Medicosnext
Dr. Binuda Poudyal
She is a pediatrician with strong academic training and extensive clinical experience in child health. She completed her MBBS from Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, followed by an MD in Pediatrics from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. Dr. Poudyal has served as a General Pediatrician at Manmohan Memorial Medical College & Hospital from 2019 to 2024, while also being associated with Grande International Hospital from 2019 to 2025, where she provided comprehensive pediatric care across a wide range of conditions. Her areas of special interest include Pediatric Neurology and Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics, with a keen focus on early identification, timely intervention, and long-term developmental outcomes. Dr. Poudyal is deeply committed to supporting children through every stage of growth, helping them achieve their fullest potential.
“Toddlers don’t explore to trouble you, they explore to grow.”
Every phase of parenthood comes with its own set of challenges and managing a toddler is one of them. A child after completion of 1st birthday till his/her 3rd birthday is a toddler. Brain development is rapid during the 1st 2-3 years of life. So toddlers are natural explorers, curious about everything! They learn by touching, tasting, smelling and investigating their surroundings. This puts them at high risk for choking, fall injury, burn, poisoning, etc. Hence they need close supervision and a safe environment.
Caregivers need to store all the medicines, chemicals, sharp objects/small objects, and boilers/kettles out of reach of children. Parents need to put corner guards on tables, counters, and furniture with pointed corners. Tempting items (toys, remotes) should not be kept on high surfaces to discourage climbing. All the sockets should be taped. The key is “NEVER LEAVE A TODDLER UNATTENDED.”
Healthy food habits need to be established in these crucial years of life. Parents of toddlers need to offer them a variety of foods and lead by example by eating healthy food themselves, as toddlers tend to follow what they see. Mealtime can be made fun by using colorful plates and spoons. Screen time at mealtime has to be avoided. Force-feeding should be avoided as it can create a traumatic experience, instead, kids can be encouraged gently. Establishing a routine for regular meal and snack times helps. Home based food need to be encouraged and junk food has to be avoided.
Toddlers are at an early stage of social, emotional and language development. They can’t always communicate their needs and emotions and are more likely to have tantrums. Dealing with toddler tantrums is sometimes draining but parents need to have patience and they need to remain calm and avoid yelling. Parents should not give items like sweets/toys to stop a tantrum as it teaches them that tantrums work and that makes them even more stubborn in the future. If the scene is safe sometimes letting them get their anger out in a non-destructive way helps them self-regulate. But all the caretakers need to have a consistent response to the tantrums. Also trying to distract them during a tantrum helps.
“A safe environment is the best playground for a toddler.”
Positive reinforcement works wonders with toddlers. Parents need to praise good behavior of the baby (Eg: By saying “Good job baby”). Parents can celebrate small wins by Clapping/ hugging. This Encourages repetition of desired behavior. Excessive screen time is linked to potential health issues like obesity, sleep problems, and poor cognitive development .The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends no screen time for children under 2 years old, except for video calls, and no more than 1 hour daily for children aged 2-4 yrs. Co-viewing and good quality content is important.
Parents need to spend quality time with toddlers. Playing with them, singing with them, Narrating story at bedtime, etc. This helps to develop a good bonding between parents and toddlers. Yelling or punishing them can be counter-productive as it may lead to fear, anxiety and aggression ultimately making them more challenging to manage. Hence parents should avoid these and stay calm and patient.
“The first 2–3 years shape the brain for a lifetime.”
