Child healthcare in Germany: U-exams, vaccinations and doctors

1. The official U1–U9 schedule

The G-BA defines ten examinations in the first six years. The stated windows matter for statutory coverage; tolerance windows exist but should not be treated as the normal booking window.

Book ahead and tell the practice if your child was premature; the official windows still apply while prematurity is considered when interpreting development.

2. The Gelbes Heft

The yellow examination booklet documents U1–U9 findings and screening participation. Bring it to appointments and keep it private: it contains medical information.

The booklet is not a substitute for discussing current concerns. Tell the clinician what has changed since the last examination.

3. Finding and using a Kinderarzt

Paediatric practices can have limited capacity, so contact several early. Confirm that the practice accepts your insurance and ask how acute appointments and out-of-hours cover work.

Bring the child’s eGK, Gelbes Heft, vaccination record, medication list and relevant discharge letters. Use a qualified interpreter for complex discussions where possible.

4. Vaccinations

STIKO publishes Germany’s current recommendations. The schedule can change as evidence and available products change, so this guide deliberately does not reproduce every vaccine dose.

Review the official calendar with the paediatric practice and document vaccinations in the Impfpass. Ask the clinician about catch-up schedules if records are missing or foreign.

5. Dental, vision, hearing and development

U examinations include age-appropriate developmental and sensory assessment, and newborn screening has separate components. Statutory dental prevention begins in early childhood under its own schedule.

If parents, childcare staff or teachers notice a concern, contact the Kinderarzt rather than waiting for the next routine U examination. Coverage and referral routes should be confirmed with the insurer.

6. Insurance and co-payments for children

Eligible children may be contribution-free through GKV family insurance. Children under 18 are generally exempt from statutory medicine co-payments, although coverage rules and exceptions still matter.

Optional services and non-prescription medicines may be self-paid. Ask before agreeing to a private service.

7. Urgent and emergency care

Contact the Kinderarzt for routine and acute care during opening hours. Use 116117 for urgent non-life-threatening help when practices are closed, and 112 for life-threatening emergencies.