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Complete Children's Health Care Information

Having a fit and healthy child implies that your child eats well, does a lot of physical activity, has a healthy weight, and over all feels good. Children need more attention regarding their health, because they are ignorant of health and hygiene.Child Health Care Guide!
Being parents you must know the basics of keeping your children healthy, like offering them healthy diets, making sure they get enough sleep and exercise and insuring their safety. It’s also important for your children to get regular checkups with their health care provider. These visits are a chance to check your child's development. They are also a good time to catch or prevent problems. This can be accomplished with some simple steps and rules to live by, in order to have a happy and healthy child. Let’s start with their nutrition.

Nutrition
Good food habits and daily physical activity – if your children have these, they're well on the way to a healthy life. But achieving this isn't always so simple. What your children eat is important for their health. Follow the nutrition guidelines below as per your child’s age.

Birth to Two Years Old:

  • Breast milk is the best single food for infants from birth to at least 12 months of age. It provides good nutrition and protects against infection. If breast-feeding is not possible or not desired, iron-enriched formula (not cow's milk) should be used during the first 12 months of life. Whole cow's milk can be used to replace formula or breast milk after 12 months of age.
  • Begin suitable solid foods at 4 to 6 months of age. Most experts recommend iron-enriched infant rice cereal as the first food.
  • Start new foods one at a time to make it easier to identify problem foods. For example, wait 1 week before adding each new cereal, vegetable, or other food.
  • Use iron-rich foods, such as grains, iron-enriched cereals, and meats.
  • Do not limit fat during the first two years of life.
Two Years and Older:
  • Provide a variety of foods, including plenty of fruit, vegetables, and whole grains.
  • Use salt (sodium) and sugars in moderation.
  • Encourage a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol.
  • Help your child maintain a healthy weight by providing proper foods and encouraging regular exercise.
Regular Checkups
From the very first day that a child is born he or she is being checked and monitored by a healthcare professional. The first year of a baby’s life is filled with doctor appointments that typically occur once every other month or more. After the first year the number of visits will decline; however, it is still important that parents take their children to their pediatrician for regular checkups.

child health careRegular checkups typically occur once or twice a year. The number of checkups depends on the age of the child. If a child was diagnosed with having a certain illness or birth defect they may have to have additional checkups.

It is extremely important that parents do not allow their children to miss their regularly scheduled checkup appointments. Checkups are needed to make sure that children are healthy and that their development is on course. Regular checkups are important for individuals of all ages; however, they are extremely important in infants.

Immunizations
Fully immunizing your child according to the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics can help protect your child from many common infections. These infections can lead to serious and even life threatening complications. Although the vaccines may have mild side effects and more rarely, serious complications, in general, it is safer to immunize your children than allow them to get any of the infections that they prevent.

Immunization not only protects children’s own health but the health of other kids at school or childcare. For more information on vaccinations, ask your doctor for individual vaccine information sheets.

General
Babies, toddlers and kids can get sick at school or at childcare, and even at home. You need to know what to do in an emergency and when to call the doctor. Find emergency phone numbers, tips on when to see a doctor and how to deal with fever and other minor problems.


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