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. 

When it comes to caring for your baby, nail care is often overlooked. In the first few months of life, you may not be too worried about caring for your baby’s nails. But at some point your little one will take a swipe at you, and you will quickly find out how sharp those nails are. Baby nail care is easy—for the most part. Your pediatrician is available to offer helpful tips to ensure proper care for your baby’s nails.

Proper nail care can be as simple as trimming the nails when they get long enough to scratch you. However, your baby may squirm and move around, which makes cutting his or her nails difficult. Your pediatrician, we want the process of cutting your baby’s nails to be as easy as possible, which is why we are available to offer friendly advice.

There is no wrong way to cut your baby’s nails, as long as you do not nick the baby, and the nails get trimmed. Your pediatrician shares some basic tips:

• Clean your baby’s hands, feet and nails during regular bathing.
• Hold your baby’s finger and palm steady with one hand and trim with the other.
• Press down on the fleshy pad of his or her fingertip to move the skin away from the nail.
• Cut along the shape of the nail and snip any sharp corners or use an emery board.

While these tips may be easy to follow, some parents may still remain concerned about cutting their baby’s nails. If you are still concerned, follow these tips to make the job easier:

• Have your partner hold the baby while you trim the nails.
• Do it while your baby is sleeping.
• Use only baby nail clippers to trim the nails.
• Wait until your baby is in a good mood and find something to distract him or her, such as a new video, toy or snack.

Visit your pediatrician for more information on how to care for your baby, including proper nail care.

A child’s job is to explore every nook and cranny of their world, but that can often lead way to injury. From split lips to skinned knees, scrapes and cuts are rites of passage for our children. As parents you can take all the precautions possible, but “boo-boos” will happen. However, if you understand the basics for treating cuts and scrapes, you and your child can make it through an episode with a minimum of tears.

When a cut or scrape occurs, your pediatrician offers these helpful tips:

• Stop any bleeding. A minor scrape will stop bleeding on its own, but a cut or gash may not.  Using a clean washcloth or towel, apply gentle but direct pressure to the wound until the bleeding stops. 
• Double up. If the blood soaks through the cloth, place another layer over it and continue to apply pressure. Elevating the injured body part can also help to slow the bleeding.
• Rinse it off. Hold the injured body part under warm running water to wash away any dirt, broken glass, or any other foreign matter. 
• Clean it up. If the skin around the cut is dirty, gently wash it with mild soap.
• Break out the bandages. Once the bleeding has stopped and the wound is clean, dab on a thin layer of antibiotic ointment and apply a fresh bandage. Little kids usually enjoy choosing from a selection of cute and colorful bandages—so let your little one choose which one he or she wants.
• Keep it clean. Change the bandage at least once a day or if it gets dirty. When a scab begins to form, you can remove the bandage, but be sure to teach your child not to pick at it.

If you are unsure how to handle your child’s injury, or if the cut does not stop bleeding, contact your pediatrician for more information.

It is almost impossible for a curious and active child to avoid some scrapes and minor cuts, but there are things you can do to decrease the number your child will have and to minimize their severity. Visit your pediatrician for more information on preventive measures and what to do when an injury occurs.

As a parent, you may rely on the results of a school vision screening or the fact that your child doesn’t report any symptoms as an indication he or she does not have a vision problem. However, these are not necessarily reliable ways of determining if a vision problem does exist. Children often will not be aware they are not seeing well. They may think the way they see things is the same way everyone else does, since they do not have anything else to compare it to but their own experiences.

Detecting Eye and Vision Problems in Children

• Eye rubbing
• Tearing
• Swelling
• Redness
• Pus
• Crust
• Sensitivity to light
• Bulging or jiggly eyes
• Droopy eyelids
• White, yellow, or gray-white material in the pupil