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Safety Considerations Toddlers are curious and must be protected while exploring. To childproof your home, you will need to do the following: Cover and hide electrical sockets and cords Put safety gates across stairways Put guards on second story and higher windows Put locks on cupboards containing cleaning supplies and medicines Put smoke alarms on each floor Put carbon monoxide detectors in the home Drowning can occur in a small amount of water. Never leave your child alone near a bathtub, wading pool, toilet, or bucket of water. Choking can occur on small objects such as balloons, toy parts, coins, or small pieces of hard food. Severe burns can occur when a child pulls a hot drink or pan off a surface into face and chest. YOUR BABY AT 12 MONTHS Development Social-emotional development is as important as physical development. Like other important milestones that babies and toddlers achieve in the first three years, developing emotional skills takes time, practice, and lots of patience from parents and caregivers. By 12 months of age your baby should begin to: Sit alone and may begin pulling to a standing position and may even walk holding on to furniture Point to objects or pictures Imitate people in play Show fear of strangers and cling to family Enjoy social games like “Pat a Cake,” “Peek a Boo,” and “Bye Bye” Drink from a cup Use gestures to communicate Say Ma-Ma and Da-Da and is always adding new words Follow simple commands like “give it to me” Immunizations Due Fourth Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DTaP) Fourth Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) Fourth Pneumococcal First Hepatitis A First Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) First Chicken Pox (Varivax) Flu vaccine is recommended every year before flu season. It is time for your child’s first lead test. This is a simple blood test done in your doctor’s office or at a laboratory. Early lead poisoning does not have that can be seen. A blood test is the only way to make sure your child is not poisoned. Ask your doctor to test at the 12-month well-child checkup. It is important that you take your child to the lab for this test if you are asked to. Healthy Beginnings … for a healthier community. ---PAGE BREAK--- HELPFUL HINTS You may want to take this newsletter to your baby’s 12-month check up to use as a reminder list of immunizations that are due or topics that may need discussion. For additional helpful information go to from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Playtime is critical to child development. Through play, babies and toddlers try out new skills, explore their imagination, and learn about relationships. Choose simple toys like nesting and stacking toys, large puzzles, shape sorters, blocks, dolls, etc. For more advice on play, check out the following website at: http://www.zerotothree.org Introducing new foods. This is a good time to introduce new foods as babies and toddlers try to put everything in their mouths. By the time a child is two, he or she can and should have 100 to 200 healthy foods that are recognized, eaten, and enjoyed. Protect your baby’s teeth from cavities. Care for your baby’s teeth - When you see the first teeth, gently brush with a soft baby toothbrush and a smear (the size of a grain of rice) of fluoride toothpaste. Take your baby to the dentist by the first birthday. Put only milk, water or juice in a bottle or sippy cup. Don’t put your baby to bed with a bottle or sippy cup. Limit sweet snacks and sugary drinks, including juice. Fluoride Varnish - Ask the doctor about fluoride varnish. It is a simple way to protect baby teeth from cavities. For more information visit: http://2min2x.org/ and www.mouthhealthy.org Parenting help. Being a good parent is hard work, especially with very busy, accident-prone toddlers. If you feel frustrated or need advice, call the Parent Help Line anytime at 1-[PHONE REDACTED]. Someone will listen to you and give you information to help you. Keep immunization and testing records. Keep a written record of all immunizations and testing done for your child. Take the records with you on each visit to your doctor or clinic and get them updated. The immunizations are also put in an electronic program by your doctor’s office so they will be available if you change doctors. Childcare. If you plan to return to work, the Child Development Council – Cortland Office can give you the names of registered and certified day care providers. For more information call [PHONE REDACTED]. Health insurance. If you or your children do not have health insurance, the Health Insurance Marketplace can help you get coverage, and you can add dental to a health plan. The cost is determined by your income. For some families there will be no cost. Whatever your income, the premiums are lower than those of other insurance companies. All children need this protection. To apply call the official Health Plan Marketplace at 1-855-355- 5777 or visit For in person assistance, visit website, click Get Help and Navigator locations. Developmental concerns. Parents know their children best and are in the best position to observe and report what their child is doing. If you have any concerns about your child’s development, talk with your child’s physician or call the Cortland County Children with Special Needs Division at [PHONE REDACTED]. For more information about your child’s development, visit the following websites: www.zerotothree.org or Reproduction of this newsletter is not permitted without authorization from the Cortland County Health Department. Revised 4/2017