The AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) recommends:

• Infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car safety seat as long as possible, until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their seat.  Parents should check the instruction manual and the labels on a car safety seat to find the manufacturer’s weight and height limits.  Most convertible seats have limits that will allow children to ride rear-facing for 2 years or more.

• Once they are facing forward, children should use a forward-facing car safety seat with a harness for as long as possible, until they reach the height and weight limits for their seats. Many seats can accommodate children up to 65 pounds or more.

• When children exceed these limits, they should use a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle’s lap and shoulder seat belt fits properly. This is often when they have reached at least 4 feet 9 inches in height and are 8 to 12 years old.

• When children are old enough and large enough to use the vehicle seat belt alone, they should always use lap and shoulder seat belts for optimal protection.

• All children younger than 13 years should be restrained in the rear seats of vehicles for optimal protection.

Most important is to use a car seat for every trip. Using the right car safety seat or booster seat lowers the risk of death or serious injury by more than 70 percent.





https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/AAP-Updates-Recommendations-on-Car-Seats-for-Children.aspx

Bowel patterns vary from child to child just as they do in adults. What is normal for your child may be different from what is normal for another child. Most children have bowel movements 1 or 2 times a day. Other children may go 2 to 3 days or longer before passing a normal stool. For instance, if your child is healthy and has normal stools without discomfort or pain, ­having a bowel movement every 3 days may be her normal bowel pattern. 

Children with constipation may have stools that are hard, dry, and difficult or painful to pass. These stools may occur daily or be less frequent. Although constipation can cause discomfort and pain, it's ­usually temporary and can be treated.  

Constipation is a common problem in children.  Its treatment plan is varied and unique to each child.  This would be determined during an evaluation with your doctor.

SourceConstipation and Your Child (Copyright © 2005 American Academy of Pediatrics, Updated 10/2016)

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/abdominal/Pages/Constipation.aspx

Diarrhea is having at least three loose, liquid or watery bowel movements each day.  

Most children with mild diarrhea can continue to eat a normal diet including formula or milk. Breastfeeding can continue. If your baby seems bloated or gassy after drinking cow's milk or formula, call your pediatrician to discuss a temporary change in diet. Special fluids for mild illness are not usually necessary.

Special fluids for moderate illness

Children with moderate diarrhea may need special fluids. These fluids, called electrolyte solutions, have been designed to replace water and salts lost during diarrhea. They are extremely helpful for the home management of mild to moderately severe illness. Do not try to prepare these special fluids yourself. Use only commercially available fluids—brand-name and generic brands are equally effective. Your pediatrician can tell you what products are available.

If your child is not vomiting, these fluids can be used in very generous amounts until the child starts making normal amounts of urine again.

Reminder–Do's and Don'ts

Do

• Watch for signs of dehydration which occur when a child loses too much fluid and becomes dried out. Symptoms of dehydration include a decrease in urination, no tears when baby cries, high fever, dry mouth, weight loss, extreme thirst, listlessness, and sunken eyes.
• Keep your pediatrician informed if there is any significant change in how your child is behaving.
• Report if your child has blood in his stool.
• Report if your child develops a high fever (more than 102°F or 39°C).
• Continue to feed your child if she is not vomiting. You may have to give your child smaller amounts of food than normal or give your child foods that do not further upset his or her stomach.
• Use diarrhea replacement fluids that are specifically made for diarrhea if your child is thirsty.

Don't

• Try to make special salt and fluid combinations at home unless your pediatrician instructs you and you have the proper instruments.
• Prevent the child from eating if she is hungry.
• Use boiled milk or other salty broth and soups.
• Use "anti-diarrhea" medicines unless prescribed by your pediatrician.



SourceDiarrhea and Dehydration (Copyright © 1996 American Academy of Pediatrics, Updated 7/2004)

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/abdominal/Pages/Diarrhea.aspx

We generally begin discussing the introduction of solid food to your baby beginning at the four month visit.  At that time will will provide to you a customized food reference guide to help you with this process.  Below is a link discussing the American Academy of Pediatrics stance on the introduction of solids, in addition to our office food guide.

SourceAdapted from Starting Solid Foods (Copyright © 2008 American Academy of Pediatrics, Updated 1/2017)

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/Switching-To-Solid-Foods.aspx

Three dental organizations (the American Dental Association, the Academy of General Dentistry and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry [AAPD]) are united in encouraging parents to establish a dentist for their child no later than 12 months of age.  By 12 months of age, a child should be seen by a dentist every 6 months or according to a schedule recommended by the dentist, based on the child’s individual needs.   

The primary teeth begin to erupt at different ages during the first year of life. An infant is susceptible to tooth decay as soon as the first teeth come into his/her oral cavity.  Chalky white areas on the teeth are the first sign of dental decay. Both inadequate oral hygiene and inappropriate feeding practices that expose teeth to natural or refined sugars for prolonged periods contribute to the development of early childhood cavities.

To keep infant teeth clean and prevent plaque, you as a parent should:

• Minimize exposure to natural or refined sugars in the infant’s mouth. 
• Avoid frequent exposure to foods that can lead to dental caries.
• Hold the infant while feeding. Never prop a bottle (ie, use pillows or any other object to hold a bottle in the infant’s mouth).Do not allow the infant to fall asleep with a bottle that contains milk, formula, juice, or other sweetened liquid.
• Avoid dipping pacifiers in any sweetened  liquid, sugars, or syrups.

Fluoride plays a key role in preventing and controlling dental cavities. Fluoride helps reduce the loss of minerals from tooth enamel (demineralization) and promotes the replacement of minerals  (remineralization) in dental enamel that has  been damaged by acids produced by bacteria in plaque. Regular and frequent exposure to small amounts of fluoride is the best way to protect the teeth.  This exposure can be readily accomplished through drinking water.  Fluoride supplementation typically is not needed in the first 6 months of life.  If you are unsure if your child is receiving the appropriate preventative flouride supplementation please ask one of our doctors at your next wellness visit.

https://brightfutures.aap.org/Bright%20Futures%20Documents/BF4_OralHealth.pdf