For parents

Question:

Can you discipline a 1 year old? He's a boy.

Dr. Ana’s Answer:

Yes, you can. At this age, discipline is mostly about keeping them safe. As they grow, you can start building on your discipline techniques and explaining to him why things are wrong and why he should not do them. Remember that discipline is not the same as punishment. The goal of discipline is for children to understand why his behaviours are right or wrong.  

At his age you can start to very gentle discipline him using these techniques: 

Question:

How to improve toddler speech? I'm worried that my son is not on the right track with words

Dr. Ana’s Answer:

You need to remember that each child develops at a different pace. Some children are early chatters whereas others need a bit more time to speak. If you are worried, discuss it with your son’s doctor.  

Question:

When do babies discover their hands or understand when hands are something they have?

Dr. Ana’s Answer:

Babies realize they have hands at around 2-3 months of age. Between 2 and 4 months they will see a toy,  and try to get it with their hands. At the beginning, they won’t be able to get it, then they might swipe at it, occasionally hitting it. Slowly, as they develop eye-hand coordination, their accuracy improves. And roughly at 6 months, your baby will be able to do something with the toy, like shaking or banging it.  

Question:

Can you get a tattoo at 16 with parental consent if it’s not a stupid design? 

Question:

How well should a 5 month old motor skills work?  

Dr. Ana’s Answer:

In terms of fine motor skills, a 5 month-old baby, generally: 

Question:

What is a helicopter parent? My grandmother accused me of ruining my child's independence by being one, but doesn't it just mean that I'm protective? 

Autism cases are rising. But there is a lot of controversy as to why. In this article, we analyse the data to tell you what is really going on. 

What Is Autism? 

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition ⁽¹⁾. This means that from pregnancy, the brain of a person with autism develops in a different way to the brain of typically developing people.  

Question:

Help with separation anxiety 2 year old. He can't stand me even leaving the room without screaming.

Question:

How to explain divorce to a child? My wife left us and i don’t know how to tell my 6-y/o son

Dr. Ana’s Answer:

I am so sorry to hear you are going through this. From your message I understand that your wife left without an explanation or saying goodbye.  

You need to tell your son that sometimes couples do not want to live with each other anymore and that his mum has left because of this.  

Question:

A parent is seeking advice on how to help their son, who is showing signs of anxiety and depression, such as avoiding school, refusing to eat, and withdrawing from peers. They are also concerned about the impact this is having on their younger daughter, who has become fearful and confused.

Read the Full Question Below

Dr. Ana’s Answer:

I am sorry to hear your son is going through this.