Routine Well Visit: 12 Months

Development

Ready, set, go!

• Baby is pulling to stand, cruising along furniture, and may take their first steps
• Peek-a-boo games are great fun
• Baby will say Mama or Dada specifically
• Understands “no” and “hot”
• When an object is named, will look for it
• Can follow simple one-step requests
• Waves “bye-bye”

Safety

Your child must be secured in a car seat for every ride! Baby should be in a rear facing car seat according to your seat’s manufacturer guidelines. Seat weight and height requirements should be followed carefully

• Reexamine the baby-proofing in the home from a toddler perspective – remove cords, wires, small objects from Baby’s reach
• Climbing follows walking, so anticipate dangers from counters. Tables or stairs
• Avoid tablecloths, which can be pulled, or remove heavy/hot objects from tables
• Keep the lid on the toilet seat down, remove buckets with water
• Protective enclosures and alarms around pools or fountains
• Keep houseplants out of reach – many are poisonous
• Keep the number for Poison Control in an accessible spot (800) 222-1222

Nutrition

Some days are hungry days, others not so much. Think in terms of intake over several days when reviewing intake.

• Give three meals per day and offer 2-3 nutritious snacks.
• Let your child decide what and how much to eat from an assortment of healthy foods.
• They may experience food jags, where they seem to love one thing in particular, then don’t want anything to do with it (Usually occurs after you have stocked up on said food from Costco).
• Your child may drink whole (cow’s) milk –up to 20 ounces per day. If there is a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease in relatives under 60 years old, then 2% milk would be preferred.

Relationships

Toddlers understand the word “no”, but that doesn’t mean they will listen! Try to limit the word “no” and instead employ distraction techniques. The goal is protect and keep them safe; they cannot appreciate danger

• Talk, praise, sing, and tell stories to your child
• Play games such as naming things, body parts, people
• Make it a habit to describe what you are doing with the toddler (for example, “this is how we put on our socks”). They are learning language from you