Your Child's 6-Year Checkup

Checkups are a way to make sure your child is growing well and help you find out if there are any health problems. After the visit, make an appointment for your child's 7-year checkup.

• Help your child learn healthy eating habits:

  • Eat together as a family as often as possible.

  • When making a plate, half of the plate should be fruits and vegetables, one-quarter should be starch (such as whole-grain pasta or whole-grain bread), and one-quarter should be protein (such as lean meats or fish). Serve child-sized portions and give seconds only when your child asks.

  • Give your child about 2½ dairy servings a day. This can include low-fat or nonfat milk, fortified soy milk, and low-fat cheese and yogurt. Non-dairy sources of calcium include fortified juice, cereal, and bread; dark leafy greens; and tofu (calcium-set).

  • Offer plain water instead of sports drinks, soda, and other sugary beverages. Limit juice to no more than 4–6 ounces (120–180 ml) (the amount in one juice box) of 100% fruit juice a day.

• Help your child make a plan for media use (including smartphones, tablets, computers, video games, and TV). The plan should:

  • Help your child balance screen use with healthy behaviors like spending time with others, and getting at least 1 hour of physical activity a day and 9–12 hours of sleep each night.

  • Make the bedroom a media-free room.

  • Make mealtimes and homework time media-free.

• Meet the teacher and follow how your child is doing at school.

• Talk with your child regularly about what went well and what was hard at school.

• Read aloud together every day.

• Teach that bullying is when someone is made to feel hurt, scared, or embarrassed and it is never OK. Talk to your child and your child's teacher if you're worried that your child is being bullied.

• It's normal for children this age to be curious about male and female bodies. Answer questions using simple language and the correct names for body parts.

• To help your child learn responsibility, give simple chores such as picking up toys or clearing the dinner table.

• Talk regularly about which behaviors are OK and which ones are not. Use consequences for not behaving, but do not hit or spank your child.

• It's normal for siblings to fight sometimes. Remember:

  • Try to let your kids work through differences without your help. If you need to get involved, suggest positive ways to solve disagreements.

  • Do not take sides or compare one child with another.

  • Do not allow hitting or bullying.

Keep your child safe:

• In the car, use a booster seat for your child until they're 4 feet 9 inches (145 cm) tall (usually between 8 and 12 years of age). The booster seat should be in the back seat.

• Talk about how to be safe with adults. Teach your child to tell you right away if anyone:

  • wants to see or touch private parts or asks for help with private parts

  • asks for a secret to be kept from parents

  • makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe

• Teach your child how to swim, but still watch closely when they are near or in water.

• Have your child wear a helmet when biking, riding a skateboard or scooter, skating, skiing, snowboarding, or horseback riding.

• A gun in the home increases the risk of accidents and injuries. If you do have a gun, keep it unloaded and locked up. Bullets should be locked separately from the gun. When your child plays at friends' homes, ask if there are guns and if they are stored safely.

• Do not let anyone smoke around your child.

• Practice crossing the street together (look both ways, listen for cars), but do not let your child cross the street without an adult.

Prepare for emergencies:

• Talk about what to do in case of an emergency, including when and how to dial 911.

• Put smoke and carbon monoxide alarms near all sleeping areas and on every level of your home. Test batteries monthly and change at least once a year.

• Make a fire escape plan and practice twice a year with everyone who lives at home. Include:

  • two ways to get out of every room

  • a safe place to meet outside the house

• Continue to help your child brush their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and floss once a day. Take your child to the dentist every 6 months.

• In the sun, protect your child's skin with a water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, and re-apply every 2 hours or more often if swimming or sweating.

• Follow your health care provider's instructions on immunizations (shots) and testing.

• Your health care provider can tell you about help that is available in the community or through a social worker. Talk to your health care provider if you're worried that:

  • You don't have enough food for your child.

  • You don't have a safe place to live.

  • You don't have health insurance.

  • You have a problem with drugs or alcohol.

• Call your child's health care provider if you have concerns about your child's health, growth, or development.