50 things to know ( and document) about your child’s first years
𝘼𝙞𝙙𝙖 𝙨𝙖𝙮𝙨: @3littleplums
“I can’t tell you how many times I have found myself filling out extremely detailed medical history forms for my older kids (ages 9 and 13) and wishing I had written down more details and info.
Usually when you go to a slightly “non conventional” doctor - be it holistic medicine, naturopath, myofunctional therapy, speech therapy, neuropsychologist etc, parents will get asked to fill out 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 and 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗱 medical history forms; some of these forms can be upwards of 10 pages long!
USually, I would have to grab my kid’s ‘baby books’ and read through all the pages trying to figure out dates for certain milestones, other times I relied on my memory and sometimes I just didn’t know the answers, because it hadn’t occurred to me to write some of these things down
This time around with my daughter, I wanted to make sure I documented as much info as I could that could potentially be helpful in the future. Worse case, I jot these details down in a book and never use them… but if I ever need the info at least I’ll have it!
I reached out to Dr Ari Calhoun, whom I have personally worked with in the past and whom I love, to help me put together a list of questions all new parents should save and answer as our kids grow.”
✨𝘿𝙧. 𝘼𝙧𝙞 𝘾𝙖𝙡𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙣 @dr.aricalhoun
“As a Naturopathic Doctor specializing in development, it is very helpful to understand the full twists and turns of a child's first 3-5 years of life! When seeking to uncover the root cause of a health concern, this information allows for identification of potential contributing factors. Each data point acts as another piece of the puzzle, offering greater direction for treatment and ultimately accelerating the timeline for healing! “
We hope this list is helpful! Feel free to 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 it with another mama and/or 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁 it out!
Pregnancy
Illness during pregnancy (acute and chronic)
Fever during pregnancy/delivery (Yes/No). If so, which trimester and for how long.
Significant stressors during pregnancy
All medications (including OTC) during pregnancy and duration of use
Supplements taken during pregnancy (including brand)
Full-term versus premature
Difficult delivery
Natural birth versus C-section, and reasons for C-section
Smoking drugs, alcohol taken by the mother during pregnancy
Medications/Interventions used during labor (Pain medications/Antibiotics/Epidural/Induction Methods):
Pregnancy complications (gestational diabetes, hypertension, IUGR, GBS positive, preeclampsia, placental complications, iron deficiency anemia, etc)
Baby
Were they breast-fed? If so, for how long?
If using formula, when did formula start and which brand was used?
Was breast-feeding, easy or hard? Did they have difficulty latching?
Was mom or caretaker depressed?
Any thrush or persistent cradle cap?
Any persistent or difficult diaper rashes?
Primary foods consumed in first year of life
Problems during infancy with sleep, eating or activity level (Yes/No)
Health problems requiring ongoing medical attention during infancy
Which one (or more) best describes the child’s temperament as a baby?
- Strong willed, intense, found change distressing, hard to soothe, demanding
-Relaxed and easygoing, eager to explore, easy to calm
- Shy, had difficulty with strangers and new situations, easily startled
Development:
First word (age):
How many words did your child have by 18 months?
When did they first start speaking 3 word phrases/sentences?
First time they sat up
First started pointing
Did they crawl and for how long?
Started walking
Was toilet trained bladder/bowel (day)
Started reading
Any extreme sensitivity or reactions to loud noises , textures etc?
Regressions:
At any point, did your child lose eye contact, words, or certain skills?
At any point, did your child's development seem to plateau?
If yes to any of the above, was there any form of illness/immune activation, trauma, or significant change in his/her environment preceding this regression?
Medical:
Allergies:
Hospitalizations:
Medications used (including OTC) date/duration:
Anesthesia (age and length or procedure):
Checked for anemia between 9-12 months?
Checked for lead between 12-24 months
Any recurrent infections (ear infections, croup, strep throat)
Number of antibiotics and ages
Vaccinations Received (date and any associated response)
Environment:
Did mom have mercury fillings while pregnant and/or eat fish more than 2x/week?
Did the child live in a home built before 1978?
Any signs of water damage, leaks, or mold in the house while growing up?
Did the child live in a home environment that had new carpeting, paint, cabinets, or any other refurbishing that seemed to effect their health?
Has the child used fluoride toothpaste or taken fluoride drops?
Did family live near agriculture or golf course during pregnancy or early childhood