If you have any questions about the information below or would like further support, please do not hesitate to contact a public health nurse at (807) 625-8814 or by email: hbhc@tbdhu.com.
Contents
- My child is learning and growing so much. How can I check their growth and development and make sure they are on track?
- What is the 18-month well-baby visit?
- When is my child’s next immunization? What do I do with their immunization record?
- How can I keep my child’s teeth healthy?
- How can I encourage healthy eating?
- How can I make sure my child stays safe?
My child is learning and growing so much. How can I check their growth and development and make sure they are on track?
Your child’s verbal, social, and fine and gross motor skills are developing rapidly! The Looksee checklists are tools you can complete that help you monitor your child’s development. They also provide tips for you to use that can help your child to grow. You can sign up to receive the checklists and you will receive them by email at regular intervals to track your child’s development over time. There is an 18-month checklist available.
To contact a public health nurse about the checklists and/or the results, call: (807) 625-8814.
As your child’s caregiver, you play an important role in having a positive impact on your child’s mental well-being and their overall growth and development. Your baby’s brain is growing and developing at a very fast rate and early childhood experiences shape your child’s brain and mental health for their lifetime. Your child depends on you to respond to their needs and to teach and interact with them. For more information on how to promote positive mental health for your child, visit Infant Mental Health Promotion.
What is the 18-month well-baby visit?
When your child reaches 18 months, it is an important milestone! This is an important time to track their development and have them assessed by a health care provider. The Ontario government has funded a longer, more in-depth visit at 18 months where you will have the opportunity to have a more in-depth discussion with your health care provider about your child’s health, growth and development. It is a good idea to complete a LookSee checklist from above before your visit with your health care provider. This will help to highlight any areas where you might have questions that you’d like to ask.
For more information on the 18-month well-baby visit Enhanced 18-Month Well-Baby Visit. If you do not have a primary health care provider, you can visit Find a Family Doctor or Nurse Practitioner to learn more about registering for Health Care Connect and the process for finding a family doctor or nurse practitioner. For health-related questions, you can also contact Telehealth 24 hours a day toll-free: 1 (866) 797-0000.
When is my child’s next immunization? What do I do with their immunization record?
The 18-month immunization is the last in the series of infant immunizations from the schedule. The next immunization will happen when your child is 4-6 years of age. It is important that your children receive their immunizations at the right time.
Review the Ontario’s Routine Immunization Schedule.
Health care providers (including your family doctor) do not automatically inform the TBDHU when immunizations are given, so it is the child caregiver’s responsibility to let the TBDHU know of their child's immunizations. The TBDHU will only have a record of any vaccines administered by TBDHU nurses, whether at school or in our immunization clinic. It is important that TBDHU has a record of your child’s immunizations for when they attend daycare or school.
For more information on immunizations, visit our Immunizations page. If you do not have a primary health care provider, you can visit Find a Doctor or Nurse Practitioner to learn more about registering for Health Care Connect and the process for finding a family doctor or nurse practitioner in Ontario. For health-related questions, you can also contact Telehealth 24 hours a day at: Toll-free: 1-866-797-0000.
How can I keep my child’s teeth healthy?
There are many things you can do to keep your child’s teeth healthy. Some important things to consider include:
- Avoiding offering your children juice regularly
- Transitioning your child to using open cup rather than bottle or sippy cup
- Providing healthy foods and limiting sugary snacks
- Lifting your children’s lip monthly to check for changes to their teeth or signs of tooth decay
- Brushing your child’s teeth twice a day (as soon as their first tooth appears)
- Using non-fluoridated toothpaste when brushing their teeth (unless otherwise recommended by your health care provider or until your children reaches the age of 3)
- Scheduling regular dental check-ups
After your baby has their first tooth, they are eligible for fluoride varnish. It is a fast, easy and painless process where a protective coating is painted on your baby’s teeth. This coating makes the teeth stronger and protects from cavities. This is a free service offered by the Health Unit for children under four.
For more information about teething, taking care of your child’s teeth and dental programs offered at TBDHU, visit Oral Health Care for Infants and Toddlers.
Contact a Public Health Nurse at (807) 625-8814 or hbhc@tbdhu.com
How can I encourage healthy eating?
As a parent, you play an important role in helping shape your child’s eating habits. This foundation is important, and helping your child to eat healthy foods can be challenging! The TBDHU dietitians and public health nurses are here to help!
You may notice that your child seems to eat less now that they are a toddler than when they were a baby. This is not uncommon, as their rate of growth slows down into their second year of life. There are many reasons that children may change their eating habits or express more fussiness in what they eat. There are lots of strategies you can try to encourage healthy eating. For more information on how to deal with a picky eater, recipes and suggestions for meals and snacks and how to involve your child in cooking, visit Kids & Food.
To contact a dietitian in our Nutrition Program, call: (807) 625-5900. To contact the Healthy Babies Healthy Children Program, call: (807) 625-8814, or email: hbhc@tbdhu.com
How can I make sure my child stays safe?
From car seat safety to sun safety to environmental hazards, there are many things to think about when it comes to keeping your child safe.
As your child grows and develops, they will be exploring the world around them. There are many things as parents, we don’t even think about that can pose a risk to our child. You can make sure your house is safe for your children by visiting the Prevent Child Injury resource.
Many child caregivers often have questions about car seats: which is the right one for my child? How can I be sure it is installed properly? How long should my child be rear facing? What can my child safely wear in their car seat? For answers to these questions and more, visit Car Seat Safety.
It is important for you and your child to get outside and play! We all love sunny days, but the sun can be damaging to our health if we do not keep the proper safety measures in mind. For more information on how to keep your children safe in the sun, Sun Safety & Tanning.