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When treating toddlers, the answer is easy: non-aspirin. Aspirin, though useful in treating many conditions in adults, is rarely recommended for children since it has a long list of possible side effects. In children with a viral illness, it has been linked to a risk of developing Reye syndrome, a very serious illness. Do not give it to your toddler unless the doctor has specifically prescribed it over an aspirin-free medication.

Like aspirin, acetaminophen (brand names: Tylenol, Tempra, Panadol, Liquiprin, Anacin-3) is an antipyretic (fever reducer) and a pain reliever. But unlike aspirin, it has few side effects (though there have been occasional with heavy dosing). Acetaminophen comes in liquid form for administration by dropper, measuring spoon, or cup; in chewable tablets for older toddlers; in suppository form for a toddler who can’t or won’t keep a liquid or chewable down; and in an easy-to-disguise “sprinkle” capsule for the toddler who casts a suspicious eye on any detectable form of medication. Read the rest of this entry »

Spinach might be the best veggie for Popeye, but he would change his view when he knew broccoli at the first time. Not that spinach isn’t good food. But broccoli and it’s cruciferous relatives (cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and cabbage) are not only good foods, but evidence is growing that they may protect against cancer.

The reason may be sulforaphane, a chemical found in these vegetables, which has been shown to block the growth of tumors, probably by jump-starting the body’s output of “phase 2 enzymes”, which detoxify cancer-causing substances and help flush them from the body – though some other chemical components of the cruciferous vegetables are also under study. Read the rest of this entry »

People have asserted for years that children who have consumed too much sugar will show signs of hyperactive behavior. There are some debates from many studies about this issue; some studies said sugar has much effect on children’s behavior, while others said more researches are needed to prove the statement.

In the meantime, there are still plenty of reasons to restrict the amount of sugar your toddler consumes. For one, sugar is totally without nutritional value, it provides no vitamins, no minerals, nothing but calories. And the calories that sugar contributes to a toddler’s diet can better come from a more worthy source. For another, sugar often keeps bad company; it is frequently found in combination with other nutritional undesirable, unhealthy ingredients, such as fats and refined grains, or we can say it’s just an “empty” food. For yet another, sugar and sugary foods contribute significantly to tooth decay and may contribute to obesity. Read the rest of this entry »

In most cases, behavior is a better clue of how sick a toddler is than body temperature. A young child can be seriously ill, with pneumonia or meningitis for example, and have no fever at all, or have a high fever with a mild cold. So it’s important to base your assessment of your child’s condition not just on body temperature, but on symptoms that go with it as well.

80% to 90% of all fever in young children is related to self-limiting viral infection (the kind that get better without treatment). Therefore, giving medicine or treating fever in toddlers are not recommended, unless it is at least 102°F (39°C), even some experts suggest to give toddler medicine, when the temperature reach almost 104°F (40°C). They may however, recommend the use of acetaminophen even with lower temperatures to relieve aches and pains, improve sleep, generally make a toddler more comfortable, and sometimes, to ease a nervous parent. Read the rest of this entry »

It doesn’t take long for toddlers to figure out that tantrums in public is the most effective way to get everything they desire or if they look for more comfortable feeling, since parents usually tend to give what their toddler want just to avoid the people’s eyes.

What can a parent do?? Pretending you don’t know the kid hugging your leg for a candy, or letting him cry it out – a reasonable plan of action at home – becomes impractical when people keep staring with head shaking at both of you. Is the only way to avoid and handle tantrums in public is not going out at all?? No, these following tips can be used for handling public tantrums: Read the rest of this entry »

Children don’t learn to tame their aggressive instincts naturally. They need to be taught. Here’s how you can help:

Knowing your toddler. Understand your child routine, behavior and custom. Determine the time of day that your toddler tends to be overtired and avoid play dates then or monitor them closely.

Be firm with the rule. Give understandings and massages when your toddler watches violent activities (from television, movies or on the street). Put some rules of those kinds of behavior. Read the rest of this entry »

What parents should do to give the best treatment for their sick toddler?

Calm and relaxing environment. It is not easy to keep a sick toddler rest and down, but the good news is, it isn’t necessary to keep a sick toddler down – unless he seems to need the rest. There are no evidences that bed rest affects a mild illness one way or the other. And mommy can almost trust. Read the rest of this entry »

Despite its faults, TV does offer access to wonderland of experiences – sights, sounds, and people – that a child can find nowhere else.It can take children to the far corners of the world or even the universe, expose them to the past and the future, the everyday and the exotic, the arts and the sciences.

These followings tips will help your family derive the most benefits from his medium with the least risk:

Setting rational limit now. Before eighteen months, a toddler can easily do without any TV at all. At eighteen months, half an hour a day is sufficient. When your toddler passes his or her second birthday, consider expanding TV viewing to an hour a day, particularly when outdoor play is limited because of inclement weather. But allowing more TV time than that for toddlers, who should be spending most of their time doing rather than watching, is not a good idea. Read the rest of this entry »

Toddlers are rarely able to let parents know that their eyes are bothering them in some way; if their vision isn’t what we call normal, they certainly aren’t aware that it’s any different than any one else’s. Most often it’s a parent’s observation that tips off the doctor to a potential vision problem. So keep alert for any of the following behaviors and symptoms and check to your doctor :

• An obvious inability to see well, often evidence by pronounced clumsiness or stumbling, or by seeming not to notice or recognize objects or people – either in the immediate environment or in the distance.
• Frequent eye rubbing, unrelated to sleepiness (eye-rubbing when a child is sleepy is normal), which usually indicates itchy, scratchy or burning eyes.
• Frequent squinting unrelated to bright sunlight, or face-scrunching when trying to perform a visual task. Remember, however, that either of these may be a temporary mannerism not linked to vision problems.
• Undue, sensitivity to light (evidence, for example, by squinting in discomfort when a light is turned on in a dimly-lit room) or frequent staring at lights
• Excessive tearing, unrelated to crying.
• Swelling, redness, or crusting of the eyes (lids may be crusted shut in the morning), or a yellowish-white or yellowish-green discharge (a sign of infection); swollen lids or frequent sties
• Eyes that seem to “bounce” or “dance” in rapid, rhythmic movements, or bulge.
• Frequent tilting of the head to one side, as though trying to see better.
• Holding the body rigid or at an angle when trying to look at distant objects.
• Repeated covering or shutting of one eye in apparent discomfort (as opposed to covering or shutting an eye periodically to see how the world looks with just one eyes open).
• Holding books, toys, and other objects close to the face in order to see then better, consistently sitting too close to the TV (though in toddlers this may be a normal fascination with seeing things up close rather than a sign of a vision problem).
• Avoiding entirely activities (such as looking at books) that require good vision.
• Eyes that look crossed or otherwise mis-matched, or that don’t move in unison.
• Pupils that are sometimes or always unequal in size (they should work simultaneously: getting larger in dim light, smaller in bright light) or that appear white instead of black.
• Difficulty distinguishing colors (though remember that young toddlers rarely are able to identify colors.
• Double vision : frequent headaches, dizziness, or nausea after doing close work (such as looking at books or television) only an older and very verbal toddler will be able to alert you to such symptoms.

Although, today’s research shows that spanking is not effective, from time to time, parents still tend to spank their children as a means of discipline and punishment.. Children who are spanked frequently may give up repeating their misbehavior, just to avoid a repeat spanking, but they obey because they are afraid. So, instead of learning to distinguish between right and wrong in life, they learn to differentiate between what they get spanked for and don’t get spanked for. And they wouldn’t understand self-discipline.

Giving spank to children has many negative aspects. For one, it is an example of domestic violence, and children will learn from it, as they are more likely to use physical force against peers, and later against their own children. For another, by teaching children that the best way to settle a dispute is with force, spanking denies them the chance to learn alternative, less hurtful, ways of dealing with anger and frustration. It also represents the form of bullying, that the very big is abusing the very small (the weak one). Spanking is also humiliating and demeaning to both the parent and the child, often shattering self esteem and morale.

Furthermore, spanking can also lead to serious injury, particularly when it happens in the heat of anger. Spanking after the anger has cooled may cause less physical damage, but seems even more questionable. It is certainly more cruelly calculated, and in the long run is less effective in correcting behavior, since the punishment is so far removed from the offense. Read the rest of this entry »