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Your child’s development
The beginning of the school-age years can be very exciting. Although
physical growth during this time is not as rapid, tremendous social development
occurs. Your child is learning to enjoy interacting with an expanding new world.
Your child is becoming more and more independent. There are many times you
will offer to assist your child with a task and he or she will quickly respond,
"I can do it!" It is not uncommon for parents to feel both pleasure
and disappointment. Many children are preparing for entrance into a formal
school setting. This is an exciting event, but both the parents and the child might
share concerns about separation. Your daily preparation for school will be
easier because your 5-year-old can dress himself or herself (except tying shoelaces).
Interactive play activity with peers becomes increasingly more important.
Verbal skills continue to develop. Your child should speak in five-word
sentences and be easily understood by strangers. Five-year-olds enjoy tasks such
as reciting their address and telephone number, counting objects (one to 10),
naming primary colors, and recalling parts of their favorite short stories.
Drawing, cutting, and pasting might be other favorite activities. (Most
5-year-olds can copy a square.)
Take pride in your child's new abilities. Give praise for accomplishments.
Five-year immunizations
Make sure you are up to date on all immunizations
Today’s Report For Your 5-year-old
Child’s name
Examined by Dr.
Weight
%
Length
%
Head
%
DTP (#5)
Polio (#4)
MMR (#2)
Dealing with sleep problems
Starting school can be a very stressful event in your child’s life. This
new and sometimes frightening experience can cause interruptions in your child’s
sleep patterns. Family and other stresses you are experiencing might also
affect your child. Even changes that seem minor to you might disrupt your child’s
life. Problems might include fighting between parents, a recent divorce, a death
in the family, illness, fights with siblings, problems at school, moving, a new
baby in the house, or even a new teacher.
In preparation for discussing a sleep problem with your child's doctor, it
might
be helpful for you to keep a sleep diary for your child. Record the following:
- Where your child sleeps
- What time your child is put to bed
- How long it takes your child to fall asleep
- What time your child awakens in the morning
- The time your child awakens during the night
- How long it takes your child to fall back to sleep
- What you do to comfort and console your child
- Any changes or stresses in the home
- The time you go to bed
Keep in mind that every child is different, and each child has different sleep
patterns or problems.
Handling your child’s sleep problems might be difficult, and it is normal to
become upset when a child keeps you awake at night. Just keep in mind that sleep
problems are very common, and with time and your child's doctor's support, your
child will outgrow them.
Take a time-out
When your child is acting badly, you get angry. Sometimes it’s tough to
control your temper and avoid using physical punishment with your child.
Next time you get angry try these steps instead:
- STOP. Cool off before you do anything
- When you’ve calmed down, ask yourself:
—What’s the real problem?
—Is he or she tired, sick, worried about something?
—Is it even possible for him or her to meet my expectations? Am I expecting too
much?
—Did I do something to cause him or her to act this way?
—Am I still angry?
- Watch what you say. Mean words can hurt as much as a spanking.
- Teach your child the correct way to do something when he is
doing it incorrectly.
- Set a good example. Don’t show him or her that hitting is OK.
- Help your child feel good about himself or herself by offering
an alternative and then praising him or her.
- Be patient. It is a time-consuming process for children to learn right
from wrong.
- Learn about children and how they grow. It helps to talk to
parents of children the same age.
- Take some time for yourself. If you can, remove yourself from
the situation until you can handle it better.
Don’t take your child’s actions personally. It’s all part of the
growing process, for both children and parents.
Safety first
-
Poison-proof your home, paying special attention to cabinets at child level.
In the event your child ingests a potentially harmful substance, keep the
container and call the poison control center at 1-800-222-1222.
- Hot tap water should be less than 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Smoke detectors should be located on each level of your home and outside each
bedroom. Check them once a month and replace the batteries once every six
months.
- Keep firearms unloaded and in a locked cabinet if you must have them in the
home.
- Secure electrical cords and cover electrical outlets.
- Practice fire drills in the home.
- Your child should always wear a lap and shoulder belt in the car.
- Your child should not ride a bike without a helmet.
- Discuss stranger safety.
- Your child should never swim without supervision. All pools and water areas
should be inaccessible to your child. Now is a good time to begin teaching your
child to swim.
- Until your child has learned to cross the street independently, an adult
should always accompany him or her.
Should I call the doctor?
Yes. If your child:
- Becomes sluggish or inactive
- Will not eat
- Cries more than usual
- Develops an unusual rash
- Has a fever at any age
- Vomits repeatedly (not just spitting up)
- Has frequent loose, watery bowel movements
- Breathes rapidly, wheezes or has any difficulty breathing
Before you call your child's doctor or nurse, write down your child’s symptoms.
Take his or her temperature. Have your pharmacy’s phone number on-hand to tell the
doctor. Keep a notepad on hand to write down any instructions.
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