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Checkups at 9 Months

What Can Your Baby Do?

  • He enjoys sitting and crawling. He may pull up to a standing position and walk around furniture.
  • Shoes are only for the protection of your baby's feet and do not help develop his arches. Your baby will generally prefer to be barefooted while he is inside (if temperature allows) and he will stumble less often than when he is in shoes. His shoes should have good arch support to avoid tiring his feet. Sneakers give a good combination of good support and low cost.
  • He may partially finger feed himself since he can grasp with his thumb and first finger.
  • She responds to her name, and the words "No!" and "bye-bye."
  • She may develop stranger anxiety soon, and may be very upset when her parents leave.
  • She may enjoy banging 2 toys together. She will also poke with her finger, shake, throw, and drop objects she holds.
  • He may play peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake.
  • He may say 2 words by 12 months of age.

What Can Your Baby Eat?

  • Your baby may start with some soft table food. She may enjoy making messes with her food.
  • You should encourage him to use a cup.
  • During meals feed solids to your baby before giving her formula so that she will eat her solids well.
  • He should not take more than 32 ounces of formula a day. You may give him whole milk at 12 months of age.
  • Never prop his bottle or feed your baby a bottle while he is lying flat on his back, since this may cause ear infections and choking.
  • Do not give her a bottle in bed at night.
  • You should begin weaning him soon. His appetite may decrease soon since babies do not grow as quickly in their second year of life compared to their first year.
  • She may be eating meats and all other foods except dairy products and cow's milk, eggs, wheat, and citrus foods and juices. These foods are most likely to cause her allergies. Fish, chocolate, strawberries, and tomatoes may also cause allergies, but less often.
  • Do not feed her honey until she is at least 12 months of age since eating honey may cause infant botulism, a deadly infection.
  • If your home does not have fluoride in the water, a fluoride vitamin will be prescribed for him.
  • Brush or wipe your baby's new teeth once a day with water.

Immunizations

  • The following immunizations are given in the first year of life:
  • Polio- a viral infection that caused paralysis in thousands of children yearly in the 1950's. The polio vaccine is given in an injection (dead) and oral (live) form. It is usually given initially in the dead (safer) form, later in the live form which is slightly more effective.
  • Diphtheria- a respiratory and heart disease that used to kill thousands every year.
  • Pertussis- also known as whooping cough, this respiratory illness is particularly dangerous for young babies and is always in the community in a low number of cases.
  • Tetanus- a bacterial infection of dirty wounds that can be life-threatening.
  • Hemophilus- the bacteria that was the most frequent cause of meningitis and other serious infections of the blood and lungs until widespread use of this vaccine.
  • Hepatitis B- a liver illness that kills thousands every year. Hepatitis B is spread from an infected mother to her baby at birth, sexually, and through blood in transfusions and IV drugs.
  • These vaccines are usually combined together to reduce the number of injections. Improvements in the vaccines have reduced the fever and other side effects that babies often had.

Tests to Be Done

A tuberculin (TB) skin test may be needed if your baby has been exposed to someone with TB, a chronic cough, IV drug use, HIV disease (AIDS), recent prison time, time in a developing country, or if required by school or insurance.

A hematocrit may need to be done to make sure that your baby is not anemic.

Your baby needs a lead test if:

  1. He lives or regularly visits a house built before 1960, an old house with peeling or chipping paint, a home with lead plumbing, a home on a major highway, or one near a lead-producing or battery recycling plant.
  2. You have given her any home remedies that contain lead.
  3. Any of his friends or brothers or sisters have had lead poisoning or he eats paint chips or dirt.
  4. She is around an adult who works with lead in construction, welding, pottery, bullets, fishing weights, a firing range, stained glass, refinishing furniture, or car repair.

Accident Prevention

  • Protect your baby from hot liquids, dangling cords, and pulling on tablecloths. Be careful while cooking. Your baby will grab at everything, often pulling hot liquids on himself or you. Turn the handles of pots to the inside away from his reaching little hands.
  • Remove poisonous plants or plants with sharp stems or leaves from places that he can reach.
  • The kitchen is often the worst location for poisons in the house.
  • Never keep lye cleaners (such as toilet bowl cleaners or drain openers) in your house. They can cause severe burns in your baby's eyes and mouth causing blindness and scarring of her throat.
  • Protect him from common household poisons such as liquor, mothballs, furniture polish, drain cleaners, weed killers, insect and rat poisons, kerosene, bleach, cosmetics, and dishwasher detergents.
  • Remember that 25% of childhood poisonings occur at the grandparents' house. This is because they may not have their home child-proofed and because they are often on dangerous drugs for heart disease, high blood pressure, or sleep problems.
  • Use safety latches on drawers and cupboards containing dangerous objects.
  • Only use medicine bottles with safety caps. Use safety latches on drawers and cupboards.
  • Iron vitamins are a very common cause of death by poisoning in children.
  • A plastic lock box with a combination lock is inexpensive and will protect your baby from the most dangerous drugs for years to come.
  • Buy Syrup of Ipecac to induce vomiting in your baby when needed. Do not give her Ipecac without speaking your doctor or Poison Control at 1-800-POISON 1 (1-800- 764-7661).
  • Keep toilet seats down to keep your baby from hurting his hands or being trapped by a falling lid.
  • Keep and vats of fluid tightly covered so that your baby cannot fall in and drown.
  • Stairs should have gates to protect him from falls.
  • Place her in car restraints. Do not put young children in the front seat of a car with airbags.
  • Do not smoke indoors, since it causes her to have more colds and ear infections. This is a good time to quit smoking because even if you smoke outside, you exhale small amounts of tobacco smoke for about an hour afterwards which can cause your baby to have more infections.
  • Do not leave your baby unattended in her tub or in any place other than her crib or playpen with the sides up and locked.
  • Cover electrical outlets.
  • Place smoke detectors in your home.
  • Do not let her hold an object that is small enough for her to swallow because she might choke on it.

Emotional and Social Development

  • You should have a good idea of the personality type of your baby. If she has been easy going up to now, she will probably not give you many problems when she becomes more independent in the upcoming months.
  • Avoid confrontations with your baby by distracting him from bad behavior. After giving him a firm "No!" try to involve him in a game, look at a book, or play with his toys. Temper tantrums may occur soon. Try to ignore his tantrums at this age if possible. If you get upset, it reinforces your baby's tantrum.
  • It is normal for your baby to start having a favorite security object such as a blanket or stuffed animal.
  • It is normal for him to suck his thumb or finger.
  • She may occasionally wake up at night. A night-light might help her to sleep better.
  • Spend at least 10 minutes a day reading, playing games, or looking at books with your baby.
  • She now needs to have limits set for her and to have some mild verbal discipline.
  • He may not like having his diaper changed at this age. Giving him a toy as a distraction while changing him is often helpful.
  • You should stimulate your baby's speech by talking to her and responding to her sounds.
  • He should sleep in a different room from his parents if possible.

 

 

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The information contained within this website is no substitution for timely medical care.

Feel free to copy the information on this web site and give to friends and family. Contact Dr. Glenn Wood at Carousel Pediatrics (512) 744-6000
We are located at 7112 Ed Bluestein Blvd., #100 - Austin, TX 78723

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