Maternal and child health – visit 10 - three and a half year visit

What happens at my three and a half year maternal and child health visit?

When your child turns three-and-a-half, it is time for their final key age and stage appointment with your maternal and child health nurse.

At this visit, your child's growth, health and development will be reviewed and your nurse will discuss their kindergarten enrolment. They will be given a vision screening to check their clarity of vision, using the Melbourne Initial Screening Test (MIST).

You will also be asked to answer My Health, Learning and Development – green book. It is under the Parents' Evaluation of Development Status (PEDS) section. Try to complete these questions before your visit.

This visit will focus on:

• addressing the PEDS questions in your green book
• kindergarten enrolment
• helping your child to eat healthy food
• taking care of your child's teeth
• your child’s vision
• how to be sun smart and water safe  
• how play helps learning and development
• family relationships and wellbeing
• immunisations.

Remember, you and your nurse can talk about other issues or concerns if they arise.

Tip sheets for this visit

• “Try it - you’ll like it!”, vegetables and fruit for children (pdf), Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria. 
• Healthy eating and play for kindergarten children 3-5 years (pdf), Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria. 
• Is your child 3–4 years old? (pdf), Department of Health.
• Immunisation history statements for children, Better Health Channel, Department of Health and Human Services, Victoria.
• Preschoolers: independent adventurers 3.5 to 5 years (pdf), (available in multiple languages), Kidsafe Victoria.

What is my child doing at this key age and stage?

At this key age and stage, your child is becoming more independent and adventurous. They love to be involved with everyday activities like cooking and shopping.

They might be:

• running, climbing stairs
• drawing, and cutting with scissors
• asking lots of questions
• playing with other children and learning how to share
• understanding their own and other people's feelings.

What to tell your nurse

Please tell the nurse if your child is:

• NOT talking clearly
• NOT able to talk in sentences
• NOT coming to you for affection or comfort
• NOT playing 'imaginary' games
• NOT playing with other children
• NOT drawing.

Activity ideas for this key age and stage

Try some of these ideas to help your child learn and develop:

• play games that involve sharing and taking turns
• let them help with the cooking, shopping or gardening 
• read with them and ask questions about the story 
• encourage them to draw and talk about their picture
• give them lots of outdoor playtime with plenty of running, tumbling and rolling.

How often should I visit?

You will be asked to see your maternal and child health nurse at 10 key ages and stages in your child’s health, learning and development. These include:

• following discharge from hospital (home visit)
• two weeks
• four weeks
• eight weeks
• four months
• eight months
• one year
• 18 months
• two years
• three and a half years.

Families can access the service at other times by telephone or through a centre visit. Most centres offer a range of times when families can access the service. They typically operate through scheduled appointments, open consultation sessions and some after-hours appointments.

Return to the Maternal and child health services main page

Where to get help

• Your local maternal and child health service
• Your GP (doctor)
• Your local council early childhood and family services
• Maternal and Child Health Line Tel: 13 22 29 – available 24 hours a day for the cost of a local call throughout Victoria
• Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) Tel. 03 9419 3000
• Parentline Tel. 13 22 89
• Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) Tel.131 450 – available (24 hours, 7 days a week) for callers who speak other languages. 
• National Relay Service (24 hours a day, every day) – Speak and listen Tel: 1300 555 727, TTY Tel: 133 677, SMS relay Tel: 0423 677 767. Captioned, internet and video relay calls are also available through this service.

.