Overview of Children’s Health

As a parent, your choices begin even before the birth of your child. Parenting seems to be a series of choices, from what to feed your child to how you discipline them.

Your child’s life will be affected by the decisions you make about their health. It is important to make these decisions with information and thought. We’ll cover some tips for making good parenting decisions.

Decide whether to breastfeed or use formula.

You and your baby can bond through breastfeeding. Human milk contains a wide range of nutrients, including immune factors. These can protect your baby from germs.

According to the Dietary Guide for Americans (Trusted Source), the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services advise that infants be given human milk for the first six months and continue with it for at least one year. If you wish, you can continue to nurse your baby for an extended period of time.

But nursing isn’t right for everyone. It takes a lot of time, dedication, and devotion to healthy food. Some people can’t nurse because of their physical conditions. It’s ultimately a personal choice whether or not you decide to breastfeed your child.

You can give your child both human milk and infant formula if you do not nurse your baby. Formula will still provide the nutrition they need to thrive.

Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest choosing a formula with iron.

Protect your skin from the sun.

The summer sun is not for children. UV light damages the skin, increasing the risk of skin cancer.

If at all possible, babies younger than six months old should avoid direct sun exposure. Keep your baby as much as possible in the shade.

You can also dress them in lightweight clothing, covering their arms and legs. Remember that babies can easily overheat.Keep a close watch over your child for signs of dehydration.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Trusted Source advises against the use of sunscreen for babies younger than six months due to the increased risk of side effects such as rash.

Talk to your pediatrician if you want to use sunscreen on your baby. There are formulas for kids and babies.

All children and babies older than six months should wear sunscreen.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, sunscreens should have at least 30 SPF. Reapply sunscreen every two hours, or more often if your child has been in the water or is sweating.

Vaccinations: keep up-to-date

The vaccination of your child is an important tool to prevent them from contracting potentially deadly illnesses.

Vaccines are effective because they introduce your child’s immunity to a tiny amount of germs, which helps the immune system develop the ability to recognise and respond to the germs in the future.

The recommended vaccines for your child can differ depending on their age. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Trusted Source recommends that children receive certain vaccines during the first two years of their lives.

• Chickenpox
• Diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (DTaP); pertussis is also called whooping cough.
• Flu
• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
• hepatitis A
• The first dose of hepatitis is given within the first 12 hours.
• measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR)
• The conjugate of pneumococcal (PCV13)
• polio
• Rotavirus

It can be difficult to keep up with your child’s vaccination schedule. Your child’s doctor will let you know when their next shots are due.

On the CDC website, Trusted Source, you can find a simple overview of the childhood vaccine schedule.

Vaccinations don’t only apply to young children. Certain vaccines are also recommended for older children and adolescents. These include:

• The HPV vaccine
• Every year, you should get vaccinated against the flu.
• The COVID-19 vaccine
• Meningococcal conjugate vaccination
• A booster for tetanus (Tdap), diphtheria, and whooping cough (Tdap) every 10 years

All of the vaccines recommended are safe and effective. They must undergo rigorous testing and clinical trials before being given to the public. Do not hesitate to ask your child’s doctor any questions you may have about vaccination.

A nutritious diet is the focus of

Your child’s eating habits can be influenced by the food choices you make.

A diet that is unbalanced can also lead to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease later in life. To this end, focus your meals on:

• Fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains
• Lean meat cuts
• fresh fish
• poultry
• After age 2, you can start eating fat-free and low-fat dairy products (children aged 1 to 2 should be given whole-fat dairy products).
• Beans and leafy vegetables are rich in fiber.

Avoid or limit food and beverages that contain high concentrations of:

• Trans fats or saturated fats
• sodium (salt)
• Sugar

Nearly every child gets enough vitamins (A, B, C D etc.). The foods that they eat each day provide them with plenty of vitamins. Children don’t need a multivitamin. If you are concerned, talk to their pediatrician regarding a daily vitamin.

In a 2021 study, researchers found that nutrition and mental health in children of school age are closely related. Researchers found that after surveying 8,823 children, they could find a significant correlation between high consumption of fruit and vegetables and increased mental wellbeing.

Check the packaging of any product you are unsure about. You’ll find such information as:

• ingredients
• Allergy information
• Serving size
• calorie content
• The amount in percent of daily value:
  • Fats, saturated fats, and tran
  • Fibre
  • Sugar
  • protein
  • Vitamins and minerals

As your child grows older, their nutritional needs will change. Check with your pediatrician about the nutritional needs of your child.

Tips for grocery shopping

Avoid the aisles on the inside of the store, where many processed foods are located. Avoid the aisles that contain processed foods.

Don’t follow the “clean plate” rule.

Although your parents may have meant well when they told you to finish your broccoli and then leave the table, your child will know when they are full and should stop eating.

Children who say they’re not interested in eating more vegetables are probably not trying to avoid them. They are simply letting their bodies know that they have had enough. Overeating can result in unwanted weight gain.

Your child’s taste may change as they grow older. As they grow older, their tastes may change. You probably remember foods you disliked as a kid that you now love as an adult.

Try these strategies to get your picky eater to try something new:

• Have patience. Your child may need to try the new food several times before he or she is willing to do so. Also, be aware that certain behaviors are completely normal. For example, your child may only like specific foods.
• Don’t force a child to eat a new dish if they don’t want it. Wait a couple of days before you offer it again.
• Serve your favorite foods along with new items. You can also serve new foods alongside the foods that you know your child enjoys.
• Give your child options. You can offer your child a choice of several different foods that have similar nutritional values. Allow them to choose which option they like the best.
• Take texture into account. You should offer your child foods with different textures, such as pureed or mashed foods. It’s normal for some children to dislike certain textures.

Get the kids moving.

The CDC reports that since 1970, the prevalence of childhood obesity in the United States has tripled. According to data from 2015 and 2016, almost 1 in 5 youths (Trusted Source) aged 6 to 19 have obesity.

Children need to be physically active. It is the foundation for good health and nutrition throughout life.

The amount of physical activity and the type can differ depending on a child’s age. The following recommendations have been made by public health experts from the Department of Health and Human Services Trusted Source:

Children aged 3 to 5 years

Children in this age group should be encouraged to participate in a wide range of activities with varying intensities.

Three hours per day is a good goal. Consider the following activities:

• Active play with other children
• Tricycles and bicycles are great for riding.
• Throwing and catching
• Activities that include hopping, skiing, or tumbling
• dancing

Children aged 6–17 years old

The goal for children in this age group is 60 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.

Include different types of exercises, including:

• Aerobic exercises. Running, swimming, and sports like soccer and basketball are examples of aerobic activities. Try to do 60 minutes of aerobic activity at least three days a week.
• Muscle-strengthening activities. Some examples are climbing, playing in a playground, or lifting weights for adolescents. Include muscle-strengthening exercises in your physical activity at least three days a week.
• Bone-strengthening activities. These activities are characterized by impacts on the ground. They overlap with aerobic exercises. Running, basketball, and jumping rope are examples. Include bone-strengthening exercises at least three days a week.

Include your child in the household chores, if appropriate. You can include activities like washing your car or walking the dog as examples.

You can discuss your concerns about your child’s physical activity or weight with the pediatrician. You can get advice from your doctor on how to improve your child’s health at home.

How to create a healthy smile

Tooth decay is a common childhood disease. Cavities can cause pain and discomfort, but they can also affect learning, speaking, and eating.

Fluoride is a powerful anti-cavity agent that can be used to prevent tooth decay in young children. Two times each day, use fluoride toothpaste to brush their teeth.

The American Academy of Paediatrics suggests using a small amount of fluoride paste if your child is younger than 3 years and has their first teeth. Fluoride toothpaste can be used by children 3 years and older.

Fluoride should be administered to your child at every dental cleaning. This is usually done once every six months.

Fluoride is also found in most of the drinking water in America. Ask your dentist if there are other ways you can get fluoride if your tap water does not contain it.

When your child’s first tooth appears, the American Academy of Paediatric Dentistry suggests that you take them to their first dental visit.

You can search for dentists in your locality using the Healthline FindCare Tool if you do not already have one.

Teach hygiene and handwashing.

Handwashing correctly is one of the most effective ways to avoid getting sick. It is important that you teach your children when and how they should wash their hands.

When your child needs to wash his hands, you can expect it to include:

• After using the bathroom
• After sneezing, coughing, or blowing your nose
• After coming in from the outside or after playing
• Before and after eating
• After handling or touching animals

It may be useful to teach your child together. Follow these steps to teach your child how to wash their hands.

1. You can also wet your hands with running water.
2. Demonstrate how to apply soap to your hands.
3. Rub your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds. It takes about the same time to sing “Happy Birthday” twice. Singing along with your child may help.
4. Rinse your hands with running water.
5. Use a towel to dry your hands.

You’ll want to talk about additional topics with your child as they grow older. Some examples include:

• Cover their mouths when sneezing or coughing
• Using the toilet
• Bathing and showering
• Brushing and washing hair
• Brushing and flossing teeth
• Trimming their toenails and fingernails
• Applying deodorant and antiperspirant
• If they so choose, they can shave.
• Menstrual hygiene is important.

Sleep well

Sleep is essential for everyone. But getting enough sleep for children is especially important. It’s estimated that nearly half of the children in the United States have sleep issues.

Children who do not get enough sleep can suffer from a number of health problems. These include:

• Behavior problems
• Trouble paying attention or concentrating
• Mental health problems such as depression or anxiety
• Lower immune system function
• Predisposition towards health conditions such as diabetes and obesity
• Increased risk of accident or injury

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine published guidelines on the amount of sleep that children between 4 months and 18 years old should get in a 24-hour period.

• From 4 to 12 months: 16 to 24 hours
• From 1 to 2 Years: 11–14 Hours
• From 3 to 5 Years: 10–13 Hours
• From 6 to 12 Years: Between 9 and 12 Hours
• Age 13 to 18: 8–10 hours

Follow the tips below to promote a healthy sleep environment for your children:

• Decide on a bedtime and try to adhere to it as much as you can.
• Create a relaxing bedtime routine to promote sleep. For example, read to your child before going to sleep or play soothing music.
• Make sure that your child’s bedroom is quiet, dark, and at a comfortable temperature.
• Be sure that your child does not do any high-energy activity right before bedtime.
• Avoid giving your child sugary or caffeinated drinks or foods in the evening.
• Set curfews to limit your child’s use of electronics, such as televisions, computers, and video games.

Foster emotional well-being

Children’s mental health is as important as adult mental health. Children who have good mental health are better able to cope with their home, school, and social environment.

It is important to promote mental health from a young age. Many mental conditions, such as depression and anxiety, can start in childhood.

According to the CDC, 17.4 percent of U.S. kids between 2 and 8 had at least one mental or behavioral disorder in 2016.

These strategies will help you foster mental health in your children.

• Discuss feelings with your children. Do not be afraid to discuss feelings. It can help them understand their own feelings as well as those of others. This can encourage future open and honest conversations.
• Try to avoid negativity. Raising children can be difficult, but you should try to avoid making negative remarks. This can include sarcastic remarks, personal attacks, or threats.
• Boost your self-esteem. Praise your child for achieving a milestone or a success in school or extracurricular activities.
• Consider goals. Set realistic goals for your children. If you set goals that are not in line with your child’s abilities and wants, they may feel inadequate and lose confidence.
• Be encouraging. Encourage your child to always do their best. Show your support for your child when they express an interest in learning or doing something new.
• Be consistent in your discipline. Your child must also learn the kinds of behaviours that are not acceptable. When you discipline your child, be sure to do it in a fair and consistent manner.
• Finding friends and interacting with them helps your child develop interpersonal skills and broadens their support network.

You should also be aware of any signs that your child may have mental health problems. Here are some examples of signs to watch out for:

• A noticeable drop in performance at school or in extracurricular activities
• Restlessness, increased irritability, or frequent tantrums
• Children’s desire to play with others decreases.
• Lack of interest in the things that used to make them happy
• Sleep problems or nightmares
• Low energy levels
• Changes in appetite

You may find it useful to talk to someone who regularly interacts with your child if you are concerned about their mental health. One good example is their teacher or daycare instructor.

Ask their pediatrician to refer you to a mental health specialist who is experienced in working with children.

Takeaway

When you are raising a child, there are many decisions and factors to take into consideration. These can include promoting mental health, ensuring good nutrition, and encouraging physical exercise.

You may feel that you need to always make the best choice for your child’s wellbeing, but this can cause unnecessary stress or pressure.

Try to frame it in such a way that you are aiming to give your child the best choice possible for a particular situation. Remember that you can get help and support from others.

Do not hesitate to contact your child’s pediatrician if you have any questions or concerns regarding their health.

Credit: The Web Health & Drugs Discussion