What You Didn't Know: Healthy Three Year Old Development

Your little one isn't so little anymore. Here's what you can expect as your child turns three! Hopefully, you have energy left to enjoy what lies ahead for you and your preschooler. They call the next few years the "magic years" -- partly because it seems like magic that your child is finally listening to you and partly because for your child, it is a time for his or her imagination to run wild. While every child develops at her own pace, there are certain milestones that my patients 90~95% achieve by or soon after their third birthday. "A good doctor will assess a child's development by asking questions, observing, and testing a child directly," says Dr. Wu. Omega Pediatrics deals with child development directly and can be found here.

Milestones In 3 to 4 Year Olds

Language Milestones

Your child may not be quite excited about speaking yet, but as they grow older day by day, that will change. By now they should be able to:

Say their name and age

Speak 250 to 500 words

Answer simple questions

Speak in sentences of five to six words

Speak clearly

Tell stories

Cognitive Milestones

This is when your child will start asking lots of questions. Questions, questions, and more questions! Now your three year old should be:

Correctly name familiar colors

Understand the idea of same and different

Pretend and fantasize more creatively

Follow three-part commands

Remember parts of a story

Understand time better (for example, morning, afternoon, night)

Count, and understand the concept of counting

Sort objects by shape and color

Complete age-appropriate puzzles

Recognize and identify common objects and pictures

Movement Milestones

Your three year old should always be on the move, and should be able to:

Walk up and down stairs, alternating feet -- one foot per step

Kick, throw, and catch a ball

Climb well

Run more confidently and ride a tricycle

Hop and stand on one foot for up to five seconds

Walk forward and backward easily

Bend over without falling

Hand Movement Milestones

More easily handle small objects

Use age-appropriate scissors

Copy circles and squares

Draw a person with two to four body parts

Write some capital letters

Build a tower with four or more black

Dress and undress with help

Screw and unscrew jar lids

Turn rotating handles

More Info Here.

What Your Pediatrician Should Be Looking And Checking For

1. Check your child's weight and height, calculate body mass index (BMI), and plot the measurements on growth charts.

2. Check your child's blood pressure and vision, if your child is able to cooperate.

3. Ask questions, address concerns, and offer guidance about how your child is:
Eating. Growth is slow and steady during the preschool years. Offer three meals and two nutritious snacks a day. Even if your child is a picky eater, keep offering a variety of healthy foods.

4. Do a physical exam with your child undressed while you are present. This will include an eye exam, teeth exam, listening to the heart and lungs, and paying attention to speech and language development.

5. Update immunizations. Immunizations can protect kids from serious childhood illnesses, so it's important that your child gets them on time. Immunization schedules can vary from office to office, so talk to your doctor about what to expect.

6. Order tests. Your doctor may assess your child's risk for anemia, lead exposure, and tuberculosis and order tests if needed

More Here.

What You Should Be Doing At Three Years

If your child has not yet shown the signs of being ready to potty train, tell your doctor.

With sleeping, preschoolers sleep about 10–13 hours a day. Most kids this age still take a nap during the day.

Have your child brush teeth twice a day with a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. Schedule a dentist visit to have your child's teeth examined and cleaned.

Have a safe play area and allow plenty of time for exploring, make-believe, and active play. Surfaces should be soft to absorb falls (sand, rubber mats, or a deep layer of wood or rubber chips).

Apply sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher at least 15 minutes before your child goes outside to play and reapply about every 2 hours.

Protect your child from secondhand smoke, which increases the risk of heart and lung disease. Secondhand vapor from e-cigarettes is also harmful.

Make sure your child always wears a helmet when riding a tricycle or bicycle.

Use a forward-facing car seat with a harness in the back seat until your child reaches the highest weight or height limit allowed by the car-seat manufacturer.

Checkup Information Here.

Education

If you haven't thought about preschool yet, now is a good time to start looking at options. Ask family and friends for their recommendations and be sure to take a tour of a few schools. Not sure you want to send your child to preschool?

It's your decision, but keep in mind that it's a great way for your child to develop social skills and to get adjusted to a routine and to being in a classroom before going to kindergarten.

Research shows that children learn easily and well at the ages of three and four, and preschool can set the foundation for years of academic learning.

Looking Ahead

Here are some things to keep in mind until your child's next checkup at 4 years:

Preschoolers should get 2 cups (480 ml) of low-fat or nonfat milk (or equivalent low-fat dairy products) daily. You also can give a fortified milk alternative like soy or almond milk.

Limit juice to no more than 4 ounces (120 ml) a day. Avoid high-sugar and high-fat foods and drinks.

Let your child decide when he or she is hungry or full. If your child chooses not to eat, offer a healthy snack later.

Try to eat together as a family most nights of the week.

If your child gives up the afternoon nap, be sure to allow for some quiet "winding down" time during the day. You may also need to adjust bedtime to ensure your child gets enough sleep.