Ed. Note: The following content was provided by Prima Pediatrics, who is a client of KHTS AM-1220.

A Santa Clarita pediatrician with more than 35 years of experience sat down with KHTS AM-1220’s Kyle Jellings to discuss the three most important things parents should be doing to keep their toddlers healthy.

“There are three categories,” said Dr. Shelley Feldman of Prima Pediatrics in Canyon County. “Immunize, feed them right and make sure they get enough rest and exercise.”

Immunizations

Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a small increase in immunization rates across the United States as well as Los Angeles County, but according to Feldman, that doesn’t necessarily mean Santa Clarita parents are “following the trend.”

“Last year we had 22 cases of pertussis (whooping cough) in our practice alone,” she said, adding that the national rate for the incidence of whooping cough last year was higher than any year since 1951. “That’s a huge amount.”

Of those 22 cases, five Santa Clarita children were hospitalized as a result.

“Thank God we did not have any that died, but there were plenty of kids last year that died from whooping cough,” Feldman said. “If you think it’s a thing of the past, it is not– it’s a thing of the very very present.”

While some parents may believe certain immunizations, such as the MMR vaccine, can be linked to autism, Feldman discredits these claims, as well as the claims of certain celebrities who have spoken publicly against immunizing their children.

“People need to understand that (a celebrity) knows how to act and sing and dance– she doesn’t know medicine; she doesn’t know science,” Feldman said. “So don’t pay attention to her.”

Immunizations used in the U.S. are not approved by the FDA until they have been tested and routinely used in Europe and Asia for 10 to 20 years beforehand, according to Feldman.

“Shots don’t hurt babies; not getting shots hurts babies– plain and simple,” she said. “They may cry, but you cannot imagine how much you’ll cry if you lose them because you didn’t immunize them.”

Nutrition

Feldman recommends breastfeeding babies until they are six months old, though women with breast augmentations may need to supplement with formula.

“Breast milk contains all the immunological things, the things that will enable them to fight off illnesses until such times as the vaccines can take effect,” she said. “Whatever immunity you have, you give them through your breast milk.”

In addition to helping build healthy immune systems, breastfed babies also have less instances of allergies and allergic reactions and saves moms money on costly formula.

When a baby reaches six months, Feldman said it’s time for mothers to start feeding them solid food.

“There is no science at all that has been done to determine which are the best foods to start kids on in terms of solids,” she continued. “So the standard way to do it based on our suppositions is you start with cereal because it’s the least complex of the complex carbohydrates. It’s easily digested.”

After introducing cereal to a baby’s diet, Feldman then recommends adding fruit and vegetables, and by nine months proteins.

While pediatricians used to advise against feeding babies eggs, chocolate, nuts and citrus before a year of age to prevent the formation of allergies, Feldman said the opposite has been proven to be true.

“As it turns out the earlier you introduce allergenic foods, the less likely you are to have an allergenic baby,” she said.

Toddlers with teeth can eat most things but can easily choke, so Feldman advises parents to avoid certain foods like popcorn, hard carrots and peanuts.

One common issue Feldman sees is parents overfeeding fussy toddlers or too harshly insisting they eat.

“Toddlers seem like they eat nothing all day long; they won’t touch it… You’re certain they’re going to starve and yet they grow,” she said. “Unless your pediatrician has told you your kid is underweight and needs more calories, even then you have to do it in a way that doesn’t twist the kid’s arm.”

Turning mealtime into a constant fight can cause food issues in children for the rest of their lives, according to Feldman.

“Let them graze,” she said. “The normal toddler doesn’t eat a big meal three times a day. The normal toddler eats small meals throughout the day.”

Another common problem is Vitamin D deficiency in toddlers, which is why Feldman recommends making sure they get 16 oz. of milk or milk equivalent per day.

Some milk equivalents like goat’s milk or rice milk can be deficient in certain nutrients that milk naturally contains, so Feldman advises parents to ask their pediatricians if supplements are needed.

A tip Feldman gives parents to help their kids eat better is to only allow “junk food”– including fast food –one day per week starting around age one.

“Get it out of your house, and don’t eat it in front them if you are going to eat it,” she said. “The better choice is don’t eat it yourself.”

Rest and Exercise

“Rest is the most important thing,” Feldman said. “Babies initially sleep 20 out of 24 hours in the first month. By the time they’re three to four months old, they’re usually taking a 12-hour night and maybe a couple of 2-hour naps. By the time they’re a year old, they’re usually doing a 2-hour afternoon nap and a 12-hour night, and the 12-hour nights stick around.”

Equally important to making sure toddlers are getting enough rest is making sure they get enough exercise, according to Feldman.

The average child walks about 10,000 steps per day, which is usually enough to keep them healthy, so Feldman recommends using a pedometer. If they haven’t walked their 10,000 steps by the time they get home from school, send them outside to play.

“And if they exercise sufficiently during the day, they will sleep well at night,” she added.

Prima Pediatrics

18520 Via Princessa, Suite C

Canyon Country, CA 91387

661-424-9000