Ask Dr. Sears!

[Kay at Parenting.com]

Beloved pediatrician Dr. William Sears is taking your questions! Post questions here for the man who coined the terms “attachment parenting” and “babywearing,” and we might feature your question — and Dr. Sears’ answer to it – in an upcoming issue of Babytalk magazine.

[Tawnee80]

My 13 month old has turned into a "fruit-head". She prefers to eat fresh fruit over anything else we try to offer her. While I think this is great others have commented to me that too much fruit is a bad thing. We offer her other items but she dives for the fruit, especially the blueberries. Is too much fruit really a bad thing?

[jenellebelle]

Recently my 21-month-old son has become fond of the "mine" game (steals anything he wants and proclaims it his own). We've set limits that it must be played with a toy he is willing to share and be done without violence. We've let him play this game, and we'll playfully steal the toy back and forth with him - he absolutely loves it. Now we have the problem that he tries to "play" this game with other children. Of course, they don't understand why he rips the toy away from them and then gives it back...repeatedly. Can we keep setting the same limits and maybe make it a daddy and mommy only game? Or have we created a little monster?

[sweetrevenge02]

My 3 year old daughter has started biting her nails!!!! It's so bad now that they will bleed and hurt. I dont know what to do....How do I get her to stop??? Please help!!!!

[sadies mom]

The worst time is at dinner. She will not eat. I don't know if it is because she is picky or what because it is everything, or nothing defending on how you want to word it, that she will not eat. i hate fighting with her about it because i feel like it makes her dislike eating that much more. but i cant just ignore it because she needs food. She throws horrible temper tantrums where she flings herself on the floor. She kicks. Whenever anyone around her age touches her she yells OW and punches them or hits them with whatever is handy. Now i know that I do not have the best patience.. at all, and my husband works nights so i could really use somehelp to get some stress out of my nights.

[sadies mom]

i know i am not the professional.................at all, but they have nail polish that will not hurt them at all i just tastes bad. you just have to remember to put it on about 2 times a day if she is a good hand washer. or you can paint her nails pretty, you just have to watch what polish you use because they can be toxic, and put nail stickers on them and remind her that if she bites her nails she will mess them up. I like the quick dry polish. i poses less threat to my furniture. these answers do come from experience.

[sweetrevenge02]

thanks sadies mom, but the only problem is, she has no nails to paint anymore!!!! you wouldnt believe how bad they are!!!! im not sure what else to do!!!!

[Diane Freedman]

As a sppech pathologist who is charged with working with children with feeding issues, I always find that creating a routine around each mealtime always helps. For instance; you may want to include your child in the proparation of the food in the kitchen. Make the food fun! (happy face pancakes) You may also want to make washing hands a fun activity. Also, include a lot of touch to and around your child's mouth to preapare her for eating (this reduces any sensitivity tha may cause her to be finiky). Put her incharge of pulling the highchair out. Eat with her so she can see you chew and swallow. Clean up together. DOn't force her to eat, instead when she protests, take a step back, count to 10 and relax.

Make mealtime a time to bond with your child. Let her know she is having difficulties and that you can support her.. You can always speak to your pediatrition about having a SLP provide a feeding evaluation. You may be able to receive state provided services to assist you if you continue to have a problem.

http://earlychildhoodlanguagedevelopment.blogspot.com/

Diane Freedman, MS, CCC-SLP

[Diane Freedman]

As a sppech pathologist who is charged with working with children with feeding issues, I always find that creating a routine around each mealtime always helps. For instance; you may want to include your child in the proparation of the food in the kitchen. Make the food fun! (happy face pancakes) You may also want to make washing hands a fun activity. Also, include a lot of touch to and around your child's mouth to preapare her for eating (this reduces any sensitivity tha may cause her to be finiky). Put her incharge of pulling the highchair out. Eat with her so she can see you chew and swallow. Clean up together. DOn't force her to eat, instead when she protests, take a step back, count to 10 and relax.

Make mealtime a time to bond with your child. Let her know she is having difficulties and that you can support her.. You can always speak to your pediatrition about having a SLP provide a feeding evaluation. You may be able to receive state provided services to assist you if you continue to have a problem.

http://earlychildhoodlanguagedevelopment.blogspot.com/

Diane Freedman, MS, CCC-SLP

[devika.sr@gmail.com]

Hi
My 2 yr old son loves sports ....he loves to chase,dribble and throw ball around so we got him enrolled into non competitive mommie and me sports program for 1-3 yr olds ....however whenever I take him to the class all he does is cling on to me and cry for the whole 45 mins ....he is great at making friends at the park and sharing his toys with his brother and friends. So this kind of behavior puzzles me. However when his older brother is taking the class with the same coaches in the same place he is keen on joining his brother. Should I just disenroll him from the class and try later ( when he is a little older)
please help