Your one-year-old loves to explore. Her curiosity that that is her in-built need to learn about the world around her, drives her to investigate and discover. And like all budding adventurers, she’ll use any scientific method she knows during her investigations. She’ll touch, she’ll hit, she’ll smell, she’ll stare, she’ll listen, she’ll rub – and she’ll also taste. And it’s this last exploratory tool – her desire to taste – that seems to dominate at this age. Everything she can lay her hands on goes into her mouth.
Why she does it
The problem with ‘mouthing’ is that she doesn’t yet know the potential hazards; her sense of danger doesn’t come until much later, around the age of three or four. So she hasn’t yet learnt, for instance, that an item from the floor is likely to be dirty, or that she could choke from swallowing small toys, or that she might hurt the inside of her mouth if the object has sharp edges. When adults would be disgusted by a foul smell or taste, she is ruled by curiosity and will eagerly mouth all things that come her way. She’s willing to try everything at least once!
Your natural instinct may be to reprimand your toddler for putting inappropriate objects into her mouth, in the hope that this will discourage the habit. Yet it won’t have that effect; it will just upset her. Bear in mind that exploration of this sort is good for her, and that it is her way of finding out about the world around her. Putting everything into her mouth is a normal part of the learning process at this age – she’s going to do it, whether you are pleased with her behaviour or not. Try to strike a balance between allowing this form of discovery and making sure that dangerous objects stay far away from her eager lips.
Keeping her safe
The most important step you can take to prevent an accident arising from your child’s wish to put everything she sees into her mouth, is to buy her sensible, approved toys. There is no point in purchasing a toy or a game that has small bits attached to it, no matter how attractive the item looks to you – your toddler will find a way to detach the small parts of the toy and place them in her mouth.
Buy suitable toys
As a general rule, never buy a toy for her when the packaging advises that it is not suitable for children under the age one. This indicates that the item has been designed for a more mature mind; almost certainly, the item (or parts of it) would also be small enough to fit into a small mouth. That’s why it is best to stick to toys that are suitable for your toddler’s age group.
Clear clutter and small objects
Do your best to keep your home clear of items that can be potential health hazards for a child. For example, don’t leave pins, needles, buttons, bottle tops, pills, marbles or sequins lying within her reach. If it can fit into her mouth, she’ll put it there! Look carefully at her personal space, and ask yourself if there is anything within her reach that is small enough for her to mouth. Remove such items.
Be vigilant
Watch her even more closely once she starts to walk. Be ready to intervene and say no. she needs your guidance at this stage because she hasn’t learnt how to differentiate between safety and danger. Take every small object from her hand, tell her firmly that it is unsafe for her to place it in her mouth, (give her a reassuring cuddle if she cries in response to your justified warning) and then point her towards an area she can explore safely.
Why she does it
The problem with ‘mouthing’ is that she doesn’t yet know the potential hazards; her sense of danger doesn’t come until much later, around the age of three or four. So she hasn’t yet learnt, for instance, that an item from the floor is likely to be dirty, or that she could choke from swallowing small toys, or that she might hurt the inside of her mouth if the object has sharp edges. When adults would be disgusted by a foul smell or taste, she is ruled by curiosity and will eagerly mouth all things that come her way. She’s willing to try everything at least once!
Your natural instinct may be to reprimand your toddler for putting inappropriate objects into her mouth, in the hope that this will discourage the habit. Yet it won’t have that effect; it will just upset her. Bear in mind that exploration of this sort is good for her, and that it is her way of finding out about the world around her. Putting everything into her mouth is a normal part of the learning process at this age – she’s going to do it, whether you are pleased with her behaviour or not. Try to strike a balance between allowing this form of discovery and making sure that dangerous objects stay far away from her eager lips.
Keeping her safe
The most important step you can take to prevent an accident arising from your child’s wish to put everything she sees into her mouth, is to buy her sensible, approved toys. There is no point in purchasing a toy or a game that has small bits attached to it, no matter how attractive the item looks to you – your toddler will find a way to detach the small parts of the toy and place them in her mouth.
Buy suitable toys
As a general rule, never buy a toy for her when the packaging advises that it is not suitable for children under the age one. This indicates that the item has been designed for a more mature mind; almost certainly, the item (or parts of it) would also be small enough to fit into a small mouth. That’s why it is best to stick to toys that are suitable for your toddler’s age group.
Clear clutter and small objects
Do your best to keep your home clear of items that can be potential health hazards for a child. For example, don’t leave pins, needles, buttons, bottle tops, pills, marbles or sequins lying within her reach. If it can fit into her mouth, she’ll put it there! Look carefully at her personal space, and ask yourself if there is anything within her reach that is small enough for her to mouth. Remove such items.
Be vigilant
Watch her even more closely once she starts to walk. Be ready to intervene and say no. she needs your guidance at this stage because she hasn’t learnt how to differentiate between safety and danger. Take every small object from her hand, tell her firmly that it is unsafe for her to place it in her mouth, (give her a reassuring cuddle if she cries in response to your justified warning) and then point her towards an area she can explore safely.
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