Because your child is everything to you, keeping them happy and healthy is an important part of caring for them. Learning how to protect your child in the event of an injury and ensuring that they get enough rest to stay healthy are just a few of the ways that you can look after your child’s health. Continue reading to find out about some simple ways to keep your child healthy.
Prepare for emergencies
When it comes to caring for toddlers and infants, minor mishaps can quickly escalate into medical emergencies. Learning how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an excellent way to ensure that you are ready for medical emergencies. As a parent, it can be difficult to imagine a time when your child will require CPR. However, having basic infant CPR and first aid skills could save your child’s life in the event of a choking, drowning, or poisoning incident.
CPR is a lifesaving technique that involves using chest compressions and breathing to improve blood and oxygen circulation to the heart and brain. If you’ve never taken a CPR certification course, now might be a good time to do so. Most colleges and universities provide basic first aid and CPR certification courses taught by certified instructors. You can learn at your own pace, either in person or through online CPR modules. You can also take the three-hour in-person or online course through the websites of the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross. Seeing as CPR is a skill, you’ll need to apply for recertification every two years to ensure that you’re up to date on the most recent American Heart Association CPR techniques.
Establish good sleep hygiene
Making sure your child gets enough rest is an important part of keeping them healthy. Developing a fun bedtime routine, for example, is an excellent way to instill healthy sleeping habits in your child. You can incorporate rituals such as brushing their teeth, taking a warm bath, and reading to them into their routine. To ensure that this sticks, be consistent so that your child knows what to expect and can easily move through each ritual each night.
It’s also worth noting that not all kids need the recommended eight hours of sleep. Some children may function well on six hours of sleep while others may require up to ten hours of sleep to feel rested. Monitor your child’s sleeping habits so that you’re aware of this. For example, if they have trouble getting out of bed in the morning, consider setting an earlier bedtime. Common signs of poor sleep, such as hyperactivity, irritability, or difficulty concentrating, can also indicate that your child requires more sleep.
Schedule annual medical checkups
If your child is exhibiting behavioral issues such as bedwetting, learning difficulties, or other discipline issues, your pediatrician may be able to assist in these areas. If these concerns are outside of their area of expertise, they may refer you to a developmental-behavioral pediatrician.
Behavioral pediatricians are medical professionals who are trained to diagnose and treat all aspects of your child’s medical and psychosocial condition. To ensure that your child receives the best care possible, they frequently collaborate with a developmental care team that may include a pediatric speech pathologist, child psychologist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, and other specialists, ultimately saving you a Google search for “children’s therapy near me.”
Well-child visits also ensure that your child’s vaccinations are up to date. Vaccinations protect against a wide range of serious diseases, including COVID-19, polio, measles, mumps, and others. An annual flu shot can also help prevent a lot of flu-related misery. Dental health is another important aspect of keeping your child healthy, so schedule dental exams at least twice a year.
Your child’s emotional health affects their overall health. So, in addition to protecting their physical health by ensuring that they sleep well, see their pediatrician regularly, and eat healthily, don’t forget to nourish their emotional well-being.