Advanced Well-Baby & Child Check-Up in Dubai

The recommended schedule for well-baby check-ups follows international paediatric guidelines: visits at 1 to 2 weeks, then monthly for the first six months, every two to three months from 6 to 12 months, every three months from 12 to 24 months, and then annually from age 2 through adolescence. More frequent visits may be recommended for premature infants, children with growth concerns, or those with identified developmental delays. Our paediatricians will advise on the optimal schedule based on your child's individual needs.

Milestones assessed depend on your child's age and cover four domains: gross motor (sitting, crawling, walking, running), fine motor (grasping, pincer grip, drawing, writing), speech and language (babbling, first words, sentences, comprehension), and social-emotional (eye contact, social smile, play behaviour, emotional regulation). Our paediatricians use structured assessment tools and direct observation to evaluate progress. If any delays are identified, early intervention referrals are made promptly, as early support typically produces the best outcomes.

We use the World Health Organization (WHO) growth standards for children from birth to 5 years and WHO growth references for children aged 5 to 19 years. These charts plot your child's weight-for-age, length or height-for-age, weight-for-length or BMI-for-age, and head circumference-for-age against international percentile curves. Tracking your child's position on these charts over time is more important than any single measurement, as it reveals growth trends and allows early identification of faltering growth or excessive weight gain.

Vision and hearing screening are performed at specific age milestones rather than at every visit. Basic eye alignment checks are done at each infant visit, while formal vision screening is typically performed at 3 to 4 years and before school entry. Hearing screening is recommended for all newborns and again at 4 to 5 years. Additional screening is performed whenever there are parental concerns about hearing, speech delays, or visual behaviour. Our paediatricians will advise if your child needs earlier or more frequent screening based on risk factors.

Nutritional counselling is tailored to your child's age and growth trajectory. For infants, we discuss breastfeeding or formula feeding adequacy, timing of solid food introduction around 6 months, and appropriate first foods. For toddlers, we address picky eating strategies, balanced meal planning, and cow's milk transition. For older children, we evaluate dietary patterns, calcium and iron intake, vitamin D supplementation needs, and healthy eating habits. If growth percentiles are concerning, more detailed nutritional assessment and potential laboratory tests such as iron studies or vitamin D levels may be recommended.

Please bring your child's health card or previous medical records, vaccination card, Emirates ID or passport, and insurance card. If your child has been seen by other doctors or specialists, bringing those reports or referral letters helps us maintain a complete picture. For infants, bring a feeding log if available and note any concerns about feeding, sleep, or bowel habits. For older children, bring any school reports or teacher observations if you have developmental or behavioural concerns to discuss.

Well-baby check-ups include screening for early signs of autism spectrum disorder, particularly at the 18-month and 24-month visits. Our paediatricians look for red flags including limited eye contact, absence of pointing or gesturing, delayed speech, repetitive behaviours, and lack of interest in social interaction. If concerns arise, we use validated screening tools and may refer to a developmental paediatrician or multidisciplinary team for comprehensive evaluation. Early identification and intervention for autism spectrum disorder significantly improves long-term outcomes, which is why structured developmental screening at every check-up is so important.

Yes, premature infants typically require more frequent check-ups, particularly during the first two years of life. Growth and developmental milestones for premature babies are assessed using corrected age (adjusted for weeks of prematurity) until approximately 2 to 3 years of age. Our paediatricians have experience with premature infant follow-up and will create an individualised monitoring plan that accounts for your child's gestational age at birth, birth weight, and any neonatal complications. Premature infants may also need additional nutritional support and closer monitoring of specific developmental domains.