U7 Check-Up: 21 - 24 Months

When you bring your child to the U7 examination at 21-24 months old , the main focus is on what skills they have developed since the last examination almost a year ago. This check-up is about topics like talking, walking, running and playing. Your paediatrician won’t just check that all of your almost two-year-old’s organs are okay. This check-up is also about mental and emotional development, i.e. whether your child understands simple words and sentences and how they behave in a group of other children, in the family and when playing.

As with all U-Check-Ups, the doctor will first carry out a series of physical exams. These include a look into your child's mouth, where a complete set of baby teeth is now gradually emerging. The doctor also wants to know how well your child has been moving. For example, most children at this age can already walk independently, run, and go up and down a few flights of stairs with assistance. If you guide them, they start playing with balls, can stack a few building blocks, and point to familiar objects in picture books. An important step is also that they get a sense of their own self and can recognize themselves in the mirror. Many children at this age would prefer to do everything on their own. If something bothers them, they often have emotional outbursts. Defiance and jealousy are typical and normal at this stage. So does saying ‘no’ a lot. That's a favorite word at this age.

Of course, children develop differently. Maybe you still feel like something's wrong. Talk about it with the doctor. You are the expert. As a parent, you spend a lot of time with your child and know them best. This consultation with your doctor will determine whether further examinations are advisable or whether your child needs specific support. Your doctor will also advise you on everyday issues. For example, how you can best protect your child from the sun's UV rays and from accidents, and what is important in terms of nutrition. Childcare is also an important point to discuss. Many parents return to work between their child's first and second birthdays. That's why at the U7 you’ll get information about what childcare options are available. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a crèche or nursery? What are the advantages or disadvantages of a childminder or nanny? Are grandparents also a childcare option? Such a discussion can help you decide which option suits you best.

Each child learns to speak at their own pace. For example, it's perfectly normal if your child doesn't know many words yet or often stops suddenly when talking. There are also some unique things that happen when children grow up multilingual, because they often first develop passive understanding and only then actively speak more than one language. Stuttering, i.e. the repetition of sounds, syllables and words, as well as hesitations and pauses in speech, are also completely normal in children. If the condition lasts longer than three months and greatly interrupts the flow of speech, then it is best to talk to your paediatrician about it.

Your child has ideally already had their second vaccination against measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox before the U7. If not, they should get the second shot now at the latest. This is not only important for protecting your child against these diseases. You must also be able to prove these vaccinations to the daycare centre if you want to have your child cared for there. Experts also recommend vaccination against meningococcus C for all children when they are two years old. These are bacteria that can cause dangerous meningitis or blood poisoning, and in the worst cases can cause permanent nerve damage.