Looking for child rearing OR HEALTH CARE tips?

Child care tips from your Pediatric Chiropractic Specialist,
Dr. Mandi McCoy

Top HAZARDOUS gifts for your baby:

1. Walker
2. Jumping Joey
3. Hand me down car seats (check the expiration)
4. Right gift but wrong age
5. Dry clean only clothing

Walker

Walkers may seem like a great gift. You can put the infant in the walker, and they are entertained for extended periods, giving parents a break. However, being left in a walker is dangerous. It can tip over. Worse, baby can scoot towards stairs and fall down the stairs. Sitting in a walker can put unhealthy stress on the baby's spine. It can delay walking. Baby can develop aberrant movement patterns that impair proper walking as they learn to push back in the walker, instead of learning the healthier heel too walk. If they can't reach the ground in the walker, they can learn to toe walk. A better alternative is gifting an activity center. This will encourage baby to crawl to it, and use it to pull themselves up to a standing position. If the child is walking unsteadily, a push walker can help stabilize the newly walking baby.

Jumping Joey

Jumping Joey's also can result in muscle imbalances and put unhealthy stress on the spine. It puts the baby in an upright seated position for extended periods of time before the muscles of the spine are developed for these stressors.  A healthy alternative is belly time. Belly time strengthens the core and back muscles, preparing baby for the strength and abilities needed for future walking.

Car Seats Expire

Before you gift a hand me down car seat, check the expiration date. If expired, it is unsafe to use.

Right Gift, wrong age

It may be the perfect gift, but make sure it is age appropriate. Most toys and clothing have an age range to help you determine if it is an appropriate item to gift to the child.

Dry Clean Only Clothing

Hopefully this goes without saying, as babies, toddlers and children are notorious for soiling their clothing. So Dry Cleaning is not only impractical, but unsafe.

Dry cleaners use dangerous chemical solvents that can stick to clothing. Most cleaners use perchloroethylene, also known as tetrachloroethylene, PCE, or perc. It is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen, according to the U.S. National Toxicology Program, a prestigious inter-agency scientific body. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has reached a similar conclusion. When inhaled, even low concentrations of perc are known to cause respiratory and eye irritation, headache, dizziness and vision problems.  www.ewg.org

Balance, strength and coordination exercises: 

Helping make exercise fun!

Obstacle course
Target throwing
Crab walk race
Leap frog
Balloon volleyball
Rolling down a hill
Pillow case races
Walk on pillows or cushions
Jump square to square on tile floor
Play Simon Says
Balance beam walking
Who can do the following the longest: 
         Superman, jump rope, handstands, dribbling, twist jumps, stand on one foot, hop on one foot, bunny hop, gallop like a horse

Choosing a daycare:

After you have narrowed down your online search by location, cost and online ratings, the following are the top questions to ask the facility to help you determine which daycare is the best for the needs of you and your child.

Are they currently licensed and insured

Make sure the daycare facility is operating legally and following guidelines. Make sure their care givers are current in their CPR training and preferably have some training in early childhood development and education.

Rates

Confirm the cost and check for extra fees. Are there late pick up fees? Any discounts for part time? How do you pay? Do they accept credit card? Does the fee change with age? Are their cancellation fees if you decide to pull your child out of their care.

Clean

How often do they clean? Is their facility professionally cleaned? Do they use natural or chemical cleaners? Again, make sure their policies align with your needs. Drop in their facility unannounced and be observant. Not only to the people, but the environment. Is it tidy? Clean?

Discipline policies

If a child bites, hits, screams, bullies, how do the care givers handle it? Again, your child may too young to be able to communicate with you what happens in the facility, so ask and observe the demeanor of the care givers. 

Teacher To Child Ratio

A good rule is to have one care giver per four infants, or six preschoolers. Check to see how long the care giver has worked for the daycare, and how quick is staff turn over. Again, verify they are current with their CPR training, and are qualified care givers.

Policies on snow days, sick days etc

If the child becomes ill, how long do they have to remain at home before returning to the daycare? Are they open during snow days? How will it be communicated if they are closed. If schools close, are they still open if the parents have to work? How do closures affect rates? Is there an option to pull the child out during vacations without pay?

Communication

How to the caregivers communicate? In writing? E-mail? Real time app? 

Where to the children nap?

Alone? With other children? Do the naps match the home schedule? Do they let the child fall asleep or do they put them down for a nap?

Weekly learning plan?

Children learn from their surroundings, including the people and environment. Ask what type of toys and technologies will be made available. Ask if their is a structured learning plan.

Food and Drinks

Legally, daycares have to abide by the US government nutrition guidelines. But these guidelines are not for an optimal diet. Packaged foods are often provided in daycares. If you are not happy with the food or drink choices, pack snacks and meals for your child.

Listen to your gut. If you have any doubt, explore it. Be open to change. Do not stay with a daycare if it does not match you or your child's needs.

Activities for children during the shelter in place 

Yoga for Kids: click here

At Home Obstacle courses YouTube links:
1. click here
2. click here 
3. click here

Why babies should not wear face masks

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends wearing “cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.” However, it is extremely important to note that the CDC specifically states that “cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.”

Why Shouldn’t An Infant Use a Mask?

• Baby’s airways are smaller, so breathing through a mask is even harder on them.
• Using a mask on an infant may increase the risk of suffocation. Masks are harder to breathe through. A snug fit will give them less access to air, and a loose fit will not provide much protection.
• If they are having are hard time breathing, infants are unable to take the mask off themselves and could suffocate.
• Older infants or young toddlers are not likely to keep the mask on and will likely try to remove it, as well as touch their face more.
• There are no N95 masks approved for young children.

To learn more, check out:

https://www.nationwidechildren...

Is your baby fussy and has a temperature between 99.3 and 101 F so unsure if they are sick or teething? Then this Facebook live is for you.

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Drummond Chiropractic
565 N Walnut St
Bloomington, IN 47404

(812) 336 - 2423