Providing for the Toddler’s Developmental Needs

Chapter 14

What have we learned so far?

• Even though toddlers still need adults to provide for their needs, they begin learning some self-care skills, such as feeding, dressing, and toileting.

• Intellectual abilities seem to blossom. Toddlers learn language to talk with others and help them think.

• Toddlers have many social emotional needs. Toddlers need loving adults who understand their wills. Adults need to allow some freedom. The y need to praise toddlers when they learn a new skill and they need to help toddlers when they can’t perform a task.

Physical Needs

• Caregivers must meet toddler’s physical needs to keep them healthy and safe.

• Adults must make sure toddlers are fed, clothed, cleaned, and rested.

• Adults must guide toddler’s self care such as feeding, self cleaning and toileting.

Feeding

• Toddlers graduate from a bottle and baby foods to a cup and finger foods.

• They begin eating meals at the same time as the family, instead of at other times.

The Eating Style of toddlers• A toddler’s appetite decreases because the physical rate of

growth slows.• Toddlers typically are picky eaters. They develop food likes

& dislikes. • Toddler’s eating habits are erratic.• Most toddlers who are offered nutritious meals and snacks

will eat enough over time to meet their food needs.• Toddlers want to feed themselves, but their fine motor

skills are not mature, so playing with food is part of self feeding.

Providing for Toddlers’ Food Needs

• Adults should give toddlers foods that are of high nutrient density (the level of nutrients in a food in relation to the level of calories in the food.)

• The toddler’s pediatrician makes food recommendations based on the height & weight of the toddler. A registered dietician should plan meals for toddlers with special dietary needs.

Providing for Needs of 1-2 year old• Solids have been introduced as a complimentary food because

they provide the nutrients needed in addition to formula or breast milk.

• Between 12 & 24 months, toddlers should continue to breast feed or start drinking whole cow’s milk. At around 1 yr old a toddler needs 900 calories a day, and it gradually increases to 1300-1400 calories a day needed by the age of 2.

• The American Dietic Association (ADA) recommends that toddlers be served about 2 cups of whole milk each day. Juice shouldn’t replace this milk because they don’t have enough calcium or other minerals needed. They also recommend calcium enriched foods.

Between 1&2, a toddler should be able to eat table foods.

• When preparing table foods, parents should:avoid adding salt, sugar, or other spices

• Cook and refrigerate all foods properly• Continue to introduce new foods at 3 day

intervals to check for allergies or intolerances.• Offer toddler 6 offerings of foods per day using

a toddler sized plate to avoid overwhelming the toddler with too much food.

How much is too much food?

• The ADA recommends offering 1 teaspoon of food per year of age for cooked fruits, vegetables, cereals, and pasta. The only exception is if a toddler has a health concern that merits a special planned diet.

• The ADA recommends younger toddlers should eat daily:– 4 servings of dairy– 6 servings of bread/grains– 6 servings of fruits/vegetables– 3-4 servings of meat/alternatives

Meeting Nutritional Needs of Older Toddlers

• The USDA designed a child friendly version of the Food guide Pyramid to address the needs of children 2-6 years old. The serving sizes given with the Food guide Pyramid apply to 4-6 year olds, so toddlers would need smaller sizes.

Preventing Feeding Problems (Figure 14-4)

• Toddlers need to be carefully watched when eating because they easily choke on foods.

• Toddlers should sit or stand when eating, never crawl, walk, or run.

• Some foods that toddlers should not eat include: popcorn, nuts, grapes, spoonfuls of peanut butter, hot dogs, small hard candies, and raw carrots.

• Most feeding problems stem from the toddler’s stage of development. Toddlers work out most feeding problems in time with the help of an adult.

clothing

• Proper clothing for toddlers helps them stay active, comfortable and safe. It also stands up under the strain of vigorous & messy play.

• Choosing garments: fit is important. Too tight or binding will restrict movement.

• Too loose will be uncomfortable and unsafe• Sizing can sometimes be confusing (sm, med, lg or 2T,

3T, 4T, etc)• The most accurate sizing method is weight and

weight/height ranges. (See figure 14-5)

Clothing cont.

• Quality features include safety, comfort, growth features, durability, attractive style, and easy care. (See figure 14-6)

• Some adults want to consider self dressing when choosing a toddlers clothes.

• Toddlers are better able to take clothes off than put them on . It’s at this age they begin unzipping, removing mittens, hats, socks, untied shoes, etc. Adults should accept self dressing efforts of a toddler even if they did it wrong.

Fitting shoes• Because the bones and muscles of the foot are developing,

shoe fit is important for proper growth and comfort. Shoes that fit improperly can permanently damage the child’s feet.

• Toddlers have flat feet because the arch is relaxed. This flat footed look disappears around 3 years old. Going barefooted or wearing socks without shoes is good for the development of the arch.

• Shoes do not support feet, but they do protect them from cold, dampness, and harmful objects.

• Shoes should have ½ inch of space between the large toe and shoe. They should also have a rubber sole and snug fitting heel.

Rest and sleep• Toddlers often sleep fewer than babies. (Figure 14-9 shows the trend in sleep

patterns)• How much sleep does a toddler need? It has less to do with age than it does about

activity level.• Toddlers resist rest ore than babies• Ideas that may help solve problems:

– Accept that adults cannot force toddlers to sleep– Have a definite hour of bedtime.– Set a bedtime ritual or routine– Provide a comfortable place to sleep– Tell toddlers who don’t want to sleep that they don’t have to sleep, but they have to stay in

bed.– Comfort fearful toddlers.– Comfort toddlers who awaken with nightmares.– Return children who get up to their bed– Keep the child away from active spots

Hygiene• Bathing is fun for toddlers. Do not leave them alone while

bathing, though! Young toddlers may feel more secure in a baby bathtub.

• Toddlers like to help bathes themselves. • This is a great time for waterplay. Toddlers can learn that:

– Some toys float and sink– Water power can push toys– Water can be held and cupped in the and for brief times– Water makes all things wet– They can make water splash, squirt, & drip– The bottom of the tub can be seen through water– Soap makes bubbles

Dental care

• Dental care is recommended at around 2-3 years old. Cleaning teeth, though is important from 18 months old-on. A caregiver can brush a toddler’s teeth. At around 2 ½ a toddler can help brush his teeth.

Toilet learning

• This is one of the most discussed aspects of toddler years. Toilet learning is the process which adults help children control their excretory systems, namely bowel movements and urination.

• Toilet learning has been attempted at many different ages. What experts have found is that 2 things are certain in toilet learning:– The timing of the learning varies from toddler to toddler– Many toddlers do not complete the learning process

quickly

Physical and Emotional Factors of Toilet Learning

• Toilet training involves physical development, motor skills & emotional readiness. – Ability to feel the bowel and bladder– Ability to know the sensation of needing to

eliminate means in time to get to the potty– Ability to control muscles for holding in or letting

go.– Ability to walk (or run) to the potty– Ability to remove or push down clothes.

Toilet learning• Caregivers have tried numerous methods for toilet learning.• Certain ideas provide help in the toilet learning process:

– An adults must do it with a child. Adults cannot do the learning for the toddler, toddlers must be ready.

– Toddlers are ready at different ages.– During times of regression, or emotional stress children should

not begin toiler learning.– Adults should accept that toddlers vary in age of complete

control. No relationship exists between the level of intelligence and toilet learning.

– If a toddler is in a group program, the child family & caregivers must be on the same page.

When is the toddler ready?• An adult will start to see when the child is ready: he/she may soil a diaper

and say something. Adults should recognize that is happening. • Caregivers should borrow or buy a child size potty for the toddler who is

ready. • Chairs or potty rings are also made for toddlers. They have some advantages

over potty chairs: rings can be carried to places that don’t have child sized toilets. They’re more sanitary and don’t require cleaning after each use.

• It also eliminates the extra step of learning to use the regular toilet after using the potty chair.

• Toddlers will need help no matter what kind of potty seat/chair you choose. They may need a stool to reach the toilet.

• Show the child the potty, show them how to use light switches, and have toddler wear easy to manage clothing.

Once toileting begins

• Adults should encourage the toddler to use the potty, but do not make demands or “deals”.

• Take toddlers to the toilet at set times until they go on their own.

• Remind them often to use the potty.• Accept success and failure in a matter of fact

way. No negative emotion. Too much praise will add to the pressure to achieve next time.

Accidents

• Accidents will happen!• Prepare will help prevent.• Training pants may lessen the mess of

accidents.• Keep cleaning products around (but out of

toddler’s reach)

Indoor and Outdoor spaces• Toddlers begin playing more on their own• They need a place where they can rest and sleep without being

disturbed, so many families plan indoor and outdoor play spaces and bedrooms for their toddlers.

• Bedrooms & play spaces must be safe• They should fit the toddlers’ needs for play, rest, and learning self-

help skills.• Open floor and yard spaces make active learning easy. • A cozy chair, fuzzy throw rug, corner area and toddler bed are

examples of quiet spaces.• Self help features include low shelves to reach toys, low hooks for

coats, small stools for climbing to reach light switches help also.

Furniture

• Toddlers like furniture and room decorations especially for them.

• Furniture designed for toddlers is usually smaller than other furniture. Choose bedspreads, window coverings, wallpaper, floor coverings, lamps and night-lights toddlers will like.

• Books and toys on display can make the room or area feel special.

Intellectual Needs

• Toddlers learn during daily activities: eating, bathing, dressing, helping with household tasks, running errands, etc.

• Toddlers can learn during meals (language, perceptual learnings, motor skills, nutrition lesson, social times, etc)

Learning through Activities

• Spatial concepts-toddlers put items away in drawers or laundry in a basket.

• Language-vocabulary increases as toddlers learn common household object names

• Science-toddlers see how the vacuum picks up dirt, how air dries clothes, how heat makes dough change into cookies.

Learning through Play

• Toddlers learn as they explore.• Toddlers should be allowed to play on their

own and the adults should participate only when needed or the toddler wants them to.

• Adults may need a few ideas for games to enrich a toddler’s learnings. These games shouldn’t be forced on a child, but encouraged.

Sensory Stimulation Activities

• The senses help toddlers learn about objects.• Through sight, touch, taste, hearing and smell

toddlers learn a variety of concepts about objects.

• Figure 14-16

Problem Solving Activities

• Toddlers can solve problems by testing their ideas. Many of the best problem solving games involve motor actions such as opening/closing containers, finding hidden objects, and watching how objects move.

• Simple puzzles are also good.

Motor Activities

• Toddlers develop motor skills quickly. Riding toys help children develop their large muscles because they are pushed with the feet or ridden.

• Interlocking blocks help fine finger control.

Language Activities

• Parents and caregivers enhance the toddler’s use of language.

• Toddlers need to hear language: adults should talk during many games played with toddlers. Adults should talk during daily routines.

• Clear & simple speech: New words should be explained using words the child already knows. “A bus is like a big car.” Don’t mispronounce words, as is talking beneath the child’s level.

Choosing Books for Toddlers

• Reading books, saying poems, and rhymes helps toddlers develop language. When choosing books, look for these features:– Pictures are colorful and simple– Story lines should focus on toddler’s favorite

subjects– Books should be durable and washable– Pages should be easy to turn and keep open

How do toddlers read?• Not like you and I!• They glance at the page and turn it. Later, they look at it for

a little longer but they may not want to hear the story.• Adults should name objects and point to is. Ask the child to

name objects. • Many older toddlers insist on having stories read to them

numerous times. Repeated routines help the toddler feel secure.

• Songs that act out the meanings of words are helpful to toddlers. And ex is “Here we go round the Mulberry bush”. Language games Fig 14-23

Social-Emotional Needs

• Toddlerhood is like the teen years because the toddler is in a transitional stage. They want to do things for themselves but it exceeds what they’re often capable of doing.

• They often go back & forth between wanting to be totally independent and wanting to be totally dependent. These changes in toddlers’ wills confuse adults.

Discipline

• Toddlers do not have self restraint: they cannot control themselves.

• They don’t know all of the rules of acceptable behavior. Adults should set limits and keep them safe and show them how to become more socially acceptable.

Balancing Assertion and Obedience

• Adults have to help toddlers balance assertion (doing as one chooses) with obedience(acting within the limits set by others). The best way to do this is to meet the toddler’s needs, not punish what they do wrong.

• The needs: