The A to Z of parenting
Dec 12, 2008
<b>Alcohol</b><br>Alcohol consumed during pregnancy can lead to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). There is no safe amount of alcohol a woman can drink while pregnant. Therefore, it is recommended that women abstain from drinking alcohol at any time during pregnancy.
Alcohol
Alcohol consumed during pregnancy can lead to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). There is no safe amount of alcohol a woman can drink while pregnant. Therefore, it is recommended that women abstain from drinking alcohol at any time during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding
For the one hundredth time, breastfeed your child, unless a doctor advises you against it. Breastfeeding is the ideal method of feeding and nurturing infants.
Compliment Your Kids
Compliment your kids when they do something good. This encourages good behaviour and keeps the communication lines open. Involved parents are a protective factor against peer pressure.
Dental Health
Dental decay is one of the most common chronic infectious diseases among children. Children should brush their teeth with a fluoride toothpaste twice a day.
Exercise
It is recommended that children and adolescents participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity, most preferably on all days of the week.
Folic Acid
Insufficient folic acid (a B vitamin) in pregnant women can lead to spine defects and brain defects in infants. All women who could possibly become pregnant should take a tablet with folic acid every day.
Growth and development
Height and weight are not enough to measure your toddler’s growth. Child immunisation cards show you the different measures for your child’s development for the first five years.
Handwashing/Hygiene
The most important thing that you and your kids can do to help keep from getting sick is to wash hands, especially after coughing and sneezing, before preparing food or eating, and after using the toilet.
Safe electrical wiring
A mother in Mukono lost all her four children after one touched a live wire. The others tried to pull their sibling off the wire and ended up getting shocked themselves. Please ensure that all electrical wires in and around the home are properly insulated.
Joint parenting
Every child needs both of his or her parents. Do your best enable this.
Know Your Child’s health
risks and Family History
Know if you or your child is at risk of getting certain conditions or diseases because of family history, medical history, environmental concerns, or other issues and tell your health care provider about it. Take steps to lower risk, where possible.
Learn More About Your Child’s Life
Get to know your children’s friends, interests and hobbies. Learn if any of them are placing your children at risk of injuries or bad habits.
Motor Vehicle Safety
Does your car have safety accessories for children? Ensure that you children get adequate road safety training. There is a children’s road safety training ground in Bugolobi.
Nutritious Food
This is an era that promotes all kinds of junk food but as a parent, control how much of this junk your children eat. Include fruit, vegetables and fibre in their diets and serve child-sized portions.
Other Caregivers
Screen and train your housemaids properly. Ensure that they and others caring for your child (including family, friends, neighbours, day care and schools) have your contact information, know what to do in case of an emergency.
Pets
Pets provide many benefits but can also transmit diseases to children. Children should wash their hands thoroughly with running water and soap after contact with animals. Adults should supervise this handwashing.
Quit bad habits
Smoking, excessive drinking and unnecessarily staying out late all in one way or another affect the health and wellbeing of your child. Be a good parent and drop these vices.
Recreation and Sports Safety
Recreational activities like swimming can be fun but certain precautions should be taken to protect your children and other swimmers from getting sick. Don’t let your children swim if they have diarrhoea. Caution them against swallowing water.
Safety Checks
Store all medicines, household products, personal care products and other dangerous substances in locked cabinets that are out of reach of small children.
Talk
Got a minute? Give It to Your Kids. Talk to your children about healthy, safe and responsible choices through discussions on tobacco, drugs, alcohol, sexual abuse and other subjects.
Use medicines wisely
All medicines for children must be prescribed by a medical person. Misuse of drugs may cause drug resistance among the children. Children have the highest rate of infections caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
Vaccinations
Even after the initial infancy immunisations, ensure that your children get the recommended vaccinations for example those against meningitis, yellow fever and tetanus for 15 year old girls.
Watch Your Kids
It only takes a second for small children to get into something they shouldn’t get into. To prevent injury, be aware of common causes of injury in the home, at school and on the move.
Xplain the Facts of Life
Do your children know about bad touches? Talking about the birds and bees is important but also tell the little ones about sexual abuse.
Yearly Exams and Screenings
When they are less than a year old, babies should be seen by a health care professional every few months for routine exams. Around one year of age, children may be seen every six months to yearly.
ZZZZs
Make sure your family gets plenty of sleep (ZZZZs). If you are rested, then you are in better shape to deal with the joys and challenges of raising safe and healthy children.
Adopted from an article by
the Centre for Disease Control
Alcohol consumed during pregnancy can lead to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). There is no safe amount of alcohol a woman can drink while pregnant. Therefore, it is recommended that women abstain from drinking alcohol at any time during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding
For the one hundredth time, breastfeed your child, unless a doctor advises you against it. Breastfeeding is the ideal method of feeding and nurturing infants.
Compliment Your Kids
Compliment your kids when they do something good. This encourages good behaviour and keeps the communication lines open. Involved parents are a protective factor against peer pressure.
Dental Health
Dental decay is one of the most common chronic infectious diseases among children. Children should brush their teeth with a fluoride toothpaste twice a day.
Exercise
It is recommended that children and adolescents participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity, most preferably on all days of the week.
Folic Acid
Insufficient folic acid (a B vitamin) in pregnant women can lead to spine defects and brain defects in infants. All women who could possibly become pregnant should take a tablet with folic acid every day.
Growth and development
Height and weight are not enough to measure your toddler’s growth. Child immunisation cards show you the different measures for your child’s development for the first five years.
Handwashing/Hygiene
The most important thing that you and your kids can do to help keep from getting sick is to wash hands, especially after coughing and sneezing, before preparing food or eating, and after using the toilet.
Safe electrical wiring
A mother in Mukono lost all her four children after one touched a live wire. The others tried to pull their sibling off the wire and ended up getting shocked themselves. Please ensure that all electrical wires in and around the home are properly insulated.
Joint parenting
Every child needs both of his or her parents. Do your best enable this.
Know Your Child’s health
risks and Family History
Know if you or your child is at risk of getting certain conditions or diseases because of family history, medical history, environmental concerns, or other issues and tell your health care provider about it. Take steps to lower risk, where possible.
Learn More About Your Child’s Life
Get to know your children’s friends, interests and hobbies. Learn if any of them are placing your children at risk of injuries or bad habits.
Motor Vehicle Safety
Does your car have safety accessories for children? Ensure that you children get adequate road safety training. There is a children’s road safety training ground in Bugolobi.
Nutritious Food
This is an era that promotes all kinds of junk food but as a parent, control how much of this junk your children eat. Include fruit, vegetables and fibre in their diets and serve child-sized portions.
Other Caregivers
Screen and train your housemaids properly. Ensure that they and others caring for your child (including family, friends, neighbours, day care and schools) have your contact information, know what to do in case of an emergency.
Pets
Pets provide many benefits but can also transmit diseases to children. Children should wash their hands thoroughly with running water and soap after contact with animals. Adults should supervise this handwashing.
Quit bad habits
Smoking, excessive drinking and unnecessarily staying out late all in one way or another affect the health and wellbeing of your child. Be a good parent and drop these vices.
Recreation and Sports Safety
Recreational activities like swimming can be fun but certain precautions should be taken to protect your children and other swimmers from getting sick. Don’t let your children swim if they have diarrhoea. Caution them against swallowing water.
Safety Checks
Store all medicines, household products, personal care products and other dangerous substances in locked cabinets that are out of reach of small children.
Talk
Got a minute? Give It to Your Kids. Talk to your children about healthy, safe and responsible choices through discussions on tobacco, drugs, alcohol, sexual abuse and other subjects.
Use medicines wisely
All medicines for children must be prescribed by a medical person. Misuse of drugs may cause drug resistance among the children. Children have the highest rate of infections caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
Vaccinations
Even after the initial infancy immunisations, ensure that your children get the recommended vaccinations for example those against meningitis, yellow fever and tetanus for 15 year old girls.
Watch Your Kids
It only takes a second for small children to get into something they shouldn’t get into. To prevent injury, be aware of common causes of injury in the home, at school and on the move.
Xplain the Facts of Life
Do your children know about bad touches? Talking about the birds and bees is important but also tell the little ones about sexual abuse.
Yearly Exams and Screenings
When they are less than a year old, babies should be seen by a health care professional every few months for routine exams. Around one year of age, children may be seen every six months to yearly.
ZZZZs
Make sure your family gets plenty of sleep (ZZZZs). If you are rested, then you are in better shape to deal with the joys and challenges of raising safe and healthy children.
Adopted from an article by
the Centre for Disease Control