Healthy Habits for Infants

1.Keep your baby from large groups of people or other sick children to minimize his exposure to infections.

2.Know signs of illness: fever (call us right away if your baby has a temp over 100.4 before he/she is 2-3 months old), decreased appetite, vomiting, irritability, and lethargy.

3.To avoid having to supplement with fluoride, use fluorinated tap water. If you are using bottled or filtered water only, then your child may need fluoride supplements (check with the health dept. or manufacturer for your water's fluoride levels).

4.Begin to clean your child's teeth by wiping them with a moist washcloth or a soft child's toothbrush. Use a non-fluoride toothpaste (like Baby OraGel) until your child is able to spit it out (too much fluoride can stain their teeth).

5.Do not put your child to sleep with a bottle, since the sugar in the formula/juice will pool around their teeth all night and cause cavities.

1. Ensure proper nutrition (eating three meals a day and two nutritious snacks,

2. elimiting high sugar and high fat foods, eating fruits, vegetables, lean meats and low fat dairy products, including 3 servings of milk, cheese or yogurt to meet their calcium needs), regular exercise, adequate sleep (10-11 hours each night), and participation in extracurricular activities at school and in the community.

3. Limit television viewing and encourage reading and storytelling.

4. Practice food safety: washing fruits and vegetables and not eating undercooked meats or poultry.

5. To avoid having to supplement with fluoride, use fluorinated tap water. If you are using bottled or filtered water only, then your child may need fluoride supplements (check with the health dept. or manufacturer for your water's fluoride levels).

6. Brush teeth with a fluoride toothpaste twice a day and have your child seen regularly by a dentist.

7. Supervise your child's use of the computer (a child at this age should not have unsupervised access to the Internet), computer games, movies, and know what they have access to at their friend's homes.

8. Prepare your child for puberty and sexual development.

9. Begin communicating with your child to help prevent them from picking up bad habits, including the use of tobacco, alcohol and drugs (including the use of inhalants; especially aerosols and glue). Children whose parents talk to them regularly are at much less risk for experimenting with cigarettes, alcohol and drugs. Teach them how to avoid situations where drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes are present and to choose friends who also choose not to use these substances.

1.Ensure proper nutrition (eating three meals a day and two nutritious snacks, limiting high sugar and high fat foods, eating fruits, vegetables, lean meats and low fat dairy products, including 3 servings of milk, cheese or yogurt to meet their calcium needs), regular exercise, adequate sleep (10-11 hours each night), and participation in extracurricular activities at school and in the community.

2.Limit television viewing and encourage reading.

3.Practice food safety: washing fruits and vegetables and not eating undercooked meats or poultry.

4.Brush teeth with a fluoride toothpaste twice a day and have your child seen regularly by a dentist.

5.Encourage flossing each day.

6.Supervise your child's use of the computer (a child at this age should not have unsupervised access to the Internet), computer games, movies, and know what they have access to at their friends' homes.

7.Prepare your child for puberty and sexual development and begin sexual education if you have not already done so, including that abstinence is the safest way to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

8.Begin communicating with your child to help prevent them from picking up bad habits, including the use of tobacco, alcohol and drugs (including the use of inhalants; especially aerosols and glue).

KidsHealth