Prepare for the visit
First consultation (pediatrician, family doctor)
Documents to bring
- ID of one of the parents
- Child's birth certificate
- Available medical reports
- Hospital discharge records, if any
- Vaccination card
- Previous consultations from other specialists
What to write about the child
It can be brief, in your phone notes. The information matters, not the formatting.
- When the first words appeared and which ones
- Which gestures they use (pointing, waving, clapping)
- When they started to imitate an adult
- Whether there were regressions, what disappeared and when
- In which situations the difficulties are most visible
- What calms and what irritates (sleep, food, anxiety)
Short videos (30-120 seconds)
Ordinary situations, not staged. Film only if it is safe and convenient.
- How they respond to their name (call 2-3 times from different points)
- How they ask for help or want something
- How they play alone
- How they play with an adult
- How they transition between activities
Observation diary (ABC)
A simple format: what was before, what the child did, what happened after. 5-10 episodes a week is enough.
| When | 5:30 PM, evening |
|---|---|
| What was before | Said "time to eat" |
| What the child did | Threw a toy, screamed |
| What happened after | Gave 5 more minutes of the tablet |
Print it and fill in by hand for a few days before the visit.
Questions to ask
Tailored for: First consultation (pediatrician, family doctor)
- Which specific developmental signs concern you in my child?
- Is it necessary to check hearing?
- Which screening or assessment is worth doing now?
- Which services are available free of charge?
- When and with what to come back?
- Is a consultation with a child psychiatrist or neurologist needed?
How to describe your concerns
Concrete details help the doctor more than general phrases.
does not respond to name
out of three tries responds to maybe one, and only if I am close
speaks poorly
at 2 years 4 months speaks about 10 words, does not connect them into phrases
plays strangely
takes cars and lines them up, does not roll them, plays like this for 20-30 minutes
What is better not to do before the visit
- Do not 'google the diagnosis' before the visit
- Do not deliberately test the child at home
- Do not bring the child hungry or sleepy
This sheet does not replace a consultation with a specialist. It only helps you prepare for one.