8 month check...

[EmmaDoran]

I've got son's 8 month check in a few weeks - only found out he had to have one by chance as HV/GP have never mentioned it. I was probably told about it in hospital but wasn't really taking things in after 36 hours of labour :))

I've been trying to find out what the check is actually looking for and what it entails...the HV was v. vague when I asked, and having done a bit of research on the net it seems to range from quite in-depth to not much more than his monthly weigh-in.

Has anyone had any experience of the check and could enlighten me on what to expect?

[jollybaby]

We had ours a couple of weeks ago and it was quite straightforward. They checked her height and weight, development (ie can she sit up, pass a toy, use a pincer grip). They examined her hips and assessed whether her eye movement was coordinated. They checked whether she was up to date with vaccinations and hearing screening and asked questions about feeding and sleeping. I think that was everything.

[kylie6097]

mine was the same as jollybaby. very straight forward. seemed more like a visit to health visitor as normal

[snowboarder]

We kind of missed ours (son is now 26m...oops) - it's not obligatory if you are happy with everything....

[Jacks50]

not forgetting the very nice bag of books they give your baby!!

[Ruth_Baldock]

I don't think you get that anymore, sadly- not sure if bookstart has been scrapped yet or not but it was certainly in the pipeline...

[bkkmei]

Hi

8 month check last week - managed to get a BookStart bag!

As well as the checks described above, They also check the 'down below' bits for boys.

[chantelle]

didn't have to do some of the stuff mentioned but do recall my son had to pick up some small object. He was also requested to say ba ba or another two syllable babble and when I said he didn't really do that we had to come back a month later for a re-test! (he now talks my ear off at 3.)

[EmmaDoran]

Hi All

Thank you so much for your responses!

I've had a look on the BookStart website and it looks like the scheme is still running...will remind the HV that we need our books!

Hope my son isn't asked to say anything - he spent an entire day saying 'dadadadada' and hasn't bothered since. When I say it to him he smiles witheringly as if to say 'I am so over that mum'...:)

[Ruth_Baldock]

He won't be asked to 'say' anything at all; I don't think they even start to think about worrying about language skills until at least 2+. My son just had his 18mo check (a week early, wow) and they asked if he was speaking at all. He is a bit but we're not so worried. The main thing is mutual understanding through some kind of communication, which we have down to a t.

At my babies 8/9mo check, they checked everything as above, asked if he was still bf, and then he fell asleep whilst playing with the toys. All fine.

[sillywoman]

Do babies still get the 'red book' to keep all their inoculation records in? If so, isn't there a description at the back somewhere of what each developmental check is, & what they do? Am sure my lot had it in theirs, but it was some years ago now.

[EmmaDoran]

Hi sillywoman

Yes - they still do get the red book (I checked through the 'screening and routine reviews' section prior to posting).

My book goes from '6-8 week review' straight to '1 year review'. The only mention of the 8 month review (in my son's red book) is a brief comment saying that there is an assessment at 8 months (but I missed this when I first flicked through as I went straight to the reviews section) and there's no info on what it entails or looks at.

[bkkmei]

I found it all a bit confusing. The first HV told me the check could take place any time between 8 months and 1 year and I should book it with my GP. But then another HV told me the check should take place now (at 8 months) and make an appointment at Townley Clinic. When she filled out the red book, it was all under the 1 year review page.