Well Child Care at 5 Years


Nutrition

Your child may enjoy helping to choose and prepare the family meals with supervision. Children watch what their parents eat, so set a good example. This will teach him good food habits. Mealtime should be a pleasant time for the family. Avoid junk foods.

Development and Discipline

Children at this age are imaginative, get along well with friends their own age, and have lots of energy. Be sure to praise children lavishly when they are sharing things with each other.
It is important to set rules about television watching. Limit electronic media (TV, DVDs, or computer) time to 1 or 2 hours per day of high quality programming.  Participate with your child and discuss the content with them. Find other activities you can do with your child. Reading, hobbies, and physical activities are good alternative to TV.
Some children still wet the bed at night. If your child wets the bed regularly, ask your doctor about ways to help your child.
Five-year-olds usually are able to dress and undress themselves, understand rules in a game, brush their own teeth. For behaviors that you would like to encourage in your child, try to catch your child being good. That is, tell your child how proud you are when he does things that help you or others.
Punishment for dangerous or hurtful behaviors is necessary. A child should also learn to apologize. Sending a child to be quiet, boring corner without anything to do for 5 minutes should follow.

Safety Tips

Car Safety

  • Everyone in a car must always wear seat belts or be an appropriate booster seat or car seat.
  • Don’t buy motorized vehicles for your child.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety

  • Always supervise street crossing. Your child may start to look in both directions but don’t depend on her ability to cross the street alone.
  • All family members should use a bicycle helmet, even when riding a tricycle.
  • Do not allow your child to ride a bicycle near traffic.
  • Don’t buy a bicycle that is too big for your child.

Prevent Fires and Burns

  • Practice a fire escape plan.
  • Check smoke detectors and replace the batteries when necessary.
  • Keep a fire extinguisher in or near the kitchen.
  • Teach your child to never play with matches or lighters.
  • Teach your child emergency phone numbers and to leave the house if fire breaks out.
  • Turn your water heater down to 120°F (50°C).

Prevent Drowning

  • Continuously watch your child around swimming pools.
  • Enroll your child in swimming lessons.

Avoid Falls

  • Never allow your child to climb on chairs, ladders, or cabinets.
  • Do not allow your child to play on stairways.
  • Make sure windows are closed or have screens that cannot be pushed out.

Safety around Strangers

  • Safety outside the home is very important to discuss with your child.
  • Teach your child her address and phone number and how to contact you at work.
  • Teach your child never to go anywhere with a stranger.

Poisons

  • Teach your child to take medicines only with supervision.
  • Teach your child to never eat unknown pills or substances.
  • Put the poison center number in all phones.

Dental Care

  • Brushing teeth after meals and before bedtime is important, think of a way to make it fun.
  • It is also a good idea to make an appointment for your child to see the dentist.

Immunizations

Your child will probably receive vaccination shots. After a shot your child may run a fever and become irritable for about 1 day, your child may also have some soreness, redness, and swelling where a shot was given, for fever, give your child an appropriate dose of acetaminophen (240 mg = three 80 mg chewable tablets). For swelling or soreness, put a wet, warm washcloth on the area of the as often and as long as needed for comfort.

Call your child’s health care provider immediately if:

  • Your child has a fever over 105°F (40.5°C).
  • Your child has severe allergic reaction beginning within 2 hours of the shot (for example, hives, wheezing or noisy breathing, swelling of mouth or throat).
  • Your child has an unusual reaction.

Next visit

A check-up is recommended when your child is 6 year old.