Arts and Crafts for Toddlers

If you have a child that is 18-36 months and loves discovering and drawing, this is my favorite time to start them in the art world.  One of the many suggestions that is suggested is to get an art easel. They are fast and easy to clean up.  I have found that Zara likes to use the water color markers more than chalk as the colors are more dramatic.  Here are a list of fun kid’s art products other than drawing.

Finger paint – Wonder paper has a version that uses alcohol to activate the colors so there is almost no mess to clean up.
Body tracing and coloring that makes a life size replica of the child. Zara loves this!
Marble painting – take a marble, dip it in paint, then drop it into a cardboard box that has a paper taped to the bottom and roll it around and the marble creates the art.
Paper Face bags are fun but you may have to do the glueing depending on your child's age.
Make cards for Grandparents  - use your child's previous drawings or paintings and cut them into shapes and have your child glue them on a card to send to the grandparents.  Zara did this for Valentines day
Cork Printing – take old wine bottle corks and press into paint then onto the paper to make different designs. Make sure to use non toxic paints.

Adjusting Infants and Children

As  a family practice chiropractor,  I often get asked when is the best time to have your child adjusted.  There are many appropriate milestones in a child’s life when they should be getting an adjustment and I follow this with my own daughter.  Here is a link on our website talking in more medical terms about a child’s adjustment schedule.

http://in-healthclinic.com/chiropractic-for-children/

One of the most important times to get a child adjusted is postpartum about a month after birth; it can be earlier if breast-feeding or colicky issues are present.  The postpartum check-up is important since birth can be a very athletic event on both mom and baby and sometimes muscles and joints will get strained causing minor issues like constipation or reduced nerve function.  Since this is a period in a babies life where rapid growth takes place, you want your little one to be in optimal health.

The youngest baby I have adjusted in my practice was 4 hours old, and he slept through the entire procedure, in which I used only my fingers. And with gentle pressure and craniosacral therapy,  major adjustments can be made to a little ones nervous system to improve body function, neurologic response and overall health.

For my own daughter, I adjusted her immediately as she rested on my chest right after birth, even though I promised myself I wouldn’t; but in that moment holding her I just couldn’t help myself and my finger’s kind of naturally went to work.

Zara receives adjustments periodically, mostly after major falls and I check her monthly.  While most of us don’t have a chiropractor that live with them, we do recommend that you get your little one checked 2 times a year just like you would get your teeth cleaned.

Here is a picture of Zara and Dr. Walker playing on the chiropractic table.

My Favorite Book List for Toddlers

Here is my favorite book list.  It is based on the several online lists with the most award winning names on it. The names with Asterisks (*) next to it I have purchased and already love.  The titles with a hashtag (#)are on my Amazon wish list for Zara. I hope your little one loves to read as much as mine does. Many of the books I purchase for Zara are in cardboard book form so Zara can read them un-supervised.

1.  Click, Clack, Moo Cows that Type by Doreen Gronin *
2.  Alexander and the Terrible Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
3.  Are you My Mother by P.D. Eastman
4.  The story of Babar the little elephant by Jean De Brunhoff
5.  Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton
6.  Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban
7.  Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
8.  Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr and John Archambault #
9.  Corduroy by Don Freeman *
10.  Dear Zoo By Rod Campbell
11. Doctor De Soto by William Steig
12.  Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! By Mo Willems #
13. Duck in the Truck by Jez Alborough #
14.  Everyone Poops by Taro Gomi
15.  The Story of Ferdind by Munro Leaf
16.  The Frog and the Toad Treasury by Arnold Lobel
17.  The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein #
18.  The very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle *
19.  Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
20.  Moo Baa La La La by Sandra Boynton #
21.  Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown #
22.  Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino #
23.  The Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle *
24.  Giraffes Can't Dance By Gilse Andreas
25.  Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson #
26.  The Little Airplane by Lois Lenski #
27.  Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
28.  Apple Farmer Annie by Monica Wellington
29.  The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper
30.  Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann

Diaper Bag inside your Handbag, Stylish and Practical!

So who loves all the options out there for Diaper bags? Well I didn’t…  They were either fashionable but not really fashionable and not practical or they were functional and ugly.  I also wasn’t jazzed by the idea of paying several hundred dollars for a nice diaper bag when that money could be spent on a nice handbag that you wouldn’t mind carrying even after your kids’ grew up.

A patient of mine introduced me to the “Diaper Bag inside your Handbag” by Life in Play.  I tested it on a flight to Phoenix with my daughter. I placed the removable diaper bag into my Long Champ purse.  The results were amazing and I loved the organizer. It was not only better than my current diaper bag,  but it fit inside my stylish bag. It was nice to feel a little glamorous as a mom.  I have since tested it on a 5 hour flight which contained all of the baby essentials as well as toys and it still performed well.

Here is the website link:  http://lifeinplaycompany.com

Here is my bag and organizer.

Halloween Safety for Toddlers

For Dr. Walkers Daughter Zara we choose a collapsable lightsaber to prevent injuries and a light-weight flannel robe that doesn't flow to much so as to prevent tripping!  And of course Baby Jedi's are always cool!!

Costume safety is the primary concern for a safe and happy Halloween for toddlers.  Follow these basic tips when making or selecting your childs’ costume to keep them safe.

* To keep toddler’s on their feet, avoid costumes with long tails or costumes that  that don’t fit well.       
* Keep your toddler visible by using reflective tape or having them wear a glittery costume.

* Beware of Pointy Props such as crowns, swords or other fake weapons.  You can sew stuffed ones or make foam ones instead.

* Choose Costumes that practice fire safety and keep fire away from them as many of the store bought costumes can be flammable and hot jack-o-latterns can be hazardous.

* Choose non toxic paint over a wearing a mask since masks can make breathing hard and difficult to see out.

* Be aware of props that can frighten or cause physical harm since a toddler will be curious of witches or lighted coffins.

* After an evening of trick-or-treating, check all candy for tampering; consider swapping the candy for healthier alternatives.

One year Check up Expectations

At a Child’s one-year check up, here is a list of what you can expect the doctor to check.  Prior to the check up, it is a good idea to look at your child and be able to answer the doctor’s questions fully and completely.

One year check up:

1.         Height and Weight

2.         Length and Head Circumference

3.         Heart and Lungs: Listening for abnormal heart rhythms and breathing issues

4.         Eyes:  Congenital eye conditions and blocked tear ducts

5.         Ears:  Signs of infection and make sure the eardrum is moving

6.         Mouth:  Signs of infection, new teeth and number of teeth

7.         Body: Check for reflexes and muscle tone, paleness of skin (iron-deficiency anemia)

8.         Belly:  enlarged organs and possible hernia issues

9.         Genitals:  signs of infection or rash normal genital development

10.      Joints:  Hips, Legs and shoulders, checking for normal range of motion and movement  

11.      Nap and sleep:  children need about 14 hours of sleep split between nighttime sleep and nap time

12.      Walking and Crawling:  Where your child is at in development stages of cruising, walking or crawling

13.      Talking:  What words are your child saying or babbling?

14.      Social Skills:  How is your child acting?

Zara’s check up put her on target for her developmental skills.  Healthy  babies make mom and dad happy

Building your Child’s Immunity when attending Day Care

When  your children start attending day care, they often get sick more frequently as they tend to share cold’s and bugs by touching other infected kids and common areas then putting their fingers into their mouthes. How do you lessen the stress on your child’s immune system and protect your household from getting sick?  Here are my top tips for protecting your child’s immune system and what we use in our family:

Vitamin D3 drops 1,000iu for kid’s during cold and flu season  (purchase pharmaceutical grade from our clinic)
Rose Hips when you know someone in day care is sick
Probiotics (make sure to get the refrigerated species that is age specific)
Exercise even when the weather is cold –but make sure to bundle them up at the playground.  Fresh air and exercise are natural immune boosters.
Immune boosters are necessary if your child is known for having a weakened immune system.  (This will require a doctor consultation to prescribe the correct botanical for your child)

Zara has started doing a small in-home day care with one of our other practitioners daughter’s so she gets socialization as well as making sure she works well with other people’s homes.  We make sure she is on D3 and takes an Infant formula probiotic to help her have a normal healthy immune system.