

Does your child have frequent tantrums? What seems to trigger them, and how do you typically respond to them? What kinds of things do you find yourself saying, “No,” about? Do you have any questions about what should and should not be allowed for your child?

Modify your child’s environment to avoid potential conflicts. For example, keep fragile or expensive items out of the child’s play area.

Distracting your toddler by offering him an alternative activity may prevent needless conflicts or tantrums. Use physical activity, like a game of chase, to distract him. When reading, let him choose the book. Let him control turning the pages.

Be selective and consistent when using the word no. Whenever possible, offer an alternative activity that is more acceptable.

Be willing to accept minor inconveniences, like messy eating.

Discipline and Behavior Management

Review the effect of temperamental differences on behavior. Discuss parental challenges and goals for discipline and behavior management.

To discipline is to teach. Experienced parents realize the most powerful tool of discipline is to pay attention to the behaviors that they want, and try very hard to avoid paying attention to behaviors that they do not want. Children are rewarded by their parents’ attention and will seek even more approval by continuing the desired behavior.

Attention and approval are reinforcing. Withholding approval by ignoring undesired behaviors intends to avoid reinforcement and will ultimately cause the child’s behavior to end.

Time-out is a highly organized technique to help parents avoid reinforcement of negative behaviors. Separating the child and parent prevents inadvertently reinforcing negative behaviors. Time-out is not punishment; it is a time to cool down. Sitting with (or holding) an out-of-control child until everybody calms down can be at least as effective as having the child sit in a chair and walking away. Describing feelings—of both parent and child—can help each understand the other.

What do you do when you become angry or frustrated with your child? How are you and your partner managing your child’s behavior? Who else is helping you raise your child? How often do you talk with each other about your child-rearing ideas? How are your approaches similar and how are they different? What do you do when you disagree? How do you stay calm and centered when your child’s behavior is challenging? What works well when that happens?

Develop strategies with your partner to consistently manage the power struggles that result from your toddler’s need to control his environment.

Pay attention to your child’s behaviors that you like and try to ignore the behaviors you do not like. Avoid using a raised voice or giving a lecture. If you do, you are giving too much attention to the negative behavior.

Set limits for your toddler by using distraction, gentle restraint, and, when necessary, a brief time-out. Other strategies for managing your toddler’s behavior include separating him from the cause of the problem, staying close to him, and sticking to structure and routines.

Discipline is important for your child. To appropriately discipline is to teach.

Time-out is an effective technique to avoid paying negative attention. The goal is to not communicate with your child during a time-out to allow time to calm down. Time-outs at this age should be brief—60 to 90 seconds. An effective time-out technique has 3 components.

– Use a calm voice, not a raised one.

– Use as few words as is possible, such as, “Children who hit must do a time-out.”

– End the time-out by looking to the future, such as, “Let’s have a hug and go play.” Do not recall the negative behavior by saying, “Don’t do it again,” or by asking for an apology—both are code for “I will pay attention to you again if you do the same negative behavior.”

Teach your toddler not to hit, bite, or use other aggressive behaviors. Model this behavior yourself by not spanking your toddler and by handling conflict with your partner constructively and nonviolently. Spanking increases the chance of physical injury, and your child is unlikely to understand the connection between the behavior and the punishment.

Make certain that child care personnel use the same consistent discipline measures. Communicate with these caregivers often.

Brushing teeth, reducing caries

Brushing Teeth

Many children exhibit their independence by demanding to brush their own teeth, but infants and children younger than 4 years may not have the manual dexterity to do so. When a child can tie her shoes, then she has the manual dexterity to brush her own teeth.

Has your toddler been to the dentist? Who brushes your child’s teeth?

Schedule your toddler’s first dental visit if it has not already occurred.

Children this age have not yet developed the hand coordination to brush their own teeth adequately. Brush your child’s teeth twice each day (after breakfast and before bed) with a soft toothbrush and a small smear of fluoridated toothpaste, no more than a grain of rice. Allow your child to try brushing on occasion to avoid major conflict over dental hygiene.

Reducing Caries

Early childhood caries is rampant in many populations. Bacterial transmission from parent to child is a primary mechanism for introducing caries-promoting bacteria into children’s mouths. Counsel parents on ways to reduce bacterial transmission to their child.

Prolonged exposure to cow’s or human milk or fruit juice (even 100%) causes harm to teeth because bacteria in the mouth convert the sugars in milk or juice to acids. The acids attack the enamel and lead to dental caries. The same is true for exposure to foods and beverages containing high amounts of added sugars.

Does your child take a bottle to bed? If so, what is in the bottle? How many bottles of formula or fruit juice does your child get every day? How much water does your child drink? Did you know that you can do things to prevent your child from developing tooth decay?

Many toddlers develop tooth decay (also called early childhood caries) because bacteria that cause tooth decay can be passed on to your toddler through your saliva when you kiss her or share a cup or spoon. To protect your baby’s teeth and prevent decay, make sure you brush and floss your own teeth, don’t share utensils, do not chew food and then give to the child, and don’t clean her pacifier in your mouth.

If you are having difficulty weaning your child from the nighttime bottle, do not use formula, milk, or juice in the nighttime bottle. Put only water in the bottle.

Car safety seats and parental use of seat belts, safe home environment: poisoning, falls, and fire safety

Car Safety Seats and Parental Use of Seat Belts

Talk with parents to ensure that their child is fastened securely in a car safety seat and that they know to keep their child riding in the rear-facing position as long as possible, at least to age 2 years or when the child reaches the weight or height limit for the rear-facing position in the convertible seat. Reinforce the importance of parents always using a seat belt.

Is your child fastened securely in a rear-facing car safety seat in the back seat of the car every time he rides in a vehicle? Are you having any problems using your car safety seat? Do you always use your own seat belt?

Never place your child’s rear-facing safety seat in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger air bag. The back seat is the safest place for children to ride until your child is 13 years of age.

The rear-facing position provides the best protection for your child’s neck, spine, and head in the event of a crash. For optimal protection, your child should remain in the rear-facing position until he is 2 years of age or reaches the highest weight or height allowed for rear-facing use by the manufacturer of the convertible car safety seat.

It is safe for your rear-facing child’s feet to touch the vehicle seat in front of him and for his legs to bend or hang over the sides of the seat. Even large toddlers are usually quite comfortable riding in the rear-facing position and are not at risk of foot or leg injuries.

Be sure your child’s car safety seat is properly installed in the back seat according to the manufacturer’s instructions and the car owner’s manual. There should be no more than a finger’s width of space between your child’s collarbone and the harness strap.

Remember that your child’s safety depends upon you. Always use your seat belt, too.

For information about car safety seats and actions to keep your child safe in and around cars, visit www.safercar.gov/parents .

Find a Child Passenger Safety Technician: http://cert.safekids.org . Click on “Find a Tech.”

Toll-free Auto Safety Hotline: 888-327-4236

Safe Home Environment: Poisoning, Falls, and Fire Safety

Review home safety issues with parents, including poisons, fire, burns, and falling objects. Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death among young children. Parents must use constant vigilance and regularly review the safety of the home to protect their children from harm.

When did you last examine your home to be sure that it is safe? Would you like a list of home safety issues to review? What emergency numbers do you have posted near your phone and on your cell phone?

Remove poisons and toxic household products from your home or keep them high and out of sight and reach in locked cabinets. Use safety caps on all medications and lock them away.

Keep emergency phone numbers near every telephone and in your cell phone for rapid dial. The number for the Poison Help line is 800-222-1222. Call immediately if you have a poisoning emergency. Do not make your child vomit.

Use gates at the top and bottom of stairs. To prevent children from falling out of windows, keep furniture away from windows and install operable window guards on second- and higher-story windows.

Make sure that any other caregivers, such as relatives or child care providers, follow these same safety guidelines.

How do you keep hot liquids out of your toddler’s reach? Is your microwave within reach on a counter? Do you have smoke detectors on each floor in the home where your child lives? When did you last change the batteries in the smoke detectors? Do you have a plan for getting everyone out of the house and a meeting place once outside? Do you have a neighbor from whose house you can call the fire department?

Do not leave heavy objects or containers of hot liquids on tables with tablecloths that your child might pull down.

If your microwave is on a countertop where your toddler might reach it, always stay in the room while it is in use to make sure your child does not open it and remove the hot food or liquid. If you must leave the room while the microwave is on, take your toddler with you.

Turn pan handles toward the back of the stove. Keep your child away from hot stoves, fireplaces, irons, curling irons, and space heaters.

Keep small appliances out of reach and keep electrical cords and window covering cords out of your child’s reach. It is best to use cordless window coverings.

Make sure you have a working smoke detector on every level of your home, especially in the furnace and sleeping areas. Test smoke detectors every month. It is best to use smoke detectors that use long-life batteries, but, if you do not, change the batteries at least once a year.

Develop an escape plan in the event of a fire in your home.

Keep cigarettes, lighters, matches, and alcohol out of your child’s sight and reach.

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What to Expect at Well-Child Visits

Happiest Baby Staff

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Well-child visit schedule.

  • Newborn Well-Child Visit
  • Baby Well-Child Visits

1-Month Well-Child Visit

2-month well-child visit, 4-month well-child visit, 6-month well-child visit, 9-month well-child visit, 12-month well-child visit, toddler well-child visits, 15-month well-child visit, 18-month well-child visit, 24-month well-child visit, 30-month well-child visit, 3-year well-child visit.

  • Vaccines Schedule From 0-2 Years

While it’s a no-brainer that you take your baby or toddler to the doctor when they’re sick, it’s also important to bring your child to the pediatrician for regularly scheduled visits when they are feeling just fine! Enter: The well-child visit. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that each kiddo goes to the doctor within days of birth, then almost monthly, then annually for must-have screenings and assessments. Here’s what to expect at childhood checkups—and when to expect them .

In the first few years of life, you’ll get to know your child’s healthcare provider very well.

Typical child well visit schedule:

  • Within 3 to 5 days of birth
  • Annually after 3 years

What to Expect at the Newborn Well-Child Visit

Congrats! You just brought your baby home from the hospital…now pack up the diaper bag and head to their very first visit to the pediatrician! (Still haven’t secured your baby’s pediatrician? Use our guide to help you find the perfect doc .) All newborns need a first-week checkup within 3 to 5 days from birth.

What to bring to Newborn Well-Child Visit

Beyond your sweet babe, you may need to bring all your hospital paperwork, which should contain info about your baby’s discharge weight and/or any possible complications that occurred during pregnancy or birth. Some hospitals and practices use online charts that multiple providers can access, but if yours doesn’t, you’ll want to have that information on hand. (If you’re unsure, just ask!)

Newborn Well-Child Visit Vaccines

If your little one did not receive the Hepatitis B (HepB) vaccine while at the hospital, they should receive the first HepB vaccine dose now.

Newborn Well-Child Visit Screenings

Your baby’s pediatrician will likely tackle the following screening measure and exams:

Your baby will be measured and weighed to ensure they’re growing as expected.

Baby’s head, ears, eyes, and mouth will be examined.

Baby’s skin will be looked at for birthmarks or rashes.

The doctor will review the results of two newborn screenings your baby received shortly after birth: hearing and blood test results. (Rescreening may be done.)

If your baby did not have their hearing screened at the hospital—or if they were born at home or a birthing center, their hearing will be screened .

The pediatrician will press gently on your baby’s tummy to check organs and for an umbilical hernia.

They’ll also move your baby’s legs to check for dislocation or other issues with their hip joints.

Your baby’s genitalia will be examined for signs of infection, such as tenderness or lumps.

What to Expect at Baby Well-Child Visits

During the first year of your baby’s life, they will visit the pediatrician every month or so for a well-child checkup. All first-year well-visits entail the following:

Baby’s weight and height will be recorded.

The pediatrician will check on your baby’s developmental milestones.

Baby’s heart rate and breathing will be checked.

The doctor will examine your baby’s skin.

They’ll also press on Baby’s belly to detect enlarged organs or an umbilical hernia.

Baby’s legs and hips will be checked for dislocation or other joint problems.

Baby’s genitalia will be inspected for signs of infection.

Beyond the screenings listed above, you can also expect:

Your little one may receive the HepB vaccine, though sometimes this occurs at Baby’s two-month checkup.

Mom will be screened for postpartum depression. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends moms be screened for postpartum depression (PPD) during well-child visits at 1, 2, 4, and 6 months of age.

If your baby is breastfeeding or consuming less than 27 ounces a day of vitamin-D containing baby formula, the pediatrician will offer advice about vitamin D supplementation .

Possible questions about feeding, sleep, number of wet and dirty diapers, and other 1-month milestones

Beyond the screenings listed above, you can expect:

Baby is set to receive the following vaccinations: RV, DTap, Hib, PCV13, and IPV.

Mom will be screened for postpartum depression .

Possible questions about feeding, sleep, number of wet and dirty diapers, tummy time , and other 2-month milestones

Your bub will likely receive the following vaccinations: RV, DTap, Hib, PCV13, and IPV.

Mom will be screened for postpartum depression.

Blood may be drawn to screen for anemia , which is a condition marked by a low supply of healthy red blood cells.

If your baby is partially or completely breastfed, the doctor will offer advice about introducing an iron supplement . 

Possible questions about sleep regression , babbling, Baby’s gums, teething, starting solids soon, when/how to introduce allergens , and other 4-month milestones

Your baby will likely get the following vaccinations: DTap, Hib, and PCV13. If your bub received the PedvaxHIB vaccine, they don’t require a 6-month Hib shot. If your Baby received the RotaTeq (RV5) vaccine, they’ll get their third dose now.

If your baby’s 6-month well-visit falls during flu season, they should get the recommended flu shot —with the second dose four weeks later. If it’s not flu season, your pediatrician will advise you when to return to get this important vaccine.

Fluoride varnish may be applied if your bub’s first tooth has popped through (most babies start cutting teeth around this age).

Possible questions about starting solids, introducing nuts , teething, and sleep, and other 6-month baby milestones

If your baby hasn’t yet received their third HepB and IPV shots, they may get them now. Technically, babies can get either of these vaccines between 6 and 18 months, and many doctors opt to give them during the 9-month checkup.

Your baby’s pediatrician will conduct a more formal developmental screening than usual, asking several questions about your little one’s growth and behavior. The doc may even ask if they can observe you and your little one playing together. All of this is to see whether your baby is developing at an expected rate or further testing is needed.

Possible questions about pointing, babyproofing , sippy cups, constipation, and other 9-month baby milestones

Baby will likely receive the following vaccinations: Hib, PCV13, MMR, VAR, HepA (second dose around 6 months later). Your little is eligible for all these vaccines at their one-year checkup, but that doesn’t mean they’ll occur all at once. For example, babies should receive Hib, PCV13, MMR, VAR vaccines between 12 and 15 months. And you have until 23 months to tick the HepA shot off your list.

Your baby may be screened for anemia .

Based on your little one’s risk, their hearing, vision, blood pressure, and/or their blood lead levels may be tested.

Possible questions about crawling, walking, talking, transitioning to whole milk , and other first-year baby milestones

During Baby’s first year, doctor appointments were coming at you in rapid succession. But now that you’ve got a toddler on your hands, the time between well-visits widens. Between 15 months old and your bub’s third birthday, you’ll be back at the pediatrician’s office just five times for checkups. Here’s what you can expect at every well visit: 

Your toddler’s weight and height will be recorded.

The pediatrician will check on your tot’s developmental milestones.

Your toddler’s head, ears, eyes, and mouth will be examined.

Toddler’s heart rate and breathing will be checked.

A skin examination will likely occur.

The doctor will press on your child’s belly to feel organs and for an umbilical hernia.

Your toddler's genitalia will be looked at for signs of infection, such as tenderness or lumps.

Depending on which vaccines your child got at their 12-month visit, they may be due for Hib, PCV13, MMR, VAR, which are all recommended between 12 and 15 months.

Your toddler may be checked for anemia.

Based on specific risk factors, your toddler may have their vision, hearing, and/or blood pressure checked, too.

If your tot has already received a fluoride varnish on their teeth, a second application may occur .

Possible questions about sleep, motor skills, social skills, eating, talking, and constipation, and other 15-month milestones

Depending on which immunizations your kiddo got during their last well visit, they may be due for HepA with a second dose about 6 months later and/or DTap

Based on your child’s risk factors—or possible concerns—your tot’s pediatrician may screen for anemia or lead poisoning, do a blood pressure check, and/or conduct a hearing or vision test.

In addition to regular developmental surveillance and screening, all 18-month-olds need a formal screening for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at their well-child visit. There are several screening tool options, but the 23-point questionnaire called the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers–Revised with follow-u (M-CHAT-R/F) is the most common screening tool used in pediatric offices.

Possible questions about sleep, eating, motor skills, play habits, potty training, tantrums, and other 18-month milestones

Once your tot is 2 years old, they can get the nasal spray version of the flu shot. (Your toddler is still too young to get their annual jab—or FluMist—at the local pharmacy.)

The AAP recommends all children get screened for autism spectrum disorder at both their 18- and 24-month well-child visits. ( Learn about early autism signs. )

Your child’s doc will likely start using BMI (body mass index) to screen for overweight and obesity in children beginning at 2 years old.

Your child’s doctor may order tests for anemia, lead, high cholesterol, and/or tuberculosis if needed.

Possible questions about sleep, potty training , motor and language development , and other 24-month milestones

Plan for all of the basic well-visit screenings at the 30-month (or two-and-a-half year) checkup. If your toddler is up to date on vaccines and feeling good, not much else happens at this checkup! But just because there’s nothing “big” happening at this well visit, doesn’t mean it’s not important. Remember, these checkups are how doctors track your child’s development. It’s a time to ask questions about your child’s 30-month milestones . And these visits ensure that your toddler is getting the care they need to stay healthy!

While visual acuity screening (seeing details of letters or symbols from a distance) is recommended to begin between the ages 4 and 5, cooperative 3-year-olds can easily be tested, too.

Your child’s blood pressure will be checked.

Again, your child may be checked for anemia, lead, and/or tuberculosis, if needed.

Possible questions about sleep, speech and language development, motor skills, and other 3-year milestones

Well-Child Visit Vaccine Schedule: Birth to 2 Years

The first two years are prime for protecting your child against numerous diseases and infections. Here’s the rundown of the recommended vaccine schedule for your little one’s earliest years:

Vaccines at 1-month checkup: HepB vaccine. Sometimes this occurs at Baby’s two-month checkup, instead.

Vaccines at 2-month checkup: RV, DTap, Hib, PCV13, and IPV

Vaccines at 4-month checkup: RV, DTap, Hib, PCV13, and IPV

Vaccines at 6-month checkup: DTap, Hib, PCV13, flu shot. While all 6-month-olds should receive their annual flu shot, your baby’s 6-month checkup may not occur during flu season. If that’s the case, your baby will receive the vaccine later. Regardless, your child may need a second dose of the flu vaccine four weeks after the first. Also, if your Baby received the RotaTeq, (RV5) vaccine, they’ll get their third dose at 6 months.

Vaccines at 9-month checkup: HepB, IPV (though they can be given as early as 6 months and as late as 18 months)

Vaccines at 12-month checkup: Hib, PCV13, MMR, VAR, HepA (second dose ~6 months later). Your baby is eligible for all these vaccines at their one-year checkup, but that doesn’t mean they will all occur at once. For example, babies should receive Hib, PCV13, MMR, VAR vaccines between 12 and 15 months. And you have until 23 months to tick the HepA shot off your list.

  For a more in-depth look at the recommended vaccine schedule for children, please check out our soup-to-nuts vaccine guide .

  • American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): 1st Week Checkup Checklist: 3 to 5 days old
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Recommended Vaccinations for Infants and Children, Parent-Friendly Version
  • Nemours Children’s Health: Hearing Tests
  • Incorporating Recognition and Management of Perinatal Depression Into Pediatric Practice, Pediatrics, January 2019
  • AAP: Where We Stand: Vitamin D & Iron Supplements for Babies
  • AAP: Checkup Checklist: 4 Months Old
  • AAP: Checkup Checklist: 6 Months Old
  • AAP: Checkup Checklist: 9 Months Old
  • AAP: Checkup Checklist: First Birthday (12 Months Old)
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Important Milestones: Your Baby By Fifteen Months
  • AAP: How Pediatricians Screen for Autism
  • National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations: Pharmacist Administered Vaccines, Updated August 2022, Based on NASPA Analysis of State Pharmacy Practice Laws   
  • CDC: About Child & Teen BMI
  • Nemours Children’s Health: Your Child's Checkup: 2 Years (24 Months)

View more posts tagged, health & safety

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Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider.

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Well-Child Care

Improving infant well-child visits.

High-quality well-child visits can improve children’s health, support caregivers’ behaviors to promote their children’s health, and prevent injury and harm. The American Academy of Pediatrics and Bright Futures recommend nine well-care visits by the time children turn 15 months of age. These visits should include a family-centered health history, physical examination, immunizations, vision and hearing screening, developmental and behavioral assessment, an oral health risk assessment, a social assessment, maternal depression screening, parenting education on a wide range of topics, and care coordination as needed. i  When children receive the recommended number of high-quality visits, they are more likely to be up-to-date on immunizations, have developmental concerns recognized early, and are less likely to visit the emergency department. ii , iii , iv , v , vi , vii  However, many infants do not receive the recommended number of infant well-child visits. 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) offers quality improvement (QI) technical assistance (TA) to help states increase the attendance and quality of well-child visits for Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) beneficiaries ages 0 to 15 months.

QI TA resources , to help state Medicaid and CHIP staff and their QI partners get started improving the use of infant well-child visits for their beneficiaries

Improving Infant Well-Child Visit learning collaborative resources , to share different approaches to improving well-child visit care and state examples

For more information on these materials and other QI TA, please email [email protected] .

QI TA Resources

These resources can help states get started in developing their own infant well-child QI projects:

Getting Started on Quality Improvement Video . This video provides an overview of how Medicaid and CHIP agencies can start a QI project to improve the use of infant well-child visits. The Model for Improvement begins with small tests of change, enabling state teams to “learn their way” toward strong programs and policies.

Driver Diagram and Change Idea Table . A driver diagram is a visual display of what “drives” or contributes to improvements in infant well-child visits. This example of a driver diagram shows the relationship between the primary drivers (the high-level elements, processes, structures, or norms in the system that must change to use and quality of infant well-child visits) and the secondary drivers (the places, steps in a process, time-bound moments, or norms in which changes are made to spur improvement). The document also includes change idea tables, which contain examples of evidence-based or evidence-informed QI interventions to improve the use of infant well-child care. The change ideas were tailored for Medicaid and CHIP.

Measurement Strategy . This document provides examples of measures that can be used to monitor infant well-child care QI projects.

Improving Infant Well-Child Visits: Learning Collaborative Resources

Beginning in 2021, CMS facilitated the two year Infant Well-Child Visit learning collaborative to support state Medicaid and CHIP agencies’ efforts to improve the use of infant well-child visits from 0-15 months of age. The learning collaborative included a webinar series and an affinity group to support state Medicaid and agencies’ quality improvement efforts. The webinars, listed and linked to below, described approaches that states can use to improve attendance and quality of infant well-child visits.

California, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia participated in the action-oriented affinity group where teams designed and implemented an infant well-child quality improvement (QI) project in their state with tailored TA from CMS. Learnings from participating states can be found in the state highlights brief.

Learning Collaborative Webinar Series

State Spotlights Webinar on Improving Infant-Well Child Care ( Video ) ( Transcript ). This 2024 webinar spotlighted several state QI projects from the affinity group, highlighting their strategies, partnerships, and lessons learned.

Using Payment, Policy and Partnerships to Improve Infant Well-Child Care ( Audio )( Transcript ). This August 2021 webinar focused on Medicaid and CHIP payment incentives, managed care contracts, and other strategies that can increase the use and quality of infant well-child visits and advance equity. Speakers from the CMS and Mathematica introduced CMS’ Maternal and Infant Health Initiative and shared the importance of high-quality well-child visits and the opportunities within Medicaid and CHIP to impact infant health. Speakers from Pennsylvania and Texas’ Medicaid and CHIP agencies described their efforts to expand and incentivize participation in infant well-child visits, such as through value-based purchasing, performance improvement projects, CHIP Health Services Initiatives (HSIs), and partnerships with aligned service providers like the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). State presenters offered insights into ways to incentivize efforts to close gaps in care, engage families, and improve performance on quality measures. During the Q&A session, presenters discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on well-child care, the potential of using telehealth or hybrid visits to increase access, and incentives for managed care entities, and addressing the social determinants of health in value-based payment strategies.

  Improving Quality and Utilization of Infant Well-Child Visits ( Audio )( Transcript ). This September 2021 webinar focused on the characteristics of a high-performing system of well-child health care. CMS and Mathematica presenters shared the Maternal and Infant Health Initiative’s Theory of Change. Speakers from Washington and Arkansas Medicaid and CHIP agencies discussed how their states have achieved high rates of participation in infant well-child visits and how they use data to monitor performance and disparities and ensure access to services. Washington shared insights on leveraging collaborative performance improvement projects to identify and address barriers to care. Arkansas discussed the state’s per member per month incentives for performance and minimum performance measures for infant well-child visit rates. During the Q&A session, presenters highlighted efforts to improve health equity, engage parents and providers, and leverage performance measures and quality tools to improve attendance at infant well-child visits.

Models of Care that Drive Improvement in Infant Well-Child Visits ( Audio )( Transcript ). In this September 2021 webinar, three states—Oregon, Michigan, and North Carolina—shared approaches to designing and implementing models of care associated with improved infant well-child visit participation, including patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs) and home visiting. States offered insights on the importance of strategic alignment of policies, processes, and partnerships. Oregon discussed its home visiting program and quality incentive strategy for its coordinated care organizations. The state incentivizes progress on the HEDIS measures and other measures designed by the state’s Pediatric Improvement Partnership, including a measure of social-emotional health service capacity and access for infants and children. Michigan discussed how they requires MCOs to identify and publish disparities in well-child visit rates and how they encourage plans to reduce disparities. The state also uses an algorithm that automatically assigns members to MCOs based on MCOs’ performance and reimburses for maternal-infant health home visiting. North Carolina shared its Keeping Kids Well program, which aims to increase well-child visit and immunization rates and reduce disparities in those rates. The program offers coaches to practices to support their improvements, established an advisory board of key interested parties, and provides customized vaccination notices for practices to distribute to beneficiaries, in partnership with health systems and pharmaceutical companies. The state also used the Healthy Opportunities payment to incentivize the identification and redress of health-related social needs and provided the Health Equity Payment to providers serving areas with high poverty rates. 

i 3 Hagan, J.F., J.S. Shaw, and P.M. Duncan (eds.). Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents. 4th ed. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics, 2017.

ii Gill, J.M., A. Saldarriaga, A.G. Mainous, and D. Unger. “Does Continuity Between Prenatal and Well-Child Care Improve Childhood Immunizations?” Family Medicine, vol. 34, no. 4, April 2002, pp. 274–280.

iii Buchholz, M., and A. Talmi. “What We Talked About at the Pediatrician’s Office: Exploring Differences Between Healthy Steps and Traditional Pediatric Primary Care Visits.” Infant Mental Health Journal, vol. 33, no. 4, 2012, pp. 430–436.

iv DeVoe, J.E., M. Hoopes, C.A. Nelson, et al. “Electronic Health Record Tools to Assist with Children’s Insurance Coverage: A Mixed Methods Study.” BMC Health Services Research, vol.18, no. 1, May 2018, p. 354–360.

v Coker, T.R., S. Chacon, M.N. Elliott, et al. “A Parent Coach Model for Well-Child Care Among Low-Income Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” Pediatrics, vol. 137, no. 3, March 2016, p. e20153013.

vi Flores, G., H. Lin, C. Walker, M. Lee, J. Currie, R. Allgeyer, M. Fierro, M. Henry, A. Portillo, and K. Massey. “Parent Mentoring Program Increases Coverage Rates for Uninsured Latino Children.” Health Affairs, vol. 37, no. 3, 2018, pp. 403–412.

vii Hakim, R.B., and D.S. Ronsaville. “Effect of Compliance with Health Supervision Guidelines Among US Infants on Emergency Department Visits.” Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, vol. 156, no. 10, October 2002, pp. 1015–1020.

Catch Up on Well-Child Visits and Recommended Vaccinations

A happy child in a lion custome. Text: Let's play catch-up on routine vaccines

Many children missed check-ups and recommended childhood vaccinations over the past few years. CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend children catch up on routine childhood vaccinations and get back on track for school, childcare, and beyond.

laughing girl at the beach.

Making sure that your child sees their doctor for well-child visits and recommended vaccines is one of the best things you can do to protect your child and community from serious diseases that are easily spread.

Well-Child Visits and Recommended Vaccinations Are Essential

Doctor treating girl, mother holds child

Well-child visits and recommended vaccinations are essential and help make sure children stay healthy. Children who are not protected by vaccines are more likely to get diseases like measles and whooping cough . These diseases are extremely contagious and can be very serious, especially for babies and young children. In recent years, there have been outbreaks of these diseases, especially in communities with low vaccination rates.

Well-child visits are essential for many reasons , including:

  • Tracking growth and developmental milestones
  • Discussing any concerns about your child’s health
  • Getting scheduled vaccinations to prevent illnesses like measles and whooping cough (pertussis) and  other serious diseases

sisters laughing and running with toy airplane

It’s particularly important for parents to work with their child’s doctor or nurse to make sure they get caught up on missed well-child visits and recommended vaccines.

Routinely Recommended Vaccines for Children and Adolescents

Getting children and adolescents caught up with recommended vaccinations is the best way to protect them from a variety of   vaccine-preventable diseases . The schedules below outline the vaccines recommended for each age group.

Easy-to-read child schedule.

See which vaccines your child needs from birth through age 6 in this easy-to-read immunization schedule.

Easy-to-read teen schedule.

See which vaccines your child needs from ages 7 through 18 in this easy-to-read immunization schedule.

The  Vaccines for Children  (VFC) program provides vaccines to eligible children at no cost. This program provides free vaccines to children who are Medicaid-eligible, uninsured, underinsured, or American Indian/Alaska Native. Check out the  program’s requirements  and talk to your child’s doctor or nurse to see if they are a VFC provider. You can also find a VFC provider by calling your  state or local health department  or seeing if your state has a VFC website.

Little girl pointing finger at adhesive bandage on her arm after being vaccinated

COVID-19 Vaccines for Children and Teens

Everyone aged 6 months and older can get an updated COVID-19 vaccine to help protect against severe illness, hospitalization and death. Learn more about making sure your child stays up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines .

  • Vaccines & Immunizations

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Health Library 12 Month Well-Child Visit

Find another condition or treatment, healthy child development and behavior.

Below are milestones most children will reach between now and 15 months of age. Talk with your doctor at your child’s next well-visit if your child is not yet reaching these milestones or there are skills your child no longer shows each day.

Social and Emotional Milestones

  • Copies other children while playing, like taking toys out of a container after seeing another child do it
  • Shows you an object they like
  • Claps when excited
  • Hugs stuffed doll or other toy
  • Shows you affection (hugs, cuddles or kisses you)

Language and Communication Milestones

  • Tries to say one or two words (besides “mama” or “dada”) like “ball” or “dog”
  • Looks at a familiar object when you name it
  • Follows directions given with both a gesture and words (for example, gives you a toy when you hold out your hand and say, “give me the toy.”)
  • Points to ask for something or to get help

Thinking and Learning Milestones

  • Tries to use things the right way, like a phone, cup or book
  • Stacks at least two small objects, like blocks

Physical Development Milestones

  • Takes a few steps on their own
  • Uses fingers to feed themselves

Healthy Ways to Help Your Child Learn and Grow

Development.

  • Teach your child to talk by using simple words and phrases. Repeat what your baby tries to say and add to it. If they say “ba,” you say “yes, a ball.” Read books together and use simple words to talk about the pictures.
  • When your baby points to ask for something, say the word of the item to help build language skills.
  • Offer your baby pots and pans to play with or a small musical instrument, like a drum, to encourage your baby to make noise.
  • Read books, sing songs and play with your child often.
  • Use positive words and praise when your child does what you ask them to do.
  • When your child is doing something you don’t want them to, redirect them quickly and consistently by offering a toy or moving them away. Try to use “no” only for behaviors that are unsafe. When you say “no,” say it firmly. Do not spank, yell or give long explanations.
  • Give water and 16–24 ounces of whole milk each day. Avoid sugary drinks like juice.
  • Offer your child healthy foods. Provide three meals and two to three healthy snacks each day. Let your child decide how much to eat. It is common for young toddlers to have small portions or only take a few bites of a food. Offer small amounts of a few different foods.
  • Avoid hard or round foods that can cause choking, such as popcorn, hot dogs, grapes, nuts and hard, raw vegetables.
  • Use a small plate and cup, and encourage your child to feed themselves.
  • Your child may sleep up to 14 hours over a 24-hour period, including one to two naps during the day.
  • Have a consistent routine for bed (bathing, brushing teeth, books, bedtime). The hour before bedtime should be calm. Avoid giving your child a bottle or cup in bed.
  • If your child wakes during the night, avoid giving enjoyable attention. Use words to reassure them and give a blanket or toy to hold for comfort.
  • Schedule your child’s first dental visit. Brush your child’s teeth twice each day. Use a small amount of fluoride toothpaste, no more than a grain of rice.

Digital Media Use

  • Avoid screen time, including TVs, smartphones and tablets. Children learn best by playing and interacting with others.

Water Safety

  • Drowning is silent and can happen quickly. Do NOT leave your child alone near any water (including buckets, bathtubs, toilets, pools, ponds, whirlpools). Install a four-foot-tall fence with a self-closing and self-latching gate around home pools. Learn more about water safety.

Vehicle Safety

  • Your child’s car seat should stay rear-facing in the back seat until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by the car safety seat manufacturer. Learn more about car seat safety and installation.

Home Safety

  • Use electrical outlet covers and keep hot, sharp and breakable items out of reach.
  • Lock up medicines and cleaning supplies. Save the Poison Help Line number (1-800-222-1222) in all phones.
  • Block stairs with a small gate. Keep furniture away from windows and install window guards.
  • Keep cords, latex balloons, plastic bags and small objects like coins, marbles and batteries away from your child.
  • Toddlers love to explore. Learn more ways to keep them safe at home.

Last Updated 06/2023

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Well Child Visit at 15 Months

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Mar 3, 2024.

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What is a well child visit?

A well child visit is when your child sees a healthcare provider to prevent health problems. Well child visits are used to track your child's growth and development. It is also a time for you to ask questions and to get information on how to keep your child safe. Write down your questions so you remember to ask them. Your child should have regular well child visits from birth to 17 years.

What development milestones may my child reach by 15 months?

Each child develops at his or her own pace. Your child might have already reached the following milestones, or he or she may reach them later:

  • Say about 3 or 4 words
  • Point to a body part such as his or her eyes
  • Walk by himself or herself
  • Use a crayon to draw lines or other marks
  • Do the same actions he or she sees, such as sweeping the floor
  • Take off his or her socks or shoes

What can I do to keep my child safe in the car?

  • Always put your child's car seat in the back seat. Never put your child's car seat in the front. This will help prevent him or her from being injured in an accident.

What can I do to make my home safe for my child?

  • Place gates at the top and bottom of stairs. Always make sure that the gate is closed and locked. Gates will help protect your child from injury.
  • Place guards over windows on the second floor or higher. This will prevent your child from falling out of the window. Keep furniture away from windows. Use cordless window shades, or get cords that do not have loops. You can also cut the loops. A child's head can fall through a looped cord, and the cord can become wrapped around his or her neck.
  • Secure heavy or large items. This includes bookshelves, TVs, dressers, cabinets, and lamps. Make sure these items are held in place or nailed into the wall.
  • Keep hot items away from your child. Turn pot handles toward the back on the stove. Keep hot food and liquid out of your child's reach. Do not hold your child while you have a hot item in your hand or are near a lit stove. Do not leave curling irons or similar items on a counter. Your child may grab for the item and burn his or her hand.
  • Store and lock all guns and weapons. Make sure all guns are unloaded before you store them. Make sure your child cannot reach or find where weapons are kept. Never leave a loaded gun unattended.

What can I do to keep my child safe in the sun and near water?

  • Always keep your child within reach near water. This includes any time you are near ponds, lakes, pools, the ocean, or the bathtub. Never leave your child alone in the bathtub or sink. A child can drown in less than 1 inch of water.
  • Put sunscreen on your child. Ask your healthcare provider which sunscreen is safe for your child. Do not apply sunscreen to your child's eyes, mouth, or hands.

What are other ways I can keep my child safe?

  • Follow directions on the medicine label when you give your child medicine. Ask your child's healthcare provider for directions if you do not know how to give the medicine. If your child misses a dose, do not double the next dose. Ask how to make up the missed dose. Do not give aspirin to children younger than 18 years. Your child could develop Reye syndrome if he or she has the flu or a fever and takes aspirin. Reye syndrome can cause life-threatening brain and liver damage. Check your child's medicine labels for aspirin or salicylates.
  • Keep plastic bags, latex balloons, and small objects away from your child. This includes marbles or small toys. These items can cause choking or suffocation. Regularly check the floor for these objects.
  • Do not let your child use a walker. Walkers are not safe for your child. Walkers do not help your child learn to walk. Your child can roll down the stairs. Walkers also allow your child to reach higher. He or she might reach for hot drinks, grab pot handles off the stove, or reach for medicines or other unsafe items.
  • Never leave your child in a room alone. Make sure there is always a responsible adult with your child.

What do I need to know about nutrition for my child?

  • Whole grains such as bread, hot or cold cereal, and cooked pasta or rice
  • Protein from lean meats, chicken, fish, beans, or eggs
  • Dairy such as whole milk, cheese, or yogurt
  • Vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, or spinach
  • Fruits such as strawberries, oranges, apples, or tomatoes
  • Give your child whole milk until he or she is 2 years old. Give your child no more than 2 to 3 cups of whole milk each day. His or her body needs the extra fat in whole milk to help him or her grow. After your child turns 2, he or she can drink skim or low-fat milk (such as 1% or 2% milk). Your child's healthcare provider may recommend low-fat milk if your child is overweight.
  • Limit foods high in fat and sugar. These foods do not have the nutrients your child needs to be healthy. Food high in fat and sugar include snack foods (potato chips, candy, and other sweets), juice, fruit drinks, and soda. If your child eats these foods often, he or she may eat fewer healthy foods during meals. He or she may gain too much weight.
  • Do not give your child foods that could cause him or her to choke. Examples include nuts, popcorn, and hard, raw vegetables. Cut round or hard foods into thin slices. Grapes and hotdogs are examples of round foods. Carrots are an example of hard foods.
  • Give your child 3 meals and 2 to 3 snacks per day. Cut all food into small pieces. Examples of healthy snacks include applesauce, bananas, crackers, and cheese.
  • Encourage your child to feed himself or herself. Give your child a cup to drink from and spoon to eat with. Be patient with your child. Food may end up on the floor or on your child instead of in his or her mouth. It will take time for him or her to learn how to use a spoon to feed himself or herself.
  • Know that picky eating is a normal behavior in children under 4 years of age. Your child may like a certain food on one day and then decide he or she does not like it the next day. He or she may eat only 1 or 2 foods for a whole week or longer. Your child may not like mixed foods, or he or she may not want different foods on the plate to touch. These eating habits are all normal. Continue to offer 2 or 3 different foods at each meal, even if your child is going through this phase.

What can I do to keep my child's teeth healthy?

  • Help your child brush his or her teeth 2 times each day. Brush his or her teeth after breakfast and before bed. Use a soft toothbrush and plain water.
  • Thumb sucking or pacifier use can affect your child's tooth development. Talk to your child's healthcare provider if your child sucks his or her thumb or uses a pacifier regularly.
  • Take your child to the dentist regularly. A dentist can make sure your child's teeth and gums are developing properly. Ask your child's dentist how often he or she needs to visit.

What can I do to create routines for my child?

  • Have your child take at least 1 nap each day. Plan the nap early enough in the day so your child is still tired at bedtime. Your child needs 8 to 10 hours of sleep every night.
  • Create a bedtime routine. This may include 1 hour of calm and quiet activities before bed. You can read to your child or listen to music. Brush your child's teeth during his or her bedtime routine.
  • Plan for family time. Start family traditions such as going for a walk, listening to music, or playing games. Do not watch TV during family time. Have your child play with other family members during family time.

What are other ways I can support my child?

  • Do not punish your child with hitting, spanking, or yelling. Never shake your child. Tell your child "no." Give your child short and simple rules. Put your child in time-out for 1 to 2 minutes in his or her crib or playpen. You can distract your child with a new activity when he or she behaves badly. Make sure everyone who cares for your child disciplines him or her the same way.
  • Reward your child for good behavior. This will encourage your child to behave well.
  • Limit your child's TV time as directed. Your child's brain will develop best through interaction with other people. This includes video chatting through a computer or phone with family or friends. Talk to your child's healthcare provider if you want to let your child watch TV. He or she can help you set healthy limits. Experts usually recommend less than 1 hour of TV per day for children younger than 2 years. Your provider may also be able to recommend appropriate programs for your child.
  • Engage with your child if he or she watches TV. Do not let your child watch TV alone, if possible. You or another adult should watch with your child. Talk with your child about what he or she is watching. When TV time is done, try to apply what you and your child saw. For example, if your child saw someone drawing, have your child draw. TV time should never replace active playtime. Turn the TV off when your child plays. Do not let your child watch TV during meals or within 1 hour of bedtime.
  • Play with your child. This will help your child develop social skills, motor skills, and speech.
  • Take your child to play groups or activities. Let your child play with other children. This will help him or her grow and develop.
  • Respect your child's fear of strangers. It is normal for your child to be afraid of strangers at this age. Do not force your child to talk or play with people he or she does not know.

What do I need to know about my child's next well child visit?

Your child's healthcare provider will tell you when to bring him or her in again. The next well child visit is usually at 18 months. Contact your child's healthcare provider if you have questions or concerns about your child's health or care before the next visit. Your child may need vaccines at the next well child visit. Your provider will tell you which vaccines your child needs and when your child should get them.

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Learn more about Well Child Visit at 15 Months

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  • HEDIS Measures and Technical Resources
  • Child and Adolescent Well-Care Visits

Child and Adolescent Well-Care Visits (W30, WCV)

Well-Child Visits in the First 30 Months of Life : Assesses children who turned 15 months old during the measurement year and had at least six well-child visits with a primary care physician during their first 15 months of life. Assesses children who turned 30 months old during the measurement year and had at least two well-child visits with a primary care physician in the last 15 months.

Child and Adolescent Well-Care Visits: Assesses children 3–21years of age who received one or more well-care visit with a primary care practitioner or an OB/GYN practitioner during the measurement year.

Why It Matters?

Assessing physical, emotional and social development is important at every stage of life, particularly with children and adolescents. 1 Well-care visits provide an opportunity for providers to influence health and development and they are a critical opportunity for screening and counseling. 2

Results – National Averages

Well child visits in the first 15 months, well child visits in the first 30 months of life (15 months – 30 months), well-child visits (ages 3-6 years): 1 or more well-child visits, child and adolescent well-care visits (total):.

This State of Healthcare Quality Report classifies health plans differently than NCQA’s Quality Compass. HMO corresponds to All LOBs (excluding PPO and EPO) within Quality Compass. PPO corresponds to PPO and EPO within Quality Compass.

Figures do not account for changes in the underlying measure that could break trending. Contact Information Products via  my.ncqa.org  for analysis that accounts for trend breaks.

  • Bright Futures. 2021. https://brightfutures.aap.org/
  • Lipkin, Paul H., Michelle M. Macias, Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Council on Children with Disabilities, Kenneth W. Norwood Jr, Timothy J. Brei, Lynn F. Davidson, Beth Ellen Davis, et al. 2020. “Promoting Optimal Development: Identifying Infants and Young Children With Developmental Disorders Through Developmental Surveillance and Screening.” Pediatrics 145 (1): e20193449. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-3449

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Ohio mother who left toddler alone when she went on vacation is sentenced in child’s murder

An Ohio woman whose toddler died after she left her alone for more than a week while she went on vacation was sentenced to life in prison without parole Monday, the Cuyahoga County prosecutor said.

Kristel Candelario, 32, pleaded guilty last month t o aggravated murder and endangering children in connection with the death of her 16-month-old daughter, Jailyn, last year.

Candelario left for vacation June 6 and left Jailyn alone. She visited Detroit and Puerto Rico, the prosecutor’s office said.

When she returned on June 16, she found Jailyn dead and called police, authorities said.

Jailyn Calendario mom mother sentencing court legal law child death

Jailyn died of starvation and severe dehydration due to pediatric neglect, Dr. Elizabeth Mooney, the deputy Cuyahoga County medical examiner, said in court Monday. The manner was ruled homicide.

The child was extremely dehydrated and emaciated, weighing 13 pounds, 7 pounds less than in her last doctor's visit less than two months before, Mooney said.

Mooney, who conducted the autopsy, called Jailyn's death "one of the most tragic and unfortunate cases I’ve had in my career thus far." She said the child could have suffered for possibly a week.

In a statement Monday, prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley called Jailyn “a beautiful baby girl who was taken from this world due to her mother’s unimaginable selfishness.”

Candelario told the court Monday that “every day I ask forgiveness from God and from my daughter Jailyn.”

She also asked forgiveness from her other daughter and from her parents.

Jailyn Calendario.

Candelario’s attorney, Derek Smith, said that no one was trying to excuse her behavior but that Candelario was struggling emotionally and was overwhelmed as a single mother of two children.

Candelario had tried to harm herself earlier in 2023 and she had been placed on antidepressants, which she stopped taking without tapering down in dosage as required, which can cause side effects, Smith told the court. Candelario was "not thinking clearly," he said.

“I am not trying to justify my actions, but nobody knew how much I was suffering and what I was going through,” Candelario said through an interpreter.

Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Anna Faraglia told the court Monday that Candelario had left Jailyn alone for two days immediately before she left on vacation.

"The thought of this child dying every day while she's having fun — humanity can't stomach that," Faraglia said. "And those are the actions that need to be punished. She abandoned her daughter and left her for dead."

In sentencing Candelario, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Brendan Sheehan noted that the police and the medical professionals involved called it one of the most horrific cases they’d ever seen.

“It stunned people across this world, because it defies one of the basic human responsibilities,” Sheehan said. He called it “the ultimate act of betrayal.” 

well child visit 0 15 months

Phil Helsel is a reporter for NBC News.

Blog The Education Hub

https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/03/15/how-to-claim-15-hours-free-childcare-code/

How to claim 15 hours free childcare including how to get your code

well child visit 0 15 months

We’re making the  biggest investment  by a UK government into childcare in history, doubling the amount we expect to spend over the next few years from around £4 billion to around £8 billion each year.  

  • Currently, eligible working parents of 3 and 4-year-olds can access 30 hours of childcare support.  
  • From  April 2024 , eligible working parents of 2-year-olds will be able to access 15 hours childcare support.  
  • From  September 2024 , 15 hours childcare support will be extended to eligible working parents with a child from 9-months-old.  
  • From  September 2025 , support will reach 30 hours for eligible working parents with a child from 9-months-old up to school age.  

When can I apply?  

Applications are open until 31 March for eligible working parents of 2-year-olds to receive 15 hours free childcare starting from April 2024.  

From 1 April, eligible working parents whose children will be 2 or older by the 31 August, can apply to receive 15 hours childcare starting from September 2024.   

And from 12 May, eligible working parents whose children will be aged between 9- and 23-months old on 31st August, can apply to receive 15 hours childcare starting from September 2024.  

It’s important to remember that codes need to be renewed every three months, so parents applying close to 12 May will need to renew their code prior to the offer starting in September.  

How do I apply?   

You apply online here on   Gov.uk once you have checked our  eligibility criteria .  

You’ll need to make sure you have the following information to hand before starting the application:  

  • your national insurance number (or unique taxpayer reference if you are self-employed)  
  • the date you started or are due to start work  
  • details of any government support or benefits you receive  
  • the UK birth certificate reference number (if you have one) for your child.  

You may find out if you’re eligible straight away, but it can take up to 7 days.  

Once your application has been approved, you’ll get a code to give to your childcare provider.  

Eligible parents are also able to access Tax-Free Childcare through the same application system. You can apply for Tax-Free Childcare at any time. However, you don't need to apply for Tax-Free Childcare to be eligible to apply for the 15 hours childcare scheme.   

What happens once I receive my code?  

Once you receive your code, you’ll need to take it to your childcare provider, along with your National Insurance number and your child’s date of birth.  

Your childcare provider will process the code to provide your place.  

Places will be available for September in every area of the country, but a significant minority of settings hold waiting lists of over six months. If you have a preferred nursery for September, you should reach out now to secure a place for your child ahead of receiving your code.  

Your local authority can provide support for finding a government-funded place in your area.  

What if I’m already registered for Tax Free Childcare?  

Parents must reconfirm that they are still eligible for Tax-Free Childcare every 3 months.  

Parents who are already claiming Tax-Free Childcare and need to reconfirm their eligibility between 1 April and 12 May will be automatically issued a code in the post from HMRC soon after the 12 May.   

This is to ensure every parent can give their code to their provider in good time. This code will be valid to apply for 15 hours of government-funded childcare from September.   

If I receive a code in a letter from HMRC, does this make my code on my Childcare Account invalid?  

No. Both codes will be valid.   

Do I need to wait for my reconfirmation window to add another child to my account?  

A parent who is already using the childcare service for another child can add a new child to their account at any time.  

Your reconfirmation cycle for your current Tax-Free Childcare will not affect this.  

How are you making sure there will be enough childcare places for eligible parents?  

Parents that have a preferred place for September should reach out now to their local provider to secure a physical place for their child ahead of time.  

To make sure there are enough places available, we’re investing over £400 million in 2024-25 to increase the hourly rates paid to local authorities.  

The Institute for Fiscal Studies has independently reported that the average funding rates for two-year-olds and under 2s paid by government from April 2024 are projected to be substantially higher than the market rate paid by parents last year, and we have committed to further increases to provider rates for the next two years.  

We have also committed to increasing hourly funding rates over the next two years by an estimated £500 million, to make sure providers can increase places at each phase of the rollout.    

You may also be interested in:

  • Budget 2023: Everything you need to know about childcare support
  • Before and after school childcare: Everything you need to know about wraparound care
  • Free childcare: How we are tackling the cost of childcare

Tags: 15 hours free childcare , Applying for 15 hours free childcare , Childcare , Free childcare 2024 , Free childcare eligibility , tax-free childcare , When to apply for 15 hour free childcare

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What the data says about abortion in the u.s..

Pew Research Center has conducted many surveys about abortion over the years, providing a lens into Americans’ views on whether the procedure should be legal, among a host of other questions.

In a  Center survey  conducted nearly a year after the Supreme Court’s June 2022 decision that  ended the constitutional right to abortion , 62% of U.S. adults said the practice should be legal in all or most cases, while 36% said it should be illegal in all or most cases. Another survey conducted a few months before the decision showed that relatively few Americans take an absolutist view on the issue .

Find answers to common questions about abortion in America, based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Guttmacher Institute, which have tracked these patterns for several decades:

How many abortions are there in the U.S. each year?

How has the number of abortions in the u.s. changed over time, what is the abortion rate among women in the u.s. how has it changed over time, what are the most common types of abortion, how many abortion providers are there in the u.s., and how has that number changed, what percentage of abortions are for women who live in a different state from the abortion provider, what are the demographics of women who have had abortions, when during pregnancy do most abortions occur, how often are there medical complications from abortion.

This compilation of data on abortion in the United States draws mainly from two sources: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Guttmacher Institute, both of which have regularly compiled national abortion data for approximately half a century, and which collect their data in different ways.

The CDC data that is highlighted in this post comes from the agency’s “abortion surveillance” reports, which have been published annually since 1974 (and which have included data from 1969). Its figures from 1973 through 1996 include data from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and New York City – 52 “reporting areas” in all. Since 1997, the CDC’s totals have lacked data from some states (most notably California) for the years that those states did not report data to the agency. The four reporting areas that did not submit data to the CDC in 2021 – California, Maryland, New Hampshire and New Jersey – accounted for approximately 25% of all legal induced abortions in the U.S. in 2020, according to Guttmacher’s data. Most states, though,  do  have data in the reports, and the figures for the vast majority of them came from each state’s central health agency, while for some states, the figures came from hospitals and other medical facilities.

Discussion of CDC abortion data involving women’s state of residence, marital status, race, ethnicity, age, abortion history and the number of previous live births excludes the low share of abortions where that information was not supplied. Read the methodology for the CDC’s latest abortion surveillance report , which includes data from 2021, for more details. Previous reports can be found at  stacks.cdc.gov  by entering “abortion surveillance” into the search box.

For the numbers of deaths caused by induced abortions in 1963 and 1965, this analysis looks at reports by the then-U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, a precursor to the Department of Health and Human Services. In computing those figures, we excluded abortions listed in the report under the categories “spontaneous or unspecified” or as “other.” (“Spontaneous abortion” is another way of referring to miscarriages.)

Guttmacher data in this post comes from national surveys of abortion providers that Guttmacher has conducted 19 times since 1973. Guttmacher compiles its figures after contacting every known provider of abortions – clinics, hospitals and physicians’ offices – in the country. It uses questionnaires and health department data, and it provides estimates for abortion providers that don’t respond to its inquiries. (In 2020, the last year for which it has released data on the number of abortions in the U.S., it used estimates for 12% of abortions.) For most of the 2000s, Guttmacher has conducted these national surveys every three years, each time getting abortion data for the prior two years. For each interim year, Guttmacher has calculated estimates based on trends from its own figures and from other data.

The latest full summary of Guttmacher data came in the institute’s report titled “Abortion Incidence and Service Availability in the United States, 2020.” It includes figures for 2020 and 2019 and estimates for 2018. The report includes a methods section.

In addition, this post uses data from StatPearls, an online health care resource, on complications from abortion.

An exact answer is hard to come by. The CDC and the Guttmacher Institute have each tried to measure this for around half a century, but they use different methods and publish different figures.

The last year for which the CDC reported a yearly national total for abortions is 2021. It found there were 625,978 abortions in the District of Columbia and the 46 states with available data that year, up from 597,355 in those states and D.C. in 2020. The corresponding figure for 2019 was 607,720.

The last year for which Guttmacher reported a yearly national total was 2020. It said there were 930,160 abortions that year in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, compared with 916,460 in 2019.

  • How the CDC gets its data: It compiles figures that are voluntarily reported by states’ central health agencies, including separate figures for New York City and the District of Columbia. Its latest totals do not include figures from California, Maryland, New Hampshire or New Jersey, which did not report data to the CDC. ( Read the methodology from the latest CDC report .)
  • How Guttmacher gets its data: It compiles its figures after contacting every known abortion provider – clinics, hospitals and physicians’ offices – in the country. It uses questionnaires and health department data, then provides estimates for abortion providers that don’t respond. Guttmacher’s figures are higher than the CDC’s in part because they include data (and in some instances, estimates) from all 50 states. ( Read the institute’s latest full report and methodology .)

While the Guttmacher Institute supports abortion rights, its empirical data on abortions in the U.S. has been widely cited by  groups  and  publications  across the political spectrum, including by a  number of those  that  disagree with its positions .

These estimates from Guttmacher and the CDC are results of multiyear efforts to collect data on abortion across the U.S. Last year, Guttmacher also began publishing less precise estimates every few months , based on a much smaller sample of providers.

The figures reported by these organizations include only legal induced abortions conducted by clinics, hospitals or physicians’ offices, or those that make use of abortion pills dispensed from certified facilities such as clinics or physicians’ offices. They do not account for the use of abortion pills that were obtained  outside of clinical settings .

(Back to top)

A line chart showing the changing number of legal abortions in the U.S. since the 1970s.

The annual number of U.S. abortions rose for years after Roe v. Wade legalized the procedure in 1973, reaching its highest levels around the late 1980s and early 1990s, according to both the CDC and Guttmacher. Since then, abortions have generally decreased at what a CDC analysis called  “a slow yet steady pace.”

Guttmacher says the number of abortions occurring in the U.S. in 2020 was 40% lower than it was in 1991. According to the CDC, the number was 36% lower in 2021 than in 1991, looking just at the District of Columbia and the 46 states that reported both of those years.

(The corresponding line graph shows the long-term trend in the number of legal abortions reported by both organizations. To allow for consistent comparisons over time, the CDC figures in the chart have been adjusted to ensure that the same states are counted from one year to the next. Using that approach, the CDC figure for 2021 is 622,108 legal abortions.)

There have been occasional breaks in this long-term pattern of decline – during the middle of the first decade of the 2000s, and then again in the late 2010s. The CDC reported modest 1% and 2% increases in abortions in 2018 and 2019, and then, after a 2% decrease in 2020, a 5% increase in 2021. Guttmacher reported an 8% increase over the three-year period from 2017 to 2020.

As noted above, these figures do not include abortions that use pills obtained outside of clinical settings.

Guttmacher says that in 2020 there were 14.4 abortions in the U.S. per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44. Its data shows that the rate of abortions among women has generally been declining in the U.S. since 1981, when it reported there were 29.3 abortions per 1,000 women in that age range.

The CDC says that in 2021, there were 11.6 abortions in the U.S. per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44. (That figure excludes data from California, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Hampshire and New Jersey.) Like Guttmacher’s data, the CDC’s figures also suggest a general decline in the abortion rate over time. In 1980, when the CDC reported on all 50 states and D.C., it said there were 25 abortions per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44.

That said, both Guttmacher and the CDC say there were slight increases in the rate of abortions during the late 2010s and early 2020s. Guttmacher says the abortion rate per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44 rose from 13.5 in 2017 to 14.4 in 2020. The CDC says it rose from 11.2 per 1,000 in 2017 to 11.4 in 2019, before falling back to 11.1 in 2020 and then rising again to 11.6 in 2021. (The CDC’s figures for those years exclude data from California, D.C., Maryland, New Hampshire and New Jersey.)

The CDC broadly divides abortions into two categories: surgical abortions and medication abortions, which involve pills. Since the Food and Drug Administration first approved abortion pills in 2000, their use has increased over time as a share of abortions nationally, according to both the CDC and Guttmacher.

The majority of abortions in the U.S. now involve pills, according to both the CDC and Guttmacher. The CDC says 56% of U.S. abortions in 2021 involved pills, up from 53% in 2020 and 44% in 2019. Its figures for 2021 include the District of Columbia and 44 states that provided this data; its figures for 2020 include D.C. and 44 states (though not all of the same states as in 2021), and its figures for 2019 include D.C. and 45 states.

Guttmacher, which measures this every three years, says 53% of U.S. abortions involved pills in 2020, up from 39% in 2017.

Two pills commonly used together for medication abortions are mifepristone, which, taken first, blocks hormones that support a pregnancy, and misoprostol, which then causes the uterus to empty. According to the FDA, medication abortions are safe  until 10 weeks into pregnancy.

Surgical abortions conducted  during the first trimester  of pregnancy typically use a suction process, while the relatively few surgical abortions that occur  during the second trimester  of a pregnancy typically use a process called dilation and evacuation, according to the UCLA School of Medicine.

In 2020, there were 1,603 facilities in the U.S. that provided abortions,  according to Guttmacher . This included 807 clinics, 530 hospitals and 266 physicians’ offices.

A horizontal stacked bar chart showing the total number of abortion providers down since 1982.

While clinics make up half of the facilities that provide abortions, they are the sites where the vast majority (96%) of abortions are administered, either through procedures or the distribution of pills, according to Guttmacher’s 2020 data. (This includes 54% of abortions that are administered at specialized abortion clinics and 43% at nonspecialized clinics.) Hospitals made up 33% of the facilities that provided abortions in 2020 but accounted for only 3% of abortions that year, while just 1% of abortions were conducted by physicians’ offices.

Looking just at clinics – that is, the total number of specialized abortion clinics and nonspecialized clinics in the U.S. – Guttmacher found the total virtually unchanged between 2017 (808 clinics) and 2020 (807 clinics). However, there were regional differences. In the Midwest, the number of clinics that provide abortions increased by 11% during those years, and in the West by 6%. The number of clinics  decreased  during those years by 9% in the Northeast and 3% in the South.

The total number of abortion providers has declined dramatically since the 1980s. In 1982, according to Guttmacher, there were 2,908 facilities providing abortions in the U.S., including 789 clinics, 1,405 hospitals and 714 physicians’ offices.

The CDC does not track the number of abortion providers.

In the District of Columbia and the 46 states that provided abortion and residency information to the CDC in 2021, 10.9% of all abortions were performed on women known to live outside the state where the abortion occurred – slightly higher than the percentage in 2020 (9.7%). That year, D.C. and 46 states (though not the same ones as in 2021) reported abortion and residency data. (The total number of abortions used in these calculations included figures for women with both known and unknown residential status.)

The share of reported abortions performed on women outside their state of residence was much higher before the 1973 Roe decision that stopped states from banning abortion. In 1972, 41% of all abortions in D.C. and the 20 states that provided this information to the CDC that year were performed on women outside their state of residence. In 1973, the corresponding figure was 21% in the District of Columbia and the 41 states that provided this information, and in 1974 it was 11% in D.C. and the 43 states that provided data.

In the District of Columbia and the 46 states that reported age data to  the CDC in 2021, the majority of women who had abortions (57%) were in their 20s, while about three-in-ten (31%) were in their 30s. Teens ages 13 to 19 accounted for 8% of those who had abortions, while women ages 40 to 44 accounted for about 4%.

The vast majority of women who had abortions in 2021 were unmarried (87%), while married women accounted for 13%, according to  the CDC , which had data on this from 37 states.

A pie chart showing that, in 2021, majority of abortions were for women who had never had one before.

In the District of Columbia, New York City (but not the rest of New York) and the 31 states that reported racial and ethnic data on abortion to  the CDC , 42% of all women who had abortions in 2021 were non-Hispanic Black, while 30% were non-Hispanic White, 22% were Hispanic and 6% were of other races.

Looking at abortion rates among those ages 15 to 44, there were 28.6 abortions per 1,000 non-Hispanic Black women in 2021; 12.3 abortions per 1,000 Hispanic women; 6.4 abortions per 1,000 non-Hispanic White women; and 9.2 abortions per 1,000 women of other races, the  CDC reported  from those same 31 states, D.C. and New York City.

For 57% of U.S. women who had induced abortions in 2021, it was the first time they had ever had one,  according to the CDC.  For nearly a quarter (24%), it was their second abortion. For 11% of women who had an abortion that year, it was their third, and for 8% it was their fourth or more. These CDC figures include data from 41 states and New York City, but not the rest of New York.

A bar chart showing that most U.S. abortions in 2021 were for women who had previously given birth.

Nearly four-in-ten women who had abortions in 2021 (39%) had no previous live births at the time they had an abortion,  according to the CDC . Almost a quarter (24%) of women who had abortions in 2021 had one previous live birth, 20% had two previous live births, 10% had three, and 7% had four or more previous live births. These CDC figures include data from 41 states and New York City, but not the rest of New York.

The vast majority of abortions occur during the first trimester of a pregnancy. In 2021, 93% of abortions occurred during the first trimester – that is, at or before 13 weeks of gestation,  according to the CDC . An additional 6% occurred between 14 and 20 weeks of pregnancy, and about 1% were performed at 21 weeks or more of gestation. These CDC figures include data from 40 states and New York City, but not the rest of New York.

About 2% of all abortions in the U.S. involve some type of complication for the woman , according to an article in StatPearls, an online health care resource. “Most complications are considered minor such as pain, bleeding, infection and post-anesthesia complications,” according to the article.

The CDC calculates  case-fatality rates for women from induced abortions – that is, how many women die from abortion-related complications, for every 100,000 legal abortions that occur in the U.S .  The rate was lowest during the most recent period examined by the agency (2013 to 2020), when there were 0.45 deaths to women per 100,000 legal induced abortions. The case-fatality rate reported by the CDC was highest during the first period examined by the agency (1973 to 1977), when it was 2.09 deaths to women per 100,000 legal induced abortions. During the five-year periods in between, the figure ranged from 0.52 (from 1993 to 1997) to 0.78 (from 1978 to 1982).

The CDC calculates death rates by five-year and seven-year periods because of year-to-year fluctuation in the numbers and due to the relatively low number of women who die from legal induced abortions.

In 2020, the last year for which the CDC has information , six women in the U.S. died due to complications from induced abortions. Four women died in this way in 2019, two in 2018, and three in 2017. (These deaths all followed legal abortions.) Since 1990, the annual number of deaths among women due to legal induced abortion has ranged from two to 12.

The annual number of reported deaths from induced abortions (legal and illegal) tended to be higher in the 1980s, when it ranged from nine to 16, and from 1972 to 1979, when it ranged from 13 to 63. One driver of the decline was the drop in deaths from illegal abortions. There were 39 deaths from illegal abortions in 1972, the last full year before Roe v. Wade. The total fell to 19 in 1973 and to single digits or zero every year after that. (The number of deaths from legal abortions has also declined since then, though with some slight variation over time.)

The number of deaths from induced abortions was considerably higher in the 1960s than afterward. For instance, there were 119 deaths from induced abortions in  1963  and 99 in  1965 , according to reports by the then-U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, a precursor to the Department of Health and Human Services. The CDC is a division of Health and Human Services.

Note: This is an update of a post originally published May 27, 2022, and first updated June 24, 2022.

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Key facts about the abortion debate in America

Public opinion on abortion, three-in-ten or more democrats and republicans don’t agree with their party on abortion, partisanship a bigger factor than geography in views of abortion access locally, do state laws on abortion reflect public opinion, most popular.

About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .

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  2. Your Guide to Well-Child Visits: What To Expect and How To Prepare

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  5. AAP Releases Updated Preventive Schedule For Well-Child Visits

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  3. The Importance of Well-Child Visits

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  1. AAP Schedule of Well-Child Care Visits

    It is a schedule of screenings and assessments recommended at each well-child visit from infancy through adolescence. Schedule of well-child visits. The first week visit (3 to 5 days old) 1 month old; 2 months old; 4 months old; 6 months old; 9 months old; 12 months old; 15 months old; 18 months old; 2 years old (24 months) 2 ½ years old (30 ...

  2. Well-Child Visits for Infants and Young Children

    Immunizations are usually administered at the two-, four-, six-, 12-, and 15- to 18-month well-child visits; the four- to six-year well-child visit; and annually during influenza season ...

  3. 15 Month Well-Child Visit

    Give water and 16-24 ounces of whole milk each day. Avoid sugary drinks like juice. Cut food into small pieces to help prevent choking. Offer your child three meals and two-three healthy snacks each day. Encourage drinking from a cup and using a spoon or fork.

  4. Well-Child Visit Handouts

    Well-Child Visit Handouts. Parent and patient handouts from the Bright Futures Tool and Resource Kit, 2nd Edition, address key information for health supervision care from infancy through adolescence.Bright Futures is a national health care promotion and disease prevention initiative that uses a developmentally based approach to address children's health care needs in the context of family ...

  5. Child well visits, birth to 15 months

    If you are a UnitedHealthcare Community Plan member, you may have access to our Healthy First Steps program, which can help you find a care provider, schedule well-child visits, connect with educational and community resources and more. To get started, call 1-800-599-5985, TTY 711, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

  6. Well-Child Visits: Parent and Patient Education

    Beginning at the 7 year visit, there is both a Parent and Patient education handout (in English and Spanish). For the Bright Futures Parent Handouts for well-child visits up to 2 years of age, translations of 12 additional languages (PDF format) are made possible thanks to the generous support of members, staff, and businesses who donate to the ...

  7. Well-Child Visit: What's Included and When to Go

    15 months; 18 months; 2 years; 3 years; Once a year until the child reaches 21 years; ... Well-child visits are important for keeping good health and vaccines up to date. If you have any concerns ...

  8. PDF Bright Futures Tool and Resource Kit: 15-Month Visit

    BRIGHT FUTURES HANDOUT. 15 MONTH VISIT. PARENT. Here are some suggestions from Bright Futures experts that may be of value to your family. TALKING AND FEELING. Try to give choices. Allow your child to choose between 2 good options, such as a banana or an apple, or 2 favorite books.

  9. The 15-Month Well-Baby Doctor's Visit

    The 15-Month Well-Baby Visit. Here's what will happen at your child's 15-month well-baby visit, including the physical checkup, developmental milestones and shots. Walking, rolling a ball, saying more words, understanding (if not always following) some directions: Your little one's hitting lots of impressive milestones lately, and it's ...

  10. 15 Month Well Visit

    15 Month Well Visit. Your patient is now 15 months old, and they will continue to display many of the classic behaviors of a toddler. They will move more, and faster, and they will be better at (and louder about) letting caregivers know their likes and dislike. Whereas the 12-month-old visit is busy with screenings and immunizations, the 15 ...

  11. Well-Baby Visits: 15 Months and 18 Months

    Keep reading and talking to your baby. Urge them to repeat your words. Use words to describe emotions like, "The sun makes me feel happy today.". Well-Baby Visits: 15 Months and 18 Months (PDF), Somali (PDF), Spanish (PDF) HH-IV-111| ©11/2014, revised 8/22 Nationwide Children's Hospital. Your child is one and a half years old!

  12. Well-Child Visits: Schedule, Immunizations, & Appointments

    Toddler Well-Child Visits. 15-Month Well-Child Visit. 18-Month Well-Child Visit. 24-Month Well-Child Visit. 30-Month Well-Child Visit. 3-Year Well-Child Visit. Vaccines Schedule From 0-2 Years. While it's a no-brainer that you take your baby or toddler to the doctor when they're sick, it's also important to bring your child to the ...

  13. Well-Child Care

    Beginning in 2021, CMS facilitated the two year Infant Well-Child Visit learning collaborative to support state Medicaid and CHIP agencies' efforts to improve the use of infant well-child visits from 0-15 months of age. The learning collaborative included a webinar series and an affinity group to support state Medicaid and agencies' quality ...

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    Baby's 15-Month Checkup: What to Expect. Your baby has now entered the toddler years, and you're in for quite a ride! By now, they may be walking, throwing, exploring everything, and expressing ...

  15. Well-Child Visits and Recommended Vaccinations

    The Vaccines for Children (VFC) program provides vaccines to eligible children at no cost. This program provides free vaccines to children who are Medicaid-eligible, uninsured, underinsured, or American Indian/Alaska Native. Check out the program's requirements and talk to your child's doctor or nurse to see if they are a VFC provider.

  16. 12 Month Well-Child Visit

    Feeding. Give water and 16-24 ounces of whole milk each day. Avoid sugary drinks like juice. Offer your child healthy foods. Provide three meals and two to three healthy snacks each day. Let your child decide how much to eat. It is common for young toddlers to have small portions or only take a few bites of a food.

  17. Well Child Visit at 15 Months

    Have your child take at least 1 nap each day. Plan the nap early enough in the day so your child is still tired at bedtime. Your child needs 8 to 10 hours of sleep every night. Create a bedtime routine. This may include 1 hour of calm and quiet activities before bed. You can read to your child or listen to music.

  18. Child and Adolescent Well-Care Visits

    Assesses children who turned 15 months old during the measurement year and had 0-6 well-child visits with a primary care physician during their first 15 months of life. Menu Search Close. Search. Submit. ... Well Child Visits in the First 15 Months. Measure Year Commerical HMO Commercial PPO Medicaid HMO; 2022: 81: 80.8: 56.8: 2021: 79.2: 79 ...

  19. PDF HEDIS Quick Reference for Well-Child Visits

    Well-Child Visits in the First 30 Months of Life (W30) (replaces W15, now also includes ages 15 to 30 months) ... had at least 2 well-child visits with a PCP between 15 and 30 months of life. Age range CPT codes (new patients) CPT codes (established patients) ICD-10 diagnosis codes 0-7 days 99381 99391 Z00.110 8-28 days 99381 99391 Z00.111

  20. Well-Child Visits in the First 15 Months of Life Tip Sheet

    3-5 days (after hospital discharge) 9 Months Old. 1 Month Old. 12 Months Old. 2 Months Old. 15 Months Old. 4 Months Old. Resources. Members who are 15 months old and had 6 or more well-child visits with a PCP within the first 15 months of life.

  21. PDF Well-Child Visits for Infants and Young Children

    September 15, 2018 WELL˜CHILD ISITS reviewed by using appropriate age, sex, and gestational age ... four-, and six-month well-child visits, with further evalu-ation for positive results.23 There are

  22. Well-Child Visits in the First 30 Months of Life

    Continuous Enrollment: Well-Child Visits in the First 15 Months: 31 days-15 months of age. Calculate 31 days of age by adding 31 days to the date of birth. Well-Child Visits for Age 15 Months-30 Months: 15 months plus 1 day-30 months of age. Calculate the 15-month birthday plus 1 day as the first birthday plus 91 days.

  23. Ohio mother who left toddler alone when she went on vacation is

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    We're making the biggest investment by a UK government into childcare in history, doubling the amount we expect to spend over the next few years from around £4 billion to around £8 billion each year. Currently, eligible working parents of 3 and 4-year-olds can access 30 hours of childcare support.; From April 2024, eligible working parents of 2-year-olds will be able to access 15 hours ...

  25. What the data says about abortion in the U.S.

    Another survey conducted a few months before the decision showed that relatively few Americans take an absolutist view on the issue. ... Guttmacher says the abortion rate per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44 rose from 13.5 in 2017 to 14.4 in 2020. The CDC says it rose from 11.2 per 1,000 in 2017 to 11.4 in 2019, before falling back to 11.1 in 2020 and ...