An infant is a child that is less than one year of age. The
infancy period is the most delicate period in the life of a child.
An infant needs to be seen monthly till three months of age,
then quarterly till the end of the infancy so as to monitor the
well being.
An important part of keeping the infant healthy is taking him
to a doctor for “well baby” check-ups. At each visit, the
doctor will weigh and measure the infant to make sure he is
growing at a healthy rate, check his eyesight and hearing, and
talk to the parents about his behaviour.
A lot of parents take their infants to hospitals for vaccinations
without seeing the health care provider for thorough check-up
before being vaccinated. This is a big risk that needs to be
avoided. An infant meant for vaccination should be examined
thoroughly first before receiving the shots.
Master O.K is an 11-month old infant who was brought to the
clinic because the mother noticed the child could not stand
without support. The infant’s history was taken, the
examination was done and the infant’s condition was said to
be fair. Mother was asked to bring the husband the following
day for full explanation of the child’s condition.
The following day, the doctor explained to the parents that the
child was likely to have suffered some brain damage during
delivery – a condition called Birth Asphyxia. The Infant now
has Cerebral Palsy. This means this child’s developmental
milestones will be delayed. In other words, he will not be able
to walk, talk, stand and hear on time.
The mother cried and said she felt the infant’s
condition could be as a result of the series of immunisations
he got in the past months. She also asked why no doctor had
detected the conditions since birth. This is simply because no
one had bothered to do a medical check for the infant.
She was comforted by the husband, reassured by the doctor
and was counselled on the next stage of management.
Elements of routine medical check-ups
Comprehensive baby’s history: Questions the doctor may ask
include:
How is your baby sleeping? During the first two months of
age, many babies are starting to sleep a little longer
during the day
When, how, and how often is your baby eating? Most two-
month-olds still eat every two to three hours, though they
may begin to eat slightly less often later. The doctor asks
feeding questions to determine whether your baby is
exclusively breast-fed or formula-fed or mixed feeding.
What are your baby’s bowel movements like? Soft faeces
are best, but colour can vary. Dry or pellet-like stools are
a sign of dehydration or a sign of constipation.
What is your baby’s crying pattern? If your baby is
particularly fussy or colicky. Have you noticed a change?
Many babies begin to “settle” at about eight weeks.
How’s your baby’s head control? Head control is an
important developmental milestone.
Can your baby push up on his forearms? This
development in your baby’s strength and coordination,
which could happen this month or next, is the precursor
to the mini push-up he’ll master at about four months.
Does your baby smile? Most babies are smiling voluntarily
by this age – it’s one of their earliest social behaviours.
Have you noticed anything unusual about your baby’s
eyes or the way he looks at things?
How’s your baby’s hearing? Hearing is mature from birth,
so if your baby’s not turning toward voices, especially
familiar ones, tell the doctor at the next visit.
Head-to-toe physical examination
Your infant’s doctor will likely recommend the first baby exam
or check within three to five days after birth, or shortly after
you’re discharged from the hospital.
The following activities are done at every infantile visit:
Weighing and measurement of the infant: You’ll need to
UnCloth your baby completely for weighing. The doctor
weighs your baby, measures length and head
circumference, and plots the numbers on a growth chart.
The chart enables you to see how your baby compares
with other children the same age.
Complete physical examination of the heart and lungs, a
stethoscope is placed on the chest to listen for any
abnormal heart rhythms or breathing problems.
The eyes are checked for signs of congenital eye
conditions, blocked tear ducts, discharge and other
problems of the eyes. The doctor also checks the structure
and alignment of the eyes and your baby’s ability to move
them correctly.
The ears are checked for signs of infection and observed
for how the baby responds to sound. The mouth is
examined for signs of thrush (an oral yeast infection)
among other things, the head soft spots (fontanels) are
also examined and the size/shape of the baby’s head is
noted.
The baby’s reflexes and muscle tone are checked, the skin
is also checked for rashes.
The abdomen checked for a hernia, infection of the
umbilical cord or any enlarged organs. The baby’s diaper
is opened to checks for signs of diaper rash, infections in
the genitals and buttocks. The baby’s leg is moved
around to look for problems in the hip joints.
The doctor also addresses any health concerns such as
reflux
Make sure you know when to schedule your baby’s next
appointment and how to reach the doctor. Knowing help is
available when you need it can offer peace of mind.
source: www.punchng.com/health/healthwise/medical-check-ups-for-infants/

we have to be careful as mothers and reduce the amount of signs we overlook. For babies, not everything should be assumed trivial or ordinary.