Need Help Phasing In A 2yo

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  • Pestle
    Daycare.com Member
    • May 2016
    • 1729

    Need Help Phasing In A 2yo

    Good parent, regular schedule, healthy habits at home. But:
    • She's never been in care before
    • Her dad is in the process of leaving (he isn't involved in payment or drop-off/pick-up so we're having no issues thus far with that)
    • She's speech-delayed (will start therapy after she's recovered from her adenoid surgery)
    • She's also hungry, because she barely eats when she's here; her mom says they have the same issue at home. She was a preemie and never developed good eating habits


    We're wrapping up week 3 of full-time care, and she SHOUTS for her mom. I ask her to either sit and cuddle (she doesn't want to [unless I've got a baby on my lap 9_9]) or go sit in the quiet corner. She picks the quiet corner and hollers in there, then comes out and starts following me around, shouting. She shouts when we're outside (I ask her to sit in a pop-up play cube, and she sits in there and shouts "Mom! Mom! Mom!" for about 1/3 of the time we're outside). She shouts during nap time, so I have to have her nap separately. She is shouting right now, and since it's infant nap time, I'm out of spare rooms to keep her from upsetting the other toddler and my own preschooler.

    The mom pays on time and is easygoing, and the kid is bright and fastidious and polite and good at playing with others. I'd like to keep this family.

    Is three weeks with no improvement typical of a 2yo with these other factors?

    Do you have any recommendations?
  • Cat Herder
    Advanced Daycare.com Member
    • Dec 2010
    • 13744

    #2
    I'd start with:

    1. Nutrition
    2. Sleep
    3. Development
    4. Tantrums

    In that order.

    I'd probably start by adding a good toddler formula at least twice a day (if typical 10 hours/5 days). Re-evaluate in two weeks.

    It is hard to not try to fix it all at once but any improvement in nutrition will begin the overall improvements you want. If you break it down in stages, it won't wear on you mentally as hard. You will see improvements where others may not. Not going to sugar coat, this will be work.
    - Unless otherwise stated, all my posts are personal opinion and worth what you paid for them.

    Comment

    • hwichlaz
      Daycare.com Member
      • May 2013
      • 2064

      #3
      My advice is the same as Cat Herder's. Can mom drop off some pediasure grow and gain? Walmart even has their own brand of it. Just one bottle a day at your house (2 four ounce servings) would probably really improve her overall sense of well-being. Then work on her sleep habits. Once you've taken care of those two, the others may start to fall into place on their own.

      Comment

      • Pestle
        Daycare.com Member
        • May 2016
        • 1729

        #4
        This is great advice--thanks. I looked at the PediaSure nutrition info and the sugars are pretty high. Is that a concern?

        Comment

        • Cat Herder
          Advanced Daycare.com Member
          • Dec 2010
          • 13744

          #5
          It is not to me. Risk vs benefit. Unless the child is diabetic she could probably use the extra calories for now.

          I have been using Similac Go & Grow Milk Base Toddler Formula here for a while. Pediasure was always sold out.
          - Unless otherwise stated, all my posts are personal opinion and worth what you paid for them.

          Comment

          • hwichlaz
            Daycare.com Member
            • May 2013
            • 2064

            #6
            Originally posted by Pestle
            This is great advice--thanks. I looked at the PediaSure nutrition info and the sugars are pretty high. Is that a concern?
            The sugars aren't high in ratio to the other nutrients. This is used as the sole nutrition source for tube fed children over a year old. The reason I suggested it is that it tastes good. A child who has little appetite isn't likely to go back to drinking formula if they've already been weaned onto cow's milk. But a nice vanilla or chocolate shake with hidden nutrition....MMMMMmmmm

            Comment

            • Mom2Two
              Daycare.com Member
              • Jan 2015
              • 1855

              #7
              How do you know she is hungry if she doesn't eat? Does she communicate it in some way, or do you just assume. How is her weight. And height growth? I'd be interested in what her pediatrician's feelings are about it.

              On the speech, two is pretty early for therapy, but even a few signs can make a huge difference. I'm a fan of signing time/baby signing time, even for daycare kids.

              How early was she? If her speech is delayed enough, she might qualify for early. Intervention.

              Comment

              • Ariana
                Advanced Daycare.com Member
                • Jun 2011
                • 8969

                #8
                She may be hard of hearing. The deaf boy that I had for a few weeks was non verbal but would also shout "momma" continuously. The adenoid surgery may help with that but I would mention it to mom.

                Comment

                • Pestle
                  Daycare.com Member
                  • May 2016
                  • 1729

                  #9
                  She's on track for height and weight from my guesstimation; the mom also didn't mention any concerns there.

                  They've already had referrals for the speech. For instance, instead of "milk," she says "bot." She understands extremely well, follows directions, and has no signs of hearing problems that I've noticed. She had life-threatening sleep apnea, which is why she had the surgery. The doctors told them it's possible the adenoids were affecting her speech, too, and they (the doctors) don't want to start therapy until later in the year, once the surgery is several months behind them.

                  I mentioned a formula or nutritional supplement tonight, and the mom immediately nixed it. She said they all have sugar in them and she doesn't give the kids any sugars. She said DCG mostly lives off of milk at home, and will eat berries and cheese and some whole-grain products.

                  Today, DCG ate three graham crackers and two dried apricots and picked at some whole-grain pasta. Yesterday, she ate a graham cracker. I'm giving her whole milk, but only at mealtime, with water between, and she asks for milk frequently. During meals, she drinks the milk and asks for more, but won't eat the food, and I refill with water. She may not know she's hungry, but she's hungry.

                  Comment

                  • Mom2Two
                    Daycare.com Member
                    • Jan 2015
                    • 1855

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Pestle
                    She's on track for height and weight from my guesstimation; the mom also didn't mention any concerns there.

                    They've already had referrals for the speech. For instance, instead of "milk," she says "bot." She understands extremely well, follows directions, and has no signs of hearing problems that I've noticed. She had life-threatening sleep apnea, which is why she had the surgery. The doctors told them it's possible the adenoids were affecting her speech, too, and they (the doctors) don't want to start therapy until later in the year, once the surgery is several months behind them.

                    I mentioned a formula or nutritional supplement tonight, and the mom immediately nixed it. She said they all have sugar in them and she doesn't give the kids any sugars. She said DCG mostly lives off of milk at home, and will eat berries and cheese and some whole-grain products.

                    Today, DCG ate three graham crackers and two dried apricots and picked at some whole-grain pasta. Yesterday, she ate a graham cracker. I'm giving her whole milk, but only at mealtime, with water between, and she asks for milk frequently. During meals, she drinks the milk and asks for more, but won't eat the food, and I refill with water. She may not know she's hungry, but she's hungry.
                    If she's on track for weight and height then she's not hungry, unless her appetite just suddenly dropped in a big way. Children don't grow properly when they're not getting enough calories.

                    I would definitely not give the high cal drinks--her quantity of eating will just drop more.

                    But living off milk is not ideal due to lack of variety of food groups. Perhaps the adenoids made a liquid diet more appealing to her. Maybe her sinuses were bothering her when she ate (I get rhinitis etc so this thought occured to me).

                    Maybe offer more variety of the not-so-preferred food groups at the beginning of a meal and only a little milk to put a bit of pressure on her to widen her repertoire. Just a thought.

                    Comment

                    • Ariana
                      Advanced Daycare.com Member
                      • Jun 2011
                      • 8969

                      #11
                      They've already had referrals for the speech. For instance, instead of "milk," she says "bot." She understands extremely well, follows directions, and has no signs of hearing problems that I've noticed.....
                      I did not think the child I had was deaf either! It came as a bit of a shock to me to be honest. The only indication looking back was that when I would put on a tv show while I was making lunch he would sit back on to the tv and watch me in the kitchen. I also thought the shouting was odd, but never thought he was deaf.

                      I am not saying this child is deaf either but I would ask the parents if she has had a hearing test recently just to rule it out. Deaf kids are very smart and good at hiding their disabilities. The fact that this kid didn't get diagnosed until he was nearly 3 shocks me!

                      Comment

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