Two-Year Visit

Now that you have a little toddler running wild without a fear in the world, it is essential to turn up your parenting radar. Recently, there has been a considerable spike in playground accidents due to parental cell phone use. Be mindful when deciding between a non-urgent text and tracking your child on the playground.

Two-year-olds have many emerging skills and are beginning to interact more with the world around them. But beware, your 2-year-old might show a broad spectrum of emotions during this age, including affection, pleasure, assertiveness, and protest. Sometimes they may show all these emotions in the span of a few minutes!

Children develop at their own pace, so it’s impossible to tell precisely when your child will learn a skill. The developmental milestones below will give you a general idea of the changes you can expect as your child ages. Don’t be alarmed if your child takes a slightly different course.

At this age, your child should:

  • Imitate the behavior of others
  • More excited about the company of another child
  • Demonstrate increasing independence
  • Begin to show defiant behavior
  • Point to an object or picture when it’s named for him
  • Build a tower using four blocks
  • Use 2- to 4-word sentence
  • Begin to run
  • Kick a ball
  • Climb up and down the stairs with support
  • Scribble

It’s common for children this age to throw tantrums when they are frustrated or upset. Your child’s understanding of the rules can differ significantly from your expectations. During this time, setting firm and consistent limitations for behavior are important. Most 2-year-olds ultimately want to please their parents, so be sure to praise your child when their behavior is appropriate and when they accomplish a new skill.

Your child might start showing signs of being ready for potty training. They may stay dry for more extended periods during the day or stool at around the same time every day. They might also be curious about the toilet and be able to tell you after they have voided or stooled. Children will generally learn to use the potty when they are ready. Encourage your child and provide assistance when needed. It’s normal for children to master potty training in small steps.

Two-year-olds are naturally curious and increasingly adventurous. It is important to make sure your home is a safe environment for your child to play in. One major concern at this age is ingestion. Make sure your home is poison-proofed, paying particular attention to child-level cabinets. Always leave cleaning solutions and other chemicals in their original containers. If your child ingests a potentially harmful substance, keep the container and call the poison control center toll-free at 800.222.1222. A representative will explain the next required steps.

At this visit, your child will receive the Hepatitis A vaccine. In addition, they will have a finger prick performed to screen for anemia (low iron) and make sure that they do not have elevated lead levels. If the season is appropriate, your child may also receive the Influenza vaccine.