When and where can I get a checkup for my baby? Test details and costs

When and how many times do babies undergo a health checkup, and what do they do? Also make sure you check what you need.

What is an infant health checkup?

The official name is "Infant and Young Children Health Checkup." This is a health check for infants under the age of 1 year and young children aged 1 to before school. Check that your baby (child) is growing well and that there are no illnesses or any abnormalities. You can also consult with a doctor or other expert about your growth and development, as well as concerns and concerns about childcare.
Health checkups for 1 year and 6 months old and 3 year old are statutory health checkups that are required to be carried out by all municipalities under the Maternal and Child Health Act. Both have a high visit rate of about 90%, indicating that most families have undergone these two health checkups.

Are there any other health checks besides legal health checks?

The law stipulates that in addition to the 1 year and 6 month old health checkups and 3 year old health checkups, "health checkups will be conducted as needed," but the timing and number of times are left to each city, ward, town, and village, so they vary depending on the local government.
Looking at the results for 2021 (※), in addition to the statutory health checkups for 1 year and 6 months old and 3 year olds, 99.5% of municipalities conduct 3-5 months of health checkups, and 81.0% of municipalities conduct 9-12 months of health checkups. It can be said that most local governments have four infant health checkups. Health checkups conducted by these local governments can be received for free.
(*Reference: Children's Family Affairs Agency "Infant and Child Health Checkups")

What is a one-month-old health checkup?

A one-month-old baby will undergo a "one-month-old health check" at the hospital where he was born. As this is an uninsured treatment, the cost is generally paid by the person. Although it varies depending on the medical institution and the content, it is generally between several thousand and 10,000 yen. Depending on the local government, you may receive subsidies for costs, so it is a good idea to check before visiting.
Also, although it is not very common at around 30% nationwide, there are some local governments that provide health checkups for children aged to two months. Most health checkups organized by local governments are group checkups at health centers, but the general rule is individual checkups for 1-2 months.

The details of the one-month checkup are explained in detail in this article.

To get a health check

For health checkups conducted by local governments, households with eligible infants and young children will receive notifications and medical appointments from the city, town, and village. Make an appointment by phone or online to make a reservation for your desired date and time. Recently, more and more local governments are able to make reservations through the messaging app LINE.
In addition to group health checkups held at local health centers and health centers, there are also individual health checkups that you can bring your own ticket and take at a medical institution, but in that case, you will make an appointment directly with the medical institution. In many cases, the days and times of infant health checkups are fixed, so be sure to check the dates you can visit in advance and make an appointment before coming to the hospital.

What do you need to prepare?

Bring your mother and child health handbook, infant medical certificate, and health insurance cards for both mom and baby. If you are visiting a medical institution, you will also need a medical card. If you have a ticket from a local government, don't forget to bring it with you. If the questionnaire is enclosed with a ticket, fill out the questionnaire in advance to make it easier to visit the doctor.

If you do not have a ticket, you will need to pay for your appointment, so you will be prepared before coming to the hospital.
As waiting times may be longer, it is safe to bring items you need for changing diapers, breastfeeding, and toys to help you feel at ease. It would be a good idea to change clothes in case something gets dirty. In addition, if the health check-up instructions state what you have, don't forget to bring it with you.
Also, if you organize the things you want to talk about, you won't have to worry about asking questions. We recommend that you write a note and bring it with you.

A hip seat is recommended as it makes it easy to carry your luggage and get your baby in and out.

What do you do during your checkup?

In infant and young children's health checks, in addition to their health, they check whether their physical development is going well, and how well their motor function and mental development are. The tests vary depending on the age and age.

During the one-month health check, you will check your physical development and nutritional status, as well as whether you move your limbs and respond to sounds and voices.
During the 3-5 month health checkup, we also check how the hip joint opens, how the neck is held, how the eye movements are, and how to speak, etc.
If you have a 6-7 month old health check, check whether you can turn over or sit in your bed, and how many times you will be baby food. During the 9-10-month health checkup, we check whether people can hold their teeth and crawl, how much they grow, and how many vocabulary known as nango (single words).

The 1 year and 6 month old checkup is performed to check the degree of growth of the spine and thoracic cage, and to check for any diseases or abnormalities in the skin, and also to perform dental checkups. We will also check whether you can walk alone or grab something small.
During the 3-year-old health checkup, vision and hearing tests are performed to check whether the name is said and whether the specified number of building blocks are packed.

With any health checkup, you can consult with us if you have any concerns or concerns. Not only is it about development or health, but it is also OK to worry about childcare and anxiety. We recommend that you write down what you want to hear on a daily basis.

Do I have to go to all my health checkups?

Each health checkup is set at a time when it appears that specialists need to check, such as one-month child health checkups at the end of the newborn period, and 3-5-month child health checkups where there is a major change in the growth process, such as neck-to-head sitting. It is an important opportunity to understand your developmental status and health status, and can lead to early detection of illnesses and abnormalities, so we recommend that you visit your doctor proactively.
If you do not visit the clinic, you may receive a call from the local government or hospital to confirm the situation. In some cases, you may be asked to visit your home.

This is an opportunity to consult with a variety of experts, including doctors, dentists, public health nurses, midwives, nutritionists, and psychological consultation staff, and relieve your worries and anxiety, so make sure to use it.

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