How, when, why?
From birth to 14 years it is advisable to routinely get children assessed by the family paediatrician in accordance with the BdS (bilanci di salute) health schedule: a free and well set-out health-check programme.
Simply put, the BdS health schedule allows all children to be screened at set milestones to prevent or assess as soon as possible, any indication of a serious or disabling pathology, for which a diagnosis and early therapy can modify the outcome of the disease or the problem itself.
The BdS is scheduled according to a calendar that is similar across various Italian regions, with a high frequency in the first year (0, 3, 6, 8, 12 months), and progressively reduced in subsequent years (18 months and 3, 6, 10, 14 years).
Vaccines fight dangerous infectious diseases for which there is no cure (poliomyelitis), or one that is not always effective (diphtheria, tetanus, haemophilus meningitis, meningococcal meningitis, invasive pneumococcal diseases), or diseases that can cause serious complications (measles, rubella, chickenpox, hepatitis B, whooping cough).
In addition, today we have vaccines to prevent infections caused by some viruses that can sometimes cause cancer (human papillomavirus, hepatitis B virus).
To vaccinate responsibly, as a parent you should always seek the advice of your trusted paediatrician and vaccination service provider.
Adults have a great responsibility to educate children about careful and safe behaviour, both at home and outside the home.
During the first months, safety is the responsibility of adults, and as the child begins to move more independently, additional attention must go to reorganising spaces and objects according to the various degrees of independence of their developmental stages.
When you have pets and children at home, it is important to create spaces that allow them to find rest and tranquillity.
We must teach the child to respect their four-legged friends, without pulling their fur and ears, leaving them in peace if they don’t want to play, and to stay away from their food bowls.
Toys must be carefully chosen, paying attention to the directions on the packaging: they have been designed to be suitable for the child’s age and motor skills.
The toys for babies are soft and have no detachable parts that could be swallowed.
It’s important that all children enjoy a good meal and eat properly. Teach them to eat mindfully by chewing well and without distractions: they should learn to recognise the different consistencies of food, so as to avoid accidents.
The child’s sleep must also be safeguarded: it’s important to their growth and development.
Children must sleep in cool, well-ventilated rooms, without too may covers.
Screens must also have rules: they need to be used in moderation by keeping certain guidelines in mind:
- children need direct and concrete experiences, therefore to touch objects;
- it’s important that an adult supervise the child to explain and provide feedback to videos and games;
- too much screen time keeps children still, causes weight gain and irritability.
