The Complete Health Check-Up List For Your Infant

The moment you were handed over the little bundle of joy, you made a promise to keep them safe and happy always. Holding a newborn overwhelms you with a turmoil of emotions. You have probably never held something so fragile and precious before. We don’t blame you if you panic over the first sneeze, burp, or cough. It’s true babies are vulnerable to germs and diseases and need to be protected from everything around them. You will receive a health record book from the hospital to track your newborn’s growth, weight, vaccinations, and tests. It also contains helpful information about the growth milestone. Here is a complete list of examinations and tests your baby will need through the first years of development. Read on to know them all.

In This Article

Physical Examination

Physical Examination
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As soon as the baby is born, your pediatrician will check the vitals to see if your baby is doing well. It will follow a trail of examinations within 72 hours to check the reflexes, eyes, heart, genitals, and hips. This is done to spot any problems early and cure them in time. If they spot any problem, more tests are conducted to discover more about the disease.

Eyes

The doctors check the movement and appearance of your baby’s eyes. They could test for cataracts as well. However, this test is essential and cannot check if your baby has eyesight problems.

Heart

A heart specialist checks your baby’s pulse and listens to their heart through a stethoscope. The heart murmurs are picked up by the test. This happens when the heart has an unusual sound. Heart problems are common in babies, and around one in 200 kids have heart problems that can be cured.

Hips

Hips
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Joints are not well-formed in some babies. This is a defect that is known as DDH. It can create lymph or joint problems if left untreated. It is a rare problem but needs to be detected at the earliest.

Testicles

The testicles are formed inside the body and may not drop down till a few months after birth. If the testicles do not drop down or drop partially, it needs to be treated to prevent future fertility problems.

Tests For The Newborn

There are mainly two tests for the newborn. The hearing screening test and the blood spot.

Hearing Screening Test

The newborn is screened for hearing ability as soon as the child is born. This helps you determine permanent hearing loss and get the support and advice the right way.

Newborn Blood Spot Test

Newborn Blood Spot Test
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The blood spot test takes a sample from your infant’s heels and checks for 9 rare diseases. The early screening makes treatment possible and could be lifesaving.

Baby’s Weight

Babies often lose weight a few days after birth. The pediatrician will check the growth of the baby in the first two weeks to make sure the weight gain is healthy. Once they start feeding steadily, there is a healthy weight gain.

How Often Is The Weight Checked?

How Often Is The Weight Checked
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Your baby should be weighed once in the duration of 2 weeks to 6 months. You can talk to your doctor about other problems concerning safe sleeping for your baby, feeding your baby, vaccinations, developing your baby, and feeding your baby.

The First Vaccinations

The First Vaccinations
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The best way to protect against diseases like meningitis, rubella, measles, and tetanus is through vaccination. It also helps prevent the spread of the disease from person to person. Injections are needed at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks, and 1 year. There are two sets of vaccines in the first 3 months of your baby.

8 Weeks

  • 6-in-1 vaccine
  • MenB vaccine
  • RV vaccine

12 Weeks

  • 6-in-1 vaccine – 2nd dose
  • RV vaccine – 2nd dose
  • PCV vaccine

16 Weeks

  • MenB vaccine – 2nd dose
  • 6-in-1 vaccine – 3rd dose

What To Expect After Vaccinating Your Child

  • It’s natural for your baby to feel deceived and upset about getting pricked by a needle, but feeding them and cuddling them helps them get over it pretty quick.
  • The skin and muscles might be sore for a few days after vaccination. You need to be careful about not picking your child up from the thighs.
  • Your child might have a slight temperature. But that is because the medicines are working.

Now that you know what your child needs to be checked for, it will be easy for you to prepare yourself beforehand. It is never easy to hold your child while they are pricked for various tests and vaccinations, but it is necessary. You can talk to your doctor about any feeling you have regarding the tests. Also, you must keep the health card properly and keep a close check on your child’s development. Keep your doctor in the loop. It is always better to diagnose the problem early rather than wait for it to grow.

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