Mercy Network
Mercy Family Clinic
Pediatric and Adolescent
Twelve Months
Antibiotics
- Expect an average of six upper respiratory infections (URI)
per year.
- Some infants will require antibiotic therapy, most will
not.
- Colds are caused by viral infections. They will not respond
to an antibiotic, but will get better without therapy.
- Unnecessary antibiotic use may increase the risk that your
child will carry or become infected with resistant strains
of bacteria.
- Children with URI’s who are well enough to participate
in activities can attend day care.
Behavior & Development
- It is important to establish a regular bedtime routine.
If your baby is waking up in the middle of the night or having
trouble settling down at bedtime, it is often helpful to increase
the structure of the bedtime routine and to be consistent with
your expectation that she will stay in bed even if awake.
- Be attentive to and appreciative of your child’s efforts
toward independence. Some children start to “play favorites”between
their parents. Despite this behavior, you should continue to
have “one-on-one” interactions with her. Appropriate
toys for this age include blocks or rings, dolls, stuffed animals,
and books with simple but realistic pictures.
- Cuddling and being held are still important contacts between
you and your child, as are talking and singing.
- Most children this age can understand more words than they
are able to say. They can follow simple commands and identify
pictures in a book, or body parts. Your child can use “mama” and “dada” correctly.
She may also have three to five additional recognizable words.
- Language skills develop quickly during the next 6 months.
You can facilitate this by speaking to her in simple sentences
and labeling commonly encountered items and actions with clear
words and phrases.
- Labeling items in books and magazines is another way to
encourage language development.
- Favorite toys include blocks that can be banged together
and objects that can be stacked or put inside one another.
- She may begin to play imaginary games, and to imitate your
activities such as sweeping or cooking.
- Around 1 year of age, infants begin to walk, then climb,
then run.
- You will see increasing ability of your infant to grasp
and manipulate small objects and use a spoon. She may also
increase the amount of finger foods that she eats; and resist
being fed pureed “baby food.”
- With newfound mobility your toddler is eager to explore
a wider area. You need to set limits when there are threats
to her safety, property or the orderliness of desired household
routines.
- Effective disciplinary actions, when necessary, include
distraction, a stern restatement of the forbidden action (eg,
hitting is not allowed), or a brief “time-out.”
- Your child’s development is affected by stresses in
the family, such as financial instability, marital conflict,
unemployment, alcohol or other drug use, physical or emotional
abuse, chronic illness or death of a family member, or lack
of adequate social support. Discuss any of these concerns with
the doctor or a counselor.
Nutrition
- Appetites decrease in the second year of life.
- Feed your toddler at family mealtimes and give her two to
three nutritious snacks per day.
- Offer her nutritious foods and let her decide how much to
eat.
- She will eat a lot one time, not much the next.
- Let your toddler experiment with a variety of foods from
each food group by touching and outhing them repeatedly.
- Weight gain will be slower than in her first year.
- Your one year old is ready to be weaned from breastfeeding
or bottle-feeding .
- Change from formula to whole cow’s milk.
- Decrease milk intake to less than 16 ounces per day.
- Encourage your toddler to drink from a cup.
- Avoid giving foods and drinks that are high in fat, salt,
and sugar.
- Nuts, hard candies, chewing gum, and hard raw fruits and
vegetables should be avoided.
Injury Prevention
- Do not leave heavy objects or containers of hot liquids
on tables with tablecloths that your toddler may pull down.
- Turn pan handles toward the back of the stove. Keep your
toddler away from hot stoves, fireplaces, irons, curling irons,
and space heaters.
- Keep all poisonous substances, medicines, cleaning agents,
health and beauty aids, and paints and paint solvents locked
in a safe place out your toddler’s sight and reach. Store
these items in clearly marked containers that do not resemble
food containers.
- Windows and stairs should be guarded with railings or gates.
Do not use walkers.
- Infants should be kept out of the sun at peak times (10:00
am to 3:00 pm). Protect with sunscreen.
- Supervise your toddler constantly whenever she is in or
around water, buckets, the toilet, or the bathtub. Empty buckets,
tubs, or small pools immediately after use. A locked fence
with a self-closing, self-latching gate should surround a pool.
- Keep your toddler’s environment free of smoke. The
home and car should be nonsmoking zones.
- Test smoke detectors to ensure that they work properly.
Change batteries yearly.
- Keep cigarettes, lighters, matches, and alcohol out of your
toddler’s sight and reach.
- Ensure that electric wires, outlets, and appliances are
inaccessible.
- Car safety seats may face the front of the car beginning
at 1 year of age and when the child weighs more than 20 lb.
Return to Health Care Tip
For physician referral or health
information call:
Mercy Family Health Line
641.422.7777 or
1.800.468.0050
