OUTLINES FOR WELL BABY CLINICS

Abstract

IN 1946 we presented a description and explanation of a set of cards used by the Rochester Child Health Project in its well baby clinics. These cards, it was hoped, would help the attending physicians to learn about and to record the evidences of growth and development of babies as they appear in the first twelve months of life. In this article we shall describe and explain a similar set of cards devised for use in the second year. After the first year, growth and development are not so rapid as they are earlier; the changes from month to month are not so evident and methods of managing a child need not be altered so frequently. Therefore the mothers are asked to bring children in for conferences at fourteen, sixteen, eighteen, twenty-one and twenty-four months of age only. Thus, only five cards are needed in the second year. The following material appears on the respective cards. Information given under the numbered headings appears on the faces of the cards; the explanatory notes are printed on the reverse. CARD 1. SUBJECTS TO BE CONSIDERED AT THE AGE OF FOURTEEN MONTHS 1. Development : Baby walks; may even be able to run and climb. Pushes, pulls and piles large objects. May turn pages of a book one at a time. 2. Habits: Eating—Baby may have full adult diet, except for nuts, berries, fat meats and highly seasoned foods. May continue to have bedtime bottle if he desires it. Self-feeding with fingers, spoon, cup or glass should be encouraged even if result is messy. Sleeping—Baby's night sleep may be disturbed. May take one or two naps, tending toward one. Elimination—Bowel: Baby may indicate time for bowel movement. Bladder: Mother may "catch" urine in toilet; if not successful, she should stop trying for two or three weeks; progress should not be forced. Mother understands meaning of "catching" from explanation given her concerning bowel control when child was in sixth month of life. 3. Social adjustment: Baby is becoming increasingly independent; wants to help undress and feed himself; objects to play pen. Enjoys the rhythm of singing, of the radio and of being read to. Speech—Baby can say a word or two, especially if composed of repeated syllables (mama, byebye). 4. Physical examination: Examiner records anything noteworthy.