Six-Month Well-Baby Visits: What to Expect

You are off to the doctor's office again! You are certainly getting accustomed to well-baby visits by now, but each visit brings new questions and new information. Well-baby visits are important routine examinations. It is reassuring to have a good physical examination completed, and to be able to exchange information with your doctor. Here are some things to expect during your child's six-month well-baby visit:

1. Measurements of weight, length, and head circumference will be taken. These measurements are the most obvious ways to determine if your baby is getting enough to eat and growing correctly. The pediatrician will continue to plot these measurements on a growth chart that is updated at each visit to track your child's growth. Comparing your child's growth from one visit to the next will help the doctor see if there is a consistent and appropriate rate of growth. The chart will also show the percentiles at which your child's measurements fall, which simply compares his or her size to that of other babies the same age.

2. The soft spots on the top and back of the head will be checked. The soft spot on the back of the head will probably be closed by the time of the six-month visit. The one on top will close by about 18 months.

3. The eyes, ears, and mouth will be checked for any irregularities. The doctor will shine a light into the baby's eyes to check for pupil dilation.

4. The doctor will listen to the lungs, heart, and belly with a stethoscope. This part of the exam will help determine if there are any breathing problems or heart murmurs/irregularities. He or she will also feel baby's belly area to make sure there is no swelling of the internal organs.

5. Diaper area will be checked for any swelling or lumps.

6. Legs and hips will be rotated to check for hip dysplasia or other joint or movement problems.

7. Temperature and reflexes may also be checked.