Diet:
·
Offer a variety of healthy table foods diced into small pieces.
Let your child feed himself with fingers, soft fork, and spoon.
Let her get messy!
·
Avoid giving any large pieces of food, raw carrots or celery,
chips, popcorn, nuts, seeds, whole grapes, or hot-dogs that your
toddler may choke on.
·
Your toddler should drink 16-20 oz. of whole milk each day. Too
much milk can lead to picky eating and possibly iron-deficiency
anemia.
·
Put the milk in a “sippy” cup instead of a bottle. Do not put
your toddler to bed with a bottle of milk. There is preliminary
evidence that you should avoid #7 plastic bottles that contain
BPA. Choose plastics with #1, #2, #4.
·
Most toddlers do not need additional vitamins.
·
Offer 3 regular meals & healthy snacks. Make feeding time
happy. It is your child’s job to decide how much to eat and
even if to eat at all. A toddler’s diet is sporadic, think in
terms of a week instead of a day when counting vegetable, fruit,
and/or protein servings!
·
Do not give your toddler peanut butter or peanut products
without asking us before 3 years of age.
Average Diet
for Toddlers:
-Let your toddler experiment with a variety of foods
from each group by touching and mouthing them
- Your toddler may become pickier but do not limit the
menu to food he/she likes. You may have to offer a toddler a new
food several times before it may be accepted. Mealtime is an
activity that toddlers express their newly independent likes and
dislikes-this is normal.
·
Cereals
– Iron-fortified infant cereal (rice, mixed, barley, or
oatmeal); cooked or instant Cream of Wheat, oatmeal, Cheerios,
or other non-sugar-coated cereals
·
Fruits
–
Fresh, canned, or baked; small pieces of fruits according to
chewing ability – use unsweetened 100% juice fresh or from
concentrate. Try Avocado!
·
Vegetables
–
Fresh steamed or boiled, canned or frozen, refrain from raw
vegetables – offer vegetable soup
·
Meats/Poultry –
Boiled, roasted, broiled tender meats and poultry or served in
soups, use strained toddler meats as a sandwich spread – avoid
fried foods
·
Dairy
– Soft mild
cheeses (cottage, cream American, cheddar), pudding, yogurt,
margarine or butter
·
Starch –
Potato
(boiled, baked, or mashed), whole grain breads, crackers,
pastas, spaghetti with tomato sauce, macaroni and cheese, rice
cakes
·
Meat
Substitutes –
Macaroni and
cheese, cheese dishes served with milk, yogurt, beans, cottage
cheese
Sleep:
·
A
regular relaxing bedtime routine is very important to toddlers.
The average toddler sleeps 13 hours per day. It is normal for
your toddler to sleep more or less than the average. Most
toddlers take 1 nap at this age.
·
Prepare for a “new awakening”! Some children experience
nighttime awakening between 12-18 months. This is normal. Do not
give too much attention, a brief visit from you and reassurance
should be all that is necessary. Try to avoid offering a bottle,
food, or a trip back to bed with you as a means to get her back
to sleep.
Development:
(18-24 months):
·
Walks quickly, walks backwards, climbs into chair, runs, jumps,
dresses with help
·
May put 2 words together, uses about 50 words but understands
more, communicates with gestures, points to named body part or
object or to indicate wants, understands commands and the word
“No”
·
Uses spoon/fork, cup, scribbles, may imitate crayon strokes, and
stacks blocks
·
Likes to play with other children, plays pretend games, talks on
phone
·
Your toddler may show interest in a doll/stuffed animal by
hugging or pretend feeding. Your toddler may also show an
interest in helping around the house..give her a damp washcloth
and let her/him help out!
·
Your toddler may show spontaneous affection by laughing in
response to others’ actions.
·
Your toddler may explore alone in a larger environment but with
parent in close proximity.
·
Encourage your child’s speech. Talk to your child about
everything. Read to your child frequently-talk about and point
to pictures in books. Use the library. Books do not have to be
read..talk about the pictures or use simple words to describe
what is happening in the book. Words that describe emotions will
help your child learn the language of feelings. Children learn
so much
from
listening to their parents/caregivers’ speech!
·
Play games with sounds and words. Children love verbal
stimulation and encouragement.
·
The word “No” seems very important to your toddler. Do not
worry…the defiance and negativism of your 18 month old child are
merely assertions of your toddler’s independence.
Safety:
·
Burns, falls, choking, drowning and poisonings are the biggest
hazards in your toddler’s environment.
·
Toddlers are busy and are excellent climbers! Lock cabinets and
keep cleaners, medications, plastic bags, and small objects away
from your toddler. Secure blind cords and install 2nd
floor window gates. Erect wall mounted stair gates and cover
table corners.
·
Your toddler can drown in just a few inches of water, be careful
to lock your toilets, drain buckets, playpools, or other
standing water.
·
Keep your toddler away from hot stoves, fireplaces, irons, space
heaters…turn pan handles toward the back of the stove.
·
In case of accidental ingestion or poisoning or for free poison
prevention information, call the Illinois Poison Center at (800)
222-1222.
·
Use a properly fitted bicycle helmet if you take your toddler on
a bike ride.
Other Things to
Keep in Mind:
·
Use a small soft toothbrush with water to clean your toddler’s
teeth twice a day.
·
Use PABA-free sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher.
·
Have your toddler’s feet properly fitted in length and width,
buy flexible shoes.
·
The AAP recommends “no TV until age 2”.
Discipline/Temper Tantrums/Toilet Training
·
Be consistent. Praise good behavior. Avoid too many rules. Say
“No” then physically move your child from a dangerous
situation. Do not yell or spank. Be a good role model.
·
All children have tantrums at some time. It is their way of
expressing anger and frustration. Tantrums increase when your
toddler is tired, sick, or hungry.
·
Ignore attention-seeking tantrums – do not try to reason
with your toddler.
·
Use a time-out for a disruptive tantrum or for unacceptable
behavior, i.e. hitting.
·
Securely hold your toddler until he relaxes if there is
danger of injury.
·
A great reference for discipline is 1-2-3 Magic.
·
The average age for potty training is 30 months..begin the
journey by reading books, buy a potty and place it with your
toys.
Tests/Immunizations for Today:
·
Your child will be vaccinated against Hepatitis A and may have
other catch up vaccinations.
·
You will be given 2 developmental questionnaires to complete at
home and mail back to our office.
At the 2 year
check-up:
·
Your child may have a Hepatitis A vaccination.
·
Your child may have another test to detect lead in the blood.
·
Your toddler will have a physical examination and your questions
and concerns will be answered.
·
You will be given 2 developmental questionnaires to complete at
home and mail back to our office.
Acetaminophen
Dose:
Every 4-6 hours & no more than 4 doses/day
18-23 lbs= 120mg=1.2mL Infant drops OR
¾ tsp Children’s suspension
24-35 lbs= 160mg=1.6mL Infant drops OR
1 tsp Children’s suspension
OR Children’s Ibuprofen Dose:
Every 6-8 hours
18-23 lbs= 75 mg=1.875 mL Infant drops OR
¾ tsp Children’s suspension
24-35 lbs= 100 mg=2.5mL Infant drops OR
1 tsp Children’s suspension
Additional Instructions:
