Mercy Network
Mercy Family Clinic
Pediatric and Adolescent
Fifteen Months
Behavior and Development
Your child is likely wanting to feed herself and explore the world on her own. This emerging independence is a part of normal development and not oppositional behavior. Encourage your toddler with immediate and enthusiastic reinforcement for acceptable behavior. Give more “yes” than “no” messages. Praise good behavior. Spanking is not an effective technique of teaching.
To teach her appropriate behavior, it is important for you to set firm and sensible limits. Give a simple message such as “no” when she exceeds the limit, and then remove her from the potential danger or remove the object from the toddler.
Demonstrate how to use and enjoy toys while playing with your child. Household items such as pots, plastic measuring cups, and empty boxes are enjoyed as toys. Encourage imitative behavior such as sweeping, dusting, and playing with dolls. Provide a safe environment that gives her the freedom to chase, dance, splash in water, throw and kick balls.
Nutrition
- Your toddler probably eats three meals a day.
- She should be supervised by an adult while eating.
- Do not feed her nuts, hard candies, chewing gum, popcorn, hot dogs, grapes, or raisins, which she could aspirate.
- Toddlers should sit still while eating and swallow all food before leaving the table or high chair.
- You should phase out bottle-feeding if this has not already been done.
- If you warm foods in the microwave, stir them thoroughly to even out the temperature.
- Allow your toddler to use her fingers or a spoon to eat.
- Toddlers this age typically eat a lot one time, not much the next. Offer her nutritious foods and let her decide what and how much to eat. Do not limit the menu to only foods that she likes.
- Weight gain will be slower than in the first year.
- Vitamins are not necessary if your child is eating a variety of fruits and vegetables.
- Make mealtimes pleasant and encourage conversation.
Injury Prevention
- Continue to use an appropriate-sized car safety seat that is properly secured.
- Use gates at the top and bottom of stairs and safety devices on windows
- Do not underestimate your toddler’s ability to climb. Chairs should be positioned so that your child is unable to use them to assist in climbing to a dangerously high place. Place the crib mattress in the lowest rung.
- Do not give your toddler plastic bags, latex balloons, or small objects such as marbles.
- Children should always be supervised in or near water (swimming pool, bathtub, lake, ditch, well, uncovered toilet, bucket of water).
- Your child should be kept away from hot stoves, space heaters, wall heaters, irons, and fireplaces. Pot handles should be turned toward the back of the stove. Hot liquids on tablecloths or on top of the stove should be closely monitored so they can not be pulled down.
- Do not carry your child and hot liquids at the same time. Hot liquids should be kept out of the child’s reach during meal preparation.
- The hot water heater thermostat should be set at 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Ensure that electric wires, outlets, and appliances are inaccessible or protected.
- Children should wear protective clothing, hats, and sunscreen when going outside.
- Have your toddler wear a helmet while riding in a seat on an adult bicycle. Wear a helmet yourself.
- Exclude poisons,medications, and toxic household products from your home or keep them in locked cabinets. Have safety caps on all medications.
- Teach the child to use caution when approaching dogs, especially if the dogs are unknown or eating.
- Keep your child away from moving machinery, lawn mowers, overhead garage doors, driveways, and streets.
Other Advice
- Toilet training should be put off until your child is at least 2 years old. Toddlers often become interested in watching their parents using the toilet and in observing their own urination and defecation. At that time it is wise to purchase a child sized “potty” chair. Allow the child to sit on it at will, with diapers in place, as he practices training.
- Television is not a substitute for interaction with your child. Limit television watching to less than one hour per day and monitor the quality of television programming she watches. Watch programs with your child and discuss them with her.
- You should begin or maintain a lifetime exercise program, such as walking, running, swimming, or cycling. This will improve your health and serve as a good example for your child.