How often should your LO see HVs or GP during first 18 months?

[Sufi]

Just a query. DS (now 13 mo) has only seen the HV once and only seen the GP for his 8 wk check-up and then a couple of times since then when I took him in for chest infection/colds. He's also had his vaccinations.

Is this normal? It's just that I read on here about HVs coming round lots and my child development books talk about more frequent general check ups. But my GP nor HV have been in touch and, as DS is generally well, and my one and only visit from the HV a waste of time, I haven't really thought much about it.

But now that he's just turned 1 I've started thinking he should maybe get a bit of an MOT to check developmental milestones etc. He's my first and only child.

Anyone know what the normal rules around this are??

Did you not get an 8 month check?

No - was I supposed to? My GP isn't very good and the HV worse, and they're from different practices (not sure why) so am now concerned I've fallen through the net.

What happens at the 8 mo check?

Mine saw the HV for the checks - as per the red book and also for the free books

it depends where you live - we dont get an 8 month check or a proper 2 year check either (for the 2 year one the hv phoned and asked if we had any issues so he wasnt actually seen/assessed by her). With dd (who is 5) she got both checks but there must have been budget cuts since then as they now rely on parents to contact them if they feel there are any problems. One of the things that used to be done at the 8 month check was a hearing test but ds (2years) had a newborn hearing test a few hours after he was born so we knew his hearing was ok already. DS hasnt seen the gp/hv except for his 8 week check and his jabs and the few times I took him to the weigh-in clinic but didnt actually speak to the hv (you could just weigh your lo and then leave)

I am in the US so we saw a pediatrician (my GP was not certified to treat children).

We saw him at
10 days
1 month
2 months
4 months
6 months
1 year
18 months
2 years and once a year after that unless the children were sick.

He checked height, weight, head circumference, major milestones. He checked their iron levels at 8 months.

I still take them for a physical once a year even if they have not been ill.

We would only have to see the doctor/nurse to get vaccinations. The children have to have vaccinations to go to state school here unless they have a religious exemption.

To be honest I only took the children for my own peace of mind being clueless about babies and children before mine were born.

I wouldn't worry too much in your situation if your DS is progressing similarly to other babies his age. I was concerned about mine because they were not progressing much at all between 12 - 18 months and were a lot behind their friends. They were assessed and got help and everything is fine now.

We had to go to the HV for 8 month check (weigh-in, measurements, bit of a chat)AND see the GP separately - she listened to heartbeat, checked testes descended, and some other physical stuff like eyes. Haven't been back since except for jabs - don't know whether I'm "supposed" to!

They seem to be phasing out most of the development checks now. Dd had a check-up at about 8mths old but that was it.

DD had 8 month check then one at 2 and her next one will be at 3.5 so I am guessing that DS will be the same although have issues with our new HV so would prefer him to go to the GP.

As little as I can get away with !

HV came at just after 2 weeks, saw GP & HV for 8 wk check (gp did part of it, HV did the other bit), then HV came for 8 month check (though she was coming anyway to see me re my pnd so I'm not sure she does it as a home visit as standard iyswim). Then we get nothing til 2 years.

We have a clinic each week you can go to to have baby weighed but I didn't go much to that...crappy HV 'explaining' the centile charts that she doesn't understand and can't use properly.

I'm with Bramshott - I saw my HV for ds' 8 month check (when he was 10 months old ) where she criticised me for still bf-ing, for him not really eating solids, and told me SS would be interested in us if we were still co-sleeping at a year!

Needless to say, we haven't seen her since, and I won't be seeing a HV with dc2 if I can help it either. Interfering old bags! If you have any worries or concerns about your ds then make an appointment to see them, but otherwise I'd steer clear!

Thanks all. I guess I felt that if he was OK, we didn;t need to see anyone (and the HV was clueless) but then started worrying that if there was something developmental, I wouldn't maybe know about it as I'm a first time mum (IYSWIM). Think I might take him to the GP for an MOT anyway.

Except for vaccinations, My dd2 last went at her six-week check! She is now 3. We haven't been recalled at all.

"I'm with Bramshott - I saw my HV for ds' 8 month check (when he was 10 months old ) where she criticised me for still bf-ing, for him not really eating solids, and told me SS would be interested in us if we were still co-sleeping at a year"!

Bloody hell - I'm a HV and still co-sleeping (on and off) with DS who is nearly 6! Wonder if she'd think SS would be interested in me? What a numpty.

For the OP - development checks seem to vary depending where you are in the country. Some areas do checks at 6 weeks, 8 months, 2 years and pre-school - other areas you'll be lucky if you are offered anything.

DS was seen at 6 weeks, 7 months and then never again. Not because I'm a HV but just because that was the system where I lived at the time.

INteresting what you say JollyPirate when I told my MW that DS was sleeping with us as he settled better, she said for God sake don't tell your HV she will not be happy, after a few cock ups on her behalf I have lost all faith in her.

my 13 month old last saw the HV at about 6 weeks.
hasnb't seen anyone since.
no 8 month check because we have a HV shortage! how awful for us :P

Apart from vaccinations nothing since the 6 week check. I actually phoned HV about his to double check and she said they were targeting their resources and was very apologetic.