Archive for February, 2010

Tips to your Child’s Physical Development and Mental Alertness

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

As your baby develops, movement is one of the most important ways for him to explore his social and physical environment. Mobility allows your baby to stretch himself mentally and physically by discovering and experiencing new objects, places, sounds and views of the world.

0-5 Months

A baby’s first natural response to rhythm is through motion and body movements play a valuable role in your child’s motor development, such as learning to hold his head erect. As he move, your baby is building up his muscles and embarking on the challenging task of learning to control all the different parts of his body.

An Old MacDonald Bounce

Gently bounce your baby on your lap while singing Old MacDonald. When it is time to make the animal sounds, stop bouncing and use your animal voice in high and low tones. Exposing your baby to high sounds plays an important part in maintaining the alertness and energy required for learning.

6 to 12 Months

From about six months, your child will be able to express himself more freely. Moving to music offers children a way to explore a whole range of emotions that can identify with, but can’t yet put into words. As he learns to crawl, and then walk, you will see his creativity increases through the body movements and expression.

Catch Me If You Can

You try to Catch baby, and then encourage baby to crawl and catch you. Your baby’s reward for being caught [or for catching your] is an enthusiastic hug! Every time your baby crawls, he is fine-tuning a series of body skills – balance, eye-hand coordination, and depth perception – enabling him to move in newer ways.

12 to 18 Months

By eighteen months your child may show signs of becoming a co-coordinated, independent individual. Your child will enjoy being able to distinguish between loud and quiet, fast, and slow. He may even give you cues to show that he can hear the beat in the music you are listening to and change his movements in response to different rhythms.

The Wheels on the Bus

Sing this familiar song and show your toddler how to turn her arms around like wheels. Move forward and then backward…. Stop at the spotlight and then go…. Drive up the hill…. Zigzag through the town…. This pretend traffic play will help your child develop balance, coordination, direction and space awareness.

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The Dangers of Children’s Aspirin

Monday, February 1st, 2010

Candy-flavored aspirin sold for children is a poison hazard. Symptoms of over dosage in children include deep breathing, vomiting, lethargy, and confusion. Call a doctor if your child shows any of these symptoms after taking aspirin.

Small children who swallow candied aspirin account for nation’s largest category of accidental poisoning; 80 percent of the aspirin deaths occur among preschoolers. In more than half of the children treated for aspirin poisoning, children’s flavored aspirin was the culprit.

Always keep all aspirin out of the reach of children, preferably in a locked cabinet. Don’t give small children any aspirin except with the approval of your physician. Not every fever calls for it, and many parents inadvertently overdose their children.

When a child receiving aspirin, check other medications to avoid overdosing. In one recorded case a child received only a small amount of an aspirin tablet. But he died of an aspirin overdose after his mother gave him cough medicine. She didn’t realize it contained additional salicylate.

Te get youngsters to take unflavored aspirin, crush the drug into a spoonful of jelly or honey. Wash it down with half a glass of water, milk, or orange juice. This amount of fluid gets rid of any medicinal aftertaste, and also avoids possible stomach irritation.

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