Babies smile when they hear a chime. Toddlers can run and climb stairs. Preschoolers dress on their own. Parents are proud of everything their child can already do. And they are happy when the pediatrician can confirm that everything is okay. This is what the so-called U-examinations are for.
Preventive care for children, the so-called U-examinations, is one of the most important measures for the early detection of diseases in children and adolescents. The first two “U-appointments” take place in the hospital, from U3 to U9 the pediatrician is responsible. Children grow rapidly, so the child examinations follow a fixed schedule. This is the only way for the pediatrician to closely monitor the child’s development, identify possible problems at an early stage and initiate appropriate therapies. Especially in the first few years of life, doctors can heal diseases whose symptoms they can only alleviate later. This applies, for example, to an incorrectly developed hip or certain heart diseases. Ask the medical professional whatever you want to know. And don’t be surprised if he asks how your everyday life is going with the baby. He asks and observes how you behave towards the child and how the child reacts. That’s a good thing. He wants to make sure that you understand what the little being is trying to tell you.
Vaccination: measles, mumps and rubella no longer have to be
The basic vaccination protection is also an integral part of the examination appointments. Measles, rubella, mumps and polio have almost been eradicated in Germany. They are called teething troubles, but anyone can get it, no matter how old they are. Even if children often cope with the illnesses well, measles, rubella and mumps are often not so mild in adults. Mumps can lead to severe meningitis or damage to the auditory nerve, rubella in pregnant women can lead to deformities in babies.
U-examinations are regulated by law
The examinations for the children are regulated by law in Germany, but are handled differently in the federal states. In the metropolis of Hamburg, the provision for children is least kept up. In Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Hesse, the examinations are actually compulsory. All new parents receive written invitations from the youth and health authorities and, in some cases, multilingual information on the upcoming examinations. After the first appointment with the pediatrician, the practices themselves often remind you of the next “U-appointment”.
Since 2016 the examinations have been documented in a new “U booklet”. The date and results as well as detailed information about the content of the investigation are recorded here. Participant cards can also be removed from this yellow booklet. In federal states such as Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, these cards must be presented to the daycare center and school enrollment, for example. If parents do not show up for the examination appointments, the health department and finally the youth welfare office are informed.
Not all costs are covered by the health insurance companies
The underground investigations are not a question of money. The provision U1 to U9 are covered by the health insurance. Whether the costs for the U10, U11 and the youth examination J2 are also covered depends on the respective health insurance company. Parents without insurance can contact the health department for financial support.
The child examinations system in Germany has now been in existence for 30 years, with great success. Around 98 percent of all parents appear today with their children at the “U-Appointments”, in 2004 this value was still 70 percent, according to the result of one Study by the Robert Koch Institute. There are no significant differences between the social classes or the origin of the parents.