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15 MONTH BABY DEVELOPMENT |
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15 MONTHS DEVELOPMENT: Children this age are independently mobile. Many are capable of running, often followed by falling. (At least the soft spot on their head is closed by now.) Toddlers now are learning to talk, though many understand more words than they can say. Remember, don't compare your child to others the same age. There are great variations in children's abilities at this age. Some run and climb while others may speak more. All toddlers play however. At this age play is mostly curiosity and exploration. They might play with Mom or Dad for a few moments, then wander off and explore, only to return and play a little more later. Play is also often solitary, as they play next to others, but not so much with each other. FEEDING: Continue to offer a well balanced diet. Your toddler should no longer need the bottle. A bottle of milk at bedtime often results in multiple cavities. If your child refuses to sleep without a bottle, offer a bottle of water instead. You should continue using whole milk until age two. Toddlers grow much more slowly than babies. They will sometimes only eat one good meal a day. If a meal is being refused, don't fight them. Simply clear away the uneaten food. If this is occurring, try to avoid too many between meal snacks. Also try to provide them with more nutritious snacks when they do have them. If you are providing your toddler a well balanced diet, no vitamins are necessary. A multivitamin made by a reputable company is acceptable, if you wish, or if recommended by your doctor. Many cities and towns provide fluoridated water. If you live in a rural area or your town's water has less than 0.3 parts per million fluoride, your doctor may prescribe fluoride drops. PREVENTION: There is really nothing new here, just some reminders and refreshers. Accidents outnumber illnesses as a cause of death and injury to this age group. Remember to check the POISON CONTROL NUMBER PAGE, confirm the number for your area, print out the sheet and have it handy by the phone. Don't forget to take the safety measures listed at earlier ages to prevent poisonings, drownings, burns, and choking. Also continue to use the car seat. And pay close attention to any playing where they may wander into areas of traffic. You may want to review some other ACCIDENT PREVENTION measures. WELL BABY CHECKUP: Please find the 15 MONTH MILESTONES ASSESSMENT page and after answering the questions for your toddler, take it with you for your toddlers' checkup to help facilitate discussions with your doctor. If not given at 12 months, the MMR and VARICELLA may be given today. If they were given, then the fourth DTaP, the last HIB, and an OPV (oral polio vaccine) may be given. MMR and VARICELLA side effects are mild and may include swelling and redness at the shot site, as well as a mild rash in about 7 days. Again, notify your doctor if anyone at your home is receiving chemotherapy or has immune system problems before getting the shots. DTaP, HIB, and OPV again are tolerated well as they were at 2, 4, 6 months. Tylenol usual helps if there is any discomfort. Make sure you check the IMMUNIZATION SCHEDULE recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and make you're your child's shots are kept up to date. BEHAVIOR: The "terrible twos" actually begin sometime between 15 and 18 months and don't really end until about 5 years of age. The hallmark of this period in your child's life is the temper tantrum. Children don't outgrow them, but with your help they learn more appropriate ways of interacting with other people. If your toddler is really out of control, use a "time out." Place your toddler in a quiet area that offers nothing to play with, for example, a corner, or a playpen. A "time out" should last about one minute per year of age, but generally not longer that 5 to 7 minutes. This way you can demonstrate your dissatisfaction with the behavior in question without encouraging and demonstrating other poor behavior such as hitting, screaming, and getting angry or belittling your toddlers. Spanking loses its effect rapidly. It also demonstrates that hitting is an appropriate thing to do when angry. The only situations where it might be acceptable is if your toddler is in danger or is endangering someone else. Written by Greg Clark, MD and Mark Ludes, DO |
Again review 12 Month Development
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