Expert panel: Toddler

Sometimes toddlers have what we call impaction with overflow and what seems to be diarrhoea or normal, soft motions is not. They can have an impact...

This depends on the child’s gender, their birth weight and environment. If your toddler is a girl then an average (50th percentile) weight is...

If you can see them though they still haven’t erupted in her gums then a wait and see approach is generally all that’s required. Teeth ...

The major marker for speech therapy assessment is if parents are concerned. You mention her hearing seems to be fine so that’s reassuring. At...

It sounds like she’s exhibiting what is pretty normal, age appropriate independence with eating and decision making. After the first birthday...

Well, the first thing to acknowledge is that you’ve done really well to link what’s been happening in his life with him reverting back ...

It may be worthwhile forgetting about toilet training him for a while. This can short circuit the behaviour you’re talking about. For now, it...

This isn’t an uncommon situation. You just need to be very reassuring and matter of fact about it all. Honestly, at 22 months she’s don...

This is still pretty normal behaviour. At four she’s still within the normal age group to not have developed nocturnal enuresis-eg. to be dry...

It’s normal for babies/toddlers/adults to wake multiple times overnight. Ideally, the toddler will just roll over, perhaps have a little whin...

Once the top horizontal cot rail is to her chest height or lower or, she’s climbing out of the cot or about to then she’s ready to tran...

Just what you’re doing sounds fine but honestly, at 18 months this really is on the lower age range for toilet training. Especially for a boy...

He’s over the 50th percentile for his weight so that’s fine. Vitamin supplements can be useful but they can also be unnecessary. Many o...

Thank you for your question. You’ve done the right thing by having his ears checked and that must have been reassuring. But was his hearing ...

At one, he really is a work in progress. What he’s doing now is not a sign of what his behaviour will always be like. His personality and tem...

You could probably just stop it. One bottle a day/night doesn’t really constitute a dependency, though she may go through some withdrawals go...

Hi, I know the appearance you’re talking about. If he’s generally well and thriving, getting lots of sleep and eating well then it̵...

Hi, What a great question. By definition, a baby becomes a toddler when they turn one year old. Even if she isn’t yet walking then she is st...

Hi, It’s fair to expect behaviour to revert when a new baby comes into a family. I understand that your new little one may well be here by no...

Hi, At 29 months there are real advantages in stopping all bottles. For the behavioural benefits, prevention of tooth decay, speech development and...

It could be but it’s important to see that he can actually hear you ok. Have you considered having his hearing checked with an audiologist? I...

You would be doing her a big favour by stopping all of her bottles. Her teeth, speech and general behaviour will all benefit from stopping them. An...

It really depends on the circumstances around why he is misbehaving. Has there been some disruption in the household lately, a developmental change...

Hi, A general guide for weight gain is for babies to double their birth weight between 4-6 months and to triple it by 12 months. At 9.5 kgs for his...

You have a choice of whether to just take it away completely and suddenly and then deal with the inevitable protests for a day or so. The other opt...

Unless you’re due to have the baby in a couple of weeks, I’d be thinking that now would be fine. As long as you are having a reasonably...

An alarm would only work overnight with nocturnal enuresis (be wetting) which at 4.5 years is still quite normal. I gather it’s through the d...

If she’s climbing up and over the cot rails then it’s time she graduated to a bed. There is a risk of her falling which will be reduced...

Yes, it is. You will need to have her seen by a doctor-either your own GP, the local children’s hospital or a medical centre. A normal temper...

I would think that you need to speak with the prescribing doctor or gastroenterologist who has been monitoring her for all this time. I can only of...