The word toddler was identified in the 18th century from the word ‘TODDLE‘ which means “to move with an unsteady gait.” Here are a few interesting facts about the ‘cute little mischief-makers’!!
- A two-year old’s voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowd!
- An average toddler takes 176 steps a minute!
- On an average, a 4-year-old asks about 437 questions a day!
- A toddler’s stomach is very small, about the size of a small fist!
- A child’s kneecap starts to turn bony at 3 years of age until then they are made up of cartilage!
- A child under the age of 6 is at a greatest risk of crushing or burning injuries of the hand!
- The first three years of a child’s life is most important! They determine the brain’s organisation, development and functioning throughout life!
- Kids don’t remember what you try to teach them, they remember what you are! – Jim Henson.
- The most common type of developmental problem in children is language and speech delay.
- A child understands what you are saying even before they began to speak!
- An average baby will triple the birth weight in the first year!
- Most 1 year olds are ambidextrous! Hand preference develops only by two or three years of age and 90% will be right handed.
- A 2-year-old has twice as many neural pathways as an adult!
- When the pre-schooler covers his/her eyes, he/she thinks you can’t see either!!
- Studies show that a child does best when he/ she has at least three loving and supportive adult influences in his/ her life!
- A child who watches more than 3 hours of TV a day has a higher chance of emotional and relationship problems by the time he/ she is seven years than children who don’t.
- Studies show that corporal punishment can hinder intellectual development.
- At about 18 months, a toddler’s spoken vocabulary explodes, adding about one new word every two waking hours!
- A child whose parents talk to him/her frequently know 300 or more words by the age of 2 than a baby whose parents rarely speak to him/ her!
- A child learns to propel on a swing at around 4 years.
- A child who spends more time outdoors is less likely to become myopic (short sighted).
- Social interaction increases the speed and accuracy of learning in all ages, especially in the toddler age group!
- A child who eats in a regular family together, in a pleasant atmosphere, is less likely to develop an eating disorder and become overweight at a later age.
- Playing is the most effective way for a child to learn life skills and find out what they like!
- Bullying can have negative effects on a child development and can last well into their middle age!
- Once a toddler has mastered walking, he/ she makes new moves! By 18 months, most toddlers can walk backwards and climb stairs with help, jump in the place by age of 2 and can ride a tricycle by the age of 3, skip by 4 years and hop on one leg by 5 years!
- Toddlers are attracted to shapes that resemble a human face!
- A toddler can hear much better as compared to your hearing- although he pretends he can’t hear you at times!!
- A toddler is most active (between 2 to 4 years) than any other time in his or her life!
- Toddler can grow up to half an inch during sleep time!
Article by Dr. Pushkala., M.S.
MBBS, MD, PGDID (Australia)
Consultant Paediatrician, Kauvery Hospital