Medical Care and Your 2- to 3-year-old

Regular well-child examinations by your child's doctor are essential to keep your child healthy and up-to-date with immunizations against many dangerous childhood diseases. A checkup also gives your child's doctor an opportunity to talk to you about developmental and safety issues and gives you an opportunity to ask any questions you might have about your child's overall health.

What Happens at the Doctor's Office?

At a typical well-child visit, your child's doctor will weigh and measure your child to make sure he or she is progressing along a normal pattern of growth. The doctor will take a family and medical history and perform a complete physical examination. If indicated or if it has not been done previously, your child may be screened for anemia, lead poisoning, tuberculosis, high cholesterol, or other specific conditions. The doctor will also ask about your child's eating habits.

Your child's teeth will be examined for tooth decay, abnormal tooth development, malocclusion (abnormal bite), dental injuries, and other problems. Although the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children visit the dentist no later than age 3, many dentists and pediatricians feel that children should be examined between 2 and 3 years of age - or earlier if problems are suspected.

At this age, most children should have had the following recommended immunizations:

• four doses of DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis) vaccine
• three doses of polio (IPV) vaccine
• four doses of Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) vaccine
• one dose of MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine
• three doses of hepatitis B vaccine (Hep B)
• one dose of varicella (chickenpox) vaccine

Your child's doctor will make sure your child's immunizations are up-to-date.

Your child's doctor will also check developmental progress. He or she will ask a number of questions to see if your child's everyday behavior is age appropriate, including how well your child communicates with others, how he or she behaves around other children, and whether he or she can identify family members or follow simple instructions without gestured cues (such as "Come here"). The doctor may also check for specific milestones: Can your child kick a ball? Use two-word phrases? Imitate adults? Stack seven blocks?

Child safety is another topic doctors discuss at well-child visits. Your child's doctor will reinforce the importance of using age-appropriate car seats, closely supervising children around swimming pools, preventing poisoning, not smoking around children, using sunscreen, and protecting children against exposed wires, outlets, and heat sources. In homes with firearms, guns and ammunition should be stored separately and kept locked at all times.

What Should I Do if I Suspect a Medical Problem?

Although parents often can tell by their child's appearance if they are ill, there are certain symptoms that warrant contacting your child's doctor. Some of these symptoms may indicate a possible infection or a chronic medical condition. These include: