Your baby will have a blood sample drawn before he leaves the hospital for screening for thyroid deficiency and abnormal blood protein (PKU). Both of these conditions are rare but important abnormalities to detect because treatment is necessary before symptoms began. These tests will need to be repeated when your baby is approximately 2 weeks of age. It will certainly be necessary to repeat these tests if they are found to be abnormal or if more time is needed to feed protein.

Your baby will need to be seen at 2 weeks of age and again at 4 weeks of age. It is best to call for your appointment while you are still in the hospital so that you won’t forget in the hustle and bustle of the homecoming. Immunizations should be discussed at the first checkup and all of the questions which you might have should also be discussed. In order for your infant to receive his oral polio, the adults in the household should be immunized against that disease as well. This vaccine is a live virus and is passed by the infant in his bowels movements and can infect an unimmunized person. Before your infant receives this important immunization, you should be asked for information concerning the immunization status of your household.

The usual check-up appointment is as follows:

Age Immunizations

2 weeks Check-up None The PKU will be repeated
4 weeks Check-up Hepatitis B
2 months Check-up DTP-HIB, OPV
4 months Check-up DTP-HIB, OPV
6 months Check-up DTP-HIB
9 months May have a Check-up Hepatitis B
12 months Check-up TB Skin Test, Varicella (Chicken Pox), Blood Count
15 months Check-up MMR, DTP-HIB, OPV
18 months Check-up
2 years Check-up
3 years Check-up
4 years Check-up
5 years Check-up DtaP, OPV, MMR, should have 1st Eye, Dental, and Hearing Appointment, Blood Count and Urinalysis

Your child should have a physical examination every 1-2 years, especially if he or she is participating in a competitive sports activity. The DT should be repeated at the age of 15 years and then every 10 years.

You should always know how to reach your health care providers. They should make it clear how you can get your needs met after hours. If they do not tell you, don’t forget to ask. It is important that you feel like they are just a phone call away, even in the middle of the night. You should know what hospital they use and the exact steps you should take if you are faced with an emergency. Please keep all of the telephone numbers handy, including the number for the poison control center in your area.

Your call for reassurance is a call that should always be made.

Follow your intuition. It is invaluable and will not and should not be dismissed.

In an emergency, quickly gather facts about temperatures, alertness, vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding, and other symptoms.

(1) Keep calm, think clearly, act logically. It may take a minute to gather your wits, but the effort will help rather than harm.

(2) If the matter is not urgent, wait until a reasonable hour or the office hours to call rather than taxing the emergency resources of the hospital.

(3) Try to anticipate when you need help or advice so that it may be obtained before the situation becomes serious or urgent. Illness can often be prevented or easily treated at home.