• Healthy Habits

     

    Sleep 

     

    Do you know how much sleep your child needs? The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has guidelines for the amount of sleep children should get. The guidelines are updated with the latest available science and are endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The current guidelines are:

    • Infants (4 months to 12 months): 12 to 16 hours (including naps)

    • Toddlers (1 to 2 years): 11 to 14 hours (including naps)

    • Preschoolers (3 to 5 years): 10 to 13 hours (including naps)

    • School-Aged (6 to 12 years): 9 to 12 hours

    • Teens (13 to 18 years): 8 to 10 hours

    If your child is not getting enough sleep, it can affect their ability to grow and learn. 


    Healthy Sleep Habits

    1. Keep a nightly routine

    2. Cut off screen time

    3. Schedule quiet time before bed

    4. Keep the room at a comfortable temperature and dark

     

    Oral Health

    Cavities (also known as caries or tooth decay) are the most common chronic disease of childhood in the United States1. Untreated cavities can cause pain and infections that may lead to problems with eating, speaking, playing, and learning. Children who have poor oral health often miss more school and receive lower grades than children who don’t.

    • More than half of children aged 6 to 8 have had a cavity in at least one of their baby (primary) teeth.2Cartoon tooth with toothbrush

    • More than half of adolescents aged 12 to 19 have had a cavity in at least one of their permanent teeth.2

    • Children aged 5 to 19 years from low-income families are twice as likely (25%) to have cavities, compared with children from higher-income households (11%).






    The good news is that cavities are preventable. Fluoride varnish can prevent about one-third (33%) of cavities in the primary (baby) teeth.4 Children living in communities with fluoridated tap water have fewer cavities than children whose water is not fluoridated.5 Similarly, children who brush daily with fluoride toothpaste will have fewer cavities.6

    Dental sealants can also prevent cavities for many years. Applying dental sealants to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth prevent 80% of cavities.

     

    Children should

    • Brush their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.

    • Help your child brush their teeth until they have good brushing skills.
      If your child is younger than 6, watch them brush. Make sure they use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and always spit it out rather than swallow.

    • Ask your child’s dentist to apply dental sealants when appropriate.

    • Drink tap water that contains fluoride.

    • Avoid sugary food and drinks

    • See a dentist twice a year

     

    Good Nutrition Habits

    Family Meals

    Family meals are a comforting ritual for both parents and kids. Children like the predictability of family meals and parents get a chance to catch up with their kids. Kids who take part in regular family meals are also:

    • more likely to eat fruits, vegetables, and grains

    • less likely to snack on unhealthy foods

    • less likely to smoke, use marijuana, or drink alcohol

    Also, family meals are a chance for parents to introduce kids to new foods and to be role models for healthy eating. Teens may turn up their noses at the prospect of a family meal — not surprising because they're busy and want to be more independent. Yet studies find that teens still want their parents' advice and counsel, so use mealtime as a chance to reconnect.

    You might also try these tips:

    • Let kids invite a friend to dinner.

    • Involve your child in meal planning and preparation.

    • Keep mealtime calm and friendly — no lectures or arguing.

    What counts as a family meal? Whenever you and your family eat together — whether it's takeout food or a home-cooked meal with all the trimmings. Strive for nutritious food and a time when everyone can be there. This may mean eating dinner a little later to accommodate a teen who's at sports practice. It also can mean setting aside time on the weekends when it may be more convenient to gather as a group, such as for Sunday brunch.

    Stock Up on Healthy Foods

    Kids, especially younger ones, will eat mostly what's available at home. That's why it's important to control the supply lines — the foods that you serve for meals and have on hand for snacks.

    Follow these basic guidelines:

    • Work fruits and vegetables into the daily routine, aiming for the goal of at least five servings a day. Be sure you serve fruit or vegetables at every meal.

    • Make it easy for kids to choose healthy snacks by keeping fruits and vegetables on hand and ready to eat. Other good snacks include low-fat yogurt, peanut butter and celery, or whole-grain crackers and cheese.

    • Serve lean meats and other good sources of protein, such as fish, eggs, beans, and nuts.

    • Choose whole-grain breads and cereals so kids get more fiber.

    • Limit fat intake by avoiding fried foods and choosing healthier cooking methods, such as broiling, grilling, roasting, and steaming. Choose low-fat or nonfat dairy products.

    • Limit fast food and low-nutrient snacks, such as chips and candy. But don't completely ban favorite snacks from your home. Instead, make them "once-in-a-while" foods, so kids don't feel deprived.

    • Limit sugary drinks, such as soda and fruit-flavored drinks. Serve water and low-fat milk instead.