Well child check up–Age 4

We had our yearly check up with the doctor.  I seriously love this pediatrician – Dr. Michael Kurtz at Advanced Pediatrics Association.  He is fantastic with the kids, interacts with them as patients/doctors normally do, and listens to us as parents.  The kids also really like him.

The kids were looking forward to their doctor appointment and wanted to show off everything they could do.  They are both healthy!

The only follow up we have is to schedule an appointment for Charlotte with a food therapist.  I had noticed a few months ago that she struggles to bite into food properly with her front teeth.  She sort of nibbles and tears at the food and uses her side/back teeth.  I asked the dentist about it and they didn’t seemed to think that her thumb sucking/overbite could be the problem. 

Also when drinking, she can only take one drink at a time.  As in fill her mouth with the liquid, set the cup down, swish the drink in her mouth and swallow, then repeat.  She can’t drink continuously or gulp her drink.  I noticed it when I was helping Cooper drink out of a plastic water bottle and he gulped several drinks down.  Then with Charlotte I attempted to hold it the same and she started choking and coughing.  It happens with drinks with straws too.  I couldn’t recall her ever having an issue drinking continuously from a bottle though.

The doctor was concerned that the combination of the drinking and eating quirks could result in her aspirating food or drink, which would be very dangerous.  Also given her history of speech therapy, she could have problems properly manipulating things with her mouth and tongue.  He thought it best to be on top of it and send her to the children’s hospital for the testing.  We need to just make the appointment for testing to see if she needs therapy.

With that here are their recent growth charts.  Charlotte’s gained almost 3 lbs and grown 1 inch in a year, while Cooper has gained 6 lbs and 4 inches in one year.  If Charlotte stays on trend she will likely end up around at 5’3” – 5’4”.  If Cooper stays on trend he is likely to end up at 6’4” - 6’7”!