Meeting the Physical Needs of Toddlers

1. Providing for Toddler’s Developmental Needs Chapter 14

3. Physical Needs • Meeting physical needs keep toddlers mentally and socially fit • Fed, clothed, cleaned, and rested • Guide self-care, self-feeding, self-cleaning

5. Feeding • Eating experience changes • Graduate from bottle to baby foods to cup to table foods

6. Eating Style of Toddlers • Appetite decreases • May be picky eaters • Definite food likes and dislikes • Eating patterns not like adults • Erratic with their mood swings • Eat a meal and skip one and then be starved

7. Most don’t like to sit for a meal • Prefer to eat on the go • Want to self feed • Control their eating • Pick up food with fingers • Messy part of eating (love to feel the food)

8. Providing for Toddlers’ Food Needs • Nutrient dense = level of nutrients in a food in relation to the level of calories in the food • Eat smaller amounts so need nutrient dense • Not high in calories

9. Special food needs • Should plan for diet • Registered dietitians = special training in nutrition and diet

10. Providing for the Needs of One to Two Year Olds • Solids are complementary foods because they provide nutrient in addition to breast or formula • Toddlers need breast milk, formula or may switch to whole cow’s milk • Not reduced or fat free

11. Toddlers need 900 calories by first birthday • 2nd birthday need 1300 – 1400 calories • Avoid fruit juices or drinks to replace milk • Need 2 cups a day • Need calcium rich meals and snacks

12. Helpful Hints • Avoid adding salt, sugar, spices to toddlers • Cook and refrigerate all foods properly • Continue to introduce new foods at 3 to 4 intervals to check for allergies and intolerances

13. Mash foods or cut them into bite sized pieces • Offer toddlers six offerings of food (meals and snacks) • ADA (American Dietetic Association) recommends 1 teaspoon food per year of age for cooked fruits, veggies, cereals, pastas

14. Need to eat nutritious and a variety • Only exception is for those on special eating plans

15. Four servings of dairy • Six servings of grain • Six servings of fruit and veggies • Three to four serving meat

16. Older Toddler • Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children • Child friendly version of the Food Guide Pyramid developed by the USDA to address the needs of children ages 2 to 6 years for nutritious foods and physical activity

17. 4 to 6 year Olds • 5 major food groups • (see page 338 figure 14,3) • Grain group, 6 servings • Vegetable group, 3 servings • Fruit group, 2 servings • Milk group, 2 servings • Meat group, 2 servings • Fat and sweets, offer a few

18. Preventing Feeding Problems • Easy choking factor • Should sit still or stand still while eating • Do not creep, craw, or walk • Avoid certain foods: • Popcorn, grapes, raisins, nuts, spoonfuls of peanut butter, hot dogs, small hard candies, raw carrots • See page 340 for feeding problems

19. Clothing • Help toddlers stay active, comfortable, safe • Stand up to strain of movement and messy play

20. Choosing Garments • Fit important • Too tight will bind • Too loose will be uncomfortable and unsafe • Most clothing needs to be tried on • Sizes are confusing, see page 341 for details

21. Quality features include safety, comfortable fabric and construction, growth features, durability, attractive style, and easy care

22. Consider self dressing features • Unzip zippers, remove mittens, etc • Some designed to teach self dressing • See page 342 figure 14-6

23. Fitting Shoes • Shoe fit important for developing fit • Improper fit may cause permanent damage to the child’s feet • Outgrow before they wear out • Toddler is flat footed, arch is relaxed and disappears around age 3

24. Going barefoot great for arch • Need shoes to protect feet from cold, dampness, harmful objects

25. Rest and Sleep • Sleep fewer hours than babies • Sleep less when under stress and more than average when recovering from an illness • Awaken at the same time each morning about a week and note when they are sleepy

26. May resist rest and sleep even when tired • Helpful hints • Can’t force to sleep, resistance does disappear • Have definite hour for bedtime • Set a bedtime ritual or routine (about an hour)

27. Comfortable place for sleep • Tell toddlers that they don’t have to sleep just stay in bed • Comfort fearful toddlers, tell them where you will be • Comfort toddlers who awaken with nightmares

28. Return children to bed who get up • Keep child away from active spots where TV or talking is going on

29. Hygiene • Bathing is fun • Never leave unattended • May use a toddler tub • Bathtub seats

30. Water Play • Fun in water and also learn: • Toys that float • Water power can push toys • Water help in cupped hand • Water makes things wet • Water splashes • Bottom of tub can be seen through water • Soap makes bubbles

31. Fold Away Bath Seat

32. Dental Care • Important for toddlers • First check up at two years • Eat nutritious foods • Clean teeth regularly • Adult can “brush” teeth with cloth • Toddler may “help” by 30 months • Adults should supervise and assist through preschool

34. Toilet Learning • Process by which adults help children control their excretory systems (bowel and urine) • Experts found 2 things; • 1. timing of learning varies per toddler • 2. many toddlers do not complete the learning process quickly

35. Physical & Emotional Factors • Ability to feel a full bowel or bladder • Ability to know what the sensation of needing to eliminate means • Ability to control muscles used for holding in or letting go • Ability to walk • Ability to remove or push down clothes

36. Procedure for Toilet Learning • Something adults do with a child • Toddlers must be ready • Age 3 toddler regress so hard to start then • Regression = going back to an earlier stage of development, thumb sucking, etc

37. Don’t begin toilet training if family in stress • If in a group program constant communication is needed among adults

38. When Toddler is Ready • Borrow or buy a child-sized potty • Potty chairs or rings to fit on toilet • Standard toilets require adult help • Toddler might be frightened • May sit on potty with their clothes on • Easy to manage clothing critical now

39. Take child to potty before and after meals • Before and after sleep times • Toddlers needs some praise • Success and failure will happen

40. Accidents • Training pants = special underpants or pants made of disposable diaper material that help lessen the mess of accidents during toilet training

41. Indoor and Outdoor Spaces • Need to be safe • Open floor and yard make it easier to be active • Self help features, low book shelves, chairs • Wall hangings, bed coverings one a toddler will like

42. Intellectual Needs • Learn through daily activities • Eating, bathing, dressing, etc • Learn during meals, talk with others at the table • Choices about foods, flatware, etc

43. Learning through Activities • Spatial = pertaining to space • Helping with household tasks develop spatial concepts • Putting laundry in basket, items in drawers

44. Learning through Play • Play lets toddler check and recheck learning • Fill plastic pail with same toys many times for example • Adults may play with toddlers sometimes • Show or introduce new ideas to play

46. Sensory Stimulation Activities • Senses help toddlers learn about qualities or objects • Touch = rough or smooth • Hearing & touch = hard or soft • Taste = sweet, salty, sour Sensory stimulation activities on page 353 figure 14-16

48. Problem Solving • Best problem solving involve motor actions Opening and closing containers, finding hidden object, etc

49. Motor Activities • Riding toys help with large motor skills • Interlocking blocks help with small motor skills

50. Language Skills • Need to hear language • Talk during games • Ask questions • Use conversational manner