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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staff
Well-baby visits
If you have a newborn infant, it's important to go to all regularly scheduled well-baby visits. These visits can be important for identifying early signs of poor growth and development — signs of Prader-Willi syndrome and other disorders.
At each visit your child's doctor will measure your baby's height, weight and head circumference. This enables your doctor to track changes and identify problems. The doctor will also test your child's muscle tone by seeing how your child responds to having his or her legs and arms moved. The complete physical exam will include checking the genitals for abnormalities.
Be prepared to answer questions that your baby's doctor is likely to ask:
- How often and how much does your baby eat?
- Does your baby have any problems sucking?
- How well does your baby wake up?
- Does your baby seem listless, weak or sick?
If you have any concerns about your baby's health between well-baby visits, schedule an appointment.
Other visits
If you have concerns about your older child's weight gain, eating habits or other behaviors, schedule an appointment with your child's doctor. Your doctor may ask you some of the following questions?
- How much does your child eat?
- Does he or she constantly look for food?
- Is your child extremely stubborn or throw tantrums?
- Does your child show any other troubling behaviors?
If your doctor believes that your child exhibits signs of Prader-Willi syndrome or suggests diagnostic tests for the disorder, consider asking the following questions:
- When will we know the results of the tests?
- How often should we schedule follow-up visits?
- What treatments and care strategies do you recommend?
- How will we know whether the treatment is helping?
- What kind of diet should we follow?
- How many daily calories are appropriate for my child?
- Can you suggest educational materials and local support services regarding Prader-Willi syndrome?
- What services are available for early childhood development?
- Cassidy SB, et al. Prader-Willi syndrome. European Journal of Human Genetics. 2009;17:3.
- Prader-Willi syndrome. Genetics Home Reference. National Library of Medicine. http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/prader-willi-syndrome/show/print. Accessed Feb. 23, 2011.
- Scheimann AO. Clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of Prader-Willi syndrome. http://www.uptodate.com/index.html. Accessed Feb. 15, 2011.
- McCandless SE, et al. Health Supervision for Children With Prader-Willi Syndrome. Pediatrics. 2011;127:195.
- Cassidy SB, et al. Prader-Willi Syndrome. In: Pagon RA, et al., eds. GeneReviews. Seattle, Wash.: University of Washington; 1993. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK1330/. Accessed Feb. 23, 2011.
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