Childhood checks - how often???

[popsycal]

Following on from another thread on a 9 months check it has made me wonder what the 'norm' is for checks....

DS is 21 months and all he has been offered is the 6 week check. Nothing else. He had his vaccinations (not MMR as STILL procrastinating). But not been offered ANY developmental checks.

He is totally fine and I have no worries whatsoever. Avoid the clinics like the plague, as some of you may have read on other threads (burn the centile charts....burn them!!!)

I know that I can simply ring the GP to find out what is offered in our area.

I am simply curious as to what everyone else has been offered.

We haven't been offered any either, popsy, & ds was 2 in January. Apparently it's due to lack of money. I guess I could still take him to the baby clinic & ask to see the HV, but she's terrible, so I haven't bothered. We're in London btw.

We had a 6 week check, the 9 month (ish) one and then one at 24 months. Apparantly that is the last one know until we have the pre school jabs. We will get a questionnaire through the post for her 3 year check.

From what i can remember Ds has had 6 week check, 9 month check and 1yr check so far.

The thing is, that part of the area covered by our practice is considered 'deprived' - that didn't come out right but it is an area pinpointed for regular checks etc due to the socio-economic profile of the area......

that sounds really crappy - sorry - don't mean to offend at all

Exactly the same as here (the deprived bit - ds goes to a Surestart nursery for instance). I think they are probably focussing resources on those who need them more than we do, so we've slightly fallen off the radar. Could that be true for you?

hoxtonchick - yes it does sound right

Anything that makes your life a HV free zone has to be a good thing

i totally agree....
was just curious!!

popsy I live quite near you and was offered a 9 month check for ds1 (now 29 months) in a take-it-or-leave-it kind of way - it certainly wasn't compulsory so your HV might be too busy to offer it to those she thinks are doing ok! You should get a more formal 2 year check though - I was invited to one at the practice.
Now with ds2 I am told that the 9 month check has been dropped but they are doing 6 months instead...

thanks elliott

hmmmmm
ds isnt 2 til the beginning of august
have to go to the gp this week anyway - so may ask what the standard checks are

thanks folks

If you can bear to dig out your red book it tells you which checks are done when in there.

My HV is pretty lax and I usually have to call and ask if one of mine is due a check.

With ds2 he was fine at his 8mth check apart from the hearing test. He failed it and has done 5-6 times since but if it wasn't for the original check I may not have known he had glue ear - I had no idea. He isn't too bad with it but could have been worse. Anyway because he had the check the problem was picked up and he has been referred to audiology ( I had to phone to get appt sorted ) and ENT.

If possible I would say push for the check, everything will probably be fine but it is worth having confirmation.

our red book is actually yellow
and no, I can't bear to dig it out though i do know exactly where it is after deliberately losing it for the first year.....