for your child and be dangerous under certain circumstances. With the guidance of your pediatrician, lets take a look at ways you can prevent mishaps from occurring with your child while they are in a playpen. According to your pediatrician, make sure that:

• Netting has a small weave without any tears.
• The drop side is up and securely locked.
• The rails and padding are in good condition.
• Toys are not strung from the playpen
• You don’t use an accordion-style fence as a play yard.

Are you always packing your kid’s lunchbox with the same old boring foods? When it comes to your child’s school life, you may be concerned with your child’s eating habits. In order to help your child eat better and feel better, your pediatrician offers helpful tips for packing healthy lunches for your kids to take to school. Now is the time to branch out with new ingredients for healthy foods so that your children always eat well at lunch—help them be the envy of every child’s lunch.

• Two to three ounces of lean protein for muscle and tissue development. This can include chicken, turkey or tuna on a whole grain mini-bagel. Pair this with chickpeas or a hardboiled egg and your child will receive the lean protein they need at lunch. 
• Heart healthy oils for heart and brain health might include two tablespoons of natural peanut butter on several whole grain crackers.
• Fruits such as grapes, mandarin oranges, pears and berries provide fiber and micronutrients. You can also include vegetables such as broccoli or grape tomatoes, or even whole grains, including whole grain bread, bagels, pasta, quinoa and brown rice. 
• Calcium rich food is very important for bone development. These foods include low-fat cheese or six to eight ounces of low fat milk or yogurt. 

Saying goodbye to diapers is one of the milestones that parents look forward to the most. Kids are also generally excited about wearing “big kid underwear,” as well. Typically, most children will show signs of readiness between 18 and 24 months—but it can differ from child to child.  

How do I know When my Child is Ready?

• Knows words for urine, stool and toilet
• Is somewhat bothered by feeling wet or soiled
• Shows interest in using the potty 
• Has an awareness of when they are about to urinate or have a bowel movement

Are You Ready?

Explore Different Strategies

• The hugs-and-kisses approach – give your child praise every time they use the potty correctly.  
• The cold-turkey underwear approach – let your child pick out several pairs of “fun” underwear to make them feel special and go from there.
• The get-with-the-program approach – dedicate time to promoting potty use for your child. Stay home and gently steer your toddler to the bathroom at predictable points throughout the day.
• The sticker-chart approach – this is a fun way to encourage your child to begin potty training. Each time they use the potty, they get a sticker. 

You might think that your child can’t develop tooth decay when their teeth have not grown in yet, but they can. Tooth decay in infants and very young children is often referred to as baby bottle tooth decay and it is easily preventable. Baby bottle tooth decay occurs when sweetened liquids or those with natural sugars--including milk, formula and fruit juice--cling to an infant’s teeth for a long time. 

Tips from Your Pediatrician for Prevention

• Wipe your baby’s gums with clean a gauze pad or washcloth after each feeding.
• Begin brushing your child’s teeth (without toothpaste), when his or her first tooth comes in.
• Clean and massage gums in areas without teeth.
• Floss once all the baby teeth have come in.
• Ensure your child is receiving enough fluoride.
• Schedule regular dental visits by your child’s first birthday.

Despite all of the research supporting the effectiveness of immunizations, many parents still question the safety of vaccines for their little ones. Will they protect my infant from serious disease? Or are the vaccines themselves harmful?

Immunization is one of the best ways parents can protect their babies from serious childhood diseases ranging from tetanus and mumps to whooping cough and seasonal flu—and have been for more than 50 years. In fact, vaccinations have reduced the number of infections from vaccine-preventable diseases by more than 90%!

Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that every child receive the protection that immunization provides.

Do vaccines even work?

Yes, vaccines work every year to protect millions of children from serious illnesses. Because infants are particularly vulnerable to infectious diseases, if an unvaccinated baby is exposed to a certain germ, the baby’s body may not be strong enough to fight the disease. Therefore it is very important that parents take the necessary steps to ward off harmful complications through immunization.

Are there side effects?

As with any medication, side effects can occur with vaccines. These side effects are usually very minor and include redness or tenderness at the injection site or a low fever, which indicates that the body is reacting positively to the vaccine. Most babies do not experience any side effects from vaccines, and severe reactions are very rare.

Parents have the power to protect their baby from serious illnesses. Deciding not to vaccinate your child could put him at risk for life-threatening childhood diseases. If you have questions about immunization, talk with your pediatrician. You can also visit the sites listed below for additional information and updated immunization schedules.

American Academy of Pediatrics

www.cispimmunize.org

Food and Drug Administration
www.fda.gov

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/vaccines

National Network for Immunization Information
www.immunizationinfo.org