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1 to 3 Years
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12 to 15 months
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Remember, every child develops at a different pace. Allow your child to set the pace. |
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Activities |
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- Encourage your child to walk without support.
- Play catch with your child using a large ball.
- Help your child learn to walk or crawl up and down steps safely. Always accompany the child. Do not leave your child alone near stairs.
- Give your child stacking toys and bathtub toys.
- Use blocks to teach your child to stack and to line up.
- At this age, children like to repeat activities, such as filling and emptying buckets of toys.
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Communication |
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- Continue talking to your child often and encourage the child to talk to you. Continue looking at picture books. Ask your child to point at objects in the book as you name them.
- Encourage your child to begin talking. Use key words, such as names or foods, and encourage the child to imitate them. Also, point to objects and name them for your child.
- Encourage your child to ask for things by name, rather than just pointing. Children also can say simple body parts at this age, such as "nose," "mouth" and "eyes."
- Children enjoy making music at this age. For example, they enjoy banging a wooden spoon against a pan lid to make a "clanking" noise.
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Interpersonal and Social Skills |
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- Continue cuddling, smiling at and talking to your child. Play games with your child. Soothe your baby when fussy.
- You can begin showing your child how to undress at this age. The child will need help with buttons, zippers and shoelaces.
- Your child can begin using a spoon to eat.
- Children enjoy caring for dolls at this age. They can pretend to feed the doll, provide care and show affection.
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15 to 18 months
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Remember, every child develops at a different pace. Allow your child to set the pace. |
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Activities |
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- Teach your child to walk on tip toes, to walk backwards and to walk up and down stairs when with an adult.
- Continue tossing a ball back and forth with your child. Teach your baby to kick a ball.
- With adult supervision, your child can use playground equipment and play in a wading pool. Never leave children alone when in or near water or playground equipment.
- Your child will enjoy playing with rocking horses, blowing soap bubbles and playing "Hide-and-Seek."
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Communication |
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- Continue talking to your child often and praise your child for talking to you.
- Children should begin talking in sentences at this age. Instead of just saying "cookie," teach your child to say "I want a cookie, please."
- Your child may enjoy talking on a play telephone.
- Help your child learn to name objects. Point to objects from a car window, in picture books or while in stores.
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Interpersonal and Social Skills |
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- Continue cuddling, smiling at and talking to your child. Play games together. Soothe your baby when fussy.
- Teach your child to help with undressing.
- Allow your child to eat with the family.
- Exchange hugs and kisses often.
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18 to 24 months
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Remember, every child develops at a different pace. Allow your child to set the pace. |
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Activities |
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- Help your child learn to jump by holding the child's hands while jumping.
- Your child will enjoy dancing and clapping along to music.
- Your child will begin to enjoy sorting and stacking items, such as blocks and plastic cups.
- Let your child play with simple puzzles. The pieces should be large enough that the child can't swallow them.
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Communication |
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- Your child can learn more about language through children's television programs. However, limit the amount of time your child spends watching TV.
- Teach your child to follow instructions. For example, your child should be able to bring you an item of clothing or put a toy away if asked.
- In addition to showing your child a picture book or reading a simple story, ask your child to describe what is happening.
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Interpersonal and Social Skills |
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- Continue cuddling, smiling at and talking to your child. Play games together. Soothe your child when fussy.
- Teach your child to eat with a spoon or fork. Allow your baby to share meals with the family.
- Teach your child to use buttons, zippers, snaps and velcro. Books or toys can be purchased to teach these actions.
- Allow your child to play with other children.
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2 to 3 Years
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Remember, every child develops at a different pace. Allow your child to set the pace. |
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Activities |
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- Your child will learn to climb, run, jump, balance and play ball.
- Help your child to sort items, either by shape, size or color. Make sure the child will not choke on items you give them to sort.
- Your child can learn to count at this age.
- Allow your child to play with blocks and puzzles.
- Teach your child to draw shapes, such as circles, squares and lines.
- Your child should be able to get dressed without your help.
- Your child may enjoy dressing up in adult clothing.
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Communication |
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- Ask your child to tell you what is happening in picture books. Develop your child's imagination by making up stories together.
- Ask your child to describe sights and sounds when outside of the home.
- Teach your child his or her first and last name.
- Teach the names of clothing while dressing and undressing.
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Interpersonal and Social Skills |
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- Continue hugging, cuddling, smiling at and talking to your child. Play games together. Offer comfort when your child is upset.
- Plan outings with your child, such as to a neighborhood park or zoo.
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Toilet Training
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Of all the questions parents raise with doctors, toilet training is the most common. Parents want to know when their child is ready for toilet training. They also want to know how to train their babies.
Every child is different. Most are ready for training between 2 years and 2 1/2 years. It is best not to push your child before he or she is ready.
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Look for the following signs that your child is ready for toilet training |
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- Your child urinates on a regular basis.
- Your child can stay dry for 2 to 3 hours.
- Your child is aware that he or she has to go to the bathroom.
- Your child tells you when it is time to urinate, either through words or actions.
- Your child imitates older brothers or sisters, or adults.
- Your child shows signs of independence, and wants to do things by himself or herself.
- Your child is able to follow simple directions.
- Your child understands words like "wet," "dry," "diaper" and "potty."
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If your child is not ready, do not insist on toilet training. It could lead to anger and frustration for you and your child. It also may lead to needless punishment or child abuse. Never spank or strike your child for having "accidents" during toilet training. |
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The following advice may help when you toilet train your child. |
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- Training your child will take time. Make sure you choose a period when you can spend a lot of time with your child.
- Teach your child by imitation. Let your child copy your actions.
- Use simple words when talking about toilet training with your child.
- Dress your child in clothes that are easy to take on and off.
- You may want to increase the amount of fluids you give your child when you start toilet training.
- Be aware of your child's cues that it is time to go to the bathroom. Some children will tell you. Others may wiggle or give other signals.
- React quickly when a child shows the signals. It may take a while to develop the muscles necessary to hold a full bladder.
- Do not keep your child sitting on the toilet for longer than 5 minutes.
- Do not distract your child with toys or food while on the toilet.
- Do not use laxatives, enemas or suppositories unless your doctor tells you to. Instead, give your child plenty of fluids and a diet high in fiber (whole grains, fruit and vegetables).
- Reward your child with hugs and kisses, or hand clapping. Do not make negative remarks if the child is not successful. Praise is more effective than bad remarks.
- There will be accidents. Be patient and do not punish your child.
- It may take longer for children to be toilet trained through the night.
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Immunization: 1 to 3 years
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The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends, in addition to immunizations given previously, the following immunizations be given between 1 year and 2 years of age: |
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- To prevent hepatitis B - a third dose of the HB vaccine between 6 months and 18 months.
- To prevent diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis - the fourth DTaP vaccine between 15 months and 18 months.
- To prevent H. influenzae type b - the fourth Hib vaccine between 12 months and 15 months.
- To prevent polio - the third IPV vaccine between 6 months and 18 months.
- To prevent pneumococcal bacteria infections - a fourth dose of the PCV vaccine between 12 months and 15 months.
- To prevent measles, mumps and rubella - the MMR vaccine between 12 months and 15 months.
- To prevent chickenpox - the Varicella (Var) vaccine between 12 months and 18 months.
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Guidelines for when a child should be immunized for different diseases change from time to time. Talk to your pediatrician about an immunization schedule for your child. | |
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