What is the U6?
The U6 examination is the sixth preventive examination in childhood. It is often referred to as a one-year examination, as it is usually performed by the pediatrician at the age of 10 – 12 months. In addition to the general basic health examination, the main focus is on the examination and assessment of mobility, coordination, play and social behavior. In addition, the eyesight is also examined in order to be able to recognize possible visual damage within the first year of life and to be able to treat it at an early stage.
When will the U6 take place?
The U6 examination is one of the recommended child check-ups and is performed after the first 5 check-ups on average at the age of 10 – 12 months. The examination may be performed by the treating pediatrician at the earliest from the 9th month of life and at the latest by the 14th month of life. If it is missed and does not take place within the specified time frame, the costs must be paid by the parents themselves. In addition, the time frame should be adhered to, as small children develop particularly quickly and rapidly in this phase of life and then a comparable assessment may not be possible.
Which examinations are carried out?
After the initial conversation with the parents, the height, head circumference and body weight are measured. The measured values are plotted on a so-called percentile curve in order to compare the physical development with that of children of the same age. During the subsequent physical examination, the vital functions are first checked.
In addition to checking the individual organs such as the heart, lungs, liver, spleen, intestines, mouth, eyes and ears, the external genitals are also examined. In boys, the doctor palpates the testicles and looks to see if they are in the scrotum or if they have not descended completely and can still be found in the inguinal canal or abdomen. This is followed by specific tests and interviews, which must be carried out at U6.
In a playful way, the doctor tries to test whether the child is crawling, whether it is pulling itself up on objects, what its sitting position looks like and whether it can sit upright with its legs stretched. In addition, the child’s reflexes are tested. For example, the support reflex, where the baby instinctively supports itself with its arms when falling forward.
To test fine motor skills, the doctor tests whether the child grasps objects with the whole hand or is able to use the tweezer handle and grasp the object with the thumb and index finger. In order to check the child’s speech and social behavior, attention is paid to how the child communicates. Parents are observed or asked whether the child uses sounds or two-syllable words, whether he or she understands simple prompts, whether he or she is attentive or is unfamiliar with the doctor or medical staff. If any peculiarities are noticed during the examination, further examinations such as laboratory or ultrasound can be suggested for further clarification.
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