CAREABOUTKIDS

PARENTS: Pre-term babies are younger than full-term babies born on the same day. Scientists cannot yet predict accurately the future functioning of a pre-term, low-weight, or seriously ill newborn. Medical advances have been too recent to determine the long-term outcome for children who have had the advantage of treatment in intensive care nurseries, but recent findings give parents reason to be optimistic.MY WORD: most pre-term babies develop normally.

CAREABOUTKIDS

PARENTS: Parents can structure the environment but not the play itself of children; but be ready to help a child shift to other activities. But they should offer help only when needed (like showing how to use a toy or explaining complicated rules for a game). Otherwise children may come to demand intervention frequently - sometimes to punish a playmate. MY WORD: Children should be left to handle most play by themselves.It is important that they learn to figure out things by themselves.

CAREABOUTKIDS

PARENTS: Pre-term Babies: Appropriate stimulation can enhance development of pre-term children. Studies of pre-term babies indicate that those who suffer severe medical complications tend to be more sluggish, less responsive, and more irritable than those who have had normal medical histories. Also, researchers have conjectured that pre-term babies, who must remain hospitalized for relatively long periods of time, may be deprived of the benefits of mutual stimulation between parent and child. That is, pre-term and their parents have less opportunity to learn from and teach each other through social interactions. MY WORD: Contact between babies and their parents is crucial to their development.

CAREABOUTKIDS

PARENTS: Ask your dentist to recommend a toothbrush for your child. Children need smaller brushes, specifically designed for them. Generally, a brush with soft, end rounded or polished bristles is recommended, since it is less likely to injure gum tissue. All children go through toothbrushes quickly. Check your child's toothbrush often and replace it when it is worn out. Bent or frayed bristles will not clean plaque from your child's teeth, and they can damage the gums. MY WORD: Pediatric dentists have training in dental care for children.