MIndy’s CallIng
MIndy’s CallIng
MIndy’s CallIng
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family&<br />
parenting<br />
Common Symptoms<br />
in Infants and<br />
Toddlers: the mostrepinned<br />
item on<br />
WebMD’s Parenting<br />
and Pregnancy<br />
Pinterest board<br />
In your baby’s first year, every<br />
month brings changes: tiny<br />
smiles, budding teeth, and eventually,<br />
crawling and walking. During well-baby<br />
visits, your pediatrician will check for<br />
proper growth and development and<br />
answer your questions about eating,<br />
sleeping, and vaccinations.<br />
The first exam should be 24 to 48<br />
hours after your newborn leaves the<br />
hospital, says pediatrician Tanya Remer<br />
Altmann, MD, FAAP, clinical instructor<br />
at Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA<br />
and author of the American Academy<br />
baby talk<br />
Good and Plenty<br />
WeLLness visits Are especiALLy impOrtAnt<br />
during yOur chiLd’s First yeAr<br />
By Katherine Kam<br />
of Pediatrics’ Mommy Calls: Dr. Tanya<br />
Answers Parents’ Top 101 Questions About<br />
Babies and Toddlers.<br />
Later visits typically occur at 2 weeks<br />
and at 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, and 12 months of age,<br />
she says. Here’s what you can expect<br />
during well-baby checkups.<br />
growth chart<br />
During each visit, the doctor will measure<br />
your infant’s weight, length, and<br />
head circumference. “I examine every<br />
baby from head to toe,” Altmann says.<br />
“The first year is such a crucial time,<br />
EXPERT TIP<br />
“Remember, no matter how old your baby is, she loves to<br />
hear your voice. Talk to her, sing to her, read to her. Your<br />
words will help her language blossom.”—Hansa Bhargava, MD<br />
W ebMD.coM 30 JAN/FEB 2013<br />
Visit the Family & Pregnancy<br />
Center for your complete guide<br />
to raising a family.<br />
.com<br />
and we want to make sure that babies<br />
are on track and doing everything that<br />
they should be.”<br />
The doctor will make sure that the<br />
fontanels (soft spots on your baby’s<br />
head) are closing properly. She will<br />
also check your infant’s eyes, ears, and<br />
mouth and listen to the heart and lungs.<br />
Next, the doctor will feel your baby’s<br />
abdomen and check the genital area.<br />
She’ll also look for rashes and jaundice<br />
and examine the arms, legs, and hips.<br />
While every parent loves a checkup<br />
that ends with a clean bill of health,<br />
the exams are crucial to uncover<br />
problems, such as hernias, undescended<br />
testicles, or heart murmurs that require<br />
a specialist’s attention. Spotting health<br />
problems early may mean improved<br />
treatment, Altmann says. For example,<br />
continued on page 31<br />
nataly nazarenko/Veer
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