Simple strategies for a healthy first five years (and beyond)
Dr Wendy Hunter, MD
I’m a parent, so I know what it’s like to feel bombarded by information about how to keep our children healthy. I’m also a pediatrician, so I’m challenged to keep up with the latest health trends. Through all the social media and parent gossip, I’ve found that the simplest habits, like washing your hands and getting plenty of sleep, have been so helpful that my kids haven’t missed school for a sick day in years! Here are my top simple strategies that have the greatest impact on keeping kids healthy.
Read every day
Reading helps children learn language in ways they can’t through speaking alone. Choose books with rhymes; they are fun to read and develop language skills. Since I don’t speak like Dr. Seuss at home I made it a point to read rhyming books to my kids. Reading also builds vocabulary. In fact, children are exposed to 50 percent more unique words in books than in television shows or adults’ conversations.
