Maternal and child health - visit 8 - eighteen month visit
Maternal and child health - visit 8 - eighteen month visit
What happens at my eighteen month maternal and child health visit?
At this visit, the nurse will review your child’s growth, health and development and complete a hearing risk assessment. You will also be asked to answer
My Health, Learning and Development – green book
. It is under the Parents’ Evaluation of Development Status (PEDS) section. Try to complete these questions before your visit.
This visit will focus on:
addressing the PEDS questions in your green book
helping your child to eat healthy food
taking care of your child’s teeth
being sun smart (learning
how to protect your child from the sun
)
how play helps learning and development
family
relationships
and wellbeing
immunisations
how to prevent injuries.
social communication
Remember, you and your nurse can talk about other issues or concerns if they arise.
Tip sheets for this visit
Inquisitive and invincible: 1.5 to 3.5
years
External Link
(available in multiple languages), Kidsafe Victoria
Baby teeth are important! Tooth tips for families, 18 months to 6 years
(pdf)
External Link
(available in multiple languages), Dental Health Services Victoria
Baby teeth are important! Tooth tips for families, 12 to 18 months (pdf),
Dental Health Services
Victoria
External Link
Playdough for one - Playgroup Victoria.
What is my child doing at this key age and stage?
At this key age and stage, your child is learning lots by exploring the world around them. As a parent or carer, you may find it hard to keep up with how busy they are – emptying drawers and ‘helping’ you clean. Try a playgroup in your local area to meet other families, explore and play.
They might be:
walking and starting to run
saying some words and understanding lots more
feeding themselves with a spoon or cup
recognising themselves in a mirror
playing alone, but still liking to be near familiar people.
What to tell your nurse
Please tell the nurse if your baby is:
NOT enjoying eye contact or cuddles with you
NOT coming to you for affection or comfort
NOT understanding any words
NOT pointing or waving
NOT trying to communicate with you
NOT showing any signs of pretend play
NOT walking.
Activity ideas for this key age and stage
Try some of these ideas to help your baby learn and develop:
explore outside – talk to them about the trees, birds or cars
give them old clothes, a plastic bowl or a cardboard box and let their imagination run wild!
encourage them to meet other children at playgroup or in the playground
share lots of books, stories and rhymes
praise them when they learn a new skill, (such as feeding themselves).
How often should I visit?
You will be asked to see your maternal and child health nurse at 10 key ages and stages in your child’s health, learning and development. These include:
following discharge from hospital (
home visit
)
two weeks
four weeks
eight weeks
four months
eight months
one year
18 months
two years
three and a half years
.
Families can access the service at other times by telephone or through a centre visit. Most centres offer a range of times when families can access the service. They typically operate through scheduled appointments, open consultation sessions and some after-hours appointments.
Return to the Maternal and child health services main page
Where to get help
Your local maternal and child health
service
External Link
Your
GP (doctor)
Your local council early childhood and family
services
External Link
Maternal and Child Health Line
Tel:
13 22 29
– available 24 hours a day for the cost of a local call throughout Victoria
Aboriginal Health Service
(VAHS)
External Link
Tel.
03 9419 3000
Parentline
Tel.
13 22 89
Find a Toy
Library
External Link
Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS
National)
External Link
Tel.
131 450
– available (24 hours, 7 days a week) for callers who speak other languages.
National Relay
Service
External Link
(24 hours a day, every day) – Speak and listen Tel:
1300 555 727
, TTY Tel:
133 677
, SMS relay Tel:
0423 677 767
.
Captioned, internet and video relay calls are also available through this
service
External Link
.