It’s been a year, feels like yesterday when your baby came into this world and now your little one has reached the 12-month point. So much happened in terms of growth and development of a child in their first year. From a little tiny baby he/ she became a more independent toddler. It’s fun and exciting seeing them do new things every day, trying new words, taking their first steps. Now they have gained much control over their body. Following are the expected growth and development of a child at one year of age.
Growth and development of a child at one year
Physical growth:
Physical growth is the increase in the body size like height and weight of the child. From birth to one year their physical growth is fast and crucial. Normally a child grows about 10 inches by the end of first year and their weight is likely to triple from the birth weight . Also their teeth start to erupt, they may have 6 teeth by their first birthday.
Brain growth:
A child’s brain undergoes an amazing period of development from birth till one year. It will be double the size or 60% of its adult size. More than 1 million new neural connections are formed every second. Much of this growth occurs in a part of the brain called the cerebellum. (foods that helps in brain development)
Motor skills:
The first year of a baby’s life is the most criticle year for their gross motor skill development. Motor skills refer to the body’s ability to manage the process of movement. During the first year, your baby is busy developing coordination and muscle strength in every part of her body. One-year-olds, learning to stand unsupported, walk while holding onto furniture or they may even have taken their first solo steps. They are now also capable of holding everyday items correctly like a spoon, comb, phone and books etc. (Tips to improve motor skill)
Sleeping pattern:
Their sleep pattern of a one year child should be more at night and less during day time. At this age, toddlers generally sleep 10 to 14 hours in a 24-hour period, including daytime naps of one to three hours. Some toddlers may still wake at night and will need you to comfort them. (some foods that helps in sleeping well)
Eating:
It’s time to say goodbye to purees and hello to yummy table foods now that your baby is a toddler. By now, babies have developed taste buds and are eager to try different flavor foods. You can also introduce family foods to your little ones with fewer salt and spices, that suits their digestive system.
Speech:
Til 12 months baby start making sounds like ma-ma-ma-ma or ba-ba-ba-ba and other similar long sounds. They start talking gibberish like sssbi, ebeedu to participate in conversation. He or she may start to combine his talking with gestures such as pointing to what he or she wants, shaking his or her head to mean ‘no’ or waving ‘bye bye’. In some cases babies start to say proper one words like mama, baba, papa etc. or try to repeat the words he/ she hears from you.
They also start to follow instructions and understand far more words than he/she can speak. At around this age the Baby starts to recognize common objects like bottles, cups and plates. Body parts like nose, tummy, ears and mouth etc. also their belongings like recognizing their toys. (foods for speech delay)
When to consult a doctor
Every child develops skill at their own pace. Some may reach milestones earlier than the others. Nobody can tell exactly when your child will develop all these above mentioned skills. However you should always consult your doctor if you notice any of the following signs of development delay at one year.
- Does no crawl
- Awkward body posture
- Not able to stand with support
- Does not use single words, such as “mama”
- Does not understand instructions, such as “no” or “bye-bye
- Does not indulge in back-and-forth gestures, such as waving, reaching, or pointing
- Does not search for hidden object
- Does not point to things or pictures
Tips for growth and development of one year child
Vaccination:
Make sure your baby is up to date with his/her vaccination schedule.
INTERACTION:
Quality interaction is the key for cognitive development. Responding to your baby’s coos and cries, making eye contact and showing them funny faces is the type of interaction you can do in their early months and soon you will see them responding in their own sign language.
INTRODUCE BOOKS:
Books play a vital role in brain development of children as well as motor skill development. You can introduce board books from 6 months and paper books from 1 year. Show different colors, shapes and objects through these books or just allow your baby to turn the pages by themselves and let them observe and memorize things.
STORY TELLING:
Reading and storytelling with babies and children promotes brain development and imagination, develops language and emotions, and strengthens relationships.
BLOCK GAMES:
As soon as the baby starts sitting you can introduce the block games. There are lots of block games available in the market, you can choose according to your baby’s age. Block games help kids to express their imagination and help them to understand different shapes and colors.
No screen time:
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics advice, kids below 18 months should not be allowed for any screen time. Studies have shown that TV at this age can negatively affect a child’s language development, reading skills, and even contribute to problems with sleep and attention
Foods for proper growth and development of a child
Taking care of a kid’s nutrition from early years itself is very important. This not only keeps their present active but also ensures a dependable and disease-free future.
PROTEIN:
Protein makes up the building blocks of organs, muscles, skin and hormones. Our body needs protein to maintain and repair tissues. Meanwhile, children need it for proper growth in their early years too. Fish, poultry, nuts (almond, peanut, cashew, hazelnut), beans, are the best choices. A balanced protein rich breakfast is always great for children to start their day. It helps them stay full for longer ideas and hence protein is a must for proper child nutrition. (How to add protein to your diet?)
GOOD FATS:
Healthy foods for kids must limit fats that are high in saturated fat and avoid trans-fat. Nuts, avocado, seeds (such as pumpkin seeds, melon seeds, sunflower seeds) and few oils are the healthiest sources of unsaturated fat. It is good for the eye, bones and mental health of a child, helps to boost brain and nervous system development, and strengthens the immune system. Encourage your child to eat all these good fats that support kid’s nutrition. (Foods and remedies for cough?)
CALCIUM:
It is really important to get strong bones and teeth and we get a chance to build them only once – throughout childhood and adolescence. Children who get enough calcium in childhood start their adult lives with the strongest bones possible. Mostly calcium is stored in bones and teeth where it supports their structure and hardness, but the body also needs calcium for muscles to move and for nerves to carry messages between the brain and every body part. Calcium is predominantly found in milk and milk based products like cheese. And is also found in smaller quantities in some nuts and seeds. (Should kids take whey protein?) Moreover, few herbs such as shallaki also contain calcium.
CARBOHYDRATES:
Fibre, starches and sugar are very essential foods for a healthy diet that the body turns into glucose to give energy to function. Carbs that take time to digest and have fibre in them are complex carbs which are found in naturally existing fruits, vegetables, almonds, cashews, hazelnut, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, melon seeds and whole grains.
VITAMIN AND MINERALS:
Vitamins and minerals help us to grow, to form bones, muscles, for eyesight, for skin and organs and most importantly help us to fight against infections by building immunity. Deficiency of certain vitamins and minerals can lead to severe issues related to health. The best way to ensure that your child is getting enough vitamins and minerals for proper growth and development is to provide them with five food groups (fruit and vegetable, complex carbs, dairy, protein and fat).
AYURVEDIC HERBS:
Ayurveda has the potential to not only correct imbalances in our children, but also to set them on an enduring path toward optimal health and well-being. Thus, ayurvedic herbs must be included in the list of health foods for kids. Ayurvedic herbs such as ashwagandha, mulethi, brahmi, shallaki and turmeric are great for kids’ development. Overall, these herbs support immunity, bone strength, brain development and overall growth.
ANTIOXIDANTS:
Antioxidants are compounds produced in your body or naturally found in some foods that scavenge or neutralize the effects of cell damage by potentially harmful molecules known as free radicals. Fortunately eating a diet rich in antioxidants or antioxidant rich foods help to fight oxidative stress and reduce the risk of many chronic diseases. Turmeric, Vitamin E, cocoa, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Selenium, Beta carotene, Lycopene, Lutein, Zeaxanthin, Manganese, Polyphenols show great antioxidant properties.
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