The 4 year visit is a big booster round and a pre-K readiness check.
What happens at the visit
Weight, height, BMI. Full exam. Formal vision and hearing screens at most practices. Blood pressure. Pre-K readiness conversation — fine motor, self-care, social skills, and attention.
Developmental milestones to discuss
Speaking in four-to-five-word sentences, intelligible to strangers, hopping on one foot, drawing a person with a few body parts, counting to ten, naming colors, and getting dressed with minimal help.
Vaccines at this visit
Per the CDC schedule, the 4 year visit typically includes DTaP booster #5, IPV booster #4, MMR #2, and varicella #2. Annual flu in season.
Questions worth asking
- Is my child ready for kindergarten based on what you saw?
- How did vision and hearing screens look?
- Any concerns about attention or impulse control?
- How many shots today and can any be spaced differently?
- What questions should I be asking about school starts?
What to watch for between now and the next visit
More independence, reading interest, complex pretend play, and social negotiations. Call about speech clarity concerns, attention worries, or behavior changes at home or preschool.
How VisitRecall fits in
Record the visit with one tap; your partner gets the summary within minutes. Track growth, vaccines given, and the pediatrician’s specific advice on one timeline with family profiles, and use the parents hub for the rest.
FAQ
Four shots — can we split the visit?
Most pediatricians prefer to keep them together to stay on schedule, but ask — they’ve heard the question.
When does kindergarten readiness get formally assessed?
Schools do their own screens. Your pediatrician’s view is complementary.
Is picky eating still normal?
Yes — it often persists through age 5 or 6.
