About this topic
Your childs 2-year well child exam is a visit with the doctor to check your child's health. The doctor measures your child's weight, height, and head size. The doctor plots these numbers on a growth curve. The growth curve gives a picture of your child's growth at each visit. The doctor may listen to your baby's heart, lungs, and belly. Your doctor will do a full exam of your child from the head to the toes. � �
Your child may also need shots or blood tests during this visit. � �
General
Growth and Development � �
Your doctor will ask you how your child is developing. The doctor will focus on the skills that most children your childs age are expected to do. During this time of your child's life, here are some things you can expect. � �
- Movement � � � Your child may:
- Carry a toy when walking
- Kick a ball
- Stand on tiptoes
- Climb onto and off of furniture
- Imitate your actions
- Hearing, seeing, and talking � � � Your child will likely:
- Say 2 to 4 word sentences or phrases
- Follow simple instructions
- Repeat words
- Know familiar people, objects, and body parts and can point to them
- Feeling and behavior � � � Your child will likely:
- Become more independent
- Enjoy being around other children
- Begin to understand "no " �. Try to use distraction if your child is doing something you do not want them to do.
- Begin to have temper tantrums. Ignore them if possible.
- Become more stubborn. Your child may shake the head no often. Try to help by giving your child words for feelings.
- Be afraid of strangers or cry when you leave.
- Feedings � � � Your child:
- Can start to drink lowfat milk
- Will be eating 3 meals and 2 to 3 snacks a day. However, your child may eat less than before and this is normal.
- Should be given a variety of healthy foods. Let your child decide how much to eat. Your child should be able to eat without help.
- Should have no more than 4 ounces of fruit juice a day. Do not give your child soda.
- Needs your help brushing the teeth 2 to 3 times each day with a wet child's toothbrush. Do not use toothpaste.
- Sleep � � � Your child:
- May be ready to sleep in a toddler bed if climbing out of a crib after naps or in the morning
- Is likely sleeping about 10 hours in a row at night and takes one nap during the day
- Potty training � � � Your child may be ready for potty training when showing signs like:
- Dry diapers for longer periods of time, such as after naps
- Can tell you the diaper is wet or dirty
- Is interested in going to the potty. Your child may want to watch you or others on the toilet or just sit on the potty chair.
- Can pull pants up and down with help
- Shots or vaccines � � � It is important for your child to get shots on time. This protects your child from very serious illnesses like pertussis or some kinds of pneumonia. Your child may need:
- DTaP or diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine
- IPV or polio vaccine
- Hep A or hepatitis A vaccine
- Hep B or hepatitis B vaccine
- Flu or influenza vaccine
Help for Parents � �
- Play with your child.
- Go outside as often as you can. Throw and kick a ball.
- Give your child pots, pans, and spoons or a toy vacuum. Children love to imitate what you are doing.
- Help your child pretend. Use an empty cup to take a drink. Push a block and make sounds like it is a car or a boat.
- Hide a toy under a blanket for your child to find.
- Build a tower of blocks with your child. Sort blocks by color or shape.
- Read to your child. Rhyming books and touch and feel books are especially fun at this age. Talk and sing to your child. This helps your child learn language skills.
- Give your child crayons and paper to draw or color on. Your child may be able to draw lines or circles.
- Here are some things you can do to help keep your child safe and healthy.
- Put sunscreen with a SPF30 or higher on your child at least 15 to 30 minutes before going outside. Put more sunscreen on after about 2 hours.
- Do not allow anyone to smoke in your home or around your child.
- Have the right size car seat for your child and use it every time your child is in the car. Talk to your doctor about turning your child's car seat forward facing.
- Be sure furniture, shelves, and TVs are secure and cannot tip over and hurt your child.
- Take extra care around water. Close bathroom doors. Never leave your child in the tub alone.
- Never leave your child alone. Do not leave your child in the car or at home alone, even for a few minutes.
- Protect your child from gun injuries. If you have a gun, use a trigger lock. Keep the gun locked up and the bullets kept in a separate place.
- Avoid screen time for children under 2 years old. This means no TV, computers, or video games. They can cause problems with brain development.
- Parents need to think about:
- Having emergency numbers, including poison control, posted on or near the phone
- How to distract your child when doing something you don 't want your child to do
- Using positive words to tell your child what you want, rather than saying no or what not to do
- The next well child visit will most likely be when your child is 2.5 years old. At this visit your doctor may:
- Do a full check up on your child
- Talk about limiting screen time for your child, how well your child is eating, and how potty training is going
- Talk about discipline and how to correct your child
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Fever of 100.4 � �F (38 � �C) or higher
- Has trouble walking or only walks on the toes
- Has trouble speaking or following simple instructions
- You are worried about your childs development
Where can I learn more?
American Academy of Pediatrics � �
http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/Pages/default.aspx � �
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention � �
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/downloads/milestones-tracker.pdf � �
Last Reviewed Date
2015-02-02 � �
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Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care provider 's advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. � �
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Copyright � � 2016 Wolters Kluwer Clinical Drug Information, Inc. and its affiliates and/or licensors. All rights reserved. � �