When making the transition from breast milk or formula to solid food, most babies are ready to start solid foods while still using breast milk or formula at six months. Here are cues from MayoClinic.com to know when the transition should start:
- Can your baby hold his or her head in a steady, upright position?
- Can your baby sit with support?
- Is your baby interested in what you are eating?
2. What to do with a picky eater?
Children can become picky eaters for various reasons such as being more sensitive to smell, sight and texture and following parent's eating habits. You may have heard from other resources of the need to share responsibility between the parent and the child.
- The parent has responsibility to control what, where and when food is provided.
- The child has responsibility to decide how much and whether or not to eat the food.
The idea of sharing responsibility and other ideas can be found at UCSF Children’s Hospital’s webpage.
First try sharing the responsibility between you and your child and see what progress is made before incorporating other approaches.
3. When should I be concerned about my child's emotional health?
Parents often wonder if their child is going through a stage or if there is serious problem that needs to be looked into. Each child is different and the more you as a parent know about the child’s health and what usually occurs at specific ages, the better prepared you will be if help is needed.
Here are a few examples that will be a sign of a child possibly needing professional help from The Mental Health Association of Westchester:
- Falling behind in school or earning lower grades
- Repeated refusal to go to school
- Losing interest in friends or activities usually enjoyed
- Hyperactivity or fidgeting
- Persistent nightmares
- Depression, sadness or irritability
- Regular worry or anxiety
4. How can I prevent my child from becoming obese?
Obesity is increasing in all ages and that gives many parents the right to be concerned. Preventing obesity should be a family affair and you with your family can work on it to promote healthy lifestyles by changing habits. A healthy weight is achieved through a balance of exercise and healthy eating.
Additional tips from Medical News Today:
- Change your vocabulary to use words such as "activity" instead of "exercise"
- Limit the amount of TV watching and other activities that require sitting for long periods
- Limit the frequency of fast-food eating to no more than once per week
- Avoid using food as a reward or the lack of food as punishment
You as a parent can have a high influence on your child by setting a good example of being active. Remember that behavioral changes take time and work.
5. At what age should my child start exercising?
You should always be encouraging your child to be physically active. At a young age, the physical activity usually comes by playing. Encourage your child to play outside when weather permits and to be active in the house when weather does not permit. Plan family activities that allow everyone to be active and making physical activity a part of life.
6. What fruits and vegetables are the most important for my child?
Better Health Channel offers great advice for a child's diet and how and why to incorporate fruit and vegetables into their diet. There are not specific fruits and vegetables that should hold a precedence over others because all are equally important. The main focus on feeding your child should be to include a variety. Choose fruits and vegetables of different colors particularly yellow, green and red. To keep costs down buy those that are in season and frozen.
7. Should I have my child vaccinated?
This is a decision that requires research and it finally comes down to what you think is best. Here are a few reasons from the CDC website of the importance to vaccinated:
- Vaccinate to protect your child from preventable diseases
- Better to prevent a disease than to treat it
- A baby exposed to a disease may not be strong enough to fight it
- Immunizing individual children protects the community
A large amount of information can located on the CDC website and can answer more specific questions.
8. What are other ways to toilet train without using food as a reward?
Toilet training should not begin until both you and your child are ready. Your child is most likely ready when he or she can tell if their diaper is wet or when he or she says they need to go potty. Make the bathroom a positive environment and make the toilet special to them by letting them know that is their "chair."
Once your child is comfortable in the bathroom, talk positively to them and let them know of your praise when they do go to the bathroom in the toilet. Toilet training takes time, but create a positive environment instead of a place where they go to get treats.
For more advice visit Family Doctor.
9. How much food should I give my child?
A child's age, sex and activity level all determine the proportion size of food. There is no one size fits all. By sharing the responsibility of food with your child, if you provide the food, the child will inform you if they are still hungry.
Check out Kaboose for different age groups and food proportions or MyPyramid for an online calculator.
10. How can I promote personal hygiene?
Good hygiene should begin at a young age because it will be a habit that goes with them throughout life.
- Start brushing their teeth as soon as teeth appear
- Teach the principle behind good hygiene such as washing hands keeps them from getting sick
- Use positive reinforcements
Check out these printable materials in many hygiene areas to teach how to have good hygiene. Your child will have fun completing the activities and they will thank you later on in life for teaching them good habits.
