Four Tips for Ensuring the Health of Toddlers

Making healthy parenting choices, especially for toddlers, can become challenging. Throughout parenthood, you would have to choose wisely what to feed them and how to teach them in the right way. However, toddlers are a handful because they want to spread their wings and nose out the mystery of every little thing by putting it in their mouth, climbing up any surface, and they need constant attention. 

Toddlers who have sustained birth injuries that resulted in problems like cerebral palsy, autism, or ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyper Activity Disorder) require extra care. Therefore, on top of daily care, toddlers may require additional therapy and unique teaching techniques to help them cope with the condition. Instead of writing off their behavior as irregular, you must recognize your child’s needs, which may differ from other children’s. 

Other than that, you must ensure that they get nursing or the right baby formula, enough sleep, hydration, and playtime, which also plays a vital role in their overall health. 

Laying a solid foundation for children’s health during their early life leads to a better life in their later stages. Let us go over some helpful tips on making healthy parenting choices for toddlers. 

Promote an Active Lifestyle

An active lifestyle is imperative for kids during their development and learning stages. If you notice signs of a developmental disorder during this phase, consult the Birth Injury Justice Center website to learn more about its causes. It can be due to birth injuries, for which you must seek immediate treatment through medication or therapy during the earlier stages of a child’s life. It saves them from developing any severe conditions in later stages.

A child struggling with cerebral palsy, ADHD, or autism may not be as bright as other kids. However, engaging them in physical activities is equally necessary. Staying active and constant muscle movement may reduce muscle spasms and convulsions for toddlers with cerebral palsy. 

Help maintain focus on one activity and remove all distractions if they have ADHD to increase their attention span. The surrounding environment can easily distract kids with ADHD. Therefore, early training in this regard is necessary. 

For a child suffering from autism, find nonverbal ways to connect while you make time for indulging in physical activities when they are most alert and full of energy. It is especially crucial for a toddler with autism because you do not want to pressure them into therapy and education. It can be challenging to be more active and come out of their shell. Therefore be sensitive to their needs. 

Help Your Child Stay Positive

If you constantly worry about your child’s condition, the child will immediately sense it and feel self-conscious. A better way is to make them feel normal by acting and staying positive around them. 

It can be challenging for a child with cerebral palsy to match up with their siblings and kids their age and help them develop an optimistic outlook for their mental well-being. 

For children with autism, help them stay positive by enhancing their nonverbal communication and communicating with them constantly. They might find it easier to be open about how they feel. If they feel uncomfortable socially, try to limit their social interaction to only as much as they can take. 

ADHD might make a child feel anxious or sad by not being able to maintain focus, feel restless and act impulsively. Help them stay positive during such times by comforting them and helping them relax. They may find comfort in playing with only one toy. It will help them relax and stay in a positive mood.

Avoid the ‘Clean Plate’ Rule and Foods that can be Harmful

Forcing a toddler to clean their plate may lead to overeating, on top of rewarding them with desserts for cleaning their plate. Toddlers eat based on how full they feel, so the rule may not be a healthy habit. It may also lead to tantrums and mood swings. You can feed your child with something lighter later on during the day. 

However, you can try to redevelop this rule once they are old enough to eat responsibly. 

For children with ADHD, autism, or cerebral palsy, you must avoid some foods and feed some necessary ones. Consult a pediatrician or the doctor treating your child about their eating habits and healthy food choices. 

A rule of thumb is to put away all candy bars and sugary substances and keep them out of their reach. Drinking sodas, high-fructose, and corn syrups may heighten ADHD symptoms. 

Meanwhile, a child with cerebral palsy has weaker bones and muscles. Therefore, ensure your child gets enough calcium, protein, and fiber. 

Children with autism may avoid eating altogether. They will only eat particular items. Understand why they eat certain foods and avoid others to make a meal plan accordingly. A child psychologist may help you figure this out.

Provide Structure and Safety

Setting a structure means establishing a specific routine for the toddler. It might be hard at first, but they will get comfortable with it eventually. It works well with all toddlers and is vital to their healthy growth and development.

Safety and security are essential for children with cerebral palsy, autism, and ADHD to feel open to express themselves. 

For kids with autism, it can be hard to apply what they learn in school or from their therapist. Please find out how your kids learn in school and therapy and help them use it at home. Consistency is essential for their development, regardless of their environment.

Kids with ADHD might perform the same task, in the same way, each time, unwilling to change. A good approach is to alter their environment to see if they would behave differently. 

Kids with cerebral palsy require constant care and attention. They may be shy or reserved in doing certain activities or around certain people. Therefore, ensure they feel safe and confident enough to express themselves in a conducive environment. 

Conclusion

Ensuring toddlers’ health can be challenging for parents, especially if their kids suffer from birth injuries such as cerebral palsy, autism, or ADHD. Such kids are often more sensitive and require specialized care. However, do not be afraid to reach out to specialists that may help ease the process. 

What you can do as parents are to make sure they remain physically active and eat the right foods. Their food choices and excellent or harmful food choices may differ from other kids. Therefore, be mindful of that. 

Help your child stay positive by maintaining a positive attitude. Please provide them with safety and comfort to express themselves openly. 

Keep these tips in mind for your toddler’s overall health and well-being. 

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