Good Reads - For Parents

Your Child’s Health…

Starting school isn't the only sign that your child is growing up. Your child is physically stronger, slimmer and faster - definitely not a baby any more! You may notice your child's own developmental rate varies - a rapid growth spurt may be followed by a long period of minimal growth. As long as your doctor is happy with your child's overall progress, relax and accept that he is probably growing in exactly the right way for him. At this age, your child's body fat is redistributed and his legs grow longer, resulting in a much slimmer look. He is also gaining muscle mass and enjoys testing his strength through physical activity, running faster, jumping and throwing further. He can stand on one leg for longer periods now and can walk on a narrow beam. Depending on his gymnastic ability, he may be able to stand on his head and perform a handstand. He can also learn to ride a 2-wheeler bike. At this same time, your child also begins to develop attitudes and habits related to food and activity levels, sleep patterns, and TV viewing. A few tips and suggestions for parents that will aid development of healthy habits:-

Food Habits
Young children are known to pediatricians for being picky eaters. Much of the problem here is developmental. Children do not come prepared into the world to eat three nutritious meals per day. Their appetite varies widely throughout the day and from one day to the next. Their taste buds are not very refined, and they cannot appreciate subtle tastes, or unusual textures. Their interest in vegetables is slow to develop. The parent who understands this – that eating habits are likely to be bizarre in young children – can lower her expectations and frustration level. It is much more reasonable to expect a young child to eat one good meal and one poor meal each day and to skip the third meal. It is also more reasonable to hope the child eats different food items each week, and not at each meal. Serve breakfast to the child - Many children do not form the habit of eating breakfast. The child will gradually accept breakfast as a meal. Nutritional research demonstrates that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Children need to be encouraged and reminded about drinking adequate amounts of water. The overindulgent parent makes the mistake of thinking it is her responsibility of providing her child with a variety of foods. A child who is presented with various foods and who does not want to eat them is simply not hungry. After all, a child in a poor family who gets only one meal a day does not have the problem of a power struggle with her parent over her refusal to eat. Experienced parents know that when a child is hungry, he / she will eat. Furthermore, a child who is presented with too many choices is like the child with too many toys – he is overwhelmed. Having too much can be as stressful for children in some ways as having too little.

Dental Care
Children usually have about 20 milk teeth. Milk teeth begin to come through between the ages of 6 months and 1 year, and most children have all their baby teeth by their 3rd birthday. The first permanent teeth come through at about the age of six. By 14 years, 28 out of 32 teeth will have come through. Research suggests 85% of people believe they look after their teeth well BUT only 66% of people clean their teeth twice a day and nearly one-third adults have 12 or more fillings. Some foods like the chewing gum, toffees / chocolates (especially those that stick to the teeth), soft drinks (because of their acidic nature) are known to be detrimental to dental health. Many believe that dental health is not a priority as the milk teeth are likely to fall off. However, habits formed at this age are crucial and preferences and dependencies on certain foods are hard to break off.

Establish a bedtime routine
What if you have a three-, four-, or five-year-old who will sleep through the night once he gets to sleep, but it’s the getting to sleep that’s a problem? A soothing and consistent routine for bedtime is the most effective way of getting your child to go to bed without fuss. Fix the time when you want him to be in bed and make sure he knows it - even if he can't read the clock. Have a calm and unhurried routine leading up to bedtime. Not all children need the same amount of sleep. If your son says he's not tired, tell him he doesn't have to go to sleep but does have to stay in bed. Why not let him play in bed? It's a good opportunity to counter the effects of television and computer games. He'll fall asleep when he's tired although in the beginning, he may abuse this privilege and be sleepy and irritable the next day. Don't worry, just stick to the routine. He'll soon realize forcing himself to stay awake isn't a smart move. One can be creative and ingenious in developing the bedtime routine. Children may like reading books, singing songs, reciting prayers, arranging the stuffed animals in a special way, a glass of water by the bed, a silly good-night rhyme, telling stories in the dark, whatever. The important factor is that young children thrive on sameness, on routine, on structure. It makes their world safe and predictable.

Inculcate positive TV viewing habits
Your child wants to watch TV because TV is fun. It's not unhealthy to enjoy television but the trick is to make it a (minor) part of a range of activities. Too much TV can stunt his imagination, affect his physical fitness and limit his social skills. Parents can try and figure out why their child watches TV? Is he glued to the TV, or does he put the video on and walk away to play? Perhaps he likes the music. How often do you have the radio playing while you do something else? Put on the CD or cassette player for him instead. Set a good example and limit the amount of TV you and your other children watch. Never eat in front of the TV and try to make TV viewing a family activity. If the family is watching one programme and he wants to watch another, be firm; say 'no' and explain why. Distract him or take him into another room. He may be watching TV because he's bored. Find a distraction, and then turn the TV off. Don't leave it playing in the background while you do something else. Don't ban TV altogether. If your son loves television, use it to your advantage. He can learn a huge amount from television and it can spark his imagination. It doesn't have to be only nature and educational shows - use the programmes that he likes, to introduce ideas. Watch children's TV together, there will always be something to discuss.

Encourage your child to lead a physically active life
If children are active in their pre-school years, they are likely to become physically active adults as well. The goal at this age would not be to teach a child how to exercise but to help him enjoy physical activity. It is important that the child be allowed to engage in physically active play on a regular basis. This will provide the child with all the exercise he needs. Parents may demonstrate the value of lifetime fitness by following an exercise routine themselves. Parents may even discuss different sports and games, with an emphasis on enjoying these activities.

Medication and your child
Where medicines are concerned, it is important that children are given medications only after consultation with a certified doctor. One needs to be careful where dosages are concerned. The body size of the child is smaller in comparison to an adult, what we may think as ‘little’ or ‘just a small dose’ can have a relatively greater effect on the child. Whenever you are prescribed a medication, there are several important questions that you should consider asking your doctor the following questions:

What are the alternatives to the medicines prescribed?

When should the drug be given – just before meals, after, etc?

How should the drug be stored?

What should I do about missed or delayed doses?

How long before the drug starts to work?

When can I expect to see an improvement?

It is important to tell your doctor about all the prescriptions, vitamins, homeopathic medicines you currently use, especially if your doctor plans to give you a new prescription. Medicines that heal when taken alone may provoke serious side effects when combined with other drugs or herbs. Principles of health when laid down early in life pave the way to a healthy and productive life in later years.

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