Infant & Children Health Information (0-5 Years)

Call 8-1-1 to:

• Reach Dietitian Services at HealthLinkBC about feeding your baby or young child: a food allergy expert is available

• IH Breastfeeding

• Vitamin D for Babies and Toddlers

• Feeding Young Children

• The Benefits of Eating Together for Children and Families

• Vegetable and Fruit Tips

• Pack and Go Lunches

• Pack and Go Snacks

• Canada’s Food Guide Resources (Age 2 +)

Community Partners

• Resources for Community Early Years Programs

• Resources for Child Care Providers

• How Often Should My Baby Eat? 
• What is a good latch?
• Is my baby getting enough to eat?

A collaboration of health care professionals, the team consists of plastic surgeons, orthodontists, pediatricians, ear, nose and throat doctors (ENTs), dental hygienists, pediatric dentists, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and oral & maxillofacial surgeons..

A doctor, midwife, nurse practitioner, public health nurse or member of the Kelowna Cleft Lip & Palate Team can submit the Cleft Lip and Palate Referral Form if they have internal Interior Health system access. Otherwise they may complete the e-fillable referral form, and mail or fax it to the Kelowna Community Health and Services Centre. Physicians/nurses/midwives can also call the Clinic Desk directly at 250 469 7070, ext. 12074 to ask questions about services or make referrals over the phone. If you are transferring from a Cleft Palate Clinic in a different city or province, any member of that Clinic team may refer.

Contact Janice Bennett, Coordinator of the Cleft Lip and Palate Clinic, ext.12122
Available Mondays from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Several families attend each clinic, held in April and October. You should expect to spend the full morning at the clinic. Each family will see each professional. Families, along with their family doctor or nurse practitioner, will also receive a printed summary of the recommendations following the clinic.

Please note: This Kelowna-based team works in partnership with the health care providers already caring for your child. The team does not provide treatment at the clinic, and does not replace the professionals you are seeing for current medical treatment.

• Cleft Lip and Palate Clinic Brochure
• Dollars for Dental Treatment
• American Cleft Palate & Craniofacial Association

Children have their own schedule for teething. Most children begin teething between six to 10 months of age. All 20 ‘baby’ teeth will be in place by three years of age. Offer your child a clean, chilled teething ring, teething toy, or clean wet facecloth to chew on to ease teething discomfort. Teething cookies and biscuits are not recommended. Only use teething ointments, gels, or tablets on the advice of a doctor or dentist.

Check out brochure: Tips for Teething - 4 Month Visit

As soon as teeth appear, look in your child’s mouth once a month. Lift the top lip and check for white spots, early signs of decay along the gumline, or brown areas on the teeth. Consult with your dentist if you suspect a problem.

Healthy habits lead to good dental health. Follow these tips to protect your child’s baby teeth:

• Brush your child’s teeth twice a day, morning and bedtime, with a fluoride toothpaste.
• Help your child brush and floss until they are able to write, not print, their own name.
• When the teeth are touching and brushing is well established, floss once daily.
• Never let your baby sleep with a bottle that contains anything but plain water.
• Use a rice-size amount of fluoride toothpaste on a small, soft toothbrush for children up to three years of age. Increase to a pea-size amount for three years of age and older.
• Use a regular cup at 12 months of age. Introduce at six to nine months.
• Limit milk and 100% unsweetened juice to meals and scheduled snacks.

Check out brochure: Health Tips For Happy Teeth

The Canadian Dental Association recommends that your child’s first dental visit should be six months after the first tooth comes through, which is usually by one year of age. If you notice something with your child’s mouth or teeth that concerns you, consult your dentist no matter when they last saw the dentist. Families who have been approved for MSP supplementary benefits may qualify for the Healthy Kids Program. It provides financial assistance for children’s basic dental care.

Dollars for Dental Treatment - Increasing Access to Dental Care

• Access Dental Resources that provide fun activities and educational tools about oral health
• Lift the Lip / Fluoride Varnish Program for children 0-4 years of age: This free program provides cavity risk assessments, dental screening, oral health education and fluoride varnish application.
• Baby's Best Chance
• Toddler's First Steps
• Dental Care for Your Infant & Toddlers (HealthLinkBC File #19)
• Canadian Dental Association
• BC Dental Association
• Healthy Kids Program
• Canadian Dental Care Plan
• First Nations Health Authority Dental Benefit

We know more than ever before about how young children think, learn, and grow. From birth to the first day of kindergarten, growth moves more quickly than at any other time of life. Early experiences make a difference. The early years of life have a critical and important effect on growth, relationships, and functioning that affects our whole life.

Social and emotional learning is the way a child gradually develops the ability to:

• Experience, control, and express emotions

• Form close, secure relationships

• Explore the world and learn

Infant mental health and healthy development go hand in hand. Healthy child development includes physical, emotional, cognitive, and social development.

During pregnancy and after the birth or adoption of your baby, you may feel happy and excited. But it is normal for new parents to have lots of different feelings and emotions, including the "baby blues". Learn more about the "baby blues", depression or anxiety.

Forming at least one close emotional tie with an adult is important for the best development possible. Infants rely on the parent or caregiver to connect with their world and to regulate distress. Interfering with these important relationships is stressful for a baby or young child.

Babies and young children develop in the context of relationships. Brains grow and develop through human interaction. Babies and young children need new and different experiences, which are provided in ways that are safe, nurturing, predictable, repetitive, gradual, and attuned to the infant or young child’s developmental stage.

Parents and caregivers are a child’s best chance for healthy development! Take time for yourself and practice positive mental health and well-being.

The links below will help parents support their babies and young children:

• Infant Mental Heath information

• Baby's Best Chance

• Toddler's First Steps

• Growing Together: Parent tip sheets on sleep & rest, routines & transitions, feeding, activity & play, touch, communication and support & resources

Our speech language pathologists help with pronunciation; language comprehension and use; social communication; and voice, hearing, or stuttering problems.

Our speech-language pathologists will:

• Help families plan approaches that work alongside other family priorities & obligations.

• Train families and other caregivers how to help children learn better ways to talk.

• Connect families to other supports.

• Check children's progress on an ongoing basis

Anyone can refer a child for services from birth to preschool-age, with parents' consent. Families with children who are about to enter kindergarten should contact the school district for service.

Speech/Language Pathology Referral (birth to 5yrs) form

Mail the referral form to your local health centre. Families can also call the various clinics directly to ask questions about services or make referrals over the phone.

Review Child and Youth Speech-Language Pathology services at a health centre in your area.

Resources

• Toddler's First Steps: A Best Chance Guide to Parenting Your 6-36 Month Old Child

• Healthy Families BC: Baby Development

• Healthy Families BC: Toddler Development

Brochures

• Listen to Me Talk by 6 Months

• Listen to Me Talk by 12 Months

• Listen to Me Talk by 18 Months

• Listen to Me Talk by 2 Years

• Listen to Me Talk by 3 Years

• Listen to Me Talk by 4 Years

• Listen to Me Talk by 5 Years

• Speech Sound Development

• Check Your Child's Communication

• Preschool Speech & Language Services

• Gestures & Signs

• Is My Child Stuttering?