Newborn and child checkup schedule for Ontario parents
6 min read
Well-baby visits are the backbone of early childhood care: growth, development, feeding, safety and vaccines, all checked on a schedule so problems are caught early.
The visit schedule
- Within a few days of discharge — weight, jaundice, feeding
- 2 weeks and 1 month — growth and feeding established
- 2, 4, 6 months — immunizations and development
- 9 and 12 months — movement, sounds, iron status
- 15 and 18 months — speech, walking, the enhanced 18-month visit
- 2, 3, 4 and 5 years — then annually through childhood
What gets checked
Weight, length and head circumference are plotted on growth charts. The physician examines the heart, hips, eyes, abdomen and reflexes, and asks about feeding, sleep, stools and how you are coping.
Development is tracked in four areas: motor, speech and language, social, and problem solving. The 18-month visit in Ontario is an extended one designed specifically to catch developmental and speech concerns early, when support helps most.
Immunizations
Ontario's publicly funded schedule begins at two months and continues through school age, protecting against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b, pneumococcus, rotavirus, meningococcus, measles, mumps, rubella and varicella. Keep the yellow card and bring it to every visit.
Mild fever and fussiness for a day afterwards are normal. Call if a fever lasts more than 48 hours or your child is unusually difficult to rouse.
What to raise between visits
Trust your instincts on feeding difficulty, poor weight gain, loss of skills a child previously had, no babbling by 12 months, no words by 18 months, or persistent concerns about hearing or vision. None of these need to wait for the next scheduled appointment.
This article is general information and does not replace medical advice. For guidance about your own health, book a visit or call (519) 946-4954.