tips to keep toddlers safe and healthy

1. Teach healthy eating. Provide three nutritious meals supplemented with two to three healthy snacks daily. Feed toddlers nutritious foods at the same time as other family members and allow them to grow into feeding themselves. Avoid foods and drinks that are high in sugar and be a good role model

2. Begin a habit of good oral health. Brush your child's teeth twice a day with a soft toothbrush. Begin brushing for your child when his or her teeth first appear and continue until age 3 or 4.  Introduce fluoridated toothpaste at age 2.

3. Don't smoke. And don't allow anyone else to smoke around your child. Second-hand smoke can have a harmful effect on your child's breathing and can have long-term respiratory consequences like impaired lung growth, chronic coughing, and wheezing.

4. Give positive feedback. Praise good behavior and accomplishments. Hug, talk, read, explore, and play together. This also begins to ensure a healthy bond between parent and child. When choosing a caregiver, discuss their attitudes about discipline and be sure that they agree with your point of view.

5. Always use a car safety seat. Be sure your child rides in an age- and weight-appropriate child safety seat, correctly installed in the back seat, on every trip. If you have any questions about how to install your child safety seat, many local fire and police departments will help you.

6. Child-proof your house.

• Move all medications and cleaning products to high shelves.
• Set the temperature of your hot water heater to 120 degrees,
• Never carry hot liquids or food while holding your child.
• Be sure any toys your child plays with do not have parts that are small enough to choke on.
• Do not give toddlers under age 2 foods that may cause choking, like hard candy.
• Install a toilet lid lock on every toilet in the home. Drowning can happen in less than a couple of inches of water.

7. Never leave your toddler unattended. As a child grows, so does his or her natural curiosity to explore. It just takes a few seconds for an inquisitive toddler to get into a dangerous situation.

8. Make sure your child has a primary health provider. Prevention is the key to a healthy childhood. So make sure that your child has a pediatrician or family practitioner who knows your child before your child has an illness, injury, or developmental delay that requires medical attention.

9. Fully immunize your child. Make sure your child gets all immunizations on time. Talk with your child's primary health provider about keeping up to date on all vaccinations.

10. Learn child first aid and CPR. Be prepared. Know how to call for help, including poison control. The national toll-free line for poison control is 1-800-222-1222.

11. Practice prevention and safety. Teach your child safety tips, including always swimming with a buddy, and wearing a bicycle helmet. Teach your child about sun safety, including wearing a hat outdoors and frequently applying SPF 30 sunscreen. Be sure your older toddler knows his or her name, parents' names, and phone number. Get your child's fingerprints taken and keep a recent photograph in your wallet.

12. Have fun. Parenting is the most difficult job in the world. Be patient, manage your stress, and ask for help. Parenting is difficult, so if you feel so stressed that you feel unable to cope, get help.