Toddler Development And Milestones: Your 2 Year And 6 Month Old

Tips:

• When reading, get your toddler to repeat after you. Enunciate each word clearly and ask him to watch your mouth when you pronounce a certain word. Read with varying tones.
• Books with a lot of pronouns are a great way to teach him how to communicate.
• Pictorial flashcards can help your toddler’s vocabulary and are way more interactive and fun! 
• Continue to communicate with your toddler during this time. Talking gives him a chance to widen his vocabulary.
• Be patient when he is asking questions. He will be extremely inquisitive during this time! 

When to Talk to Your Doctor:

• While some kids can have a hard time learning words, for the most part, you’ll notice some development in his vocabulary. However, if your child’s vocabulary has remained the same for a few months, then a visit to the doctor might be in order.
• If your child has trouble understanding instructions, even if you keep explaining it to him, then you might also want to get him looked at by a specialist to find out if there might be something that’s causing the developmental delay.

Always remember to be patient and encouraging towards your toddler. Do not compare your toddler’s achievements with his peers. Instead, take it easy, and make things light and fun because everyone has different learning styles too.

Your little one won’t stay so little forever, so for now, enjoy his incessant curiosity and inquisitive nature while preparing the foundation for great things to come. 

Health and Nutrition 

By this age, your little one should also already be eating mostly solid food, and milk should be only drank to supplement his meals. Proper diet and physical activity are both very important when it comes to keeping your child healthy. 

Your child needs approximately anywhere between 1100 calories to fuel him/her through the day. This is, of course, depending on growth and activity level. Typically, the calorie intake for boys and girls of this age are as follows:

• Boys: 1,103.70 Kcal/day
• Girls: 1,080.56 Kcal/day 

Their nutrition should be composed of the following: 

• Protein  

Your options for sources of protein are many. In total, your child needs just 24g each day. One serving equals one cup of greek yoghurt, 3 oz of chicken breast or 4 hard-boiled eggs.

• Fruits 

Your child needs about three (100g) cups of fruits everyday. One cup of fruit equals one cup of fresh, frozen, or canned fruit, half (1/2) cup dried fruit, half (1/2) of a large apple, one eight- or nine-inch banana, or one medium grapefruit.

If your child wants to drink fruit juice, make sure it’s 100 percent juice without added sugars.

• Vegetables 

The sooner your child becomes accustomed to eating vegetables, the better! At this stage, your child requires 1.5 cups (150g) of vegetables every day. One cup of vegetables equals one cup of cooked or raw vegetables, two cups of raw leafy greens, one large tomato, or two medium carrots.

Make eating vegetables fun by providing a varied plate of colourful veggies in fun shapes. These could include greens, reds and oranges, beans and peas, starchy veggies and others, each week. When selecting canned or frozen vegetables, look for options lower in sodium.

• Grains 

Grains are an important part of your child’s diet, so make sure he/she gets three ounces of grains every day. One ounce of grains equals one slice of bread, one cup of ready-to-eat cereal, or half (1/2) cup of cooked pasta or cooked cereal.

Choose whole grains, such as whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, popcorn, quinoa, or brown or wild rice. Limit refined grains such as white bread, pasta and rice.

• Milk/Dairy 

Your child should drink a minimum of 16 to 19 ounces of milk a day. You may also substitute one cup of milk with one cup of yogurt or soy milk , 1½ ounces of natural cheese (around the size of four stacked dice), or two ounces of processed cheese (around the size of five stacked dice).

Here’s what you child needs every day (refer above for what the amounts look like):

• Fruits: 3 cups for boys and girls
• Vegetables: 1.5 cups for boys and girls
• Grains: 3 ounces for boys and girls
• Proteins: 24g for boys and girls
• Milk: 16-19 ounces for boys and girls
• Water: 1,200mL for boys and girls

Giving your child a balanced diet is very important. Be sure to provide him with carbohydrates, protein, iron, and all of the essential vitamins and minerals that his body needs.

When to Talk to Your Doctor:

• If it seems that your child is smaller than the other kids, or if he’s not developing as you had hoped, then it might be a good time to visit your doctor. Monthly visits to the doctor are also a good idea if you want to make sure that your child’s development is right on track.

Vaccinations and Common Illnesses 

There are no new vaccinations due this month. To find out what vaccinations your child should have got up to now, and check if this schedule is up-to-date, click here. 

When it comes to vaccines, your child should already have their chickenpox, MMR, flu, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B vaccine. If your child is missing any of these vaccinations, don’t hesitate to consult your doctor.

Common illnesses by 30 months include chickenpox, mumps, measles and the common flu, many of which your child should already be vaccinated against. (Your child should already have their MMR, chickenpox, flu, and hepatitis vaccines by this age.) If your child is missing any vaccines, be sure to talk to your doctor to get it sorted out.

Fever can also be common, so be sure to always monitor your child’s health. 

When to Talk to Your Doctor:

• In case of any prolonged illnesses, such as fever, cough, or colds, be sure to take your child immediately to the doctor as it can potentially be something serious.

Sources: Kidshealth, WebMD

Your toddler’s previous month: 29 months

Your toddler’s next month: 31 months