The health of the child is usually a priority for the caregiver. A smaller organism requires special care, and a period of intensive development has an impact on the child’s future condition.

To do the best for the child, it should be remembered that his health depends not only on the vegetables on the plate and the warm scarf on the neck.

Healthy habits

The most important task of each parent for the care of the patient’s health is to instill in the child the awareness of health and healthy lifestyle. Appropriate habits will make it easier for the child to make healthy decisions in the future, and knowledge of the hygienic lifestyle will enable him/her to take care of his/her own body independently. We present a short download about the habits that are worth working on from an early age.

1. 5 meals a day

The healthiest is to eat 5 meals a day, at intervals of about 3 hours. Little, but often – this is a rule worth giving to the little one. Maintaining such a rhythm of nutrition is a recipe for efficient metabolism, clear mind and good physical condition. Remember to drink water frequently and brush your teeth after a meal.

2. A varied diet

A healthy menu should consist of the least processed and varied products. Instead of eating five portions of carrots, it is better to add variety to the menu with fresh, seasonal products. Cereal products, lean meat and fish, eggs, legumes and healthy fats provide the body with energy to function and the necessary nutrients.

3. Reduce sugar

The harmful effects of sweets are widely known – that is why they are often presented to the child as “forbidden fruit”. Sweets usually also serve as a reward.

However, such action may lead to the opposite effect – what is forbidden becomes more attractive for the child. The information about the negative properties of sweets is abstract for the child and does not appeal to his or her imagination – especially since the adults who pass it on usually do not follow their own recommendations.

4. Take care of immunity

Hardening – that is, gradual getting used to lower temperatures and more difficult weather conditions – is a healthy alternative to putting on a toddler’s clothes in autumn and winter. Overheating can be dangerous for your baby’s health, so always listen to your baby’s messages and adapt your outfit to his needs. Do not avoid walking in less favourable weather.

5. Physical activity

Take care of everyday physical activity – yours and your child’s. Regular exercise will strengthen your muscles and have a positive effect on bone mineralization, while reducing body fat. Movement also results in the ejection of endorphins, so it has a positive effect on your mood and improves mental performance. It also supports the development of motor coordination in the child.

6. Healthy sleep

Sleep deprivation causes problems with concentration, mood swings, and increases the risk of obesity – unsleepy people are more likely to reach for high calorie and unhealthy food. If a child does not fall asleep, its cognitive abilities and natural defensive functions of the body decrease. When we do not provide the body with an adequate dose of sleep, it produces larger amounts of stress hormone, negatively affecting the condition of the whole body.

7. Healthy relationships

Stress has a great negative impact on the immune functions of the toddler’s body, so the support of an adult is important not only for his psyche – also for the health of the body. That is why in the first weeks of the school year an increased number of infections attacking pupils is recorded. Let’s try to alleviate the stress to which the child is exposed and teach him/her how to deal with it.

8. Contact with the world

Contact with the world means new challenges for the child, development of creativity, learning to make decisions and respond to new stimuli. It is also an opportunity to meet bacteria and microorganisms and allergens. Contrary to popular beliefs, they should not be eliminated at any cost. Sterile environment negatively affects the child’s immune system, which then has no chance to develop appropriate defence mechanisms.

9. Control weight and height

These are simple measurements that can be taken without leaving home. Marking the child’s changing height, e.g. on a special tape attached to the wall, can become an attractive game for the toddler, which at the same time will teach him to monitor his body. Regular checking of the baby’s weight and height will allow for early detection of possible problems, such as overweight and obesity and other developmental disorders.

10. Monitor your health

Regular visits to the doctor, checking the dentition and talking about the ailments that can tease the child will pay off with the habits of the child, which will prove to be very valuable also in adult life. It is worth teaching the child what kind of discomfort he or she can cope with at home, and when to go to the doctor’s consultation.