Child health clinic

Preventative healthcare is the primary goal of the consultatiebureau (child health clinic). It provides vaccinations free of charge and checks the growth and development of babies and toddlers up to 4 years of age under the guidance of nurses and doctors.

Once your baby has been registered at the municipality, you will receive an invitation from the child health clinic. You can then make your first appointment. Often the district nurse from the child health clinic will visit you and your newborn at home and she will give you advice on caring for and feeding your baby.

First weeks after birth

Heel prick test
In the first week after the birth, the midwife or nurse will take some blood samples from the heel of your baby to make sure your baby is healthy. The blood will be tested on a few rare genetic diseases. You will receive a report if there is something wrong with your baby. In that case, your GP will get in contact with you as soon as possible. If the baby is healthy, you will not get a message. This test is free and non-compulsory.

Hearing test

Your baby will be given a hearing test in the first month after birth to check whether his/her hearing is good enough to learn to talk. This hearing test will take place at a child health clinic near you. The health worker inserts a soft-tipped earpiece in your baby’s ear. This is connected to a device that measures your baby’s hearing. The test only takes a few minutes and does not hurt.

For more information about both tests, download the brochure on screentest for newborn babies in 1 of the 11 languages available.

Charting the baby’s growth

The child health clinic will chart your baby's development. This will all be recorded in the so-called ‘Groeiboekje’ (Growth Book), which is also available in English. The growth book outlines a baby's first year of development, supplies important phone numbers, holds your appointments at the clinic, records vaccinations, and charts your baby's height and weight. You should always bring this book with you to your appointments.

As your baby grows, the doctor and district nurse from the clinic will check to see if your baby is healthy and developing well, watch for important developmental milestones like sitting up and walking, as well as providing basic childhood vaccinations under the National Vaccination Programme and a hearing and vision test. If the doctor feels there is something wrong, he will refer you to your GP.

The clinic is there to answer any questions you might have regarding the health and development of your child. It also provides support to mothers and babies who are breastfeeding.

Appointments and services

After each visit you will be given an appointment for the next visit. Appointments will be scheduled every few months in the first year and less frequently after that.

The services of the child health clinic are free of charge and the children’s health clinic is bound by a confidentiality agreement.