IMMUNIZATIONS: ProQuad (if child did not receive MMR/ProQuad at 4 years)

This is the year of nostalgia for many parents as we enter a new and exciting era. The new era is grammar school. Sometime during the next 12 months, your child will begin kindergarten. You may become very teary-eyed as your baby joins the rest of the school-aged children.

During this year, stomach aches often become a problem. Just as adults get stress-related headaches, children get stress-related stomach aches. We believe that there were times in the past 5 years that your child had a "belly ache" with an illness. Over several repeated times, your child learns that he/she gets his/her parent 5 sympathy with these. Now when stress occurs, he/she learns to use these abdominal pains as an excuse. It does not say that these pains are not real: just as our stress headaches also hurt, but that he/she should learn to work with them, as we do with our headaches. As long as there is no vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, constipation, frequent urination, or burning with urination, these pains should be ignored and the child should continue to school. If any of the other symptoms occur, or you are getting concerned with these pains call during office hours and we will look at your child or try to derive a solution.

At 5 years old, your child should be more independent. It is also a fun age, because now he/ she can help around the house with simple chores. Some parents introduce the idea of allowances at this age so that their children will learn the value of money.

Children at 5 will occasionally start to tell white lies when first asked about something, but, they are usually still innocent, and therefore, very honest when pushed and questioned.

Most 5 year olds like to learn by doing projects and workbooks. This is exciting as a parent because children absorb what we teach them like sponges. Along this same line, and of educational value, are trips or vacations. They are of benefit because your child can have fun as he/she learns.

Developmentally, a 5 year old should know her address, her parent's names, be able to copy a triangle, draw a man with 6 parts, walk backward heel-to-toe, skip and continue to expand their vocabulary.

This is a hard time on parents the same sex as the child, and a great time for the parent of the opposite sex. This is still the age of the Oedipus complex. Little girls, for example, will love their father, and resent and argue with mom, who also wants dad's attention. Hang in there; this stage will pass. Remember, your daughter really loves you though she may tell you she hates you, mom. At that point, do tell her that you still love her, no matter what she says to you.

Finally, a word on bedwetting. About 15-20% of 5 year olds still wet the bed. This is important to parents with children with this problem-so that they know they are not alone. Be sure to use underwear, not a diaper, for your child to sleep in and protect the bed. Decrease early evening and bedtime liquids. Push liquids in the morning to possibly increase the bladder size. Your child should be responsible for changing himself/herself and stripping the bed if it is wet not as a punishment, but as a means of letting him/her be responsible for his/her own problems. There should be no yelling or embarrassment attached to this problem. Your child is still young for a bedwetting alarm (we usually wait until about age 7). If you need to discuss this problem, please ask or call during office hours. In many families, one of the parents was a bed wetter.

PREVENTION STRATEGIES FOR INJURIES - 4 YEARS