Toddler Lessons

Welcome to Month 34 (Week 1) of Parenting Your Toddler!

A little while ago, I told that sinus infections are rare in babies under 1 year. Now that your child is a toddler and their sinuses are better developed, sinusitis is more of a possibility. Although sinus infections aren’t super common in toddlers, they’re still something to keep on your radar. 

One key sign of a sinus infection is a stuffy nose (or a dry cough) that refuses to clear up and may, in fact, be getting worse. Snot that turns green is another red flag (although not all green snot is sinusitis).

Get Wise below about sinusitis and how it’s treated.

Sinusitis is an infection of the sinuses.

Sinus infections occur when fluid (read: snot) sits in the sinuses for too long and gets infected by either bacteria or a virus. For this reason, sinusitis often follows a cold or a runny nose due to allergies.

If a virus infects the fluid, the patient will develop “viral sinusitis.” If bacteria are to blame, they’ll develop “bacterial sinusitis.”

Sinuses are the air-filled cavities in our skull & face bones. Here’s a picture of where the different sinuses are located:

Insider Info: A person’s sinuses aren’t fully developed until their late teen years.

A child has a low-grade fever at the beginning of their cold. The fever goes away, but the nasal congestion and cough continue. Suddenly the child spikes a new, high fever 5-6 days after the first fever. This second fever suggests that a brand-new infection (in this case, bacterial sinusitis) has developed.

Insider Info: The new fever can also be a sign of pneumonia. Therefore, call the doctor if your child experiences any new fevers after having a cold for a while. The doc will want to examine your child to determine the source of the fever.

Sinusitis is usually a “clinical diagnosis,” meaning it’s based on the child’s symptoms.

As mentioned above, the symptoms of a runny nose and/or cough must be present for at least 10 days (without signs of improvement) for a diagnosis of sinusitis to be made.

If the case is complicated OR the child doesn’t seem to be getting better with treatment, the doctor may order an X-ray or a CT scan of the sinuses to obtain additional info.

When diagnosing a child with (bacterial or viral) sinusitis, doctors take into account how long the symptoms have been present and if they recur. They then use this information to determine which subtype the sinusitis falls into. The 4 different subtypes of sinusitis are:

Double Take: It can be hard to tell bacterial sinusitis and viral sinusitis apart. Even though viral sinusitis is more common than bacterial sinusitis, doctors tend to err on the side of caution and put kids on antibiotics if the symptoms have been going on for 10+ days and are interfering with the child’s quality of life.¹

If your child develops chronic sinusitis (i.e. sinusitis that lasts more than 3 months despite treatment) OR recurrent sinusitis (multiple bouts of sinusitis), the pediatrician will probably refer them to an allergist or to an ENT (an ear, nose, and throat doctor).

Why? Because these specialists are pros at figuring out whether a never-ending (or always returning) case of sinusitis is due to an allergy or to a structural problem in or around the nose (such as a nasal polyp) that needs to be treated.

Although sinusitis isn’t very common in toddlers, it can occur. Call the doctor if your child has a runny nose that persists for 10 (or more) days OR if they spike a new fever 5-6 days after the start of a cold. 

“What is a home
without children?
Quiet.”

~Henny Youngman

And…That’s a Wrap!

Welcome to Month 33 (Week 4) of Parenting Your Toddler!

When it comes to seeing dogs on the street, toddlers typically fall into one of two camps. Members of the first camp run up and hug their new furry friend, while kids in the second camp shrink back in fear. To help your child get to a healthy and happy place with dog encounters, Get Wise about the Top 5 Dog Safety Tips below. We’ll also discuss how to keep a child safe with a pet dog at home.

Regardless of whether your child loves or fears dogs, it helps to know the following tips for promoting safe dog encounters on the street. Note: You’re probably already doing most of these, but a refresher never hurts.

Appearances can sometimes be deceiving with dogs (as they can be with people). For example, a harmless-looking white fluffy dog may be a biter, whereas a giant Newfoundland may be a cuddler.

Teach your child to ask the owner if they can pet the dog first (so they don’t “come in too hot” and stress the dog out).

Instead of letting your child greet a dog with a giant hug, teach your little one to extend their hand so the dog can sniff it. It helps if you do this first, to gauge how friendly the dog is to strangers.

Toddlers can throw dogs off with their tornado-like energy. Teach your child to adopt a more sloth-like vibe around dogs. You can role-play this at home.

Just because a greeting starts off well doesn’t mean it’s going to end well. Alert your child to the signs that a dog is getting sick of them. Examples include growling and jumping up.

When you meet a dog on the street, it helps to channel your inner Morgan Freeman and start narrating what’s going on around you. For example, you can say, “Look, the dog is wagging his tail, I think he’s happy.” If things start to go south, you can say, “It looks like the dog is getting a little jumpy, maybe we should let him continue with his walk.”

Bonus Tip: Inform your child that it’s not safe to pet a dog through a fence. Only dogs on leashes are fair game.

Kids who have pet dogs are typically more outgoing with dogs on the street than kids without pet dogs. This can be a double-edged sword, however. 

Why? Because not every dog is as friendly as the pet dog at home.

As you probably already know, neither dogs nor children can be fully trusted. Keep an eye on both of them when they’re in a room together. 

Almost nothing is more fun for a toddler than pulling a dog’s tail or trying to ride a dog like a horse. Your dog may be totally chill and not mind, but most dogs aren’t a fan of these games.

Teach your child to give your dog a treat by keeping their palm flat and their fingers together. Dogs can accidentally bite fingers that are shoved into their mouths.

Although games of chase are fun, they can set up a predator-prey dynamic and be hard to control. Instead of teaching your child to run away from dogs, encourage them to stand their ground and ask for help when they need it.

Most dogs don’t like to be bothered when they’re eating or playing with a favorite toy. Teach your child to recognize when your dog needs a break.

Some children develop a phobia of dogs (fancy name: cynophobia), especially if they’ve had a bad experience with one. This phobia can persist into adulthood if it’s not addressed early on.

If you find your child’s fear of dogs frustrating (which is a common sentiment in parents), try to put yourself in their shoes. Children often get freaked out because they’ve either been knocked over by a huge dog, had a dog bark at them in a menacing way, or been bitten by a dog.

A child will often take that single experience and generalize it to ALL dogs. If you think about it, this “flight” response is how humans have survived over the centuries. Our ancestors would see a threat (think: a woolly mammoth), generalize that threat, and avoid it at all costs. The trick is to teach your child to slowly override this fear response & soothe the (primitive) part of their brain that says, “Get me the hell out of here.”

Although small dogs can be nippy and yappy, at times, find a relatively calm one and start there. Why? Because your child will probably find a small dog less intimidating than a big dog.

Puppies are small and cute, but they tend to be spazzes. They have sharp teeth and like to nip, which is a double negative. Therefore, seek out small, adult dogs, initially.

Pretend to be a dog and have your child practice dog greetings. Or use a stuffed-animal dog. Make the game fun and low-key.

Borrow from the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy (a type of therapy that’s used to treat anxiety and phobias) and start with small, attainable goals. For example, instead of throwing your child into a room full of scary-looking dogs, determine your end goal (think: petting a dog) and string a series of baby steps together to reach it.

To achieve the “petting a dog” goal, start by buying a small stuffed-animal dog and do some role-playing with it. Then walk past a dog on the opposite side of the street. After that, work on passing a dog on the same side of the street. If your child gets spooked by any one of these goals, go back to the goal before it. Through these repeated (and manageable) exposures, your child will become increasingly desensitized to dogs.

Get a Dog and Train It: Okay, this tip may appear to contradict the first tip (“Don’t Force It”), but sometimes a full-immersion program is the way to go. If you go this route, make sure that your child is involved every step of the way (i.e. they help pick out the dog, have a role in naming the dog, and go shopping for dog supplies). It helps to get a dog that’s a bit older (i.e. not a crazy puppy) and that’s well-trained (or can be trained quickly).

In case you’re on the fence about getting a pet dog, know that there are many scientifically proven benefits to having a dog. For example, dogs tend to make people happier, healthier (i.e. to have fewer allergies), more social, and less stressed.¹

Teach your child to be safe when they encounter a dog on the street or when they play with a pet dog at home. 

“Children are not things to be molded
but are people to be unfolded.”

~Jess Lair

And…That’s a Wrap!

Welcome to Month 37 (Week 4) of Parenting Your Toddler
(And the Final PediaGuide Article for This Age Group!)

When you’re deep in the trenches of parenthood, it’s easy to get mired in the details and lose sight of the big picture. Since this is the final Toddler PediaGuide article, we’ll take the long view and provide a summary of what will happen after the three-year checkup in terms of visits with the pediatrician, immunizations, growth, nutrition, sleep, dental care, and development.

Get Wise about what’s on the horizon, below.

At this point, your child is ready to transition to yearly checkups. This means the next visit (after the 3-year checkup) will be the 4-year checkup. At the 4-year checkup your child will (most likely) receive immunizations and may also undergo a hearing screen and a vision screen with the eye chart.

Note: Practices vary in terms of when they do the initial vision and hearing screens.

Welcome to Month 37 (Week 1) of Parenting Your Toddler!

As your child explores the great outdoors, they’re likely to come face to face with different bugs. Many parents worry about bee stings and want to know if their child is allergic to bees and if they should carry an EpiPen (a type of injectable epinephrine) “just in case.”

Although bee stings are a big deal for some (think: life-threatening allergic reactions), most people (roughly 97% of the population) don’t react to them in a big way.¹ Because of this, doctors don’t (usually) tell parents to carry an EpiPen unless their child has a documented bee allergy (or another severe allergy). The doctor may change their tune, however, if you’re traveling to a remote place with your child (think: a deserted island) where a bunch of bees reside.

Get Wise below about bug bites and insect allergies.

Although insect bites and stings can be annoying (and painful), they don’t usually cause any “big” or long-lasting problems.

1. Determine Whether Your Child is Having an Allergic Reaction. Signs of an allergic reaction include hives (itchy welts that pop up on the skin), lip swelling, and trouble breathing. If the allergic symptoms are limited to hives, go to the next step.

If your child develops lip swelling and trouble breathing, call 911 and give them a dose of injectable epinephrine (if you have an EpiPen or another form of injectable epinephrine on hand). If you don’t have injectable epinephrine at home, just call 911. In this case, the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) will administer the epinephrine. Get Wise(r) about How to Manage a Severe Insect Allergy below.

2. If Your Child Develops Hives (Without Breathing Problems and Lip Swelling) Call the Doctor. The doctor will probably want to see your child in the office. They may also tell you to give your child an anti-histamine (such as Benadryl) to combat the allergy symptoms.

Heads Up: Benadryl is typically reserved for children 2 years & older when it’s used for (minor) allergic reactions. When it’s used for colds, it’s often limited to kids 6 years & older (unless the doctor says otherwise).

3. If Your Child Was Stung By a Bee, Look for the Stinger. If you find it, pull it out with tweezers. If you can’t see it, run a credit card over the skin. The stinger will snag on the card, making it easier to find.

4. If the Reaction to the Bug Bite or Bee Sting is Mild, Wash the Area and Apply Ice.

5. If the Bug Bite is Itchy, Apply a Topical Anti-Itch Medication Like Benadryl Cream or Calamine Lotion.

6. Give Your Child Tylenol or Ibuprofen as Needed for Comfort.

7. Be on the Lookout for the Development of “Secondary Infections,” Like Cellulitis.

Cellulitis is a skin infection that’s caused by various bacteria (i.e. different types of staphylococcus and streptococcus). The most common culprit is Group A Streptococcus (fancy name: Streptococcus Pyogenes). Group A Strep (also known as GAS) is the same bacterium that causes strep throat.

Cellulitis typically starts off innocently with a small break in the skin (such as a cut or an insect bite) that often goes unnoticed. Bacteria then slip through this breech in the skin, causing an infection.

Insider Info: Cellulitis typically takes a few days (or more) to develop.

The infected skin (surrounding the cut or bug bite) becomes red, warm, swollen, and tender to the touch.

See the redness and swelling on the hand in the pic above?

Cellulitis can spread across the affected body part fairly quickly. Therefore, caregivers need to be on their toes and call the doctor if the redness starts to expand.

PediaTip: If your child has cellulitis and you notice that the red area is enlarging, outline the redness with a pen. This is what doctors do in the clinic and in the hospital.

Why? Because it’s much easier to “show” how the redness spreads than to describe it or measure it with a ruler.

Oral antibiotics are the treatment of choice for mild to moderate cases of cellulitis. More severe cases require IV antibiotics.

As mentioned above, kids have different responses to bug bites and insect stings. Almost everyone is sensitive to mosquito bites and, as a result, will develop a red, itchy bump from them. Some people are also allergic to bees, wasps, and fire ants. These allergic reactions run the gamut from mild redness to full-blown anaphylaxis.

A mild bee sting, for example, is characterized by a sharp burning pain and a red welt at the site. Anaphylaxis, on the other hand, is a severe allergic reaction that causes tongue swelling and trouble breathing.

If a child develops signs of anaphylaxis, they need an EpiPen injection (or other form of injectable epinephrine) ASAP to reverse it.

An EpiPen is a prescription-only, brand-name auto-injector that contains epinephrine. It’s a potentially lifesaving device that can reverse the effects of anaphylaxis.

Note: Although an EpiPen is the most commonly talked about form of injectable epinephrine, it’s not the only game in town. There are several other options on the market, as well. Examples include AUVI-Q, Adrenaclick, Symjepi, and generic forms of epinephrine. There’s even a new FDA-approved nasal spray form of epinephrine called Neffy.

Get Wise about how to use an EpiPen (and other forms of injectable epinephrine) here.

Most insect bites and stings don’t cause a major reaction. If your child does develop a severe allergy to an insect bite or sting, their doctor will arm you with an EpiPen (or another form of epinephrine). In the meantime, you can teach your child how to avoid the insect they’re allergic to. For example, if your child is allergic to bees, you can show them where popular bee hang-out spots are (think: flowers and sweet beverages such as lemonade) and instruct them to never swat at a flying insect.

“I’m not a superhero,
but I have talked someone whose
mac n’ cheese was too cheesy and
whose water was too watery off the ledge,
and that’s pretty much the same thing.

~Sammichespsychmeds.com 

And…That’s a Wrap!

Welcome to Month 37 (Week 3) of Parenting Your Toddler!

Headaches are rarely seen in toddlers and preschoolers. However, when kids reach the elementary school years, headaches become a more common complaint (and are sometimes used as an excuse to get out of going to school).

So why talk about headaches if they’re so uncommon in toddlers and preschoolers? Because they can happen in this age group and should always be checked out by a doctor if they do occur (even though the cause of the headache will most likely be benign). Get Wise about headaches in toddlers below.

The prevalence of headaches in kids increases with age. For example, only 3-6% of 3-year-olds get headaches, whereas a whopping 90% of adolescents have had at least one.¹ Still, researchers suspect that even infants get headaches and that colic might be a sign of a migraine “coming on” in some cases.

Determining the cause of headache pain in toddlers and preschoolers can be tricky because they often have trouble articulating exactly where their pain is coming from and what it feels like. Instead of saying their “head hurts,” young children may cry, rock back and forth, or hold their heads in their hands.

Headaches in children are usually caused by the same things that cause headaches in adults. Stress (tension headaches), poor vision, inadequate sleep, and dehydration are common culprits. In addition, doctors are always on the lookout for infections (such as meningitis), which are uncommon, and brain tumors, which are super rare.

PediaTip: If you’re worried that something sinister is going on, definitely let the doctor know. They can address your fears and either reassure you (the most likely scenario) or focus on ruling out a more serious cause of the headache.

Most headaches are diagnosed clinically (based on the child’s symptoms). The physical exam, especially the “neuro” exam (short for neurological exam), provides a lot of info as well.

During the neuro exam, doctors perform a series of non-invasive tests to make sure their patient’s nervous system is functioning properly. Examples of these tests include using a reflex hammer (to assess the child’s reflexes) and shining a light in their eyes to see how the pupils react.

Insider Info: Most headaches do NOT require imaging, a spinal tap, or lab work to figure out the diagnosis.

If the headache is chronic (rather than acute), the doctor may ask the parents to keep a “headache diary” for their child. A headache diary helps keep track of when the headaches occur, what they feel like, and what makes them better or worse.

PediaTip: Remember to avoid giving aspirin to children under 18 years of age (unless it’s prescribed by a doctor).

Why? Because aspirin can cause Reye Syndrome, a disease that affects the liver and the brain.

Ibuprofen is a good option for managing headaches in kids 6 months and older because it has both anti-pyretic (fever-reducing) and anti-inflammatory properties. Get the doctor’s approval before giving it, though.

Headaches aren’t a common complaint in toddlers and preschoolers. This is partly because young kids have trouble localizing their pain and articulating what’s bothering them. If your toddler does complain of a headache (“head hurt”) or you suspect they have a headache, call the doctor.

“If your kids are giving you a headache,
follow the directions on the aspirin bottle,
especially the part that says ‘keep away from children.’”

~CommentVousDire

And…That’s a Wrap!

Welcome to Month 37 (Week 2) of Parenting Your Toddler!

Although kids can be honest to a fault, they also enjoy telling “tall tales” (the PC term for lies). Children have vivid imaginations and tend to blur fantasy and reality until age 7, so fibbing isn’t usually intentional when it’s done at a young age.

Still, what’s a parent to do when their child tells a big whopper?

Get Wise about how to manage your budding Pinocchio, below.

Between 2-7 years, kids often engage in “magical thinking.” Magical thinking means they truly believe in their fantasy worlds and think adults are crazy if they don’t believe in them too. Around 7 years of age, kids shift to a more concrete, logical way of thinking. While they may not completely leave lying behind at this stage, they become more aware of when they do it on purpose.

As kids get older, they often lie because they’re ashamed of the truth or because they don’t want to get into trouble. So, try to figure out your child’s motivation for lying. Are they fearful of the consequences? Seeking attention? Or just being silly?

Lies can trigger big reactions in parents. If you have a dramatic emotional response to your child’s lying, they may lie even more.

Why? Because kids love attention, even if it’s negative.

Therefore, try to dial down the intensity of your reaction to your child’s lies.

For example, if your child tells a “white lie,” give them a knowing look and move on.

For bigger transgressions, give your child the time and space to come clean (instead of jumping down their throat). If they continue to lie, you can say a word or two about the importance of being honest, or just say one word (such as “honesty”) to get your point across.

Some kids just need to get their creative “stories” out of their heads and into the world. As your child gets older, you can ask them if they’re telling a “fact” or a “fiction” story. Once your kiddo lets you know which type of story they’re going with, nod and let them continue.

Try to be as honest as possible with your child and other family members even if it feels easier to lie at times. For example, avoid telling your child they won’t get any shots at the doctor’s office if you know that they will.

Role-play different scenarios with your child so they know how to choose the “hard right over the easy wrong” in different situations. For example, pretend to draw on the wall and then look sheepish when your child “confronts” you. Ask your child what you should do (tell the truth or not?). Keep the scenarios short and simple. If your child has no idea what you’re talking about, table the role-playing on this subject until they’re older.

It’s not uncommon for parents to say, “Don’t tell Daddy” or “Let’s keep this a secret” if something naughty transpires. Avoid these “white lies,” though, as much as possible.

Why? Because they add an unnecessary layer of secrecy to your family life.

If your child is honest about a mistake they’ve made, praise the honesty and skip the punishment when possible. This will send your child the message that although mistakes aren’t necessarily celebrated, being truthful about them is.

Try not to get into the weeds with your child by debating the “facts of the case.” For example, if you saw your child grab a toy from their brother, but they deny it, describe what you saw and move on. You don’t want to have to argue with a toddler about who’s right.

If your child lies, don’t assume they have no soul. Instead, have faith that they’ll figure it out. For example, you can say, “I know you’ll do the right thing.” As Lady Bird Johnson said, “children are likely to live up to what you believe of them.” ² 

Lying is a fairly common practice in kids, and it doesn’t mean they’ll grow up to be compulsive liars or sociopaths. Practice the tips above to minimize lying in your household and remember to applaud honesty and allow for mistakes (so your child doesn’t lie about them out of fear or shame).

“I love it when I find myself screaming
‘STOP SCREAMING’ at my kids.
That’s how I teach them irony.”

~@motherhoodandmore

And…That’s a Wrap!

Welcome to Month 36 (Week 3) of Parenting Your Toddler!

As your toddler learns to express themselves, you may find that some of their phrases are less savory than others.

Get Wise about how to manage “bad language,” below.

Getting into the potty-mouth and “bad language” game is essentially a rite of passage for toddlers and preschoolers. Even though toddlers don’t usually know what they’re saying, they get the sense that certain words are more illicit than others and get them more attention. For a toddler, the “S” word might be “stupid,” whereas older kids are hip to the real four-letter words.

1. Ignore It: The more attention you give certain words, the more your child will want to use them. Kids will often try a word on for size without having any idea what it means. If you don’t respond to the word, there’s a chance your child might move on from it and try another (hopefully, less provocative) word.

2. Change Topics: After ignoring the word, either switch topics or divert your child’s attention with a toy or a game.

3. Skip the Lecture: If ignoring the behavior doesn’t work, try not to go into a tirade about the use of inappropriate language. Instead, you can merely say (in a low-energy way), “try a different word for that.” Then the next time they say the word, you can use a one-word reminder (such as “language”) to discourage the talk.

4. Brainstorm Alternatives: Ask your child if there’s another word they can use instead. Ideally, your kiddo will replace words like “stupid” with more appropriate words, rather than up the ante and say something like “stupid butt.”

5. Set Boundaries Around It: If your child just has to get the word out of their system, set limits around when and where they can use it. For example, you can say, “potty talk belongs in the bathroom with a closed door,” then let them go to town in there.

Back in the day, washing a child’s mouth out with soap for swearing was a popular and accepted punishment. As you can imagine, this practice (like spanking) has fallen out of favor.

Try the tips above to minimize “bad language” and know that kids tend to go through different “swearing” phases as they get older. Over time, potty talk and cursing will lose their luster and (mostly) fall by the wayside.

“I used to believe my father about everything
but then I had children myself & now
I see how much stuff you make up
just to keep yourself from going crazy.”

~Brian Andreas

And…That’s a Wrap!

Welcome to Month 36 (Week 2) of Parenting Your Toddler!

In our instant-gratification society, there are toys and treats every which way we turn. Kids are psyched about this state of affairs. Parents, not so much. For kids, these goodies represent an opportunity to accumulate more stuff. For parents, it means that every trip to the grocery store, drugstore, and gas station has the potential to turn into a battle.

Get Wise below about how to manage the greedy and needy child.

1. Set Your Boundaries: Take a moment to decide what matters to you most when it comes to buying things for your child. Do you want to keep a tight lid on toy consumption, but not limit books? Or do you have a certain monthly spending limit? Do whatever aligns with your values and feels “right” to you.

2. Be Clear About Your Expectations: Let your child know exactly what’s going to go down during your outing or shopping trip. For example, if you go to the grocery store, you can say, “You’re allowed to get 1 treat, but you have to wait until we get home to open it. If you whine, we’ll leave without the treat.”

3. Stay Firm: If your child whines, walk out empty-handed (this is easier said than done).

4. Have Your Child Earn It: While not everything should be quid pro quo, you can have your child “earn” toys. For example, you can set up a system in which 10 stickers earned on a reward chart can be traded in for a small prize.

5. Practice Gratitude: Weave gratitude into your daily life. Get in the habit of telling your child what you’re thankful for. Humans are wired to see the negative for survival reasons (a remnant of our caveperson days). Look for the positive and notice areas of abundance, rather than areas of lack. Modeling is key.

6. Help Others: Do community service work and get your child involved.

7. Invest in Experiences Instead of Things: Try to shift the focus from material objects to life experiences. For example, instead of having a “special treat” be a toy, make it a trip to the zoo.

8. Pick One Day of the Month to Go Shopping: I learned this one the hard way. When my kids started earning an allowance, they wanted to go on a spending spree at random times throughout the month. It started to feel like they were constantly shopping for things. Consolidate the toy shopping by choosing one day a month (such as the last day) to do it. Put it on the calendar so that your child can visually count down the days. This helps teach delayed gratification, as well.

9. Add It to “The List” and Let Your Child Check It Twice: If you go into a store and your kiddo wants 2 toys but the deal was they could only get one, add the second one to “the list.” This can be a list for birthday presents, Christmas gifts, Hanukkah presents, etc. Make a spectacle of adding the name of the toy to a list that’s stored on your phone or written down on a piece of paper. Or take a picture of the toy. Chances are your child will forget all about the second toy in a day or two. If not, they can always refer back to the list.

10. Read Books About It: As I’ve mentioned before (probably ad nauseam), books can help parents get their point across without lecturing.

PediaWise Picks for Books on Gratitude for Toddlers Include:

Sneak Peek: Older children may also like the book “The Berenstain Bears Get the Gimmies,” by Stan and Jan Berenstain.

Most toddlers get the gimmies at some point. Use the tips above to help minimize them.

“I slept in until 7:30 and now have a clogged
bathroom sink, all the candy is gone,
and the playroom is a disaster.
Worth it.”

~From the Mom Junction Website

And…That’s a Wrap!

Welcome to Month 33 (Week 2) of Parenting Your Toddler!

Any parent who has witnessed a toddler’s “soccer game” knows that it’s basically the equivalent of herding cats. Back in the day, organized sports started much later for kids. Nowadays, preschoolers are on formal teams. Half of the kids are usually picking daisies during the game (much to the dismay of their parents), while the other half are swarming the ball en masse.

While I’m a huge fan of sports for kids, some organized sports are not developmentally appropriate for youngsters because they expect too much from them (mentally and physically), too early on.

Get Wise below about age-appropriate sports, the new research on youth athletics, and ways to prevent sports-related injuries down the road. But, first, a word about the toddler diet & their sleep habits.

Diet: Continue to offer your toddler a wide variety of table foods. If your child is a picky eater, try to add one new food each week or introduce a new form of an already accepted food (such as mashed potatoes if baked potatoes are already a hit). Avoid choking hazards and limit juice to 4 ounces per day (or avoid it altogether). Offer low-fat milk and give your child a vitamin D supplement (of 600 international units) every day.

Sleep: Your toddler is hopefully crushing 12-14 hours of uninterrupted sleep at night and taking 1-2 naps per day.

Even though your child is young, the social pressure to start a team sport is oddly not all that far off. 

Welcome to Month 33 (Week 1) of Parenting Your Toddler!

As a parent of a toddler, you’re probably well on your way to becoming a poop and vomit expert. However, differentiating “problem” poop & vomit from “normal” poop & vomit may be getting a little trickier, as your child continues to add different-colored foods to their diet.

For example, if your child vomits a river of red all over you, you may be wondering if the red color was due to blood or to the remnants of a red popsicle. Or maybe your kiddo had a partially blue stool and you’re unsure of whether it was due to a serious problem or to the blueberries that he ate for breakfast.

To help you figure it all out, we’ll highlight the poop & vomit colors that doctors worry most about, below.

Most stool and vomit colors are acceptable, except for a few.

When it comes to vomit, doctors worry most about green vomit, bright-red vomit, and “coffee ground” emesis (vomit that looks like coffee grounds).

For poop, docs tend to fret over stools that are white, red-streaked, black (aka “tarry”), or the color (and consistency) of red jelly (fancy name: currant jelly stools).

Let’s talk more about these problematic colors below…

Most of the time, kids will vomit up the food or liquid they’ve just consumed. After a prolonged period of vomiting (i.e. when nothing is left in the stomach), they’ll start puking up yellow gastric juices. This is all normal vomiting. When the vomit color becomes suspect, though, it’s time to call the doctor.

Double Take: Sometimes it’s hard to tell bile apart from gastric juices (which are yellow, like yellow Gatorade). If you’re not sure what you’re looking at, take a picture and call the doctor. Parents will often say their child is vomiting bile when they’re really just spewing gastric juices.

Recap: Green vomit is always a concern! Yellow vomit can be a red flag (especially if it’s dark).

Red vomit & vomit that looks like coffee grounds can be signs of blood in the upchuck. If a child is vomiting blood, the shade of red helps determine where it’s coming from. 

Any blood in the vomit should be relayed to the doctor. If your child vomits blood, make a note of the color (bright red vs. dark red) or take a picture of it.

Reality Check: Before panicking about red vomit, try to remember if your child had anything “red” to drink before they started puking. For example, if your child drank cranberry juice or fruit punch, they may vomit red. The doctor can test the vomit (if you save it) to determine if there’s blood in it.

Most colors of the poop and vomit rainbow are benign and nothing to worry about. If you see any of the red flag colors above, however, or you’re not sure what’s going on, save the poop or vomit (if you can) OR take a picture of it, and call the doctor.

“I bet the person who invented
the MUTE button on your phone
was a parent who worked from home.”

~Huffpost (@mommyshorts)

And…That’s a Wrap!

Welcome to Month 32 (Week 4) of Parenting Your Toddler!

During the newborn period, babies breathe about three times as fast as adults, when at rest. Toddlers also continue to outpace adults when it comes breathing rates. Toddlers typically take 24-40 breaths per minute (at rest), while the average adult takes 12-20 breaths per minute (at rest).¹

In this week’s PediaGuide article, we’ll focus on respiratory distress (the fancy name for trouble breathing) in kids. If your child has been diagnosed with reactive airway disease (essentially “baby asthma”) or another underlying lung problem (such as chronic lung disease), you may already be a pro at recognizing when they’re in the weeds with their breathing.

Get Wise below about the red flags to look out for when it comes to breathing in toddlers and what to do about them. 

Welcome to Month 32 (Week 3) of Parenting Your Toddler!

As your toddler gets “curiouser and curiouser” (a nod to “Alice in Wonderland”), you may want to double-check the babyproofing precautions you’ve put in place and make sure that all medicines and household cleaning products are locked up. Ask visitors to keep their stuff out of reach, as well (especially grandparents, who may be taking multiple medications).

In addition, be careful when holding a hot drink or when cooking over an open flame around your toddler. Get Wise below about what to do if your child gets burned. In addition, revisit the childproofing checklist (it’s a bit different for toddlers) and the steps to take if your child accidentally eats or drinks something naughty (poison naughty, not candy naughty).

Even with stellar childproofing, burns can happen in kids.