Some people might imagine a doctor’s appointment as an event when someone is sick or hurt. While these are valid reasons to go to the medical provider’s office, proactive appointments are important too. Regular checkups help the doctor to gauge the child’s health and development. During the visits, the doctor might even see a priority that otherwise wouldn’t have come to light. It is easier for the doctor to make any wellness treatment if required. A wellness checkup keeps the kid up thus far with vaccinations and also helps keep parents attentive to any physical, mental or emotional concerns.
The Benefits of Regular Wellness Visits for Children
Starting at age 5, children should have a wellness visit at the paediatrician’s or family doctor’s office once a year up until age 18. Doctors might want more frequent visits from children with certain health conditions like diabetes, cognitive difficulties or genetic disorders. From birth, parents must get regular check-ups of their children done. As an example, during the primary year of life, doctors recommend checkups every two to 3 months.
What to expect At the wellness visit, the doctor and other medical staff members will take the child’s vital signs. The doctor also will measure height and weight to work out the progress the kid has made. The doctor will conduct a physical examination of various organs of the child such as eyes, ears, mouth, nose and other internal organs. These visits are an opportunity for the parent to debate any behavioural or developmental problems the kid has.
Common Concerns and Questions About Child Wellness Visits
Some people may wonder why such annual appointments are necessary, especially if the kid looks healthy. A wellness visit will give the doctor a more in-depth study of the child’s health. Things that aren’t obvious to the mom and pop may become apparent to the doctor.
Self-Care Skills: Teaching Toddlers to Take Care of Themselves
Life skills go hand in hand with development and may help your child succeed later in life. Discover the superior essential life skills your child should know and ways to include them in your daily routine.
What are the foremost critical skills for kids to learn?
1. Focus and Self-Control: Children thrive on schedules, habits, and routines, which not only create a sense of security but also help children learn self-control and focus. Talk together with your child about what to expect daily. Organize your home so your child knows where to place shoes, coats, and private belongings.
2. Perspective-Taking: Puzzling over another’s point of view doesn’t come naturally to most kids, but it will be developed. Discuss characters’ feelings and motivations within the books you read.
3. Communication: Children need high-touch personal interactions daily to create healthy social-emotional skills, including the flexibility to grasp and communicate with others. While the pace at which they develop these skills may vary, children must find out how to “read” social cues and listen carefully. They have to consider what they need to speak about and therefore the best thanks for sharing it.
4. Making Connections: True learning, says Galinsky, occurs once we can see connections and patterns between seemingly disparate things. The more connections we make, the more sense and meaning we make of the planet.
5. Critical Thinking: We board a fancy world within which adults are required to research information and make decisions about myriad things each day. One of the simplest ways to make critical thinking is thru rich, open-ended play.
6. Taking over Challenges: One every of the foremost vital traits we can develop in life is that resilience being able to tackle challenges, recover from failure, and keep trying. Children learn to require challenges once we create an environment with the correct amount of structure not such a lot being limiting, but enough to create them feel safe.
Physical activities are just as important as any other thing, in your toddler’s life for general health and well-being. Any routine is simpler to accept in the early stages of development; once it becomes an essential part of your child’s way of life, they are more likely to stick with it. So you should integrate play-based activities that combine physical activity with your child’s interests and abilities.
The Importance of Physical Activity for Toddlers
Lack of physical activity in young children can lead to a number of health issues including undesirable weight gain or excess body fat, high blood pressure, and problems with bone health and strength, from a young age.
On the other hand, getting children moving at an early age has several advantages, like improving their fine and gross motor abilities, improving their sleep, and it also helps them in school by making them have a higher attention span.
Incorporating Physical Activities into Daily Routines
Walk: Begin with an easy activity; walking, and believe me your toddler is going to love it. Their balance, coordination, and even muscular development will all be improved. Additionally, strolling on grass is a wonderful method for children to develop a connection to nature.
Dance: Everyone loves dancing irrespective of their age, and so will your little one. Your toddler’s coordination and balance will also improve as a result of dancing, which also promotes the release of serotonin, the feel-good hormone.
Musical hide & seek: This game is where you play music on a phone while keeping it out of the kids’ reach. The kids and you can then search together to determine the source of the music. The toddlers will enjoy and move in this activity.
Hop & Jump: Hoping and leaping are excellent workouts to burn off excess energy, whether they are done on a play mat or a trampoline. It can take the place of a full-body warm-up and will assist your kids to get more energized for other activities.
Freeze dance: Play music so that youngsters can dance but they have to remain still whenever the song is paused. Kids will enjoy dancing, and they’ll also learn self-control techniques.
Getting Your Toddler Moving: The Benefits of Regular Physical Activity
Having healthy habits from the initial stages of a baby’s life makes them develop a healthy lifestyle, in the future. Now your toddler needs to develop a variety of habits, but some are more important for their well-being than others. And this article solely focuses on the habits that you as a parent should teach your toddler.
Wash hands: The best habit to develop is washing your hands, and this goes for adults and children. Explaining the significance of handwashing to your toddler is the first step you should take in teaching them the value of it.
Nurturing Healthy Eating Habits in Your Toddler
Fruits and vegetables in the meals: Children who consume fruits and vegetables at every meal fill up on the proper amounts of high-fiber, high-nutrient foods.
Cut back on added sugars: The average child consumes 10 teaspoons of added sugar each day, or 16% of their total calories. Keep it between 0-5%
Creating a Safe and Stimulating Environment for Your Toddler
Maintain healthy oral hygiene: Early instruction of twice-daily tooth brushing will help your toddler avoid cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease.
Choose whole grains: Whole-grain foods like whole wheat, brown rice, oats, and popcorn all provide fiber and B vitamins in addition to an energy boost.
Make sleep a priority: Your toddler needs a good 7-8 hours of sleep for physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
4 meals a day is a must: Children who are permitted to graze may have fewer appetites and an interest in trying new meals. They can go without food in between meals. They’ll be more hungry when it’s time to eat and will enjoy the filling meals.
Diversify protein source: A child’s diet should contain a variety of good sources of protein, including seafood, poultry, lean meat, eggs, dairy products, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds.
Make learning a habit: To keep your child cognitively stimulated from an early age, start soon by reading books to them and looking into early childhood education choices.
Drink water: Sweetened drinks can be preferred well by your toddler instead of water but they have been held accountable for a number of the health issues affecting kids, so sticking to water is a must too.
Toddler years are said to be a period of transformation; especially between 12-24 months, when your toddler is learning to consume table food and absorbing new tastes and textures. When your child was an infant, breast milk and formula were ideal, but now that they’re toddlers, it’s time for them to start obtaining what they need from a range of foods.
Recommended Food Groups for Toddlers: What Your Child Needs to Stay Healthy
Toddlers require between 1,000-1,400 calories per day, depending on their age, size, and amount of activity. And to provide your child with the required amount of nutritious diet, you must understand exactly what a healthy diet is, and today, we’re going to focus solely on that topic. Listed below are 5 must-need food items that you should add to your child’s diet.
Veggies and fruits:
You weren’t surprised to see it, were you? Well, that’s the thing, fruits and vegetables are must-needed items in your little one’s diet for proper nutrition. While if your little one is a picky eater and is more biased toward fruits, it’s fine! Children tend to favour fruit over many veggies because of the fruit’s inherent sweetness. But if it’s the vice-versa, then congratulations, mommy! No more tension for you.
Grains:
You should consume grains in about 25% of your diet. Pasta, rice, and bread fall into this category. And if your toddler is already in love with these, then it’s a win-win situation for you.
Eggs:
Eggs are an extremely nutritious, affordable, versatile, and delectable complete protein.
Lentils and legumes:
Most individuals don’t eat enough garbanzo beans, often known as chickpeas, which are inexpensive and flavorful. Red lentils are pleasant and simple to prepare, which I find youngsters really enjoy. In many dishes, ground beef can be replaced with puy lentils, other brown lentils, or black beans.
Fish:
Fish provides additional advantages besides being a good source of protein. Oily fish like sardines and mackerel are the richest sources of omega 3. Many children dislike “fishy fish.” Whitefish, on the other hand, has far less omega 3 but is typically more well-liked by children.
When your children are young, the dietary habits they develop will help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as adults. You can aid your kids in maintaining a healthy weight and regular growth by teaching them healthy eating habits and modelling those behaviours yourself. Portion control and reducing your child’s intake of fat and sugar are two of the most crucial components of a balanced diet.
But at the same time, you need to remember that, it’s crucial not to put your overweight child (or children) on a tight diet, though. Unless a doctor oversees one for medical reasons, children should never be put on a rigorous diet to lose weight.
The Importance of Variety: A Balanced Diet for Your Growing Toddler
Mentioned below are some approoaches that you can take for inculcating healthy eating habits in your toddlers.
Healthy Eating Habits Start Early: Setting a Good Example as a Parent
Make a range of wholesome foods readily available in the home. Your kids will benefit from this exercise as they learn how to make nutritious eating choices. Keep unhealthy options like soda, chips, and juice at the store.
During meal time, everyone sit together:
Children pick healthy foods and acquire proper table manners when their family eats together. They’ll gradually begin to pick up on dining customs.
Set aside a space for dining:
Either at the table or in the kitchen because like that you’ll spare your kids countless calories from needless snacking as they watch TV or other electronic devices.
Let your little one pick what they want to eat:
Even if your little one is a fussy eater they should be allowed to choose what they want to eat. And it’s fine if they just select one or two items; you can not and should not compel them to eat something they don’t wish to.
The Role of Snacking: Healthy Options and Moderation
Keep in mind that you are responsible for the food that enters your home. Your kids will automatically consume more fruits, veggies, whole grains, and dairy products if there are fewer junk foods available.
Toddler Psychology: Understanding Your Child’s Emotions and Needs
A toddler is defined as the “one who toddles,” thus as soon as your child stands up unassisted, even hesitantly, they qualifies as a toddler. The majority of specialists place the toddler years between 1 and 2 years of age. Many new abilities, including walking, talking, using the restroom, socializing with peers, and developing independence, can be learned during these years of transition.
Disciplining Your Toddler: Effective Techniques and Strategies
The first step includes abilities like the first walk, the first smile, and the first “bye-bye” wave. Toddlers develop these skills in their play, learning, speaking, behavior, and other movements
Your child moves around more and becomes more aware and curious of their environment as part of the second step. In this stage, toddlers become more independent, start to act defiantly, identify themselves in mirrors or photographs, and start to imitate the actions of others, particularly adults and older kids. Additionally, toddlers are able to recognize the names of well-known people and objects, put simple words and phrases together, and follow simple commands.
What should I do if my toddler’s development concerns me?
It’s important to have a pediatrician who is looking for developmental issues as early as 3 or 6 months of age if you have concerns that your toddler isn’t developing the skills they should be or if they’re slower than other children their age. Early diagnosis and intervention are essential for preventing more serious issues with some developmental delays and illnesses. Also make sure to find a nearby early intervention facility to assess your child’s gross motor development, fine motor development, speech and hearing ability, etc.
How can I stop my toddler from acting out?
You need patience while dealing with a toddler. You can not lash out at your toddler and expect them to obey you happily. Indirectly, they are telling you that you have no control over them when they engage in “poor” behaviors like tantrums, backtalk, attitude, and refusal to cooperate. Spending more time with your child and teaching them new abilities can make a toddler feel more connected and in charge, which can reduce misbehavior.
Consultant – Paediatrician and Neonatologist at Motherhood Hospital Kharghar, Mumbai
A newborn often cries and fusses, particularly during the first three months. But when a much older and healthy baby cries or fusses for longer, i.e. more than 3 hours a day and three days a week, one can suspect it to be colic. Colic in newborn can be recognized by noticing the patterns in its crying.
Quick Fact: Colic can affect up to 30% of babies as people often neglect or misunderstand it.
What is Colic treatment?
Colic can cause stress for new parents due to the constant crying. Colic is something which shouldn’t be overlooked and should be treated or managed.
These specific steps can be implemented to reduce the crying of a newborn as to have colic, such as:
Holding the baby: Holding your baby in different ways can also help with infantile colic. You can try holding the baby across the arms of your lap and applying a gentle massage near their ribcage region. It is possible that your baby may have gas or abdominal pain , so doing so might help them feel relief from constant pain. You can also try rocking the baby in your arms in a swing like motion.
Comforting: You can act as a comforter for the baby by trying different movements like skin-to-skin contact, swaddling or singing for the baby. You can also try giving a warm bath, massage, and pacifier.
Visiting a Paediatrician: You can also visit a paediatrician to ensure your medications are safe for the baby. Besides, if you are using baby formula, you may have to opt for a different brand without having to change feeding patterns.
Feeding: What you consume can affect your baby as well. It is better to keep a track of what you eat. Avoid foods like caffeine, as they can act as stimulants and may cause allergies as well.
What are the signs and symptoms of colic?
The common signs and symptoms of colic are:
Crying intensively
Crying continuously without any reason, like hunger , fever
Extreme fussiness
Skin flushing
Tensed body like arched back, tense abdomen or stiffened legs and arms
What causes colic and how is colic diagnosed
There are no apparent reasons that cause colic.. However, there can be some potential factors that can result in colic, as:
Underdeveloped digestive system
Lack or imbalance of healthy bacteria
Food intolerances
Food allergies
Overfeeding
Infrequent Burping
Possibility of early childhood migraine
Colic can be diagnosed by your healthcare provider such as a paediatrician by simply noticing the frequency or pattern of symptoms.. Keeping track of when your baby eats, sleeps, its bowel movements and how often they cry can help in diagnosing the problem.
Can colic be prevented or avoided?
It is best to visit a paediatrician or child specialist to rule out any underlying reason for your crying baby. Once you are sure about it, you can adopt some techniques to cope with it in your day-to-day life such as:
Try moving or swaddling your baby
Keep your baby close
Wrap him for relaxation
Allow your baby to cry for a while when nothing goes your way.
Conclusion
Although it might seem like a bit too much, keeping a track of your baby’s daily routine can help analyse where the colic problem is erupting from.
At Motherhood Hospitals, we have a team of experienced super specialists backed by the latest in infrastructure and facilities. We have the best Neonatal specialists in Kharghar, Mumbai. Our Neonatology Department has expert neonatologists, paediatricians, paediatric surgeons, and nurses that are trained in new-born care.
Do take an appointment with the top Neonatal hospital in Kharghar, Mumbai. Meet our doctors, who will do the necessary investigations, identify the problem, and suggest the most appropriate treatment, enabling you to lead an active life.
Author – Dr. Anurag Jain MBBS, Fellowship in Neonatology (IAP), MD (Pediatrics)
Consultant – Paediatrician and Neonatologist at Motherhood Hospitals, Indore
Are you a parent? If yes, do you know you can influence your child’s development to a greater extent? The influence and support of parents can bring about the personal and moral development of a child. Parents are the first educators of their children whereupon they can bring out the best in them along with nurturing their growth and development. Therefore, it is vital for every parent to get involved with their children, and enhance their development.
Quick fact:
Family involvement improves student success, irrespective of class, or parents level of education.
The need to get involved
When a parent gets involved with their child, it means he/she is committed to actively participate in the activities and phenomenon that surround their children. This comprises many activities that can require the support and helping hand of a parent in making the learning process more flexible. The early years of children are the most important as growth and cognitive development occurs in this phase, where its impact renders throughout the life. When a parent takes the course of getting involved with his child, the extent of learning is broadened beyond other learning platforms, like preschool curriculum.
Besides, when a child is learning from his parents he usually develops a positive approach towards other things. The act of learning is a continuous process where the daily communication between the parents and children makes an environment for learning while enjoying and participating every day for better outcomes along with fostering a way towards self-discipline.
Child development through your involvement
The biggest outcome that you can expect from it is that a positive relationship is established between parents and children where affection along with support tends the positive growth and development of a child. While physical and mindful development is always there, the jovial relationship in life can help children build a positive network around them where they can connect with people out of comfort, and enhance their communication skills, which can further lead to active results. When a parent spends time with their child along with conferring various activities like reading out to them, asking them to help out with things etc., it creates a way for enhancing the skills and carving them out. It has also been seen that involvement of parents has healthier results than children whose parents hardly get involved with them. The communication between parents and children leads to enhanced skills for sharing emotions and help in getting rid of the negative ones. Health aspect is another feature that requires the involvement of parents where a parent can consult some best paediatric doctors, and enquire about the nutritional status that their children must intake. If you are sightseeing best pediatricians or pediatric specialists, Motherhood hospitals hold an eminent position in dispensing the best services in paediatrics.
Tips for parents
To encourage the parent involvement, here are some tips that are beneficial in the process:
Try to communicate: Communication on a regular basis is the key for getting to know about your child and proceed in a better way towards his development. While communicating, ask some questions as well from the caretakers or teachers at school to know about the areas your child is going great or needs improvement.
Attend some activities: A child is naturally attracted to the art of playing, and when you as a parent get involved in playful activities, you are able to establish a positive relationship.
Plan some educational trips: Trips can be really exciting for children, and if you take them around to some learning places where they can have fun along with learning, like zoos, it provides the opportunity to learn and apply the knowledge they are gaining.
Home based learning: If you try to sing rhymes along with your children or create some instruments at home that piques their interest, it can guide them to better understanding. Besides cooking with your child and narrating some interesting stories can help in establishing a proper diet for them so they obtain health and nutrition as well.
What type of diseases do the vaccines for children cover?
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Rotavirus
Diphtheria
Tetanus
Acellular pertussis
Haemophilus influenzae
Polio
Pneumococcal disease
Measles
Mumps
Rubella
Varicella
Influenza
Ingredients of the modern day vaccines:
Today vaccines make use of certain ingredients like –
Adjuvants that boost the body’s response
Stabilizers that keep vaccines effective after being manufactured.
Formaldehydes are used to prevent contamination by bacteria
Thimerosal used in the manufacturing process.
Do you know that certain vaccines protect the babies before birth?
Yes, babies receive antibodies during pregnancy from the vaccines their mothers had. For example, the measles vaccine protects the baby in the womb for a short time span. However, this protection wears off after a certain time and is thus injected again when they are 12-18 months old. Babies get the shots at this age to keep them protected from measles and two other diseases.
How do the vaccines work?
Vaccines spark the immune response to specific diseases. So, the next time that the virus Or bacteria invades your body in the future, your immune system will already know how to fight it. Thus, the body is now ready to fight infections more efficiently.
Vaccines form a significant part of baby health. The infants bear a weak immune system. They need vaccines to strengthen immunity. It is thus highly recommended that you ensure that your child is fully vaccinated in the early stages of life.
At Motherhood Hospitals, we have a team of experienced super specialists backed by the latest in infrastructure and facilities. We have the best Neonatologist who are experts providing optimum state-of-the-art care for critically ill, as well as recovering, neonates and infants.
Do take an appointment with the best Neonatology hospital at a centre closest to you. Meet with our doctors who will carry out the required investigations, diagnose the issue and recommend the most appropriate treatment, enabling you to lead an active life.
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