U examinations: u1 to u9 at a glance - prevention - early detection

The U-exams are regular health checks that check the child’s development. The first examination takes place shortly after the newborn sees the light of day. Five more will follow by the first birthday.

Both U examinations The child is sometimes given vaccinations and motor skills, vision and hearing are tested.

The U1 – welcome to life

Shortly after a child sees the light of day, the first U-examination is pending. The infant will measured and weighed. Then doctors and midwives check for important functions like that Cardiovascular System and the breathing voices.

The so-called APGAR value is used to document the general condition of the child after birth. Points are awarded for the following five aspects:

pulse rate
reflexes
Appearance (skin color)
breathing
muscle tone

A baby with nine to ten points is considered "optimally fresh from life", one with seven to eight points as "normally fresh from life". With a value of five to six on the scale, one speaks of a slight state of depression. However, this also occurs in fully healthy children and is not a cause for concern at first.

The birth is also exhausting for babies. Supportive measures (e.g. breathing support) may only be necessary for values below five points.

Prevention also includes Administration of vitamin K., which is important for blood clotting. Infants often have a vitamin K deficiency, which can lead to bleeding in the brain. However, it can also be administered in tablet form or as an oil by the parents themselves at home.

The U2 – from head to toe

The U2 is the first pediatrician basic examination. Part of this U-test is a blood test, which must be carried out at the latest on the third day of life. Depending on how long the mother and child remain in the hospital, the second U-examination will be carried out there.

Anyone who is not in the maternity clinic at this time must organize a pediatrician. Many doctors offer to join the U2 boys Family coming home.

Apart from the blood test, the rest of the U2 can take place until the 10th day of life. The pediatrician examines the entire body of the child, all organs, the skeleton and the mouth. He also checks the function of the sensory organs.

The parents are also advised on the next few weeks. Topics such as breastfeeding, passive smoking, digestion and child development are discussed.

The U3 – for the first time at the pediatrician

In the fourth to fifth week of life the U3 takes place. The chosen pediatrician carries out this U-examination. The baby is now a month in the world and the small body is changing rapidly. The U3 therefore examines the development of the child a little more closely:

Can see and hear the baby well?
Have all organs assumed their function?
There are malpositions in the skeleton?

The consultation is now primarily about Baby’s nutrition as well as upcoming ones vaccinations. If difficulties or excessive demands arise in baby care, parents should not be afraid to address them openly.

The U4 – vaccination is pending

The U4 takes place between the third and fourth month of life instead of. As in the U3, the pediatrician also checks the child’s eyesight and hearing during this U examination. In addition, all movements are examined in more detail. At the same time, the U4 is a vaccination date. The first vaccinations against are planned

diphtheria,
Rigid seizure (tetanus),
Haemophilus Influenzae (Hib),
Hepatitis B,
Polio,
Whooping cough (pertussis),
and pneumococci.

For all of these, one will combination vaccine administered. The baby is usually given two injections.

At the time of the U5, the baby is already half a year old, it can now grip and move in a more targeted manner. Maybe it is no longer a nursing child, but receives porridge. Some children are already teething.

The U5 – teeth, eyes, hands

This U-investigation is also about the Child’s motor skills. The pediatrician checks, for example, whether the baby is moving move can turn on his stomach; whether the coordination between eyes and hands works. The pediatrician also advises on dental care and clarifies the risk of accidents for children of this age. The other vaccinations are also discussed.

The U6 – so big

At the U6, the formerly newborn is almost a toddler, because the sixth U-examination takes place when the child is about one year old. In addition to the usual checks on motor skills, hearing and seeing it is now more about the general behavior and the linguistic development of the child. After the final vaccinations from the U4, the next vaccinations are pending:

The pediatrician advises the parents on how to proceed.

U-examinations: important until adolescence

While most parents regularly take the U-examinations in their first year of life, the rate for subsequent health checks drops sharply. The planned examinations for the second to fifth year of life (U7 to U9) should not be neglected, however, because only now can the doctor really test hearing, vision, motor skills and language development.

This enables deficits that would make it difficult to start school to be recognized and dealt with at an early stage.

Already knew?

The U examinations have been around since the early 1970s. The provision offer has been expanded ever further. Since 2006, the U7a, U10, U11 and J2 have also been part of the regular U examinations, in which socialization, development and behavioral disorders are checked. Young people (U11 and J2) later deal with topics such as weight problems, addictive behavior and sexuality.