--- title: "3 Year Well Visit: Information for Parents & Caregivers" slug: "3-year-well-visit-information-for-parents-caregivers-1" updated: 2025-09-12T20:43:07Z published: 2025-09-12T20:43:07Z canonical: "healthhub.cpcmg.net/3-year-well-visit-information-for-parents-caregivers-1" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://healthhub.cpcmg.net/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # 3 Year Well Visit: Information for Parents & Caregivers ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/a196e2c1-0707-4b9f-8164-e8201c779cd7/Images/Documentation/image-T7SAPM9B.png) [![Appointment Info](https://cdn.us.document360.io/a196e2c1-0707-4b9f-8164-e8201c779cd7/Images/Documentation/1650055438388-1650055438388.png)](/v1/docs/appointments-and-contact-information) [![Care Decision Info](https://cdn.us.document360.io/a196e2c1-0707-4b9f-8164-e8201c779cd7/Images/Documentation/1654467115781-1654467115781.png)](https://www.rchsd.org/wait-times/what-type-of-care-does-my-child-need/)

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 **Visit our Health Hub at** [**https://healthhub.cpcmg.net**](https://healthhub.cpcmg.net) **to learn more about your child’s health, wellness, and development. Available 24/7!** #### How Your Family is Doing - Take **time for yourself** and to be with your partner. - **Stay connected** to friends, your personal interests, and work. - Have **regular playtimes** and **mealtimes together** as a family. - Give your child **hugs**. **Show your child** how much you **love** them. - Show your child how to **handle anger** well, **time alone**, **respectful talk**, and how to **be active**. - **Stop hitting**, **biting**, and **fighting** right away. - **Don’t smoke** or use **e-cigarettes**. Keep your **home** and **car smoke-free**. - **Don’t use alcohol or drugs**. - If you are **worried** about your living or [food situation](/v1/docs/nutrition-resources-for-families), **talk with us**. Community agencies and programs such as **WIC** and **SNAP** can also provide information and assistance. #### Your Growing and Changing Child - Children at this age often want to do things **by themselves**. - Give your child opportunities to **make choices** - what clothes to wear, books to read or places to go. - **Patience and encouragement** will help 3 year olds develop **new skills** and **build self confidence**. - At **3** years of age most children speak in **3 word** sentences. - Caregivers can **promote** their child's [language development](/v1/docs/is-your-toddler-communicating-with-you) by providing a language-rich environment such as **talking aloud** to your child as you are going through the day. - A [stubborn toddler](/v1/docs/stubborn-toddler) is normal- they are **learning to say no**. - The most powerful tool for effective [discipline](/v1/docs/discipline-and-your-child) is **attention** - to **reinforce good behavior** and discourage others. - **Don’t spank, hit, slap, threaten, insult, humiliate or shame** to correct your child’s behavior. - **Provide opportunities** for your child to **safely explore** the world around them. - [Teach good behavior](/v1/docs/teaching-good-behavior). Have a few simple rules and **consistently respond** when your child follows or does not follow them. - CDC’s **Milestone Tracker** is a useful app (iOS and Android and on the web) to read about stages of your child’s development, for ages 2 months to 5 years. - **FREE** behavioral and **developmental assessments** are available. - **San Diego County** residents through the First 5 programs (888) 534-7785 or [First5sandiego.org](http://First5sandiego.org). - **Southern Riverside** residents through the **Healthy Steps Programs** (858) 966-8300 or [Healthysteps.org](http://Healthysteps.org). - Riverside and San Bernardino Counties are also served by Inland Regional Center (909) 890-4763. #### Nutrition **Mealtimes should be a pleasant time for the family.** - **Eat together** as a family. - **Turn off the television** during mealtimes. - Let your child decide **how much to eat**. - Think **“5210”** Every Day! - **5** or more servings of fruits & vegetables - **2** hours or less recreational screen time - **1** hour or more of physical activity - **0** sugary drinks, more water & low-fat milk - [Don’t overfeed your toddler](/v1/docs/overweight-toddler-preventing-over-feeding-and-over-eating). **Important Vitamins and Nutrients** - [Calcium:](/v1/docs/building-strong-bones) Builds **strong bones**. Commonly found in dairy products, sardines, broccoli, kale, and enriched orange juice. - [Vitamin D:](/v1/docs/vitamin-d-for-children-and-adolescents) Helps keep **bones strong** and supports **many body functions**. Most children’s multivitamins will contain the recommended 600 IU per day. Found in milk, yogurt, cheese, salmon, tuna, mushrooms, egg yolk, and fortified cereals. - [Iron:](/v1/docs/iron-rich-food-and-drink-options) **Keeps blood healthy, helping with growth and development.** Found in eggs, chicken, leafy greens, red meat, beans, and fortified grains like breads and cereals. **Food Assistance** - **2-1-1** is an organization that helps families **connect** with food assistance programs such as CalFresh, local and regional food banks, emergency food services, Women Infant Children (WIC) program and more. Contact them at [211sandiego.org/resources/food-assistance/](http://211sandiego.org/resources/food-assistance/) OR dial 2-1-1 from any phone. - Some families may **qualify for assistance** in purchasing food for children up to age 5. For more information on the WIC program please ask your doctor or contact WIC directly - **WIC San Diego** [http://sandiegowic.org/](http://sandiegowic.org/) 1-800-500-6411 - [**WIC Riverside**](https://www.ruhealth.org/wic) 1-800-472-2321 #### Reading and Electronic Media - **Read daily** to your child. - Use books to **talk together**. - **Ask your child questions** about the story or pictures. - Let them **“tell”** the story. - **Limit daily screen time t**o less than **2 hours** total. - Turn **off** screens at least **1 hour before bedtime** to help with better sleep. - Limit or **reduce media exposure** (including playing with electronic toys). #### Playing with Others - Children at this age often **play well** with other children. - They may enjoy having “**playdates**”. - **Encourage interactive games** with peers and help them understand the importance of taking turns. #### Toilet Training - Watch your child for clues that they are ready for toilet training - (staying dry, interest in potty, can pull pants up/down). - Praise success. Avoid punishment. Normalize accidents. - [Click here for more information.](/v1/docs/toilet-training) #### Physical Activity - Children younger than 6 years need **3 hours of activity every day.** - **Supervise all outdoor play**, especially near streets and driveways. - Help your child **build lifelong habits** for staying active, enjoying recreation, and learning healthy ways to compete. - **Support trying different activities** instead of focusing on just one sport. #### Sleep - 3 year olds need between **10-13 hrs of sleep** (including naps). - Set up a **quiet routine** before bedtime and be consistent. - If your child **wakes up** a lot at night or calls for you frequently, briefly r**eassure** them and put them back in their bed. - You can also get **additional information** regarding sleep from the Pediatric Sleep Council at [www.babysleep.com](http://www.babysleep.com). #### Healthy Teeth - **Brush** your child’s teeth **twice per day** with a soft bristled toothbrush and a small amount of fluoridated toothpaste. - Schedule **regular visits** with your child’s dentist. - **Limit** how much sweet and **sugary foods and drinks** your child gets. - Prevent [baby bottle tooth decay](/v1/docs/baby-bottle-tooth-decay-prevention) by never putting your baby to bed with a bottle and don’t let them carry the bottle around with them. - The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends applying **fluoride varnish** to kids' teeth every 3-6 months, starting when they get their first tooth until they are 5 years old. [Fluoride Varnish Information](/v1/docs/fluoride-varnish). - To find eligible Medi-Cal dental clinics near you: Call 1-800-322-6384 or visit [http://www.denti-cal.ca.gov/](http://www.denti-cal.ca.gov/) #### Safety - [Childproof your home](/v1/docs/childproofing-your-home). Go through every room remove anything that is either valuable, dangerous, or messy. - Foods that may cause [choking](/v1/docs/choking-prevention) should be **avoided until 5 years old.** These include nuts, peanuts, popcorn, pretzels, chips, large chunks of meat, hard candy, gum, whole grapes, raisins, hot dogs, raw vegetables, and spoonfuls of peanut butter. - **Cut their food into small pieces** and make sure anything you give your child is soft, easy to swallow and cut into small pieces. - [Learn first aid](/v1/docs/first-aid). - **Never leave your child alone in the car, house, or yard.** - Teach your child to **ask if it is OK** to pet a dog or another animal before touching it. - Continue to use a **5-point car safety seat** (not a booster seat) in the back seat. - **Check your smoke detector** to make sure it is working. - Keep a **fire extinguisher** in or near the kitchen. - Keep all **electrical appliances** out of the **bathroom or out of reach,** especially hair straightening and curling irons. - Turn your **water heater down to 120°F** (50°C). - Make sure **windows are closed** or have screens that cannot be pushed out. - **Do not allow your child to climb** on ladders, chairs, or cabinets. - **Lock doors** to dangerous areas like the **basement or garage**. - Make sure drawers, all furniture, televisions and lamps are **anchored to the wall** when possible and can't fall over. - **Hold your child's hand** when you are near traffic. - All family members should use a [bicycle helmet](/v1/docs/bicycle-helmets), even when riding a tricycle. - **Watch** your child constantly when they are around the bathtub, jacuzzi, pool or any other body of water outside the house. - **Protect your child from the sun** with clothing, a hat, other covering, and sunscreen of **15 SPF** or higher. - **Keep all medicines, vitamins, cleaning fluids, and other chemicals locked away**. - Keep the **poison center** number on all phones **1-800-222-1222 or 9-1-1**. - Even small amounts of [**lead**](/v1/docs/lead-is-a-poison) can **hurt** your child's health and **brain development**. - **Take away toys and jewelry** that could have **lead**. - Look up recalls on a website called [Consumer Product Safety Commission](https://www.cpsc.gov/). - **Remove guns** from the home. - If you do have a gun, **store it unloaded** and in a **locked** cabinet. - **Store ammunition in a separate location.** #### Immunizations - Immunizations **protect your child** against several serious, life-threatening diseases. - Before starting kindergarten your child will **need vaccinations**. - The recommended vaccines can be found at [www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/childhood-vaccines](http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/childhood-vaccines) and [https://publications.aap.org/redbook/resources/15585/AAP-Immunization-Schedule](https://publications.aap.org/redbook/resources/15585/AAP-Immunization-Schedule). - During flu season (August through March), it is recommended your child receive a **flu vaccine**. - You may give acetaminophen (Tylenol) or Ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil) if your child develops irritability or a fever of 101 F or higher. - For swelling or soreness, put a wet, warm washcloth on the area of the vaccines as often and as long as needed for comfort. - Do not give cold and cough medicine to children at this age. [Acetaminophen(Tylenol) Dosing](/v1/docs/acetaminophen-tylenol-dose-chart): - Give every 4-6 hours as needed for pain or fever (do not exceed more than 5 doses in 24 hours). - Pay attention to strength of medication. [Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) Dosing:](/v1/docs/ibuprofen-advil-motrin-dosage-table) - Give every 6-8 hours as needed for pain or fever. - Note that ibuprofen suspension comes in two different strengths. #### What to Expect at the 4 Year Old Visit - Bring your child’s immunization card to all visits. - We will discuss: - Caring for your child, your family, and yourself - Getting ready for school - Eating healthy - Promoting physical activity and limiting screen time - Keeping your child safe at home, outside, and in the car ## 📚 References This content was adapted from [HealthyChildren.org](https://www.healthychildren.org/) and [Bright Futures](https://www.aap.org/en/practice-management/bright-futures/bright-futures-family-centered-care/). Reviewed by SC MD, JW MD Patient Education Committee.