Welcome to Season 2 of The Baby Manual with Dr. Carole Keim MD. This first episode of Season 2 is all about your baby at 15 months of age. From parenting to nutrition to skin care, Dr. Keim covers all the major developments of the 15 month age group. 

Dr. Keim discusses the developmental progress of your baby at 15 months and notes that they understand the word no, they have preferences, and they also feel upset if those preferences aren’t met. They quite like to help and mimic your actions. She addresses what children should eat and drink and how toddlers like trying things at this age, and explores how often to brush their teeth, when to see a dentist, making your home safe for their exploration, and what to expect at the 15 month check up. A lot of information is here to help you feel confident in navigating everything from tantrums to health. 

In this episode….

• Parents
• Development
• Behavior
• Sleep
• Nutrition
• Teeth
• Elimination
• Skin care
• Safety
• 15mo checkup

Parents: 00:31

• Engage with child often by speaking with them, tell them the names of objects
• Support toddler’s need for safety and reassurance
• Boundaries are reassuring to them
• Baby should be able to separate or move away from parent for moments, but will check back to look at them
• Look for parent-toddler play groups - Parallel play 
• Use consistent positive discipline (notice/comment on good behavior, avoid using the word “no” and instead tell them what they CAN do, use distraction, be a role model) 
• Give your child regular down time during the day; might still be napping  

Development: 05:14

• Stranger anxiety comes back
• Might have a preferred parent
• Points out objects and brings objects to show parents 
• Hands parents a book or toy to play with
• Follows simple directions (put this away / hand me a toy) 
• Imitate parent behavior (talking on the phone, taking pictures, feeding dolls, etc)
• Look around when asked questions like “where is your ball?”
• Stoop and recover
• Crawl up stairs
• Start to run
• Vocabulary starts to explode; should know at least 3 words and jabber with inflection  
• Scribble with a crayon or marker (and not just eat it)
• Feed themselves well with hands, drink from a cup without spilling

Behavior: 08:28

• Terrible two’s start now - they learn how to use “no”
• Offer 2 suitable choices as often as possible throughout the day.  Let them choose how things get done.
• They have a hard time expressing preferences; pretty good with needs 
• Modify their environment to avoid conflict 
• Hitting and biting are attempts to communicate - teach them how to communicate effectively 

Sleep: 10:41

• 10-14h at night, 0-1 nap per day.  
• Bedtime routine established: brush teeth together, quiet time, reading, singing
• In crib in their own room; consider moving to toddler bed when it’s ok for them to get out of bed (walking independently, able to safely get to your room and wake you up)
• Night waking is normal; reassure briefly, offer stuffed animal or blanket so they can self-console
• Lifehack while potty training: layer sheets and chucks 
• Blankets ok; no pillows til age 2
• No food or drinks in bed
• No electronic devices in the bedroom (TV, tablet)

Nutrition: 13:25

• 3 meals and 2-3 snacks per day at the same time as the family
• Offer a variety of foods and textures 
• Encourage self feeding
• Use a cup for water; offer water with all meals and snacks
• Should be eating greens daily; ok to have meat; supplement with iron if not eating greens daily or red meat 3x per week
• You determine when child eats and what is offered, but allow child to decide how much to eat (many toddlers graze).  They are typically not picky and want to try new foods at this age.

Teeth: 16:48

• Brush teeth BID with small smear of fluoride toothpaste; if there is no fluoride in water source can use a grain-of-rice sized amount of fluoride toothpaste 
• They should see a dentist 1-2x per year

Elimination: 17:31

• Typically voiding at least 6x per day, stooling 1-2x per day
• If baby is constipated: first increase water intake, increase fiber (fruit and veggies), then consider prune juice or pear juice 2oz 1-2x per day.  If not enough, talk to your doctor about miralax.
• Can start potty training by putting toddler on potty after eating and upon waking
• If toddler is resistant to potty training, can start with sitting while clothed and entertain them with a book or toy, then sitting with pants and diaper off
• Can keep the potty in your bathroom and try going at the same time - they love to mimic adults at this age

Skin care: 20:09

• Bathe as often as they get dirty (daily)
• Can use lotion 
• Use sunblock if spending more than 30 mins outside 
• Insect repellant that is safe for babies (citronella based is best)

Safety: 20:52

• Childproof the house - outlet covers, stairway gates, barriers around space heaters, cleaning products locked away, electrical cords out of reach, gates around pools 
• Don’t take medicines in front of children - they will learn that you’re supposed to open those bottles and put things in your mouth out of them
• Keep baby in arms or a high chair in the kitchen, keep the bathroom door shut and bring them in with you; never allow baby to be alone in those rooms
• Set water temp to 120’F 
• Avoid secondhand smoke
• Rear facing car seat until age 2
• Don’t leave heavy objects or hot liquids on tablecloths or coffee table 
• Save poison control number in your phone 
• Remove guns from the home or keep them locked and unloaded in a safe
• Make a fire escape plan with the family, check smoke detectors often 

15mo Checkup: 24:32

• Typically able to sit alone on the table; stay within arms reach so they don’t fall off
• Full head-to-toe exam
• Routine vaccines at this visit and the next one
• Next checkup at 18 mos 
• Reminder that after 1 year of age should have their first eye exam at ophthalmologist

All of the information in this episode is also in The Baby Manual book, which is available for purchase. Remember it is always okay to call your doctor or emergency services if you have concerns about your baby’s health.  

Resources discussed in this episode:

• The Baby Manual - Available on Amazon

--

Dr. Carole Keim MD: linktree | tiktok | instagram