Georgia
“Every mother and father want their child to grow up healthy, but even if they provide the right nutrition through breastfeeding, ensure proper hygiene and give their little one lots of attention, a child might show ‘deviations from the norm,’” says Dr. Umberto Simeoni, Head of the Pediatric division at the University hospital of Lausanne.
If a child’s development is showing unique characteristics in the first weeks or months, it’s important to provide support to both the parent and child, the expert says.
In general, every child has their own development curve. This is the only progress that should matter to the parents. Constantly comparing your child’s development with their siblings or other children of the same age; and combining that with extensive research on Google, can lead to unwarranted anxiety. This in turn can affect how parents approach their children. “Parents are very good at detecting when something is not right with their child,” says Dr. Simeoni. “We take their gut instincts seriously.”
“In very early infancy you can only really observe trends,” according to the pediatrician. “While it’s important to track development, it is difficult even for specialists to determine whether something is really an issue requiring treatment or whether it is just what it so often turns out to be: a little person needing a little more time to do things their own way.” This is precisely why he advises parents who are worried to seek advice from appropriate health care professionals.
“Time and again, we see parents who, because of worries and with the best of intentions, try to speed up their child’s development at a very early stage,” Dr. Simeoni says. “They might give their child a baby walker or start teaching them music or try other ways of encouraging development that are actually too much for the child.” Generally speaking, these kinds of selective measures are not very effective. It’s far more important to see the child as a whole person and to facilitate their own individual journey of development. Simply providing a healthy diet, such as the right formula milk, breastmilk or complementary foods, as well as a clean and safe environment and lots of love will encourage a child’s progress far more than any course or growth hack
“I am a father of two children myself, so I absolutely understand parents’ feelings,” says Dr. Simeoni. “I can’t help but monitor how my children are getting on and look out for things that might not completely fit the norm. But my wife counterbalances this very well.” This is precisely what parents should focus on: reassuring each other that they are great parents to the best kid in the world. They will guide their little one’s journey and are a reliable, trusted constant in their life.
“If uncertainty creeps in from the outside, parents should talk it over and find the best solution for themselves and their child,” says Dr. Simeoni. This might include seeking professional help. However, it’s also important to consider a range of opinions. “No doctor should ever have a problem with you asking for advice from other experts,” he says. What’s important is that you as parents believe in your child and remain curious, yet relaxed, about how they and their personality develop. “If you are worried, reach out and ask for support,” he adds. “That’s what we experts are here for.”
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