Dr. Suzanne McClintick
Childhood Health
As pediatricians and parents, our hope for children is that they grow up to be happy, healthy and productive adults. Amazingly, one of the most important experiences in life which impacts adult health, both physical and emotional, begins in infancy and the early years of a child’s life. This experience is the child’s relationship with the adults around them or their social emotional health. Infants and young children need to experience unconditional love, protection and comfort from their caregivers, and order and routine in their lives.
Relationships with others (relational health) really begins at birth and is promoted by holding your baby, talking to them, reading to them, smiling at them and responding to their needs in a timely fashion. By two to four months of age, your baby will smile when you talk to them and coo back to you when you talk to them. By six to seven months of age, your baby will become anxious when you leave, even just to another room in the house, or when others get too close to them, even grandparents. This behavior reflects their bond to you as their caregiver and their trust of you. During the first year of life and throughout the toddler years, talking, reading, playing and celebrating your child’s accomplishments will foster good social emotional health, which will impact their health throughout their life.
During the toddler and preschool years, children become able to express themselves through language and behavior. Good to remember that all behavior is communication. In addition to talking, reading, playing and celebrating your toddler, it is important to help them understand and name their emotions. By naming emotions, it helps children understand how to act in certain situations. When the child is calm, the caregiver can help the child reflect on their feelings and to learn what to do when feeling mad, sad or frustrated. Toddlers and preschoolers are experiencing many new adventures in the world, but it can be a bit scary at times. You will help them enjoy new experiences by talking to them about what’s going to happen ahead of time.
Remember, the first five years in life are fun and incredibly important for social emotional development as children learn to trust others, identify their emotions, and learn how to deal with their emotions in a positive way.
