Children's Health

Sleep and Bedtimes for Children's Health

Although it seems a simple thing, sleep is elusive for many families. Many elementary-aged kids and teens are sleep deprived. This can lead to a host of problems, including:

• Inability to concentrate
• Irritability
• Behavior problems
• Hyperactivity
• Poor performance in school

It is important to establish a regular bedtime schedule early in a child's life. For optimum rest and relaxation, limit caffeine, sugar, computer use, and television viewing in the hour before bedtime. Instead, encourage calm, sleep-inducing activities, such as reading non-stimulating books. Turning the lights down low also encourages the mind and body to relax.

How Much Sleep is Needed for Health?

Many parents are confused as to how much sleep a child actually needs. This isn't helped by the fact that some kids and teens actively fight sleep. Ironically, the sleepier a young child is, the more likely he is to fight the urge to rest. Each person is unique, so there is a range in the hours of sleep necessary at each stage of life. Still, there are general guidelines. According to WebMD:

• Ages 1 to 3 years: 12-14 hours per day
• Ages 3 to 6 years: 10.75-12 hours per day
• Ages 7 to 12 years: 10-11 hours per day
• Ages 12 to 18 years: 8.25-9.5

Childen's Health: Diet and Nutrition

Few issues cause parents as much concern as diet and nutrition: are the kids eating too much? Are they eating enough? Is their diet varied enough? Is there too much sugar in the diet? Are they eating enough veggies? Like so many things in life, good dietary habits begin in childhood. For the sake of your children's health, make the effort to instill good habits now.

Like most adults, children need three meals and two healthy snacks each day. No matter how hectic the mornings are, it is important that your kids begin each day with breakfast.

What Should My Child Eat?

Although many toddlers and preschoolers go through stages of only desiring one type of food, try as much as possible to offer foods from all five food groups. A healthy diet will feature grains, dairy, fruit, vegetables, and protein. A small amount of fat is also needed, but try to limit "bad" fats such as butter, margarine, and animal fat.

Healthy Snacks

In order to keep their blood sugars stable, kids need two snacks per day. These should be relatively healthy snacks. Avoid or limit things like:

• Cakes, cookies, and pastries
• Soft drinks and sports drinks
• Potato chips
• Candy
• Ice cream
• Sugary cereal

Instead, offer the following:

• Fruit
• Cheese
• Nuts (unless your children are allergic)
• Yogurt
• Plain popcorn
• Granola
• Whole grains

Please note that whole grapes, popcorn, and other small snacks should not be given to toddlers, because these can pose choking hazards. If you decide to give grapes to a small child, cut each grape into four pieces.

Avoiding Injury

It is inevitable that children will sometimes get injured. Despite parents' best efforts, kids will occasionally fall or slip; they will suffer cuts, scrapes, and bruises. There are, however, things parents can do to minimize some of the risks and optimize children's health:

• Observe age recommendations on toys and gifts. Items marked "3 and up" could likely pose strangulation or choking hazards to infants and toddlers.
• Teach kids the proper use of toys, equipment, and furniture. Countless injuries occur each year due to improper use of everyday items.
• Supervise kids as they use trampolines, skateboards, and other outdoor toys.
• Make sure kids wear helmets, knee pads, elbow pads, and other protective gear when biking, skating, or skateboarding.
• Check screws, nails, and hinges of toys, sports equipment, and swingsets periodically.